Radio Buen Camino on El Salvador in 7 parts

[GunnarW]

Our adventure on El Salvador in 7 parts (15 till 21).
Part 15: Esmine & Gunnar arrived in León and will begin their camino the day after. Click on the link.
www.vimeo.com/84150750
Spoken in Dutch and some other languages. Always subtitled in English.
More will follow the coming weeks.

UPDATE: All parts can be seen here
http://vimeo.com/user9824047/videos

 

[FatmaG]

Great!
I am looking forward to discover the following parts...

 

[Susannafromsweden]

That was very nice Gunnar! I watched it, and I'm looking forward to the rest.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Alas! For bandwidth enough to view this!

 

[GunnarW]

The video is rendered with a bitrate of 5MB/s
Nice quality and no problem with high speed internet
But there is a solution for those who have slow connections.
Download the video and watch it afterwards on your hard disk. The size/video is below 500MB.
Make an account in Vimeo and a download link will appear, somewhere below right.
It's free, easy and you're not bugged with adverts.

 

[Thomas1962]

Dank je Gunnar!
Really looking forward to your next release, especially the one around Pajares

 

[Former member 12499]

Terrific piece of work Gunnar. It brought back some happy memories.

 

[GunnarW]

Let's now walk till La Robla.
www.vimeo.com/85433713
Please check also this post as it contains more comments.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...-camino-now-on-el-salvador.22889/#post-184598

 

[FatmaG]

Nice, nice, nice... So many souvenirs...
Thank you Gunnar for sharing!

 

[Thomas1962]

Thanks Gunnar, can't wait for the next one!

 

[GunnarW]

And here is the next one
www.vimeo.com/85705207
Fatma, Charlie,... good memories? Please write them down.

 

[wayfarer]

Thanks Gunnar, downloading as I write.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Wow that was the best one so far. I love it.

 

[GunnarW]

Wow that was the best one so far. I love it.

Susanna, what will you write next week? The same?
You know what will come next week.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Susanna, what will you write next week? The same?
You know what will come next week.

Yes, know....I will probably write that was the Best Ever!!

 

[angulero]

Como dice la canción de Pau Dones que has puesto, "todo me parece bonito".

As Pau Dones song you've put, "everything seems nice," he says.

 

[peregrina2000]

Gunnar, this is just wonderful. I spent a lot of time today in front of a computer that wouldn't let me watch videos, so I was terribly frustrated. First thing I did when I got to my ipad was watch the video. Those of us who have walked this route but would never have the ability to put together a video of this high quality thank you so much! It brings back so many memories of spots and views.

And I am sure it will encourage a lot of other peregrinos to try it! Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

When you mentioned the mining crisis in Pola de Gordon I was brought back to the horrible news I remember posting about not too long ago in which miners were killed in an explosion. But that was the only sad memory your video triggered, the rest was GLORIOUS!!!

You are a butterfly magnet, Gunnar. And you certainly got a beautiful day for that first part of the mountain crossing.

So I do have just a couple of questions. The hotel in Pola de Gordon, was that on the side of the river before crossing into the main town? If so, I'm glad to see it's open because it looked closed when I was last through. I think the one on the main highway is closed though, right where the camino leaves town.

My other question is the place where you stayed in Poladura. I'm assuming it was the casa rural and not the albergue, so I'd love to know a little about it. On my next Salvador I have told myself that I am going to break the mountain day into two instead of doing it all in one etapa, to extend the beauty so to speak. Poladura is the obvious place to do that. Did you eat meals there? Did they make you a lunch?

So sorry for all my questions, but many thanks and the anticipation for the Puerto de Pajares is surely on the rise! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Thomas1962]

Thanks so much Gunnar! I wanted to give you at least 10 likes for this, but the system didn't allow me. I now need to do it with what you brought to my face:

So curious what Pajares will bring us!
I also loved the music with it, especially the first one. Can you give us the titles of all three of them?

 

[angulero]

¿Te refieres a esta?. Es "Jarabe de Palo" o lo que es lo mismo, Pau Dones.

You mean this?. It is "Jarabe de Palo" or what is the same, Pau Dones.

 

[FatmaG]

Great video, Gunnar.
Beside, I am very grateful for the information about people, politics, background you give.
Yes, again souvenirs of the camino - but I do not remember f.i. that there was so much street walking from La Robla to Buiza… At least I do remember and recognize these stunning views in the mountains.

@laurie: it's a long time ago… but I stayed in the albergue and the people running the b&b were so kind of preparing us a dinner. It was the very best I ate in these 30 days of caminos through Spain

 

[Thomas1962]

You mean this?. It is "Jarabe de Palo" or what is the same, Pau Dones

Wauw, thanks Angulero and Gunnar! That's it. It's right on my playlist!

 

[GunnarW]

This is the play list from Belgium to León (part 15)
[Library from Sonoton] SCD085921 Sea breeze
[Library from Sonoton] SCDV029911 Organic grooves (version A)
Conquistador - Agua
[Library from Sonoton] SCDV029911 Organic grooves (version A)

This is the play list from León to La Robla (part 16)
One More Time - Highland
Daniel Boone - Beautiful Sunday
Booker T & The MG's - Green onions

This is the play list between La Robla and Poladura de la Tercia (part 17)
Jarabe de Palo - Bonito
Enigma - Return to innocence
Adiemus (Karl Jenkins) - Adiemus


Note: some songs are adapted for example to fit the length or to highlight a certain sequence. For example Return to inncocence has a double bridge (distored guitar at the end), Highland has a very very very extended instrumental break to fit in Gloria from Andalucia, Adiemus sings an extra refrain...

 

[GunnarW]

Hello Laurie,
Your comment is one to frame in.
A butterfly magnet
I'm not a a butterfly expert but I was asking myself why the black butterfly never opened the wings during a rest and the white butterfly always do.
Oh, there will be another specy to see just before Campomanes. With a strange shape.
About the hotel. When you enter Pola de Gordón, you go under the railway. After the tunnel, the camino goes right over the water. The hotel is on the left side on the street when you go out of the tunnel. So in fact it's close to the railway station.
The telephone number was on the door. We called and after a while, the owner opened the hotel.

Poladura de la Tercia: Yes we stayed in the casa rural. We called the evening before and ordered a lunch.
We asked to eat outside as the little garden is lovely and probably the TV was turned on in the dining room.
We thought the primero plato was the segundo plato as they served first a kind of pre primero plato. We were surprised when the real segundo plato came up.

Don't hesitate to ask more question or to make reflections. It makes the thread more interesting.

 

[GunnarW]

Great video, Gunnar.
...but I do not remember f.i. that there was so much street walking from La Robla to Buiza…

Hello Fatma,
Between La Robla and Pola de Gordón: it's something like 60% walking on the street.
Exception is before Buen Suceso close to the railroad track and before Pola de Gordón
Between Pola and Buiza: it's 98% walking on the road. After Pola, there is a small shortcut under an iron bridge where there is no concreet.

 

[Thomas1962]

This is the play list from Belgium to León (part 15)

Thanks Gunnar, great!

 

[fraluchi]

I just discovered part 16:

It includes a thank you to Rebekah Scott. Great videos!
Kompliment Gunnar, voor alle mooie opnamen in de verschillende Radio Buen Camino videos. Ik hou van uw vlaams aksent!

 

[GunnarW]

Hello Adriaan,
Yes, and also Laurie Reynolds. And also another person but that's for part 6.
Thank you for the compliment en voor mijn accent

 

[GunnarW]

The Puerto de Pajares is the place where you enter the autonomy of Asturias.
There is a bar, an old parador and there is in fact no easy way to get to the village of Pajares.
https://vimeo.com/86312087

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Thank you Gunnar, that was the best film ever!
Now I'm going to give you ten likes.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

....Done. Ten likes (or was it 12) from me.
Dear members of the Salvador club.
I think Gunnar deserves more likes, as he makes such great films.
Let's drown him in Likes.

 

[peregrina2000]

Wow, Gunnar, this was just beautiful. I don't know what else to say but mil gracias. This is a great antidote to a grey winter day! I don't know how Susanna and I are going to keep walking west when we hit La Robla, knowing that we are giving up the chance to take that walk again!

 

[peregrina2000]

....Done. Ten likes (or was it 12) from me.
Dear members of the Salvador club.
I think Gunnar deserves more likes, as he makes such great films.
Let's drown him in Likes.

Susanna, once I hit "like" my only option was then to "unlike" -- so I'm afraid that the rest of my "likes" are virtual in form but real in sentiment! Laurie

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Susanna, once I hit "like" my only option was then to "unlike" -- so I'm afraid that the rest of my "likes" are virtual in form but real in sentiment! Laurie

Do you know what I did, to give him ten likes?
I went back to Gunnars old posts and liked them.

 

[FatmaG]

My God… so much beauty.
(And all the answers to our questions…)

When watching your video, I'd say I have more than once missed the "right" camino, Gunnar… (which may explain my amnesia…)

And to say that I stayed alone in that joyful albergue of Pajares. (A shame!)

 

[Thomas1962]

What to say. I agree with Susanna: It's the best! Every time I watch your video's I feel again what an intense days I had!
I'm curious what route you took exactly around Pajares. I will watch the old thread about it, thee one with the maps.
Can't stop liking anything in this thread.
Thanks!

 

[GunnarW]

Hello Thomas, Susanna, Laurie, Fatma,...
Thank you for your appreciation. I was very surprised about the alert indicator. The counter mentioned 36 likes. So thank you for this "work around".
I also agree that this part is the best one. First of all the magic of the Puerto de Pajares: the Asturian mountains, the bar, the N630 and the green big marker "Asturias". A month before we started the camino, I looked in Google Street View how the camino should look like. When I saw the Puerto de Pajares, I immediately decided that I would do there a presentation with the green big marker behind me. And I saw on Street View that there was a green waste container against the wall. A good place to put the camero on it.
Also, I noticed the marker "OVIEDO 55" 300m before the Puerto.
So that was the only presentation that was scripted before.

I decided also to use Julio Iglesias - Quiero. This song contains 4 sequences with 8 orchestral chords. I collected camino arrows/markers, I took 8 snapshots of the Asturian mountains, took "Oviedo55" letter by letter and I collected images of statues with Ave Maria's or El Salvador.
During the edit at home, everything went smooth except the OVIEDO55. I was still in the bushes and Julio started already his third orchestral chord. So I extended the song (Julio sings in fact twice the same during the walk on the gravel before the No Thanks Point) and on the N630 just before Pajares, the 3th chord arrived. The last chord was reserved for the collection of Ave Maria's but that didn't work well. I replaced it with "the people I met". I had so many, so I doubled the orchestral chord to 16.

At the end, you could make the relation between the alcohol and the song. But that isn't 100% correct Maria Jose didn't drink a lot comparing to the other gentlemen but she was in a very good mood.

Part 5 is different. It starts with "heavy stuff" in the morning to blow your mind away...

 

[peregrina2000]

At the end, you could make the relation between the alcohol and the song. But that isn't 100% correct Maria Jose didn't drink a lot comparing to the other gentlemen but she was in a very good mood.

Part 5 is different. It starts with "heavy stuff" in the morning to blow your mind away...

I think that alcohol is unlikely to be the source of most of the euphoria that flows after crossing from Poladura.

Can't wait to see the "heavy stuff" on the way to Campomanes. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Susannafromsweden]

I decided also to use Julio Iglesias - Quiero. This song contains 4 sequences with 8 orchestral chords. I collected camino arrows/markers, I took 8 snapshots of the Asturian mountains, took "Oviedo55" letter by letter and I collected images of statues with Ave Maria's or El Salvador.
During the edit at home, everything went smooth except the OVIEDO55. I was still in the bushes and Julio started already his third orchestral chord. So I extended the song (Julio sings in fact twice the same during the walk on the gravel before the No Thanks Point) and on the N630 just before Pajares, the 3th chord arrived. The last chord was reserved for the collection of Ave Maria's but that didn't work well. I replaced it with "the people I met". I had so many, so I doubled the orchestral chord to 16.

I have watched the film a couple of times now, and will certainly watch it again.
I got a few questions and comments.
You walked the n-630 from Parador to the gate? Do you got some film of that part of the walk? I'm curious to see more pics, if there is.
The part of the film at Puerto the Pajares made me think of this TV series : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Persuaders!
I don't know why, maybe it's the music or the style. It's cool, and fun to watch.
How about the cooker in the kitchen? Did you test it? Was it electric or do you use fires with coal or wood to heat it?
I think I know what the heavy stuff in part five is...

 

[GunnarW]

About the alcohol. You can read some more in the Spanish forum foroperegrinos.
I don't have images between the Puerto dP and the gate 300m lower. We walked from curve to curve and waited for a clear path. Too dangerous.
The cooker in the kitchen. We didn't use the kitchen because there was no grocery shop to buy food. I think we only used the microwave. The casa rural has all the basic things like salt, pepper, oil,... and over 30 glasses, dishes,... It has also a large garden on different levels (you have to open another gate) but there were no vegetables or fruits in it....and no cow, otherwise
Yes, such a beautiful, clean kitchen and no food in the area.

 

[GunnarW]

Radio Buen Camino part 19 (5/7)
8:00 in Pajares: the air that I breathe is coming from the mountains. But it's not a cold mountain wind.
And what is the link between "un hombre sincero" and a "pobre minero"?
www.vimeo.com/86874102

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Radio Buen Camino part 19 (5/7)
8:00 in Pajares: the air that I breathe is coming from the mountains. But it's not a cold mountain wind.
And what is the link between "un hombre sincero" and a "pobre minero"?
www.vimeo.com/86874102

Another great film, thank you Gunnar! I love that one, too!
I remember now you got that funny hot wind when walking downhills. It wasn't there when I walked.
But the donkey was there waiting for me, too, at the same spot. I think he lives there.
The good thing about walking a little later, is that there were lots of black berries!
I missed the chapel, so it was nice to see it now.

 

[GunnarW]

Susanna, you missed also the sidra from the farmers. It was close to the chapel.
This was a funny day because there was the fohn wind, the fish in the fuente with the food thins, the visit of the little church and the mobile meat shop in front of it, Eduardo singing his version of Guantanamera, the weird butterfly and the impossible descent to Campomanes. And no more presentation in Campomanes that day!

 

[Pelegrin]

I was watching your beautiful video, part 18, when suddenly I heard before Julio Iglesias song the phrase in galego "Están escoitando Radio Bo Camiño". It was a really nice surprise.
Thank you Gunnar

 

[fraluchi]

Gunnar, your videos are superb! They invite to do the walks which you so nicely have documented. I like the "cuenca minera, borracha y dinamitera" ! In the same stile, your donkey made me think of a YouTube video: "Scusi, mi sa dire l'ora per favore". Totally unrelated to the Camino,of course!

 

[GunnarW]

I was watching your beautiful video, part 18, when suddenly I heard before Julio Iglesias song the phrase in galego "Están escoitando Radio Bo Camiño". It was a really nice surprise.
Thank you Gunnar

All the "Radio Buen Camino" shouts are coming from the people I met. The galego shout is from Eduardo (primero, because there are two), who I met at Ender's cross together with Susan. Thank you for your observation.

 

[Thomas1962]

Thanks so much Gunar!

 

[Jack Russell]

Our adventure on El Salvador in 7 parts (15 till 21).
Part 15: Esmine & Gunnar arrived in León and will begin their camino the day after. Click on the link.
www.vimeo.com/84150750
Spoken in Dutch and some other languages. Always subtitled in English.
More will follow the coming weeks.

Wow. I've been watching your videos. I was four days ahead of you Gunnar! Looking forward to the next episode.

 

[GunnarW]

Campomanes - Mieres is easy to walk. It's all flat except the little hill up to Santa Cristina. After Pola de Lena, there was enough time to learn more about the Camino del Salvador.
www.vimeo.com/87446372

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Think I watched it first...
That was nice too, even though there's a lot of road walking. We took a lot of breaks that day, and were tired when we arrived in Mieres. Then we had to walk through it to get to the albergue, which was on the other side. So it was fun to see a little bit of Mieres, as we just passed it. And I enjoyed the interview with Ender, he is really nice.

 

[Thomas1962]

Me second...
Very nice indeed again, thank you!
I actually liked the difference that day with the silent day before. Suddenly the motorway, the huge billboards, busy towns/villages. It's all part of the world which is passing by.
Nice to hear the interview with Ender indeed, heard much of him, seems like a nice guy, his scallops guided me very well.
Gunnar, hope you planned new camino's for this year

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Gunnar, so nice to give a shout out to Ender. I really couldn't have walked the Salvador without those metal arrows and conch shells.

Great video!!! I've never walked through Mieres in the late afternoon, so I enjoyed seeing all the sidrerias and the movement on the streets.

I had also heard that the 365 corners at Santa Cristina was a myth, and I'm glad you counted them to bring some analytical rigor to the debate. Thanks again, it was a great way to start the day. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[GunnarW]

Susanna, I remembered your message about the owner of the hotel in Campomanes who took you till Pola de Lena with his car.
Thomas, Indeed the huge billboards, back to the real world. Advantage: again shops to buy basic food.
Laurie, yes, the scallop shells are a good indicator. Between the Puerto de Pajares and Pajares, it should other wise be impossible to find the right way.
Meanwhile, some regional papers published the story.


First yellow box: I consulted on regulary base www.caminodesantiago.me where you can find detailed info about 28 different caminos.
Second yellow box: ... José Antonio "Ender", someone who is maintaining and even improving the Camino del Salvador on volunteer base.

 

[GunnarW]

About the sidrerias: we arrived Friday afternoon. This could be a reason that the real sidra was flowing like water in Mieres. Comparing with Oviedo, we had the feeling that there was much more people outside in the streets of Mieres. A few hundred meter of tables full of people in the middle of the main shopping streets.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Susanna, I remembered your message about the owner of the hotel in Campomanes who took you till Pola de Lena with his car.

Yes, we were lucky as Otto wasn't feeling well and had to go to the hospital in Pola de Lena.
But we went back the next day, and when we came to the little church it was open.
Didn't count the corners inside, because it was dark and a group of tourists were there, too.

 

[GunnarW]

And here is the last part, the arrival in Oviedo.
In Mieres, there are still three hills to conquer.
At 15:30 we hear for the first time the anthem Asturias, Patria querida.
www.vimeo.com/88135192

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Another great film by Gunnar! Thank you!
I think I watched it first this time also...
The last day was rather nice, I think. The hills weren't that bad. And it was nice to have some bars along the way, so we could stop and drink coffee. I don't remember the bridge. Either I wasn't thinking of it, or I have forgotten it, or I went the wrong way there.

 

[GunnarW]

Susanna, the bridge just before entering the centre Olloniego over the highway? Yes, you can skip this one by following the AS242, the one where the cyclists are coming down from it. You missed also the old fuente.
If I remember well, you took a wrong road a few km before Oviedo, somewhere at 10'00" in the video?

 

[GunnarW]

Here is the situation before Olloniego

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Susanna, the bridge just before entering the centre Olloniego over the highway? Yes, you can skip this one by following the AS242, the one where the cyclists are coming down from it. You missed also the old fuente.
If I remember well, you took a wrong road a few km before Oviedo, somewhere at 10'00" in the video?

Yes, I think I went the wrong way somewhere around there. But I'm not sure. Otherwise I've recognised all the route on the film, thinking its funny how much one still remembers. But there it was something wrong. You mean the bridge was there?
I think that means I will have to walk it again.

 

[GunnarW]

[quote="Susannafromsweden,
I think that means I will have to walk it again.[/quote]
Yes, because you missed the old fuente, the station of Olloniego and the pedestrian bridge over the highway protecting the dirt....

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Yes, because you missed the old fuente, the station of Olloniego and the pedestrian bridge over the highway protecting the dirt....

Actually I wasn't thinking of that bridge. I was thinking of Enders bridge. Where was it? I can't remember it.

 

[GunnarW]

Ah, Ender's bridge!
Just before entering Poladura de la Tercia. Something like a little bit like lesser then a km before the village. I forgot to film it and I didn't know at that moment about Ender and the bridge he made.

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Ok, that means it was on the second day. Funny. I must have walked on it but can't remember it. Guess I was just thinking about Poladura and if the bar might be open. Coffee.

 

[peregrina2000]

Susanna, the bridge just before entering the centre Olloniego over the highway? Yes, you can skip this one by following the AS242, the one where the cyclists are coming down from it. You missed also the old fuente.
If I remember well, you took a wrong road a few km before Oviedo, somewhere at 10'00" in the video?

At the Olloniego train station, if I remember right, you also have the option of going under the tracks at the station itself. Is that the same place? I don't have 20 uninterrupted minutes right now, so I will have to wait till later to see the video, can't wait! Laurie

 

[GunnarW]

Yes Laurie, in Olloniego the camino goes first under the train tracks and goes over the highway.

 

[Pelegrin]

Hallo Gunnar. Your song selection outstanding as usual. The "Asturias Patria querida", is the most popular anthem in Spain (the Spanish national anthem doesn't have lyrics). Almost everyone in Spain who is more than 50 knows it and has sung it in groups, specifically after having ingested high doses of wine or beer.

 

[FatmaG]

Wow, I am behind… Just watched Campomanes - Mieres…

Now, either I have a real big amnesia OR this part of camino has changed a lot since 2010… I really cannot remember any motorway neither to my left nor to my right… It was all (in my head at least) a rather dull but peaceful walk.
I also loved to see another image of Mieres which was not very attractive when passing by.
I just ADORED the music of "Miss Maple" - brought back some lovely memory of another kind.

And when I walked, I missed Santa Cristina - I agree, it's a shame and already enough reason to walk it again.

THANKS again for sharing, Gunnar.

 

[angulero]

Hallo Gunnar. Your song selection outstanding as usual. The "Asturias Patria querida", is the most popular anthem in Spain (the Spanish national anthem doesn't have lyrics). Almost everyone in Spain who is more than 50 knows it and has sung it in groups, specifically after having ingested high doses of wine or beer.

 

[angulero]

Por cierto, la letra es ésta:

By the way, the hymn is this:

Asturias, Patria querida,
Asturias de mis amores;
¡quién estuviera en Asturias
en todas las ocasiones!

Tengo de subir al árbol,
tengo de coger la flor,
y dársela a mi morena
que la ponga en el balcón,

Que la ponga en el balcón,
que la deje de poner,
tengo de subir al árbol
y la flor he de coger.

Se confundieron un poco al cantarlo.

They sing a bit confused.

 

[GunnarW]

Por cierto, la letra es ésta:
By the way, the hymn is this:
...
tengo de subir al árbol
y la flor he de coger.
Se confundieron un poco al cantarlo.
They sing a bit confused.

>>>The recording was made suddenly very late in the evening at the end of our camino. The recording conditions were excellent (no background noise) The two sisters started singing and it was this recording or none. Even the husband of Eva started humming the bass. I know at the end it's a bit different. But this recording had the value of gold.

 

[Pelegrin]

Angulero said:

"Tengo de subir al árbol,
tengo de coger la flor"

So, after having sung the "Asturias Patria querida" many, many times with some amount of alcohol inside, thanks to this forum I know the true lyrics. (According to Wikipedia Angulero's post is correct). But..."tengo de" doesn't make any sense in Spanish.

In the video the sisters say "vengo de" (I come from climbing the tree) and I always had said so far "tengo que" (I have to climb the tree).

 

[angulero]

Quizás en el castellano actual no tenga sentido, o no se use. Como la canción es de principios del siglo pasado y creo que escrita por un hijo de inmigrante cubano, puede que tuviera sentido. Todavía no hace mucho, había un artículo en un periódico de aquí que se titulaba "tengo de subir al puerto".

Perhaps in the current Castilian does not make sense, or not used. As the song is the beginning of last century and I think written by a son of Cuban immigrant, it may make sense. Yet not long ago, there was an article in a newspaper here that was titled "tengo de subir al puerto."

 

[Thomas1962]

Just today I had the possibility to watch. It was very nice again, thanks!
Hope you will do more camino's soon
The Madrid...?