Thirty five days and I never knowingly encountered another diabetic

[Dov of the Galilee]

The thought only occurred to me tonight as I lay in my bed in Santiago. After fruitlessly trying to find food with no luck I am faced with waiting till ten A.M. tomorrow in Madrid. I wonder how other insulin dependent diabetics fare here? Using this evening as an example I went into the center of Santiago looking for a meal. If you want tapas, beer,wine, cookies,cake, ice cream or coffee then you're in luck. But if you need protein I.e. real food good luck because everything around,here opens at 2000 to 2030 hours. In a city of one hundred thousand that makes a,good piece of coin from tourists I'd think that wouldn't be the case bur I'm wrong.

The back up plan is to go to a grocery store but despite walking 3 kilometers not a single one presented itself.


So if you're a diabetic make sure you have safety nets well in place that you don't find yourself hard pressed.

 

[SabsP]

Supermercado Froiz at Praza do Toural. Right in the old centre is open till 9.30 pm.

Froiz Santiago de Compostela - Plaza del Toural, 2 | Ofertas y horarios | Tiendeo

Buscas el ◴ horario de Froiz? Encuentra aquí las ofertas, teléfono y horario de Froiz en Plaza del Toural, 2, Santiago de Compostela.

www.tiendeo.com

Caarefour Market ar Rua Montero Rios open till 10 pm.

https://www.carrefour.es/tiendas-carrefour/supermercados/carrefour-market/santiago_-_s.aspx

 

[Dov of the Galilee]

Never saw either in my Journeys.

 

[SabsP]

Never saw either in my Journeys.

Of course I do not know where you are staying in Santiago but the two I mentioned are very central.

 

[trecile]

Never saw either in my Journeys.

When I need to find a grocery store, pharmacy, or any other type of business I look on Google Maps to find one close to me.

 

[Dov of the Galilee]

That's precisely what I did, I am quite familiar with Google. The problem has been incorrect information . The wise pilgrim app will tell you that an albergue opens at 11 and you arrive and check in is at 1300 or 1500 as the place I am currently in. Grocery stores are anything from what my say is a gas station to something substantial. Again in my walk today through the old town there was not a place open between 1800 to 1900 that person could buy a few ingredients and make a meal. It's that simple. If you can sustain on beer and olives you'll have no problem. Even "proper " pilgrim meals are mostly carbohydrates which is sugar.

I'm just warning fellow diabetics be super aware of what's available and have options.

 

[C clearly]

How about a Corte Inglés. They have liberal hours and a very good selection of food.

 

[SabsP]

How about a Corte Inglés. They have liberal hours and a very good selection of food.

Much further out of old town than the two I mentioned.

 

[C clearly]

Much further out of old town than the two I mentioned.

My mistake. I was thinking of Madrid!

 

[SabsP]

My mistake. I was thinking of Madrid!

Choice enough!

https://www.elcorteingles.es/centroscomerciales/es/eci/madrid

 

[trecile]

That's precisely what I did, I am quite familiar with Google. The problem has been incorrect information

I'm sorry to have made the assumption that you hadn't checked Google Maps first. Many of us don't bother using it when we are at home because we already know where all of our local shops are, so it may not be a habit to consult it when we are traveling. And you're right that sometimes the hours are incorrect.

 

[J Willhaus]

I don't know if you are going by plane or train. The airport coffee shop opens at 7:10. The train might have a dining car if you are taking that route.

I am not insulin dependant, but do have T2 diabetes and usually carry Baby Bell cheeses, walnuts, peanuts, etc. You may be able to buy something like a bag of nuts in an airport shop or on the train.

 

[Barbara]

Have you tried just asking a local? Any random person working in any shop will know, because they probably eat food too.

 

[Roland49]

Didn't you try the italian Restaurant "L'Incontro"?
Italian food is often very protein-heavy.

Was never disappointed with the dishes they offer!

 

[Kirkie]

Have you tried just asking a local? Any random person working in any shop will know, because they probably eat food too.

I hope you are younger than I am, @Barbara, because straight away came these words : out of the mouth of babes. A very sensible option. Having said that, I do sympathise with the OP. I only have type 2, but I gather diabetes type 1 is a much more serious matter. I presume the task for today will be to source non carbohydrate food, before any other activity.
Even without diabetes type anything, I can be deaf and blind to anything if I am hungry...

 

[Barbara]

I hope you are younger than I am, @Barbara, because straight away came these words : out of the mouth of babes. A very sensible option. Having said that, I do sympathise with the OP. I only have type 2, but I gather diabetes type 1 is a much more serious matter. I presume the task for today will be to source non carbohydrate food, before any other activity.
Even without diabetes type anything, I can be deaf and blind to anything if I am hungry...

Kirkie, I doubt if I am younger than you. It just seemed so blindingly obvious that feet on the ground would belong to someone who needed to buy food, rather than asking on a forum where members could be anywhere in the world, and had no idea where in Santiago the OP was. I do sympathise, but sometimes I wonder about common sense. But yes, when hungry my brains go on strike, too.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

The thought only occurred to me tonight as I lay in my bed in Santiago. After fruitlessly trying to find food with no luck I am faced with waiting till ten A.M. tomorrow in Madrid. I wonder how other insulin dependent diabetics fare here? Using this evening as an example I went into the center of Santiago looking for a meal. If you want tapas, beer,wine, cookies,cake, ice cream or coffee then you're in luck. But if you need protein I.e. real food good luck because everything around,here opens at 2000 to 2030 hours. In a city of one hundred thousand that makes a,good piece of coin from tourists I'd think that wouldn't be the case bur I'm wrong.

The back up plan is to go to a grocery store but despite walking 3 kilometers not a single one presented itself.


So if you're a diabetic make sure you have safety nets well in place that you don't find yourself hard pressed.

Centro Commercial As Cancelas is the big Mall in SdC. It can be easily found on any map app you choose. But it is up the hill from el Centro (downtown SdC). There are more than 100 shops there and includes a big grocery store.

 

[t2andreo]

When I need to find a grocery store, pharmacy, or any other type of business I look on Google Maps to find one close to me.

Googling "supermarket near me," or "supermercado cerca de aqui" (supermarket near here always works for me.

 

[Dov of the Galilee]

Kirkie, I doubt if I am younger than you. It just seemed so blindingly obvious that feet on the ground would belong to someone who needed to buy food, rather than asking on a forum where members could be anywhere in the world, and had no idea where in Santiago the OP was. I do sympathise, but sometimes I wonder about common sense. But yes, when hungry my brains go on strike, too.

There's been a misreading on your part, I shared an observation and that is I was never aware of any fellow diabetics on the Camino and then I shared my testimony of that day, I wasn't asking for anyone to problem solve my situation. Asking locals for advice has proven very shallow on this trip especially regarding buses or taxis, presumably because they themselves don't use them, that's just a guess. But to the point of my comment , if you can walk a three km circle in a tourist rich city and not encounter a grocery store that is open then that is ...well frustrating

 

[J Willhaus]

Hope you made it safely to Madrid.

 

[temiatwork]

I am a diabetic and insulin dependent. I always have enough ration with me enough to survive the opening or availability to re-supply.

 

[Barbara]

There's been a misreading on your part, I shared an observation and that is I was never aware of any fellow diabetics on the Camino and then I shared my testimony of that day, I wasn't asking for anyone to problem solve my situation. Asking locals for advice has proven very shallow on this trip especially regarding buses or taxis, presumably because they themselves don't use them, that's just a guess. But to the point of my comment , if you can walk a three km circle in a tourist rich city and not encounter a grocery store that is open then that is ...well frustrating

I'm sorry if I misunderstood your post. I suspect I am not the only one to do so, looking at other posts.
In answer to this post, I can only say that Santiago de C is like many medium sized cities with an 'old part' and 'new sector' Restaurants in plenty in the tourist occupied area, opening according to Spanish custom, but not many grocery shops other than expensive specialty shops. So, if you are in the tourist area, ask the workers. They might not use taxis, but they do eat. There will be a few tiendas tucked away but not, I agree, easy to find. Alternatively you go to the new part where there are plenty of shops selling stuff that is actually useful. Especially as there is a university, and usually where there is a university there are hungry students.

For your specific needs as a diabetic I suppose you carry some emergency rations? Maybe you didn't knowingly meet any others but I'm sure they are out there carrying what they need, because they don't seem to be dropping like flies.
Anyway, safe journey home and I hope you found food to suit your needs.

 

[Dov of the Galilee]

I've had a roller coaster ride with diabetes. During my thirty years I've known people who can take sweets or a snickers bar to stabilize their situation. For me it only makes me sicker. My two top poisons are honey and orange juice either one spikes my numbers to the hundreds. Protein is the key for me however most nuts I can't eat, peanut butter if you can find it is the worst available and heavy in sugar but at home I can source good pb. So what you're left with is tuna fish. This is all according to taste mind you but there is good brands and not so good. None sold in Spain,were familiar to me so,it was,trial and error, I never found a,brand that was marginally good. In the past few years I,developed a severe allergy to shrimp and shellfish even though I ate it my entire life. So carrying epipens was a new combined with the concern that any restaurant I might eat in could cross contaminate. I was in a small restaurant in O Ceibera and saw a plate of food that looked really good, I told the waitress was allergic to seafood by a written card. She,went off to get it for me, I was,trying to learn the name, of this dish Pulpo or something. Now I was told this was pork which was fine until a young man also a patron got involved and sId what I ordered was,not port but octopus! I did my do diligence and had it written in Spanish to prevent and problems and I almost had a very fatal one. So the wonder dish of paella can be toxic, that's the very thing that put,me,into,anaphylaxis shock three years ago not in Spain.
Now that I've bored you with all the extra details you can,get a better feel of all,my angst in just trying to stay comatose and hopefully healthy.

 

[nickyvee]

I'm T2 and stayed next to the cathedral. No problem looking for sustenance. No problem looking for a Foz or neighborhood grocery either...thanks to Google map or wave. If I have to and about to drop like flies, I would have eaten the bar food!

No problem with food as well on the C.Ingles where support was somewhat limited.

Your experience was weird, in that you had to get to Madrid to get 'real food'. The airport alone had several options. Some options too near the train station.

 

[OTH86]

Just for future referance, ask at a farmacia where you can find what you need. They know the neighborhood, there is almost always an English speaker, they are familiar with YOUR health problem, this sort of help is free, and there is always one open or a sign on the window that indicates where the nearest one is.