My favourite meal while on the Primitivo was definitely the seafood paella we had for dinner at the albergue at Ponte Ferreira. It looked glorious and tasted great washed down with a nice glass of red wine.
I also loved the fried bread "buttered" with apple sauce we were served for...
Pelegrin picked up on something I had not noticed (re Castro/Castroverde). Just to clarify (in relation to my previous comment) - the albergue in Castro (stage 7) is an albergue juvenil; the albergue in Castroverde (stage 9) is a "normal"/pilgrim albergue.
Great work! Just a few comments I came up with from a quick scan of the document:
- San Juan de Villapanada albergue: the kitchen is NOT basic. In fact it's one of the best equipped kitchens I came across. Plenty of cooking utensils and all manner of cooking stuff basics available for free...
I'd love to see a photo too. I've just googled the Talon you refer to and it's basically a large bum-bag, right? If I understood correctly, you will clip several items and bags to this bum-bag. Won't the constant swinging back and forth of those items drive you crazy? (I know it would me).
Day 3 (Castilblanco de los Arroyos-Almaden de la Plata) is really demanding, what with starting with 16km of road walking with nowhere to hide from the sun! :eek: When I walked the VdlP in 2009, 3 other pilgrims and myself actually shared a taxi from Castilblanco to the entrance of El Berrocal...
So glad you got there in the end :-)
Have just read your blog. As regards the pilgrim statue on Monte de Gozo, I had the same reaction as you when I went past there last Friday. I distinctly remember a huge statue (impossible to miss) of two pilgrims pointing towards the cathedral - it was...
I love love love the CSJ guides - they are small and compact but pack in so much useful information. Perfect for carrying in the leg pocket of my combat-style walking trousers, and whipping out quickly when needed (several times a day!). Not only do I find the direction instructions useful...
Found this photo I took in 2008. Can't remember what the plaque was affixed to, I seem to recall it was just an anodine bit of wall (ie not a monument or anything grand like that!).
I lost a pair of huge black knickers (I do mean Huge ie Bridget Jones type) - not once, but twice! (first and third Camino).
I lost 3 toenails during the Via de la Plata, and just one during the Primitivo.
I also lost the will to continue - usually every time it rained...
This is very interesting. On all 3 of my caminos I have been bitten by things but only on one instance am I sure it was bedbugs. I really wish I could inform myself better so that I can look at a bite and be able to tell straightaway what caused it, so I could get it treated effectively. I...
Well since I got back I have been poring over the gronze.com Map of the Caminos. The VdlP has been my favourite camino to walk so far (both in terms of scenery and solitude), so am presently concentrating on those caminos that feed into the VdlP - the Mozarabe (either from Granada or Malaga)...
For those who don't have Netflix but are either in the UK or have access to the BBC channels, "The Way" will be on BBC2 on 18 October (next Saturday) at 23:15.
I've only seen it once, did not think much of it at the time but I've just come back from a Camino and am in that post-Camino mood so...
Oh dear I really feel for you - I was in your shoes just a few days ago. I had to stay in Campiello an extra day (far less interesting place than Lugo!) and all in all it took me 5 days instead of 2 to get from Bodenaya to Berducedo. All the time I was walking the Primitivo I found myself...
Day 16 - Pedrouzo to Santiago
Eeek! Has it really taken me 16 days to walk the Primitivo?!
Santiago was smiling on me today because guess what? No rain! No rain!
Ok I lie. A few drops in the afternoon while I was loitering on Plaza da Obradoiro.
Walk itself was rain-free though. I´ve...
Day 15 - Boente to Pedrouzo
Sigh. What can I say except rain and more rain. Whole of me still damp from not having been able to dry out yesterday. Camino is overcrowded now, at one point I suddenly found myself in the middle of a group of 60 or so 13-year school boys on their way to Monte de...
Day 14 - Ferreira to Boente
That was yesterday. A pig of a day. Much more rain than previous day - there were actually puddles inside my shoes. I thought I'd never get to Boente. When I did, very surly welcome at the Albergue. Felt like a piece of cattle being processed for the abattoir...
Thanks Terry for the weather forecast. To be honest the least I am hoping for is sunshine for Friday. On my first Camino I arrived in Santiago under the rain and found that quite miserable :-(
Laurie please could you clarify which albergue you are referring to in Boente? I've just looked on Gronze and they have 2 listed in Boente. The one I want is the one you've mentioned in past posts.
Day 13 - Lugo to Ferreira
Once again, lovely weather for ducks! Rain all day - by the time I got to the Albergue Ponte Ferreira I was a squeaking, squelching, dripping mess.
Albergue feels very welcoming and smells of incense. Presently sitting in a very pleasant and bright sitting area, very...
Day 12 - Castroverde to Lugo
Sigh. Rain. Rain. More rain. In Lugo now, well esconced in the Public Albergue, waiting for rain to stop so that I can go up on the wall.
Walk from Castroverde went fairly well, except that I made the mistake of getting a can of Coke from the first distributor...
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