Article on Via de la Plata in the Guardian

[alansykes]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/27/walkingholidays-spain

- please note, I don't chose the subtitles, or the web address ...

 

[alansykes]

Here's another one:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-no...-santiago-de-compostela-alan-sykes-pilgrimage

 

[alansykes]

and the next:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-no...pain-santiago-de-compostela-camino-alan-sykes

 

[peregrina2000]

It's great fun reading these, as well as your personal posts. Thanks for keeping us up to date on your adventures, buen camino, Laurie

 

[alansykes]

Thanks Laurie. The next day or two should see what my editor calls my "love letter to Extremadura" published. Not that I'll be seeing it for a while, as I assume there's no wifi before Mombuey.

 

[LTfit]

Thanks Alan for all your postings. Ojalá I'ill be finishing off the VdlP as of Zamora this summer so I am especially interested in your comments about the rest of your journey.
Buen Camino!
LT

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From summer to winter in less than a month. Plus fascist drinking water

More romanesque churches than you could get round in a week in Zamora, Civil War reminders north of Salamanca and a castle which Napoleon disliked. Alan Sykes strides on towards Santiago de Compostela

You have me reading it now! There has been a lot of discussion on water on the Via de la Plata.

 

[alansykes]

There has been (and is) a LOT of water on the Via de la Plata.

Here's another one, written in another, drier, country:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/14/walkingholidays-spain

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The blog after passing the fascist water:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northe ... ngholidays

 

[alansykes]

here's my "love letter to Extremadura", which seems to have got out of synch with the others:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/17/spain-walkingholidays#start-of-comments

 

[alansykes]

And the next one - we seem to be back in the right order:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/20/spain-santiagodecompostela

 

[alansykes]

Penultimate one (well, possibly pro-penultimate):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/22/spain-spain

 

[alansykes]

and another:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-no...ntiagodecompostela-walking-pilgrimage-galicia

Feliz navidad a todos

 

[Jubilado]

Alan! At first glance, I thought that first photo was you! - I thought, "he has had a hard camino"! And then my wine fumes parted and I realised it was only those terrific giants you get in Spanish fiestas.

Your articles are excellent and you will not be imprisoned with Paolo Coelho :roll: , and (Charles?) Sheen :shock: for encouraging the hopeful to think that a camino is a spiritual package with a money back guarantee.

But if I return to the VDLP and find it full of Guardianistas I will be on the dog and bone right away to whine! :wink:

Well done pilgrim.


A vingt ans c'est une promenade; à soixante ans c'est la liberté.

 

[alansykes]

Thanks for your kind words Jubilado. I did briefly wonder about spoiling the VdlP by over-exposing it, before reminding myself that if my pieces attracted one extra walker to the route it would be about one more than expected. The route could probably take a further 100% increase without most people noticing, especially in the quiet months - even in the busiest times I don't think it's ever that bad: I had a look through the records at Fuenterroble, and in April/May the maximum staying on any one night was about 40, well below capacity.

Here's the final episode:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/28/walkingholidays-spain