New Member Nic

[Nicprinsloo]

Hi I am Nic from Clarens in South Africa. I have walked the Camino Frances in 2007 and I am planning to walk the Via de la Plata from April 2012 to Jjune 2012. I will start in Seville and then join the Frances in Astorga.

 

[petro]

Hi Nic,

It is great to welcome a fellow South African to the Forum. I have walked the CFin 2008 and again this year in May/June. Good luck with the planning of your next camino. Sounds exciting!!

Petro

 

[Nicprinsloo]

Are there forum members who recently walked the Via de la Plata? I would like to make contact. Is the Mundicamino website the only website with information? Thanks! :?:

 

[skilsaw]

Hi Nic,
I walked the Camino Frances in 2004, the VdlP, sevilla to astorga and on to Santiago in 2006, then went on to walk the VdlP again in 2010, but this time through Ourense. I recommend going through ourense instead of Astorga. It is beautiful, and challenging and will be all new to you.

Buen Camino,
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[Nicprinsloo]

Thank you David! I am going through Astorga because a friend from South Africa will join me there and she will be on her first Camino. Another friend, also on her first Camino, will join in Triacastela due to time constraints. I intend to take it slow because I have the time to do that and will bus through from Zamora or MontaMarta to Astorga. I am so much looking forward to this journey! Information on the VdlP is scarce and I will tap into you again, if I might.
Thank you Petro! I will keep in touch!

 

[Nicprinsloo]

Hi all,
I am back in South Africa after two months in Spain walking the VdlP. I had to start in Merida due to late Visa application and therefor didn't have the time to start in Seville. The VdlP is a difficult walk and I didn't experience the spiritual moments I had in 2007 on the Frances. I also took the bus a couple of times and therefor didn't apply for a Compostela once I reached Santiago, however it was a good journey. Would I do another Camino? Yes probably in a year or two but that would be the Frances again. A couple of things that I missed on the VdlP:
English-speaking peregrino's There were many Spanish, French, Italian and German people.
The Camino-spirit was not the same as it was on the Frances, it was very much a matter of "Each to his own"
Highlights were: the Albergue in Albergueria - Real old style refugio and the bar ( where one signs in) was fantastic wiith all the scallop shells hanging everywhere, It was cold and the Hospitalero provided lots of wood for the fireplace. Villar de Barrio - Excellent Albergue and Noemi (The Hospitalera) is doing an excellent job there.
On my slow return to Madrid I stayed 3 nights in Astorga and it still has the same charm I experienced in 2007.