Photos: Santo Domingo to Ponferrada - June 2015

[peregrino_tom]

This last June I joined the Camino Frances at Santo Domingo having started in Irun on the Tunnel/Interior route. It was surprising in several ways. I'd not joined a camino halfway through before and found that groups were already established and I was the newcomer... and so had to work harder to be visible. It was the first time I'd been on the camino in really hot weather, which necessitated a change in tactics, with earlier starts. And I hadn't been on the Frances since 2008 and the greater commercialisation provided much food for thought.
But it was a positive experience and in particular it was great to see towns like Carrion and Mansilla (and their parochial and municipal albergues) buzzing with pilgrim enthusiasm, when they had looked so empty and depressed in November 7 years ago.
There's a few meseta pics for those of you thinking of taking the bus between Burgos and Leon - which might make you reconsider...
Buen camino, tom

https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/albums/72157658584698970

 

[Sailor]

Good photos, thanks Peregrino Tom for the link.

 

[CatherineAnn]

Great photos Tom! You have an artists eye.

 

[peregrino_tom]

I'm glad you both liked them. I hauled a bigger camera than usual and now there's a bit of a pay-off!

 

[cherrys]

This last June I joined the Camino Frances at Santo Domingo having started in Irun on the Tunnel/Interior route. It was surprising in several ways. I'd not joined a camino halfway through before and found that groups were already established and I was the newcomer... and so had to work harder to be visible. It was the first time I'd been on the camino in really hot weather, which necessitated a change in tactics, with earlier starts. And I hadn't been on the Frances since 2008 and the greater commercialisation provided much food for thought.
But it was a positive experience and in particular it was great to see towns like Carrion and Mansilla (and their parochial and municipal albergues) buzzing with pilgrim enthusiasm, when they had looked so empty and depressed in November 7 years ago.
There's a few meseta pics for those of you thinking of taking the bus between Burgos and Leon - which might make you reconsider...
Buen camino, tom

https://www.flickr.com/photos/peregrino_tom/albums/72157658584698970

Tom - thanks. They brought back many memories and made me smile. Hopefully I'm back next fall - Cherry

 

[peregrino_tom]

Cherry, nice one - happy to raise a smile. I hope your plans fall into place.