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Recent content by barryfr

  1. barryfr

    Getting to Muxia without walking there?

    My wife and I faced the same issue of not having enough time to walk from Santiago to Muxia. Our solution was to book a bus tour. Pros: We were able to see both Muxia and Finisterre, and we had a personable and knowledgeable tour guide. Cons: The tour included several stops after Finisterre...
  2. barryfr

    Last minute decisons - fleece or puffer?

    When I did the Norte in mid-April through late May last year, I brought both a lightweight fleece and a lightweight puffer vest. A few times I used both at the same time; others I chose one or the other. It gave me options, including the ability to wear both on colder days. I'd probably do it...
  3. barryfr

    Have you used Aíralo?

    When my wife and I started Camino del Norte last spring, we tried to rely on wifi only. We installed Airalo after trying to get inside a hostel and a pension where a phone/whatsapp call was needed. We were very happy with Airalo. Prices were reasonable and the ability to connect off of wifi was...
  4. barryfr

    Desktop Computer Availability in Albergues

    My own experience: We saw no public-use computers in albergues on Camino del Norte last spring. Before we left home, I purchased a foldable bluetooth keyboard. My wife and I blogged regularly; she did most of the writing. I did most of the photography, created Relive videos and edited. It turned...
  5. barryfr

    Salinas on the Camino Norte - when was route changed?

    We discovered the changed route when we walked the Norte last spring. At one particular intersection, my map said turn right to go toward Salinas but the the arrows pointed ahead. We opted to go to Salinas anyway because it looked like the next best place for coffee. (We left from Aviles before...
  6. barryfr

    Start of season?

    My wife and I started our camino from Irun on April 14 last year and I don't remember encountering any facilities that had not yet opened. If there were any, they were very rare.
  7. barryfr

    Topo Wearers!

    I wore Topo Terraventures for Camino del Norte last spring in combination with Injinji Coolmax toe socks and Superfeet Trailblazer insoles. The result: No blisters -- other than a hotspot that was prevented from becoming a blister with Compeed. I sized up a half-size. Since then, I bought more...
  8. barryfr

    albergue queuing

    Interesting. We weren't aware of that custom when we walked del Norte this past spring. We were disturbed by an incident at the municipal albergue in Castro Urdiales. Quite a few people were waiting outside before the 16-bed albergue opened. When the doors opened, some new arrivals got in line...
  9. barryfr

    Norte albergue

    I can't recommend the place we stayed in San Sebastian, but we enjoyed Blai Blai Hostel in Zarautz. It's not a pilgrims-only hostel, but I believe everyone who was there the night we stayed there in mid-April this year was a pilgrim. The built-in bunks were comfortable and I seem to recall they...
  10. barryfr

    When using booking.com, double check a city location first... it can be confusing...

    Also, beware of albergues with similar names. Last May on Camino del Norte, I booked a day ahead for Albergue de Estación in Llanes using a Whatsapp link from one of the popular Camino apps. We arrived at the albergue when it opened and discovered they were fully booked but didn't have our...
  11. barryfr

    A wide toe box trail runner

    The topo Terraventure 3 trail runners, combined with Injinji toe socks and Superfeet Trailblazer inserts, kept me blister-free walking del Norte from Irun to Santiago last spring. I had tried the Altra Lone Peaks, which did not offer enough midfoot support. The Terraventure 3 have a wide toe box...
  12. barryfr

    Second "Half" of the Norte

    I haven't done the Primitivo though I hope to do so in the future. But my wife and I really enjoyed the second half of the Norte this past spring. We took several coastal variations and enjoyed exploring the castos that once held large settlements. I also hope to someday do the coastal route...
  13. barryfr

    I asked AI for a picture

    For me and my wife, it would be a tortoise stopping to take pictures, look at gardens and greet the cows.
  14. barryfr

    Pavement!!!

    Check mapping apps for alternative routes. On our Camino last spring, my wife and I took several coastal alternatives past Aviles. We met a young man who frequently used the Mapy.cz app to find coastal alternatives. (We actually first met him when we took an alternative route through Salinas...
  15. barryfr

    Accommodation on the Norte

    My wife and I walked del Norte this past April and had no problem finding accommodations. We did not book in advance for nearly a week after San Sebastian. We started booking a day in advance after seeing some people not get into the municipal albergue at Castro Urdiales even though they had...
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