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Recent content by tpmchugh

  1. tpmchugh

    What do you wish you had worried less about?

    never worried about anything really. Most of my worrying was the year before when my youngest son went on his. By the time he came home I knew there was nothing to worry about
  2. tpmchugh

    Life-size Bronze Statues

    have to admit, running of the bulls is my favourite. That was St Patricks day 2013 and tat was my son trying to outrun those pesky bulls lol
  3. tpmchugh

    Queues at the Cathedral?

    on my first camino, 2013, you could enter by any door except the portico at the front. It was always easy to get in with no 'hordes' and I saw the botafumeiro swing. 2015 it was a bit more crowded and they definitely seemed to be enforcing the no back pack rule. Once again the botafumeiro was...
  4. tpmchugh

    Calling all new and seasoned pilgrims - Documentary recommendation

    Excellent piece of work. I researched much of it for my own book. Like them, I made a mistake. Modern historical research and thinking says that the battle of Clavijo never happened therefore Matamoras never happened. My other point of contention is the constant use of the word 'worship'. I...
  5. tpmchugh

    Earliest Pyrenees opening

    Have walked the Napolean twice both times in April. The first time was fine not too warm, not too cold and dry the whole way. Second time was early April and I started off in glorious sunshine. Stopped in Orisson for the night during which the bad weather moved in. as I came to the end of the...
  6. tpmchugh

    Newly minted EU citizen

    I have an Irish passport but as I live in the North of Ireland I am entitled to a British subjects passport but never took up the option . I have had my Irish passport since 1970 but when it changed to an EU one I was initially reluctant to renew. I am a bit old fashioned. However, my Irish/EU...
  7. tpmchugh

    Descent into Portomarin

    There are two routes down to portomarin. First two times I walked it, it was fairly decent descent. Third time, I got kinda lost in fog and came in by a different route. Because of the fog, I don't know where the second route deviates from first. Find my first trail and you will be grand. The...
  8. tpmchugh

    Camino Stories or Myths

    I am thinking of almost 1300 years of pilgrimage. The estimate is in the millions. The religious aspect has really only reduced in the last 10 years when the Camino became a collectable hiking trail. I am not a hiker as such and can't fathom why anybody would want to walk 800km unless for...
  9. tpmchugh

    Best book for my friends who aren't familiar with the Camino?

    Boots to Bliss by Claude Tranchant and The Man With The Camino Tattoo by Dermot Breen and did I mention I Have Walked 500 Miles by me. I am so sad with these plugs. But seriously, the first two in this post are really good
  10. tpmchugh

    Best book for my friends who aren't familiar with the Camino?

    The Way, My Way by Bill Bennett, or dare I say it, Walk With The Sun Till Ur Shadow Disappears by me. Couldn't resist the plug😂
  11. tpmchugh

    Camino Stories or Myths

    A bit off topic but 'Total failure' is debatable. He converted a few people during his short time in Spain but then over the next 2000 years, the millions of pilgrims is a success. How many followers did Jesus have during his ministry but now has millions. Failure and success depends on the...
  12. tpmchugh

    The “new normal” isn’t necessarily bad

    Never had return flights booked either. I don't have a problem with people booking. It's booking more than one to allow for change of plans and not cancelling the one they don't want. I just think that with some people, they tend to overthink the Camino. I read of one person who was booking...
  13. tpmchugh

    The “new normal” isn’t necessarily bad

    Never booked, never rushed to get anywhere and on occasion just stopped cause I liked the look of the town even if I had only walked 10k. That kind of spontaneity seems to be gone. I started at 6.30/7.00 and walked for about 6 hours. Then stopped at the first place I came to. No plans in...
  14. tpmchugh

    Solo walkers - what kinds of food do you buy at grocery stores?

    No I found a convenient fast food in Pamplona then one in Santiago. In between I found nothing. Found an arrow pointing to McDonald's (it wasn't yellow,😂) in Ponferrada but got fed up following it as I didn't seem to be getting any closer. But I still enjoyed my bread and tuna. Even at home, I...
  15. tpmchugh

    Solo walkers - what kinds of food do you buy at grocery stores?

    I used to buy a pack of 3 mini tins of tuna and some bread and that would be a tuna sandwich. Would have loved some onion and mayonnaise with it but too much to carry. Of course there was always the good old banana, apple and orange. Almost forgot the loop of chorizo that I would hang on my...
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