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Tap water is safe, so far as I know, in hotels, bars and hostels. I've never had any problem and always filled from the tap. Outdoor fountains will be labeled "agua potable" or "non-potable."
Spain is very much a first world country. If anything, Spaniards have a bit of a cleanliness fetish...
Problem with dehydration is that it effects your judgement. You don't realized you're dehydrated and impaired. I was walking by myself and with no one who could say, "Hey, you're losing your mind!"
I learned that the hard way after passing out at breakfast in Los Arcos. Face down in my eggs...
I had a very nice stay at Orrison in 2016. They never acknowledged receipt of payment, but my name was on the list. People were very friendly, food was great, communication was nil. I hope to stay there again.
When the phone doesn't ring, you'll know it's Orrison calling.
Chiruca is a Spanish hiking boot firm. I don't know anything about their products, but about 7-8 years ago they commissioned famous Spanish bike racer Peio Ruiz Cabestany to hike the Camino Frances. His 40 or so videos, less than 10 minutes each, are on Youtube and very worthwhile. All in...
The well-known Spanish cyclist, Peio Ruiz Cabestany, walked the Camino from SJPP to SdC in November of 2009. His daily video logs, sponsored by Chiruca boots, are available on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/user/expertosenelcamino/videos?flow=grid&view=0&sort=da
It's a well-produced...
Montserrat must be one of the most unusual and exotic spots in Spain. Several years ago Barcelona was too busy and expensive for us. We found an apartment at Montserrat for two nights and had a blast. It would be wonderful to start walking from there.
I'm a big fan of my Osprey Kestrel pack. As previously mentioned, total weight is probably the most important factor. By the time I got to Estella it had become clear to me that I really didn't need to be carrying a laptop computer and power supply. I sent it ahead for Ivar to hold for me in...
One of the best reasons to fly while in Spain is that it allows you to avoid the maddening Renfe website. I love the Spanish trains, but buying tickets via the web always feels like punishment.
Bus lines, on the other hand, couldn't be more accommodating. All in all, Spain is very friendly...
Yes, I just realized the date of this thread as well.
It caught my eye because of my plan to walk the Primitivo starting the end of April. My daughter is starting the CF from SJPP around April 10th. In a perfect world we would rendezvous at Melide and walk into SDC together. I'm figuring...
I just bought tickets from American Airlines which code shares with Iberia. I depart Boston at 5:25 pm on Friday, April 27th and arrive in Oviedo 10:10 am the next morning changing planes in Madrid. Less than 10 hrs travel. I'll start walking the Primitivo on April 29th after spending a night...
It will be the odd town between SJPP and Logroño in which a private room will not be available. Only a couple times on the CF, in the most out of the way places, did I find it necessary to sleep in a bunkhouse.
The booking.com app was invaluable for securing reservations ahead. Rarely did I...
I have a lot more confidence in walking the Primitivo without a guidebook than I had during my first CF several years ago. It is nice to have a plan, some phone numbers, etc. The Gronze stages may be enough for me. I do like having maps, ideally topographic maps, and my gps tells me how long...
Can't help you yet with those guide books Tim. Tangentially related, I carried both the Brierly and Dintamin/Landis books when I walked the CF in 2015. Only I had them scanned to pdf and carried them on my iPod backed up to the cloud. Saved me the weight of two books over 500 miles.
I'll...
Beilari made for a perfect start for my Camino last April. Very positive vibes. They are good about responding to inquiries as well. I enjoyed by stay the next night at Orisson too. They can be uneven in how well they respond to email. I just sent my payment by Paypal and hoped for the...
I bought my ticket 90 minutes before departure at the underground bus station in Pamplona. Then I walked across the street and had lunch.
I don't think there were a dozen people on the bus when I traveled on April 11th.
I never received a response to my reservation inquiry and never received an acknowledgement for the Paypal payment that I went ahead and sent. When I arrived there Saturday my name was on the list as having paid and it was great! Napoleon route was a transcendent experience with clear blue...
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