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I always pick up a second one along the way. Us, you need two stamps once you get to Sarria, and they are fun to look at later and remember where you were when you got them.
Welcome to the Camino!
Definitely follow any advice from the Pilgrim's office in SJPP.
Regarding Easter, it kinda depends where you are on the route. It has tended to be busier the closer you get to Santiago, and if there are processions there can be more people in town and in the albergues...
There's a museum for Rosalia de Castro (?), too. It's between Pardon And Herbon. You could wander over to Herbon, not super exciting, but birthplace of the pimiento de Pardon, they brought the seeds back from the Americas and developed that pepper there.
When I walked last August it had opened again. There are two other accommodations there. March is a transition time with a lot of albergues, some don't open up again until around Easter or when it gets busy.
Sarria to Portomarin feels like a long walk in the afternoon, especially if it ends up rainy. I second staying a night I either Sarria or one of the closer stops. Also, if you do walk to Portomarin, when the road splits, stay to the right or take the bike route, the middle route gets dicey...
The El Ramon character was based on a real encounter, I think, but I don't think there is an albergue related to that in Torres del Rio anymore. There also used to be the man that would pour wine down his forehead in Hontanas, he had a stamp with that picture, though that bar has since closed, too.
I reserved with WhatsApp once, but I paid in cash when I got there. I've reserved directly from a accommodation's website and used their payment forms. My phone service doesn't allow me to phone or text outside the US. Some of the guides have websites listed, and sometimes I've looked for places...
I got stuck in a bathroom on the Camino Portugal. I can't remember if I got locked in or if the door handle fell off. Luckily the only person in the room was a light sleeper and woke up and let me out.
I was going to add, you could stay at Hotel las Grandas, walk into Grandas de Salime in the morning, and have a coffee while waiting for the ethnographic museum to open, then walk to Chao San Martin and spend the night there. Makes a short walking day, but when will you go to the museums again?
You have to have pretty good Spanish to do the tour. I was the only person visiting the museum the day I went, but the guide only spoke Spanish so didn't get to see the site. The museum was interesting, non-the-less. I did the ethnographic museum in Grandas de Salime and the one in Chao San...
I walked the Primitivo last August/September. I did book because I was reading that various albergues had closed. Turned out not to be the case, and it was pretty empty, except for Hotel las Grandas, everything past that point seemed to have a availability. The next three towns I stayed in I was...
I took a cab, flat rate 20 Euros. I stayed at the Ibis, there were cabs outside 24/7. Could probably find a less expensive hotel/hotel. I also like Barajas, there are supposed to some really nice parks nearby..
Next time.😎
I walked this past August and September, part was the Primitivo, so really not crowded, I was alone most of the time, and walked into Santiago de Compostela completely alone from Monte de Gozo, even though a lot of albergues were full. I think you can walk around the crowds if you want. I try to...
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