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so sorry Grace - sounds like a good call though.
I wrote this little reflection when I had to go home with injury last year:
https://pilgrimpace.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/walking-the-cistercian-way-on-becoming-a-more-broken-pilgrim-part-2/
as I look back - that was the most significant part of...
with the homeless shelters - I had a conversation with the police about them when I walked in 2009. Both they and I were of the opinion that staying in them might take a bed from someone who needed it more than me. Plenty of hostals in these pueblos - or sleeping under the stars
Does the albergue in Algemesi still contain a school in part of it? I almost had an embarrassing situation when I set off for the shower wrapped in a towel
I walked it starting at the beginning of September 2009. It wasn't as hot as that - usually mid to high 30's. It is important to carry a lot of water. And use the Guide to predict where it is possible to get water on the stages. Drink as much as you can before you start walking in the...
Good to catch up with all this - and Buen Camino to those walking. I walked in 2009 and met no pilgrims until Zamora. A great Camino.
Could I respectfully suggest people buy and carry the Guide? As well as supporting the Amigos, it has lots of useful information on accomodation.
Andy
It was September, and I couldn't go beyond the town limits before first light if I wanted to find the way, so I must have been starting as the bars opened.
I think there were people harvesting on quite a few sections, I guess the bars opened for them too
But coffee stops would have been very...
The Stages I walked are here:
https://pilgrimpace.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/stages/
but this is old history now compared to other accounts on the Forum.
Just bear in mind about the water - there are long stages with none available on route. The Guide was good in warning about this.
There was one in Mota del Cueva too in 2009. The Guidebook listed it as an albergue. I got a bit lost that day and walked to a road to reorientate. The Guarda appeared and ID'd me. When they asked where I was headed, they said I was not to stay there as I would be depriving a homeless person...
It's a long time now since I walked it. There are a few more options for accommodation - the two 40km I walked (into Higeruela and into Toledo can now be split). There are a number of days though where you start in one pueblo and finish in the next one, which can be 25 - 30km. No bars...
Thanks for this Steve - lots of memories from seven years ago!
(Like you, no other pilgrims at all then).
For some reason, I couldn't get into the La Roda albergue, but I remember miguelitos!
I remember some very fine carvings on the Catedral in Albacete, and also Mass in a wonderful modern...
Hope it goes well Trevor - I walked the Levante at the beginning of September seven years ago.
Just about to do the next big pilgrimage - 700 miles around Wales on the Cistercian Way
Andy
when I walked the Levante years ago I stayed in Pension Universal in Calle Barcas. Cheap and clean. It's got a lot of ticks on Tripadvisor so presumably OK still
One thing that occurs to me with walking the Levante in winter is the short time it is light. Some of the stages are quite long and the marking is not especially good. When I walked it (starting in September 2009), I set off at dawn. I would have preferred to go earlier because of the heat...
I walked through Don Fadrique rather than staying there - walked on to Villacanas as I had petrol left in the tank. I forgot for the only time to top up on water and was in trouble. Fortunately, people were harvesting grapes and took pity on me
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