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  1. hotelmedicis

    Toilet paper on the camino

    When I walked the Camino Frances in 2001 there was no toilet paper on the trail. I walked again in 2017 and the entire length of the Camino was like an open sewer with piles of poo and toilet paper in the bushes and under trees. Every good bush I saw to have a poo had already welcomed scores of...
  2. hotelmedicis

    Pamplona, 1954

    That's wonderful! Thanks for sharing. I recall that the 1957 film "The Sun Also Rises" had video footage of the San Fermin festival from the period. Have you read David Gilitiliz book "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago" ? In it he talks about Pamplona and says that it's the only city or major town...
  3. hotelmedicis

    Train London to Pamplona

    I see that Eurostar has suspended its "Bike on Board" program until further notice. That is too bad. I know the entire route well as I have traveled from Liverpool via London to Pamplona with a bike although I got off the TGV at Bayonne and took a commuter train to SJPP and then rode the bike...
  4. hotelmedicis

    Minimalist running shoes?

    You'll be walking on mostly hard-packed dirt trails, asphalt or concrete. I walked with New Balance running shoes and with a pair of SuperFeet Green Insoles and they were great. Perfect for street walking, which is mostly what the Camino is. Some people swear by boots. Others swear by sandals.
  5. hotelmedicis

    VdlP in February?

    I was on the VDLP in February/March of 2018 and I experienced some Albergue closures but if you have some extra euros you can usually find a hotel or B and B somewhere, just plan ahead. The real problem we had was extreme torrential rain which is apparently common at that time of year. It was...
  6. hotelmedicis

    Leftover gear in Santiago? Bring it to us please!

    I strongly support this! Thank you for doing this. :)
  7. hotelmedicis

    Starting to walk at beginning of february

    I walked this year in February and we had sustained torrential rain most days with gale force winds. I was experimenting with a new poncho which I will not use again due to the high winds for days (weeks) on end. Most of the albergues were open although some were indeed closed and although it...
  8. hotelmedicis

    What time of year do people do their planning?

    Exactly. That's about all the planning I do, and that keeps the weight of my pack down.
  9. hotelmedicis

    Walking Boots Vs. Trail Runners

    For non-alpine walks I always use breathable running shoes! Can't beat them. Trail runners are totally unnecessary. Non-waterproof works best for me. Super comfortable across hundreds of miles of hard pavement, asphalt, concrete, cobblestones and hard packed dirt paths. Last year on the CF I...
  10. hotelmedicis

    What time of year do people do their planning?

    No planning whatsoever. I focus all my pre-Camino attention on keeping my pack weight down to a minimum. Other than that, I just hit the trail and start walking. While I'm out walking I keep a list of towns, albergues, services and distances so that I'll know more or less where I'll sleep that...
  11. hotelmedicis

    sleeping bags??

    Since you asked, here's my recommendation: Take a 500g down sleeping bag if you enjoy sleeping warm and cozy. I walked the CF in July 2001 with a fleece sleeping bag liner and awoke shivering on several occasions. Even if blankets were available in every albergue (they are not), how often do you...
  12. hotelmedicis

    Sleeping bag a MUST in October?

    Do you like to be warm at night, cozy in bed? If so, then take a lightweight (500g) sleeping bag. Not all places have blankets, and believe me, some of the blankets I've seen I wouldn't want touching my body. And Spain is second only to Switzerland for mountains and on the CF you'll be spending...
  13. hotelmedicis

    Working Out Logistics

    Clearing customs and immigration at Madrid airport? I flew to Madrid from New York in 2017 and there was absolutely nobody checking passports or luggage. We all just walked off the plane and out into the street. True story!
  14. hotelmedicis

    Starting in April 2019 - avoiding crowds so we don't have to pre-book

    Heathrow vs CDG: well I think it depends on which terminal we're talking about. Heathrow Terminal 5 is a dream. I have flown in and out of there well over a dozen times and love it. T3, on the other hand, is terrible. I arrived at CDG T1 two weeks ago and it was empty, I mean, no lines at...
  15. hotelmedicis

    Day 1 - my cat died

    I'm very sorry for your loss. My condolences.
  16. hotelmedicis

    Places to stay, Leon to Villafranca

    I would spend the night in Léon at Albergue del Monasterio de las Benedictinas. In Astorga I would stay at Albergue de peregrinos Siervas de María. The next day I would walk up to Foncébadon and spend the night there, enjoying the once abandoned village (in 2001 there wasn't a soul) while...
  17. hotelmedicis

    Ponferrada? Watch out

    Bed bug bites may take up to 14 days to appear, if they appear at all. Waking up to bite marks doesn't mean that you were bitten during the night in that place. Many people have no reaction whatsoever to bed bug bites.
  18. hotelmedicis

    10 days without sleeping bag or liner?

    See if you can buy an inexpensive fleece sleeping bag liner from any sports store. Decathlon, for example.
  19. hotelmedicis

    Recommendations for albergue in Santiago?

    Seminario Menor without question. Big. Inexpensive private rooms. Large communal eating area with plenty of food available.
  20. hotelmedicis

    Between Villafranca M de O and San Juan de Ortega

    I left Belorado at 5:20 am and arrived at San Juan de Ortega a little after 10 am. It's not a difficult walk at all but I do remember that it was quite windy (6 May 2017) and chilly but I had water and nibbles with me. I don't recall any shops or cafés along the way, just rolling hills full of...

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