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  1. jflorez

    Are the distances on Gronze correct?

    Oh no, you had to open that can of worms. And down the rabbit hole we go in, 3, 2, 1.. 😉
  2. jflorez

    Shaving,......probably more for the men!

    I got a great haircut and shave at Peluquería de Caballeros El Aseo💇🏻‍♂️💈, on Rua San Pedro in Melide. Super friendly, and professional, right on the Camino.
  3. jflorez

    Camino Family Experience

    I enjoy the Camino Family idea when it happens, though I'm not sure there is a 'one definition fits all' narrative for it. In '18 I walked with, what I would consider, a "Camino Family". It was a large, core group of 8-10 people, all walking [mostly] together every day, stopping [mostly]...
  4. jflorez

    Are the distances on Gronze correct?

    This post and its replies has been an entirely entertaining read. I'm not aware of any other Camino forum, board, blog or vlog whose members will devote as much energy to topics such as discussing the method for, and pitfalls of, determining the precise accuracy of distance measured between...
  5. jflorez

    A busy April?

    I don't think most people do. I think it's one of those anecdotal comments that has grown a life of its own in modern Camino lore. The disconnect between the pilgrims office data from St. Jean and Santiago suggests a sizeable portion of those that start in St. Jean simply leave the Camino...
  6. jflorez

    A busy April?

    According to the Pilgrims Office in Santiago, just 31,000, or 7.5% of the 425,000 pilgrims who arrived to the office in 2023 indicated St. Jean as their starting point. Even for just the Camino Frances, it's just 15% of that total, so her reaction is understandable.
  7. jflorez

    A busy April?

    OTOH, @Monasp said May '23 saw over 10k pilgrims register at the office, or over 300 per day - if it were spread out evenly, which we know it isn't. If I were unlucky enough to start on a day when it was 400, I would skip the office. 🤷🏻‍♂️
  8. jflorez

    A busy April?

    I think it is one of those things one "must do" as a first-time pilgrim - if starting in St. Jean. But, for me, not worth standing and waiting in a huge line for on subsequent Camino's. OTOH, I've learned that once you are there on the Camino, being flexible with "plans" is a key factor in...
  9. jflorez

    A busy April?

    If you live near the coast with a moderate shoreline, walking on the beach and alternating between deep sand and hard packed sand is a great workout, even in short duration. Deep sand really works the thighs and calfs, and builds stamina. I live on the west coast of the U.S., with coastal...
  10. jflorez

    A busy April?

    You may be right. I'm an extroverted introvert, so I might engage in a conversation with the person in front of, or behind me, but not many beyond that. After a day or so of familiar faces I open up. But, perhaps you're right that the line is a good social event for most others. 👍🏻
  11. jflorez

    A busy April?

    Obviously. My curiosity stems around what those factors are, and the breakdown, purely from a curiosity standpoint. So much of these kinds of datapoints are conjecture. For me, it's sort of like this often-heard/read comment, from so many (especially on the YouTube vlogs): "Most people skip the...
  12. jflorez

    A busy April?

    It's fascinating that those numbers for St. Jean are that high, considering the Pilgrims office in Santiago show that, for 2023, the following numbers of pilgrims indicated St. Jean as their starting point: April: 1488 pilgrims May: 5892 pilgrims This would suggest that 8,116 (84%) and 4,998...
  13. jflorez

    Soft tips for new walkers

    I don't disagree at all. I was speaking in 'general', if not lighthearted, terms. Clearly, in specific situations - like those you mention - one must weigh the pros and cons based on any number of factors unique to that persons experience, situation and context, including level of acceptable...
  14. jflorez

    Soft tips for new walkers

    If you aren't assigned a bed upon check-in to the Albergue, and you have a choice of bunks in which to sleep in a large room, the bunk nearest the entry door or nearest to the bathroom may seem to be good choices, but they aren't. They really, really aren't. That is, of course, unless you are...
  15. jflorez

    US ATM cards not working

    Anecdotally, when I walked the CF in 2021, I found that my Charles Schwab card, which usually works everywhere, would not work at the smaller Spanish regional bank ATM's throughout Spain. The common thing I noticed about these ATM's were they had an odd verbiage and preselection on a...
  16. jflorez

    When to get Compostela if you are continuing to Finisterre

    I got my Compostela the day I arrived to Santiago. I stayed the night at Hospedaría San Martiño Pinario before continuing on to Muxia and Finisterre the next day. If you ask at registration, they will store items for you for free while you walk on to Muxia/Finisterre. You can then retrieve them...
  17. jflorez

    Bathtubs and Other Essentials While on the Camino!

    The private room I stayed in at the Hotel San Anton Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca had a very nice, modern bathroom, and a welcomed bathtub to soak aching muscles.
  18. jflorez

    How to stream the movie "The Way" in the US

    That categorization of VPN users is actually false. Over 31% of all Internet users, worldwide, utilize a VPN*, and over half of these indicate doing so to protect their privacy and increase security while on public WiFi and over 40% while traveling. Over half (56%) use their VPN to stream media...
  19. jflorez

    How fast do you walk on the Camino?

    I'm 57, and in average shape. I walked my second CF in September/October of last year. According to my Relive tracker data, I averaged exactly 4.1kph (tracker turned on upon leaving the albergue in the morning, paused for any stop longer than a few minutes, stopped upon reaching destination)...
  20. jflorez

    Pulpo in Melide

    I haven't been to the Ezequiel, but I have been to Pulperia A Garnacha at the recommendation of the hospitalero at Albergue O Candil in Melide (which I highly recommend). When I asked the hospitalero about the Ezequiel, as it had a slightly higher rating on Google, he mentioned the recent...

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