BeatriceKarjalainen
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Finished: See post signature.
Doing: C. Levante
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Hi, Mike, I've walked the Primitivo in June and in October and they were both wonderful times, great temps (a little cold in the mornings in October perhaps). And no crowd problem at all! LauriePrivate albergues are a god send for me, I can not walk fast any more and it keeps me out of a bed race, I try to go into individual accommodation as much as possible. The other options are walk out of season- which I actually want to do but not on this route or bring a tent which I might do because I think July/ August is probably the best month to walk the Primitivo.
Good luck and Buen Camino
My goal today is La Mesa so I just hope there will be a place for me. Fortunately I have no problem with doing 40 km either so I can go to the next one as well. But I aimed for a short walk today as I'm here in just 2 days. I have walked over 40 in 5 days in a row now. Feet deserves a shorter oneHi, Mike, I've walked the Primitivo in June and in October and they were both wonderful times, great temps (a little cold in the mornings in October perhaps). And no crowd problem at all! Laurie
p.s. Beatrice, the albergue in La Mesa is rarely full, I've been told, and it's just a few kms beyond Berducedo. But I think you should bring food if you go there. Good luck, once you get past Berducedo, I think the real crunch dies down.
That is IMO really mean and not in the spirit of pilgrimage at all. As you say they could have made it clear to some-one, even by pinning up a note on their beds maybe. Did the injured pilgrim get a bed or have to go on?I relly hope that people hasn't continued on another 9,4 km becasue this one was full because now 2 pilgrims are leaving. They have a reservation in Grandas de Salime and just stopped here for a siesta, showering, sleeping for 2 hours and eat. Occupying 2 of the beds. They could at least have told someone. We just found out now when they are getting their backpacks on again.
Hope he goes on OK - at least he will not have to try to walk over Buspol and then the long steep hill down to the dam. It is very hard on the legs and would be really painful I think with an injured foot.I think the injured pilgrim ordered a taxi to Salime. I heard another one saying that at least. But I don't know.
When we went through La Mesa in 2012 we were told that the Casa Rural was closed for good. Has this changed now? Really helpful if it has.I think there may also be a casa rural in La Mesa that opens sporadically for the pilgrim overflow, at least someone once told me that! Good luck Beatrice, hope you have a nice walk today. Buen camino, Laurie
Thanks. I might break my own rules and make a reservation thenThe Cantabrico Albergue in A Fonsgrada is excellent. The Pardon one will fill up first then the other two private albergues will as people start to walk back from the full municipal or arrive in town, all 3 of them got the thumbs up from people who stayed in them. If you like Pulpo then this is the town for you.
Unbelievable! (Sorry, I don;'t doubt you, I just mean that I despair at people sometimes).I relly hope that people hasn't continued on another 9,4 km becasue this one was full because now 2 pilgrims are leaving. They have a reservation in Grandas de Salime and just stopped here for a siesta, showering, sleeping for 2 hours and eat. Occupying 2 of the beds. They could at least have told someone. We just found out now when they are getting their backpacks on again.
They just left before the hospitaliera came here. She was happy to se available beds. And when she checked there now was 4 beds available (at least after calculating numbers of people here) so some people here must have spread their things over multiple beds. For example putting the backpack against one bed and putting the sleeping bag in another.Unbelievable! (Sorry, I don;'t doubt you, I just mean that I despair at people sometimes).
: carry enough cash with you, and use the main cities to withdraw money from ATMs, such as Fonsagrada, Lugo, Melide, Arzua...
When we went through La Mesa in 2012 we were told that the Casa Rural was closed for good. Has this changed now? Really helpful if it has.
Hi there! About it not being able to pay with credit cards in many places, if our experience (from the point of view of an albergue) counts at all, here it is: on one side, albergues are cheap accommodations and profit is not too high, so making it even lower by paying the bank's fees for using credit card makes it even worse. However, that is not the main reason for us (if it wouldn't be for the next thing I'll be saying, we would offer the chance undoubtedly!).
The main reason is that credit card terminals work through the telephone line, and unluckily, here where our albergue is, in the middle of the rural Galician landscape, the phone line some times "disappears"We are just left without line for some time, maybe hours. Therefore, it is not reliable to offer that mean of payment. Also, even if the line is working (which is the case most of the time anyway), it is quite slow, making the operation sometimes too long and giving repeated failures.
Too much trouble. Good advice for the Primitivo: carry enough cash with you, and use the main cities to withdraw money from ATMs, such as Fonsagrada, Lugo, Melide, Arzua...
Regarding the possibility to book your bed in private albergues: we've had several cases of people arriving and not having any beds left; when they were told so, they very angrily said things about how this should be prohibited and it should be first to come first to get a bed, as in public albergues.
But here's our opinion: private albergues are more expensive, and in exchange we have to offer also something that differentiates us. One of these things is the possibility of booking your bed, which gives you the chance to take your time and not rush in a race for a bed, which I believe drives away all the fun out of doing the Camino. I must say that booking beds also gives us headaches sometimes.
Some people (especially now in the high season, July and August) book in more than one place to make sure they will have a place to stay, and then when they make it to one of the places they booked, like it and decide to stay, they don't bother calling into the others to cancel their reservation.
This might leave us with empty beds at the end of the day, and, most importantly, it's made a few pilgrims have to walk "x" km ahead to the next albergue because at the time they were in this albergue, it was supposedly fully booked up. Of course we try our best to prevent this, but sometimes it is just impossible.
Beatrice, when you walk Lugo to Melide and walk in front of us, wether you'll be staying or not, stop by to say hello. Ask for Juanma, please!I'll be pleased to have a coffee with you. Buen Camino!
Thanks for your answer. Regarding paying with card I more referred to shops, restaurants, hotels etc places where you have to spend a lot more then the normal albergue fee.
I do understand the economics of having places for reservation. What I meant is that in some places there in only private albergues and as you can reserve a place days before arriving there we who arrives there can be told that it is full and then the person that has made the reservation might not show up at all and we have walk maybe another 5-10 km to find another place.
I just arrived in Fonsagrada and didn't go on to the xunta as I met two pilgrims saying that Cantãnrico was really nice. When I arrived the hospitaliero was on the phone. And then he said I was lucky as that phone call was from a man calling in an cancel. Padrón is not full yet.
I do really appreciate the private albergues and the work you do. I normally try to stay in the private albergues to help the Spanish economy. I have a good salary so I can let people with less stay in the municipal/xunta albergues. Sometimes I stay in donotivos and pay the same as the nearest private as I think they should be on the Camino for those who really needs it.
Im on my cell so I can't see footer info but will check you profile page to find out where you are. I might even call and make a reservation
Amorfeti: indeed the German in question is called Kerkeling and his book created waves of Germans for a couple years . The same happened, and still happens, after the movie The Way became the latest cry.
Both book and film are about the Camino Frances, and not other Caminos such as the Primitivo. (Oviedo - Lugo - Melide or other option). But yes, all Caminos are increasingly popular (average yearly growth +/- 10 %) so it's wise to book ahead and/or enquire about alternative accommodation (hostals, private rooms, new albergues) which are mushrooming everywhere.
Cash is indeed necessary to be carried. No ATMs are to be found outside the main cities, and on the Primitivo there aren't many off-main cities possibilities to pay by credit/debit card. Thus carefully budget your means of meeting expenditure. (this is less critical on the Camino Frances, for example)
Enjoy your Camino.
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Yes, Hape Kerkeling is a very popular German TV presenter / comedian and his book describing his Camino was a best seller and was the inspiration for many Germans to do the Frances Way. On the same note in May 2014 when I did my second Camino I met a lot of pilgrims of all ages from South Korea - I was told that a South Korean lady had walked the Frances Way and had written a book about her walk & experiences which too became a bestseller in S. Korea!
Please accept this post as constructive and positive but from an "old guy" I believe once one is within 150 km from Santiago the need is to to change the pace. I would never dream of walking 40k/day; but I'm in no hurry because I have the entire summer to walk the Camino. My limit is 20k and I get up early along with (and because of) the plastic bag crunchers and headlampers, but after that distraction I walk a very relaxed pace and love taking photos of my surroundings and I pause for café con leche and Kaz Limon much too often. I get to my chosen destination around noon and sit around drinking beer with newly acquired friend suntil the doors open. I take a shower, wash my sweaty stuff, take a much deserved nap and eat a late menu dia. What is wrong with this picture? I have never had a bed problem for 4 years, except for the day I walked in September 2011 from Roncevalles to Larrasona, that was a lesson learned.
I got to Berucedu so early (1320) that just went to the shop and bought food. There was only a few pilgrims at the municipal. I walked to La Mesa and came here as number 3 around 1430. Now at 1700 it is full and one person that we know is on the way will not have a bed. Looks like no one has a sleeping mattress either. He has hurt his foot so I guess he will take a taxi (if he can get one). The place was really dirty when we came here. Litter all over the floor. It is now cleaned up by my fellow pilgrims. I said I would do it after the shower but while I was in there the two of them did it. It now looks much better.
I do have 110 Euros (spent 195 already in 6 days whereof 110 on private accommodations+dinner in that place) on me so no hurry to the ATM but I would like to withdraw some more cash as there might be a need for more private accommodations. Good to know that there is an ATM in Salime as the guide only said bank or ATM. And talking about money.
I know it is good for some to be able to book ahead. It just boring when all places are taken 24 h in advance. It makes it harder to stop where the body say "time to stop".
Tomorrow I'll go to A Foncagrado or Padrón I think.
@Tia Valeria my plan is to be in Santiago August 14. My plane leaves August 15.
I had a lovely walk via Hospitales today. What a view from up there.
Now in Arzúa coming in at around 16:15 after 44 km walk. Passed about 30 pilgrims over the last 5-6 km and half of them wasn't carrying bags so at least they have reservations. But the rest might have a problem. All albergues are full. I met 4 guys just outside the last one and we were referred to Hospidaje Santa something 1 km in the wrong direction so I just popped in to the first Pension I saw. The guys was not happy they though that 25 euro was way to much to spend so I guess they continued to the hospidaje. I think it is really cheap for a one person bedroom with shower. In Sweden it would have cost me minimum €90 for an equivalent room.Last summer we stopped in to see the La Mesa albergue as we walked by in the morning. I'm always curious about albergues for future reference. It was about 9:00am, the door was wide open and the place empty. Garbage everywhere - in the bed rooms, the kitchen and bathrooms. Leftover food on the kitchen counters and in the sink. Garbage bins overflowing. What struck me and made me quite sad, was that it was fellow pilgrims that had left this mess. Yes, it's true that some places aren't maintained as well as they could be, but no matter where I stay I consider myself a guest and there are basic responsibilities that come with being a guest. The most important being...Clean up after yourself!!
I've enjoyed seeing your photos on instagram Beatrice....hope you continue to enjoy your camino! I was in Santiago last week and if you have time, there is an intriguing art exhibit / installation called "On The Road".
Buen Camino!
I'm leaving on Friday@BeatriceKarjalainen Buen caminomaybe see you on Saturday when I will be back in Santiago. When do you return home?
I'm leaving on Friday
Casa de Amanico is really great. Well we will see how the body feels when I'm there and if he has any room left. There are a huge number of pilgrims here in Arzúa today.Missed you by one day ;(
Have a happy happy Camino your last etapa if you don't stop at my favorite Casa de Amancio
I love that place (Casa de Amanico in Vilamayor). It made for a nice walk into Santiago and by that time, we needed a break from the albergues. From my blog...Casa de Amanico is really great. Well we will see how the body feels when I'm there and if he has any room left. There are a huge number of pilgrims here in Arzúa today.
I think I'm going to print this one out and carry it with me everywhere on the Camino as a reminder to go slow. And drink café con leche, figure out if I like Kaz Limon, and learn to drink beer in the afternoon.Please accept this post as constructive and positive but from an "old guy" I believe once one is within 150 km from Santiago the need is to to change the pace. I would never dream of walking 40k/day; but I'm in no hurry because I have the entire summer to walk the Camino. My limit is 20k and I get up early along with (and because of) the plastic bag crunchers and headlampers, but after that distraction I walk a very relaxed pace and love taking photos of my surroundings and I pause for café con leche and Kaz Limon much too often. I get to my chosen destination around noon and sit around drinking beer with newly acquired friend suntil the doors open. I take a shower, wash my sweaty stuff, take a much deserved nap and eat a late menu dia. What is wrong with this picture? I have never had a bed problem for 4 years, except for the day I walked in September 2011 from Roncevalles to Larrasona, that was a lesson learned.
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