As an albergue staying pilgrim do you ever get to see the Milky Way?

[Helen1]

One of my most memorable late May/June Camino experiences was gazing at the Milky Way at night. This was possible because (as a cycling) pilgrim I took a bivvy bag and wild camped for a few nights. Chatting to other walking pilgrims who were staying only in albergues I realised that they would never be able to see the stars because the doors closed at 10pm before it got properly dark and at 6am it would be too light.

I cycled London to Leon but ran out of time to get to Santiago due to bad weather/thunderstorms, picking up an eye infection and general dawdling in France. I am contemplating going back to walk the end of the Camino in August, plan on staying in albergues and I am wondering if I will get to see the stars again!

 

[november_moon]

As a walker, you can still camp out if you want to, and if you don't want to camp out, you can stay in private accommodations some times if you want to stay out later or be out earlier to see the stars.

 

[whariwharangi]

You can see the milky way from any dark place on earth. You don't need to be on the camino to do so. More stars as you can count.

 

[Icacos]

True, you don't have to be on the Camino to see the Milky Way, but not everyone is fortunate enough to be away from bright city lights for long periods of time, and to catch it when the weather is good. Seems to me that the Camino is an ideal place to try to see the Milky Way if one is from a city - lots of small villages, no bright lights over an extended period of time when there is a good chance of getting good weather at the right time. I had hoped to catch a full moon while I was on the meseta, but couldn't because the weather was awful. I wish I had tried to see the Milky Way during my 40 days on the Camino - it's been years since I've seen so many stars. I think it's a great idea to plan ahead.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Chatting to other walking pilgrims who were staying only in albergues I realised that they would never be able to see the stars because the doors closed at 10pm before it got properly dark and at 6am it would be too light.

Albergues are not dungeons. They have yards, balconies, windows, and roofs. I have seen a lot of stars from albergues.

 

[s. brown]

True, you don't have to be on the Camino to see the Milky Way, but not everyone is fortunate enough to be away from bright city lights for long periods of time, and to catch it when the weather is good. Seems to me that the Camino is an ideal place to try to see the Milky Way if one is from a city - lots of small villages, no bright lights over an extended period of time when there is a good chance of getting good weather at the right time. I had hoped to catch a full moon while I was on the meseta, but couldn't because the weather was awful. I wish I had tried to see the Milky Way during my 40 days on the Camino - it's been years since I've seen so many stars. I think it's a great idea to plan ahead.

I agree. As a city dweller I had no idea what I was missing until I went to a tiny seaside village in Mexico where friends had built a home, designed by an architect who advised them to let him build a "living area" on the roof, where we would go late at night, lie on chaise lounges, drink margaritas, and watch the stars. I've never experienced nights with such darkness. In spite of nearby ruins, great days in the ocean, wonderful food, this was surely one of the highlights of this area. Wonderful house with a wonderful roof.

 

[AMDG56]

I walked in sept 2013. Got up before the sun rose and walked in starlight and moonlight in the early morning. Fantastic. Walking the meseta in the starlight of the new moon was awesome. All my favourite constellations (I live in rural Ireland so see the stars regularly)
But they were in a different place in the sky- great fun finding them.
And the Milky Way was intense.
Climbing crux de fero from Rabanal with the sun rising behind us
Looking back on castoreiz as dawn broke
These are special memories and photos do not do them justice.
Antoinette

 

[xin loi]

See it almost every night at home. Can you see colors in the Milky Way there like you can in the Andes in Bolivia?

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have seen it every time I have been in Rabanal--- once in an albergue, and twice in El Meson. It was spectacular

 

[annakappa]

I also remember standing in the "field" of the Refugio Guacelmo in Rabanal and look up in awe at the Milky Way. Anne

 

[gerardcarey]

Early morning starts in Autumn almost guarantee a view.
Regds
Gerard

 

[promessi]

I was usually to sleepy to wait until it was dark. But I remember one night in Puente de la Reina, Santiago Apostol Albergue when I had a huge window behind my head on the top bunk and I couldn't sleep because it was so gorgeous to see the stars.

 

[Icacos]

.............one night when I had a huge window behind my head on the top bunk and I couldn't sleep because it was so gorgeous to see the stars.

Stars and a window behind your head !? Pure bliss !!! I hope the window was wide open.

 

[promessi]

Stars and a window behind your head !? Pure bliss !!! I hope the window was wide open.

Ha! I wasn't that lucky! Rare was the open window in the albergues.

 

[Icacos]

Ha! I wasn't that lucky! Rare was the open window in the albergues.

I know. One can only hope!

 

[gerardcarey]

The albergue run by the Dutch Christians in Villamayor de Monjardin has a balcony adjacent to the upstairs dorm.
If it's a fine night you can carry the mattresses outside for a great night under the stars.
Regds
Gerard

 

[kelvasilidou]

any photos from the milky way on the camino?????