Finally, April/May 2013 we start!

[Red1too3]

After two failed attempts to do the Camino Portugues (Oct 2011 and Oct 2012) we are going for our camino flying from Detroit, MI into Vigo on 4/26, going to Valenca, Portugal, and after a day of rest, will start our pilgrimage on Sat. 4/27/2013. No change this time, I bought tickets!

I have a few questions for those that have been there before.

1. We want to stay at a nice hotel, not too expensive, but somewhere to rest after travel to prepare for our walk on Saturday. Any recommendations for hotels in Valenca?

2. Where is the best place to get a passport and get it stamped to start your journey in Valenca? Also, to this point, is it best to get a passport before coming or are they readily available in Valenca?

3. Knowing the terrain between Valenca and Santiago, can one anticipate doing about 15 to 20 miles per day? We are in pretty good condition and in our early 50s. We will be training beforehand also, as we walk alot anyway, but with our limited time from work, I want to ensure we enjoy, relax, meditate, do whatever we want but keep time constraints in the back of my mind. We are going to walk, so.. let's walk we can enjoy everything around us and stop as we want. Just curious if this is too aggressive?

4. If we want to see the botafumeiro fly, as well as enjoy mass upon our arrival into Santiago. Is there a schedule for the church as to when they swing the botafumeiro? or on certain days? I believe the pilgrim's mass is at noon every day where they read the pilgrim names, which is the mass we wanted to attend, but hoping to see both - thoughts?

I have never anticipated something so much in my life My fiance's father is from Southern Portugal, so I have learned my Portuguese though we wont' be there long. I hope this will be our first of many pilgrimages. I have found I just have to buy the tickets - that it our no turning back point! Thanks for taking time to read/answer my questions - from the novice pilgrim
Carla

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Get your passport from American Pilgrims before you go.

15-20 miles a day? Are you crazy? Km yes, miles no. Allow 6-7 days from Valença. You could also walk over the bridge to Tui and start from there. The albergue San Clemente has private rooms available and I can't recommend them enough.

The botufumiero only flies when someone pays for it to. There is no schedule.

 

[k-fun]

Red1too3

I too am planning the Camino Portuguese next spring. I think you will be ahead of us by a week or more and we are starting farther south. Unlike you, I do not speak Portuguese; not speaking the language makes it fun for me...I am looking forward to that challenge.

I hope you have a wonderful Camino.

 

[bribaby]

The botumafeiro is swung during the Pilgrims mass at noon every Sunday. To video or photograph it, the best position is just inside ( from the rear) the centre aisle. Try not to miss it!!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

I stand corrected. Maybe I'll see it this weekend if I stay long enough in Santiago.

 

[Mmc_56]

The Botumafeiro is NOT swung every Sun. at noon mass.... We arrived in Santiago on a Sun. in Sept, attended noon mass, it was not swung

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Maybe johnnywalker will chime in then. I saw it twice in 2010 but it was a Holy Year so not planning to see it again this time.

 

[miguel_gp]

From the Pilgrim Offcie website.......

The Botafumeiro is used for liturgical purposes (in the same way as a priest would normally incense the altar) on the following Feast Days:

The Epiphany of the Lord – 6 January
Easter Sunday
The Ascension of the Lord
The Apparition of the Apostle – 23 May
Pentecost Sunday
The Martyrdom of Saint James – 25 July
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin – 15 August
All Saints – 1 November
Christ the King
Immaculate Conception – 8 December
Birth of Jesus – 25 December
Transfer of the body of the Apostle – 30 December

The Botafaumeiro may be used on other occasions when groups arrange this.

see http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/servic ... tafumeiro/

 

[Sagalouts]

From the Pilgrim Offcie website.......

The Botafumeiro is used for liturgical purposes (in the same way as a priest would normally incense the altar) on the following Feast Days:

The Epiphany of the Lord – 6 January
Easter Sunday
The Ascension of the Lord
The Apparition of the Apostle – 23 May
Pentecost Sunday
The Martyrdom of Saint James – 25 July
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin – 15 August
All Saints – 1 November
Christ the King
Immaculate Conception – 8 December
Birth of Jesus – 25 December
Transfer of the body of the Apostle – 30 December

The Botafaumeiro may be used on other occasions when groups arrange this.

see http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/servic ... tafumeiro/

I think the price is 300 euros,quite a few groups pay this,I remember my first Mass in Roncesvalles-the place was in near darkness as the lights were coin operated-the church does not miss a trick

 

[Jenniandjoe]

We are planning April-May 2013 from Porto but am not sure which route. I read one blog and think yes, that sounds good and then read another and then start second guessing myself. I would love to do part coast, part inland so am considering how to do that. Am glad to know there will be others out there at that time. We are flying into Porto but will probably begin our walk somewhere north. Maybe take a little train ride the first day while we recoop from jet lag and prepare. But I am like sagalouts, book the flights and go from there!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

The coastal/orla litoral route is not for the faint of heart. As soon as I finish this week, I'll be blogging about it. But the waymarking is sketchy, at best, until Esposende then it gets better but really, it didn't get reliable until I left Ancora on a train to Valenca to join the inland route. Just my .02. It is however, one of the most beautiful coastal walks I've been on.

 

[Jenniandjoe]

Flights booked. Arriving in Porto April 26th, 2013! Look forward to experienced pilgrims sharing thoughts and suggestions. I will be doing this is my 59th year and my husband will be 62. We are very excited!

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I walked from Porto to SdC in April 2011. It was wonderful! You're in for a rare treat. I was 72, but age is just a number on a piece of paper.
I didn't meet another pilgrim for two days: I stayed in a few albergues where I was the only peregrino, and they weren't busy or full until I was within 50 miles of SdC. My camino was the inland one - well sign-posted with yellow arrows, especially on the Portuguese side.
Ultreya!

Stephen.

P.S. Photo links and my diary available on my web site -
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[k-fun]

Everyone,

I will be arriving in Portugal at the beginning of May next year to walk the coastal way. My husband and I will be camping as well as staying in albergues. What is the weather like on the coast at the time of year. I assume it is cool, especially at nights. Is that correct? Will hiking sandals suffice or are hiking boots required?

I am looking forward to reading more about your trip, renegade pilgrim.

 

[scruffy1]

I walked from Lisbon to Santiago this year in April and it was marvelous-the wisteria was blooming, apple trees cherry trees in full flower, wild flowers all along the way, amazing sights and the smell is still with me. Walked back to Porto with a friend in May, green pleasant enough, lots of RAIN, but no flowers, the bougainvillea was sound asleep even the geraniums were not convinced. You want to be enchanted by flower gardens all along the way, go in April, you don't go in May. One last world as to weather, its changing, call it global warming, pollution, natural geophysical processes, what ever you want, last year and the year before have no relevancy for next year; Portugal will be warmer than Galicia, more than that-you are on your own.
S

 

[Red1too3]

Flights booked. Arriving in Porto April 26th, 2013! Look forward to experienced pilgrims sharing thoughts and suggestions. I will be doing this is my 59th year and my husband will be 62. We are very excited!

We arrive into Vigo on the same date around noon, giving ourselves a day to recoup and starting in the a.m. on Saturday the 27th from Valenca. Some may think we are crazy but we are shooting for 17 to 19 miles per day. Why not? We are there to walk, so we are going to walk. We walk 15 per day around here now, so not crazy, just know what I want to do I may look into other alternatives to the albergues since I know they fill early and if we aren't ready to stop, we may be without a place to sleep.

Bom Caminho and maybe we will see each other at some point!
C

 

[Red1too3]

Red1too3

I too am planning the Camino Portuguese next spring. I think you will be ahead of us by a week or more and we are starting farther south. Unlike you, I do not speak Portuguese; not speaking the language makes it fun for me...I am looking forward to that challenge.

I hope you have a wonderful Camino.

My fiance is Brazilian with a Portuguese father, so we speak THAT Portuguese which is different, so it will be a challenge and I am limited, but like you said that is part of the fun! I found a hotel to relax in Valenca. We only have limited time, so we are doing what we can - wanted to start in Porto, but no time so I won't get picky, I'll take a shorter Caminho this time

Bom Caminho to you!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

You say you walk 15 miles a day already. Is that with a backpack? If so, how much weight is in the pack? There is a big difference between walking with/without a pack. But you'll figure it all out.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Red,
You say you have already found a hotel in Valenca, but I thought I'd link the municipality's site, which displays all options in town. There may be others looking for a place to stay.

http://www.cm-valenca.pt/portal/page/va ... nde_dormir

there is quite a range, and the pousada (Portuguese equivalent of parador) is right in the fortress walls, a great location right next to the bridge you will cross on your first day out. Though the pousadas are not cheap, with the recession in Portugal there are frequently extremely good deals available, so you might want to check it out.

Bom caminho! Laurie

 

[tyrrek]

The Botufumeiro was in good form on Monday 8th October. I think the priest conducting the service was a guest bishop from Portugal, so it may have been in his honour. It was the first time in four Caminos that I've seen it, but I admit I ducked out of one service early due to the crowds and missed it. :roll:

By the way, on my last visit they seemed to have more assertive security people telling the congregation/tourists off if they take photos or make undue noise during the service itself. They don't even try to stop people when the Botufumeiro is swinging, though. I thought this was welcome to be honest, as sometimes the Mass has seemed like a sideshow in the past. Again, maybe that was just because the Bishop was visiting.

Buen Camino!

 

[hecate105]

I think there is a posada - an historic hotel in Valenca, they are expensive but usually lovely buildings. We cycled in April/may and were quite often the only pilgrims in the refugios in Portugal, it got a little busier in Spain, but usually there were only a handful of folk - except Pontevedra - that was almost full.
It is a truloy beautiful route - enjoy!

 

[miguel_gp]

The Pousada in Valenca looks as if it is in a great location, in the old walled town overlooking the River Mino, the border and Spain. It is 2-3 times the price of a couple of the alternative hotels in Valenca but, at between £76 and £90 for a double with breakfast for a night in April (lower price is with over 55 discount), not extortionate for a special one off stay.

I've stayed in the Hotel Lara in Valenca a couple of times and that has been perfectly fine at about £40 for a double with breakfast. Alternatively, the Albergue is on the same street as the Lara.

The Portugues, is a beautiful route with lovely views, particularly across the Vigo Estuary on the 2nd or 3rd day out of Valenca. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time regardless of which accommodation you stay in.

Buen Camino

 

[peregrina2000]

I have stayed in Valenca's pousada, on a non-Camino trip. It is a modern building inside the fortress walls, very close to the old bridge that pilgrims walk over. It has lovely views over the river. I have stayed in a lot of Portugal's pousadas and in general the service and standard of the accommodations are outstanding. I have seen a lot of special deals that are undoubtedly related to the terrible recession, and can tell you that the price/quality ratio is very high -- for a double room in a pousada with nice breakfast for 80 euros more or less, it's a very good deal.

I would check the pousada's official website for more information. http://www.pousadas.pt/historic-hotels- ... /home.aspx

BTW, if you're looking for a splurge on the Camino Portugues, the pousada in Porto, though a bit outside the historic center, is amazing. http://www.pousadas.pt/historic-hotels- ... /home.aspx
Prices there are much higher than the Valenca pousada, but it is one luxurious pousada.

And just to round out the pousada discussion, there is one other on the Caminho Portugues, in Condeixa a Nova. http://www.pousadas.pt/historic-hotels- ... /home.aspx
Makes for a nice splurge if you want to spend a day to visit the roman ruins in Conimbriga. It's also a modern building, but they saved a lot of the old interior of the building they knocked down to build this one and the interior is really nicely done. Very comfortable, pool, nice walk into town.

Wishing I were back in Portugal! Buen camino, Laurie