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Food on the VDLP?

Time of past OR future Camino
2006 to date: Over 21 Caminos. See signature line
For those who have walked the VDLP, are there plenty if opportunities to buy groceries along the way?

Do the albergues after Zafra have kitchens where we can cook?
 
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I think my experience was that it is rather hit and miss. It was often easier to find somewhere for breakfast, at least until Caceres. Many days there is nowhere to stop during the day, it is well to carry food, sometimes there is only a microwave in the albergue. It is very different from the Frances and I never quite got the hang of it. Be prepared for anything. There is always something, I never went hungry, but I never managed to be organised and to cook in the evenings in the way I like.
My advice is, take each day as it comes, ask at each stop what will come during the day and always have something to hand.
 
Stop worrying!
Go!
As you've often said: The camino will provide...

I've walked the VDLP four years ago, I never suffered from anything...except heat.
 
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Canuck said:
Stop worrying!
Go!
As you've often said: The camino will provide...

I've walked the VDLP four years ago, I never suffered from anything...except heat.

Well said!

Don't plan too much, that will spoil the adventure.

Buen camino
 
I agree with sulu, due to the distances and often no towns between stages it is smart to have a snack packed- dried apricots and nuts were my choice.

On the Francés I would walk about 2 hours then have breakfast but this is not usually an option on the VdlP- at least up until Zamora. So what worked for me was breakfast before starting out (usually one cafe in town was open early) then walk until the end of the stage. After showering and washing clothes I would then have a late lunch with the Spaniards at 3-4 pm (gazpacho and/or ensalada mixta) and skip dinner. Around 8 pm I had a clara limón or 2 and olives. Keep in mind I walked in the heat of July so I kept food light and hydrated often.

Except for the larger cities there will be no large grocery stores, just your mom and pop type stores. But you will always find something. And a menu del día (not called del pelegrino) was a reasonable 8-10 euros.

This is what worked for me and I trust that you too will find out what works best for you.

Buen Camino Annie! I can't wait to return in July.
 
I'm not worrying -
I'm becoming informed.
There is a difference.

My diet has certain restrictions so its good if I know whether to plan for raw or cooked foods.
But thanks for worrying about me worrying.
:)
 
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A Good advice is always to carry some food, fruit, you Can not relay on Bars/ coffe shops. Long stages no possibility to get anny thing.

Often Alberge's kitchen do not Work or there is no kitchen.

As Said before VDLP is so different to CF in Good and negativ matter.
 
Perfect. Thanks. ;)

None of my stages are much more than 20-25 k.
Unless eroski is out of date I should be fine.
 
My advice is to carry some food since the distances between the stages and even the individual towns and villages is long with many of the place closed. We passed numerous villages without even a bar or cafe. Ditto for water too.

I would also avoid most of the so called pilgrim style daily menu of the day dinners. Very rarely have we got a meal worth writing about.

Stick to places that have a kitchen so you can prepare a meal.
 
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Stick to places that have a kitchen so you can prepare a meal.

That was what I found impossible. It may be possible if you are walking very long stages, it was something I tried to do but seldom achieved.

It is really a case of being flexible, sometimes thinking a bit in advance and always having something on you, just in case :)
(I didn't lose much weight this time so there must have been food.)
Buen camino Annie, enjoy!
 
Definitely have something on hand while you walk. There are many stages where towns have no food available, or you'll pass through when things are closed. If you can cook at the end of the day in the albergue, that's great, but the Menu del Dias are a fine option (to my palate). Certainly nothing extraordinary or gourmet, but decent quality and filling. I was generally able to find some kind of small grocery every day -- fruit, veggies, bread, water for sure, and often much more.

Melanie
 
Until you get to Galicia,where there are many deserted or almost deserted villages, virtually everywhere along the VdlP had a bar/restaurant and many had a mini mercado as well. I carried a pound of raisins and a hunk of cheese for emergency rations for the longer stages.

As I was almost always alone in the albergue, I usually didn't use the kitchen (if there was one) but ate out, and the food was often delicious and reasonably priced, and the friendly (and frequently inquisitive) company welcome as well. If there had been other people in the albergue it would probably have been fun to prepare and enjoy a communal meal.
 
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I can say now as we are close to Santiago, that the food is steadily getting better now that we are in Galicia.

But overall the ability to get a good range of food items from the local food shops varies from good ( in the major centres) to poor ( in the small hamlets).

The same applies to meals along the same route. Bars seem to offer a steady supply of basic tapas and meals that consist of lomo ( pig) and chips (French fries ). Alternatively most restaurants offer a better range of dishes but do not serve meals until at least 8:30.

Those with a food intolerance such as dairy or wheat, will find it tough to find suitable foods or meals.

However once in awhile we were surprised with an outstanding meal but I think over the past 6 weeks I count the number of times this happened using one hand.
 
hello jirit,

where are you now?

in vilar de barrio, the restaurant across the municipal albergue serves very good home cooking. try the caldo gallego soup. also adjacent to the albergue building is a kiosk seeling pulpo. buy the pulpo from the senora for 6 euros a racion is about 1/2 kilo of kingsize octopus. you will not regret eating the dish.

when you get to the municipal albergue in ourense, you will also see kiosks selling pulpo a la gallega at 6 euros. before the street to the albergue, there is another senora at the corner street selling them.

as i mentioned previously when and if you go to finisterre, try the seafood restaurant los tres golpes for paella and other seafood dishes. you will not be disappointed.

enjoy your pulpo and other seafood dishes. buen provecho!!!
 
I lived on a diet of nuts and dried fruit.
When I could find it, I bought a kilo, and then had something to munch on for 4 or 5 days.

I never seemed to be near a town at lunchtime.
I never felt hungry, or out of energy due to lack food.

In the smallest towns, there is sometimes an enterprising person who has turned their garage into a tienda. They are mostly closed, but if you can find them, they don't mind opening up for you.

Good luck on your Camino.
The VDLP is different than the Camino Frances... More pilgrimage, less social.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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