LIVE from the Camino Just Arrived in Santiago

[LauraK]

I just arrived in Santiago this afternoon - completed the Camino del Salvador and Primitivo. Amazing views and challenging walk! I was fortunate to have clear weather on mountain sections of both Caminos. I was surprised to find the Camino Frances to be relatively quiet from Melide to Santiago...no crowds and met some wonderful peregrinos in the last three days. I finished early and will be in Santiago for the next two days. I was wondering if any other forum members are here? I will take my shell that I carried for Denise to the Pilgrim House tomorrow. Any other suggestions of things to do? I have previously visited the market, pilgrims museum, Casa de Troya... Will provide comments on the Caminos when I get home. Thanks to everyone (especially Laurie) for all of your advice and help...it was an amazing Camino!

 

[Kialoa3]

Congratulations and well done. Have fun in Santiago.

John

 

[Kanga]

We did not find the last 100km crowded in October either. It was in June. Definitely a seasonable thing.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yes!
Be sure to see the Museu de Pobo Galicia.
It is the Museum of the Galician people - a folklore museum - and is fabulous.
Within walking distance easy from the Cathedral.

 

[Kanga]

Tour of the roof of the Cathedral is a must-do if you have not already! Also worth getting the audio guide for visiting the museum and cathedral.

 

[GettingThere]

Yes!
Be sure to see the Museu de Pobo Galicia.
It is the Museum of the Galician people - a folklore museum - and is fabulous.
Within walking distance easy from the Cathedral.

Yes! I second this one - one of the best museums I have visited.

 

[peregrina2000]

I just arrived in Santiago this afternoon - completed the Camino del Salvador and Primitivo. Amazing views and challenging walk! I was fortunate to have clear weather on mountain sections of both Caminos. I was surprised to find the Camino Frances to be relatively quiet from Melide to Santiago...no crowds and met some wonderful peregrinos in the last three days. I finished early and will be in Santiago for the next two days. I was wondering if any other forum members are here? I will take my shell that I carried for Denise to the Pilgrim House tomorrow. Any other suggestions of things to do? I have previously visited the market, pilgrims museum, Casa de Troya... Will provide comments on the Caminos when I get home. Thanks to everyone (especially Laurie) for all of your advice and help...it was an amazing Camino!

So happy for you, Laura! And what great luck with the weather (though I remember something about being wet walking into Oviedo, I'm sure you'd rather have clear skies in the mountains). Enjoy Santiago and safe journey home, Laurie

 

[LauraK]

Yes!
Be sure to see the Museu de Pobo Galicia.
It is the Museum of the Galician people - a folklore museum - and is fabulous.
Within walking distance easy from the Cathedral.

Great suggestion... Thank you!

 

[LauraK]

Tour of the roof of the Cathedral is a must-do if you have not already! Also worth getting the audio guide for visiting the museum and cathedral.

Perfect! I haven't done the tour and will make sure to go today. I love audio guides so will visit the museum too! Thanks Kanga.

 

[grayland]

Congratulations Laura. We are are envious.
Say hello to Ivar and John.

 

[LauraK]

So happy for you, Laura! And what great luck with the weather (though I remember something about being wet walking into Oviedo, I'm sure you'd rather have clear skies in the mountains). Enjoy Santiago and safe journey home, Laurie

You are right - I had a bad rain day from Pola de Lena into Oviedo but that was after the most perfect weather on the first four days of the Salvador. I could turn 360 degrees and see forever! It was beautiful and I never saw another pilgrim so had the whole day to myself to listen to the birds, cows, wind and water.
I also had perfect weather on the first part of the Primitivo. The day of the hospitales route we had clear weather and no fog even in the early morning. We stopped often to picnic and enjoy the magnificent views. There were more people on the Primitivo -mostly Spanish - and several that came off the Norte route. Around 6-10 at the albergues each night. We did get three days of rain (one bad day) at the end but no one cared because we all felt lucky to have had such beautiful weather most of the way (especially on the day of the hospitales route). Rain was predicted for the last two days but didn't happen. Temperatures were mild and only used my fleece on a few evenings -mostly walked in shirt and pants. So overall I felt lucky to really get to enjoy the views on both routes.
I will say that after all the climbing, I felt like I just "floated" along the Frances on the last few days! I haven't been on the CF in a while and was really amazed at the number of new albergues and bars. The Primitivo and Salvador felt more like the old days -less commercial and grateful when you did see a bar and it was open!
Thanks for all of your support and help Laurie. It really helped with my planning and fears about the difficulty of this route.

 

[Alan Pearce]

We did not find the last 100km crowded in October either. It was in June. Definitely a seasonable thing.

When I walked the last 100 km in late May/Early June I was told by hospitaleros at 2 different albergues that the surge in pilgrims came each week in order for them to arrive either on the Thursday or the Friday, so that they were assured of seeing the botafumiero at the 7.30 Friday evening service. They advised me that if I was walking outside this schedule that it was not necessary to book ahead. I did part of the del Norte 2 weeks later and stayed in Arzua where it joins the Frances, 0n a Monday night, and stayed in the Albergue Turistico on the way into town. There ere 80 beds available, and only 4 of us staying there. Anybody else have this sort of experience?

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[peregrina2000]

Perfect! I haven't done the tour and will make sure to go today. I love audio guides so will visit the museum too! Thanks Kanga.

And if you're into romanesque, it's definitely worth it to go up in the scaffolding and get up close and personal with the Portico de la Gloria. Truly amazing, I try to do it every time I arrive in Santiago. And carrying on the romanesque rant.... the adjacent Palacio Gelmirez has some wonderful civil romanesque architecture. Lots of joyous scenes of music making, eating, and generally enjoying the good life. I think it now comes included on a ticket to visit the cathedral museum, but they have shifted their ticketing options around a lot in the last few years.

 

[NualaOC]

Congratulations Laura!

Someone posted this link a while ago: http://intelligenttravel.nationalge...heart-my-city-trevors-santiago-de-compostela/ If your feet aren't completely worn out, the walk to and the view from Monte Pedroso look interesting. I plan to check it out next time.

 

[Sailor]

Good time to be in Spain! Hoy es Dia de Todos Los Santos, and tomorrow Dia de Tods Los Muertos (no se esta muerto hasta que es olvidado, one is not dead until forgotten). Que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[Mike Savage]

Congratulations Laura!

 

[pilgrim b]

Great news congratulations Mike.