daesdaemar
Camino-holic
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Ingles - twice
Just home a couple of days ago from CI. Walked over five days July 1 - July 5. The walking went well, no leg pains or blisters 
A few observations:
Several waymarks have been vandalized (mostly before/after Pontedeume. The tile has been painted black and a yellow arrow painted in the WRONG direction. You must get up close to see through the thick black paint to determine the correct direction.
Stayed at the Chocolateria in Betanzos. I had a full apartment with bath, kitchen, and bedroom for 15 euros. Great deal!
I stayed at the Pension/Bar O Meson Novo. Very nice room, good food and delightful hosts. However, I was there on a Sunday night and there was a VERY loud disco or something right next door. I did not sleep a wink until after 3 or 4 in the morning. I cannot recommend staying there unless the disco is closed. I stayed at Hotel Canaima last year and was very quiet.
With all respect to Johnny (his guide is invaluable) there is a major descriptive error that nearly brought me to tears on the long day last year (Betanzos to Bruma), which has yet to be corrected. It is very confusing, at least to me. On page 39 of his guide I have reproduced the paragraph with proposed corrections in parentheses:
KSO passing farm buildings to the Right hand side and after 800 meters there is a yellow arrow pointing straight ahead and immediately (actually, about 200 meters) see a waymark (waymark has been turned over face-down into a deep ditch. However, there is a yellow arrow painted on the pole) with path going off to the Left. Follow this dirt track (actually a well-paved minor road) watching out for arrows and on a small power pylon ahead there is an arrow pointing to the Right. When this track joins a minor road follow the waymark and turn Right.
Stayed at Pension Badalada in Santiago. Right in the heart of things and very nice at 35 euros. However, quite loud because of local people-traffic and eating establishments.
Hope this helps anyone planning to do the CI
EDIT: I corrected a page number in my post above.
A few observations:
Several waymarks have been vandalized (mostly before/after Pontedeume. The tile has been painted black and a yellow arrow painted in the WRONG direction. You must get up close to see through the thick black paint to determine the correct direction.
Stayed at the Chocolateria in Betanzos. I had a full apartment with bath, kitchen, and bedroom for 15 euros. Great deal!
I stayed at the Pension/Bar O Meson Novo. Very nice room, good food and delightful hosts. However, I was there on a Sunday night and there was a VERY loud disco or something right next door. I did not sleep a wink until after 3 or 4 in the morning. I cannot recommend staying there unless the disco is closed. I stayed at Hotel Canaima last year and was very quiet.
With all respect to Johnny (his guide is invaluable) there is a major descriptive error that nearly brought me to tears on the long day last year (Betanzos to Bruma), which has yet to be corrected. It is very confusing, at least to me. On page 39 of his guide I have reproduced the paragraph with proposed corrections in parentheses:
KSO passing farm buildings to the Right hand side and after 800 meters there is a yellow arrow pointing straight ahead and immediately (actually, about 200 meters) see a waymark (waymark has been turned over face-down into a deep ditch. However, there is a yellow arrow painted on the pole) with path going off to the Left. Follow this dirt track (actually a well-paved minor road) watching out for arrows and on a small power pylon ahead there is an arrow pointing to the Right. When this track joins a minor road follow the waymark and turn Right.
Stayed at Pension Badalada in Santiago. Right in the heart of things and very nice at 35 euros. However, quite loud because of local people-traffic and eating establishments.
Hope this helps anyone planning to do the CI
EDIT: I corrected a page number in my post above.
