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My new best friend...

t2andreo

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2013 - 2018 , Pilgrim Office volunteer 2014 - 2022
I rolled into Santiago last Saturday to volunteer for two weeks after I had to cancel my planned Camino Primitivo for medical issues. Everything happens for a good reason...

Anyway, here I am at the Pilgrim Office helping to keep up with 1,300 - 1,500 pilgrims daily. The 2019 Camino season is off to a roaring start.

The rain (aka ‘Galician Sunshine’) will not stop. Yesterday I made a pilgrimage to the really big Decathlon outside the city (C6 bus - €1.00, hourly).

I was looking for a full zip fleece, which I found in a good size and color. It only cost €9.99.

I LOVE Decathlon!

They are now in the US, but only have one store so far, in San Francisco of all places. But you can order online.

But, my REAL FIND was the umbrella. It is ideal IMHO for Camino. While it does not have a formal attachment system like the highly engineered German walking umbrellas, it also cost only €14.99. I do not have the weight in grams, but it is much lighter than the smaller Knirps brand umbrella I brought with me.720A606E-0DCD-4158-B1C3-F39514540117.jpeg7D1A6BD5-D53B-4142-9D2D-7F54E5B1789A.jpeg

I am providing photos, of me with it outside the office, in the rain (of course), and another showing the under-canopy construction. IMHO, the engineering far exceeds the price point.

Also, it has been “breezy” here. This umbrella seems to resist turning inside out. That was one of my pet peeves when road walking using the silver trekking umbrella I used for Camino.

Bottom line, get thee to thy nearest Decathlon or online to obtain this very nice camino umbrella.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I rolled into Santiago last Saturday to volunteer for two weeks after I had to cancel my planned Camino Primitivo for medical issues. Everything happens for a good reason...

Anyway, here I am at the Pilgrim Office helping to keep up with 1,300 - 1,500 pilgrims daily. The 2019 Camino season is off to a roaring start.

The rain (aka ‘Galician Sunshine’) will not stop. Yesterday I made a pilgrimage to the really big Decathlon outside the city (C6 bus - €1.00, hourly).

I was looking for a full zip fleece, which I found in a good size and color. It only cost €9.99.

I LOVE Decathlon!

They are now in the US, but only have one store so far, in San Francisco of all places. But you can order online.

But, my REAL FIND was the umbrella. It is ideal IMHO for Camino. While it does not have a formal attachment system like the highly engineered German walking umbrellas, it also cost only €14.99. I do not have the weight in grams, but it is much lighter than the smaller Knirps brand umbrella I brought with me.View attachment 57003View attachment 57004

I am providing photos, of my with it outside the office, in the rain (of course), and another showing the under-canopy construction. IMHO, the engineering far exceeds the price point.

Also, it has been “breezy” here. This umbrella seems to resist turning inside out. That was one of my pet peeves when road walking using the silver trekking umbrella I used for Camino.

Bottom line, get the to the nearest Decathlon or online to obtain this very nice camino umbrella.

Hope this helps.
I am not surprised they have their first one in San Francisco. I used to be a pharmaceutical rep and I still like to read medical journals. There was a story about fitness and health in one of the articles I read last year and it linked to a study about the healthiest and most physically active cities in the United States. San Francisco was rated number 1 for health and 3rd most active. Decathon did their homework. There sure is a WHOLE LOT of disposable income there too!!! (I had to look up the numbers again hahaha)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I am from L.A., but I have been to that store. It is a smaller store, maybe 1/6th of the one in SDC. Most probably testing the market. Watch out REI...
t2andreo, do you have to pay for your own lodging when you volunteer at the office?
 
I think it is in San Francisco related to supply chain issues. Most of their suppliers are in SE Asia. But, I could be wrong.
 
I am from L.A., but I have been to that store. It is a smaller store, maybe 1/6th of the one in SDC. Most probably testing the market. Watch out REI...
t2andreo, do you have to pay for your own lodging when you volunteer at the office?

Ordinarily, volunteers are housed for free. However, this trip I was a last-minute addition to the schedule.

So, I took a hotel at my expense. The cost is offset by what I would have spent while on Camino. It’s only money...
 
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
I rolled into Santiago last Saturday to volunteer for two weeks after I had to cancel my planned Camino Primitivo for medical issues. Everything happens for a good reason...

Anyway, here I am at the Pilgrim Office helping to keep up with 1,300 - 1,500 pilgrims daily. The 2019 Camino season is off to a roaring start.

The rain (aka ‘Galician Sunshine’) will not stop. Yesterday I made a pilgrimage to the really big Decathlon outside the city (C6 bus - €1.00, hourly).

I was looking for a full zip fleece, which I found in a good size and color. It only cost €9.99.

I LOVE Decathlon!

They are now in the US, but only have one store so far, in San Francisco of all places. But you can order online.

But, my REAL FIND was the umbrella. It is ideal IMHO for Camino. While it does not have a formal attachment system like the highly engineered German walking umbrellas, it also cost only €14.99. I do not have the weight in grams, but it is much lighter than the smaller Knirps brand umbrella I brought with me.View attachment 57003View attachment 57004

I am providing photos, of my with it outside the office, in the rain (of course), and another showing the under-canopy construction. IMHO, the engineering far exceeds the price point.

Also, it has been “breezy” here. This umbrella seems to resist turning inside out. That was one of my pet peeves when road walking using the silver trekking umbrella I used for Camino.

Bottom line, get the to the nearest Decathlon or online to obtain this very nice camino umbrella.

Hope this helps.

GREAT COLOUR especially if roadside walking 👍
 
Hi there, can I ask, of all those 1,500 people arriving into Santiago what percentage have walked from SJPP And then just last 100.
Thanks
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Oh, I am very lucky then! I live in a small town in Hungary (with 55 thousand inhabitants) and we have a Decathlon. And the next one is 45 kms from here. 🎆
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
of all those 1,500 people arriving into Santiago what percentage have walked from SJPP And then just last 100.
You can find monthly statistics on this website - the starting points for pilgrims who get compostellas in Santiago. Search the month and year. It is in Spanish but quite easy to figure out. There are many starting points in addition to SJPP and Sarria. In May 2018, it seems that 24% started in Sarria (just over 100 km away), 14% in SJPP and 62% started somewhere else.
 
So glad we now have two Decathlon here in Quebec and one of them is only 10 minutes from my place. I’m going shopping!!!
Oooh, road trip! I see one at Brossard, just off Hwy 10. Where is the other? Je l'aime beaucoup!
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
I just checked at the US website for Decathlon. The umbrella is available for USD 14.99.

Go here:


Hope this helps.
 
I am not surprised they have their first one in San Francisco. I used to be a pharmaceutical rep and I still like to read medical journals. There was a story about fitness and health in one of the articles I read last year and it linked to a study about the healthiest and most physically active cities in the United States. San Francisco was rated number 1 for health and 3rd most active. Decathon did their homework. There sure is a WHOLE LOT of disposable income there too!!! (I had to look up the numbers again hahaha)
Do you reckon there might be a link between activity and health? Could be the discovery of the decade.😄
 
Update to my previous posts in this thread...

I arrived in Santiago yesterday for my month-long volunteer service at the Pilgrim Office starting Monday. I just made my semi-annual pilgrimage to the HUGE Decathlon store outside the city (hourly #C6 bus, from Horreo or San Roque, €1,00 to Costa Vella - Decathlon is at the end of the line).

As it is HOT here, I needed a second pair of cargo shorts. Of course they had what I needed, as well as a bunch of impulse items. What can I say? This place casts a spell over me...

Anyway, while there, on a wall of golf-related supplies, I saw the umbrella display, with my new favorite Camino umbrella. I note the price is reduced from €14,99 to €11,99.

I took a photo, see attachment, to share with you.

Hope this helps.

.F98F0E33-B065-40CD-8030-3BDAA6880AE0.jpeg

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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I rolled into Santiago last Saturday to volunteer for two weeks after I had to cancel my planned Camino Primitivo for medical issues. Everything happens for a good reason...

Anyway, here I am at the Pilgrim Office helping to keep up with 1,300 - 1,500 pilgrims daily. The 2019 Camino season is off to a roaring start.

The rain (aka ‘Galician Sunshine’) will not stop. Yesterday I made a pilgrimage to the really big Decathlon outside the city (C6 bus - €1.00, hourly).

I was looking for a full zip fleece, which I found in a good size and color. It only cost €9.99.

I LOVE Decathlon!

They are now in the US, but only have one store so far, in San Francisco of all places. But you can order online.

But, my REAL FIND was the umbrella. It is ideal IMHO for Camino. While it does not have a formal attachment system like the highly engineered German walking umbrellas, it also cost only €14.99. I do not have the weight in grams, but it is much lighter than the smaller Knirps brand umbrella I brought with me.View attachment 57003View attachment 57004

I am providing photos, of me with it outside the office, in the rain (of course), and another showing the under-canopy construction. IMHO, the engineering far exceeds the price point.

Also, it has been “breezy” here. This umbrella seems to resist turning inside out. That was one of my pet peeves when road walking using the silver trekking umbrella I used for Camino.

Bottom line, get thee to thy nearest Decathlon or online to obtain this very nice camino umbrella.

Hope this helps.

I got some good use out of this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J7V5BHA/?tag=casaivar02-20
 
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