LIVE from the Camino Nearly There

[sillydoll]

Hi all,
We are now in Palas de Rei and if I was still an ultra-marathon runner, we could run to Santiago in a few hours! But, we are going to draw it out so that we arrive there early on Friday morning. The weather has been glorious, we have stayed in some amazing plazes, met the most incredible people and we are quite sad that our camino will soon be over. Ivar, I will pay a visit to your new address this weekend.
If anyone would like to read about our journey you can visit me at http://www.amawalker.blogspot.com. A friend at home is posting my emails onto the Blog as they arrive so it is quite up-to-date.
Buen camino to anyone starting soon!
Big hugs,

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Animo Sil! Enjoy the last week and of course the glorious arrival. Any word on Minkey?

Enhorabuena

John

 

[lillypond]

Usted es casi allí. ¡Bien hecho! Sil,

I am excited for you and your fellow pilgrims. I can't imagine myself in the same 'spot' but maybe this time next year I will be congratulating myself and reminiscing about 'healed blisters' ! I'm off to read your blog for inspiration.

Have a great time in Santiago (it will be so cool to see Ivar in person 8) ) and have a great trip home.

¡Muchas felicitaciones!
lillypond.

 

[sillydoll]

Last night we stayed in the municipal albergue in Melide. It is the first really grotty albergue that we have stayed in. It is filthy and smelly and the ablutions are thick with black algae and mould. If it wasn´t threatening rain we would have moved on.
We have stayed in the most basic (read primitive) albergues like Arroya San Bol and Manjarin but they were 5 star compared with Melide´s albergue. The albergue is donativo but, perhaps with just one day of chraging 3 or 4 Euro they would be able to afford a cleaning service in for a day to scrub and clean the place.
We are now in Arzua and will move on to Santa Irene tomorrow. We are walking along like escargots now, not wanting the camino to come to an end!
Big hugs to all,
Sil

 

[WolverineDG]

Sorry to hear that, sil. I don´t think I´ve encountered a "shady" albergue on this round of walking. If I had to pick a "worst" albergue, it would be hard. The albergue at the convent in Santo Domingo would be it, but only for the bathroom situation (small, mixed, crowded, door opens to reception). The mattresses on the bunks were among the best I encountered & the rooms & bathrooms were clean. Thanks for the warning about Melide, so when I finish my camino, I´ll know to seek alternative accomodations.

I sadly had to hang up my boots in Sahagun. I got a cold or allergies (possible, since they are mowing & baling hay along the meseta & guess what I´m allergic to :cry: ), so I took the train to Leon for a few days. I did meet a forum member, Rachel, in Sahagun & she should be here today, so all is good.

Kelly, live from Leon

 

[fiddletree]

I had heard this about Melide when we were getting close to Santiago, and found it really difficult to find alternatives that would still allow us to arrive in Santiago in the morning. As far as I can remember, there are no other albergues close to Santiago, but there are some casa ruras and hostels (or hostal, I can't remember which is which). We ended up staying in a really nice casa rural about 10 km before Santiago. If you are traveling at high season, it might be best to book ahead somewhere. I've not heard a single good thing about Melide, so try and avoid it if possible!

 

[billdom1963]

Melide Albergue is awful. If you are on the top floor and need the toilet; you have to go downstairs in the dark and through another dorm to the bathroom. Great town though for Pulpa Galicia and the pension across the street does a good breakfast for €4. Its only one night anyway. Next stop, Arca.

 

[Dawn of a new Day]

i hear the octopus is suppose to be the best in melide. I don't eat it. and in 2006 the albergue was disgusting. plugged toilets and dirty. lost my watch there too. actually it was the ONLY unclean place in the entire camino.
dawn

 

[Joseph Chan]

Melide Albergue is awful. Reported in the forum by Bildom 1963 in October 2007.

Reported by Sil in September 2007. the municipal albergue in Melide. It is the first really grotty albergue that we have stayed in. It is filthy and smelly and the ablutions are thick with black algae and mould.

Dawn of the New Day reported: in 2006 the Melide albergue was disgusting. plugged toilets and dirty.

This is the negative details gratefully received by those who travel halfway round the world to do the Camino. On the positive side is there any checklist of the state of the accommodation provided which is sent to the authorities who can fix the problem? Would it be more useful to post the contact details for reporting these shortcomings so that some action can be taken?

More important perhaps we could hear from those who can report that the problem has been fixed Suffering blisters and sunburn, enduring the pain of lugging a heavy knapsack over hills, being turned away from the full inn after a rainy damp walk, these are some of the things a pilgrim can endure ....... but not an albergue with such filthy conditions.

Thank you Sil for getting this out in the open, perhaps a new thread is now appropriate since accommodation is one of the key areas to explain to a reluctant spouse.

 

[billdom1963]

i hear the octopus is suppose to be the best in melide. I don't eat it. and in 2006 the albergue was disgusting. plugged toilets and dirty. lost my watch there too. actually it was the ONLY unclean place in the entire camino.
dawn

yes Dawn the Octopus9pulpa al Galicia) is the best here. Cooked for hours in a copper vat to tenderise. Then cut up with a scissors and served with paprika, oil and bread. Nice. But I still prefer the baby ones.

 

[Javier Martin]

I don't know if the Octopuss from Melide is the best, but at least is the most famousm, you can't walk the Camino without taste it.

It's famous the octopus in "Casa Manolo" in A Fonsagrada, in the Camino Primitivo, just after El Acebo.

The same in a little ... how can I call it? Place in Padron, a think is a no-name place, it doesn´t "call" you to enter, in the Camino portuguese, very close the church where the "Pedron" is.

I've heard about another place in the Camino ingles but ... I don't know it yet.

Mmmmm Such a rico Camino ...

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.