Starting VdlP on November 18

[alansykes]

Hola everybody.

I'm in the lovely Hotel Simon by the cathedral in Seville, listening to church bells and starting for Guillena tomorrow, hoping to arrive in SdC for Christmas. Anybody else on the route?

If I work out how to, I may be tweeting updates en route (my "smart" phone is a little smarter than I am, so no guarantees) via @geltsdale on https://twitter.com/geltsdale. And when I get wifi access I'll probably be doing the occasional blog for the Guardian website.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, alan
I started my Vdlp in the same hotel, and remember a phenomenal dinner in a little place right nearby. Hope it goes well for you, report back. I'm a May-June walker and always enjoy hearing from people who walk in other seasons.

Buen camino! Laurie

 

[handzondeck2]

Alan
This is one of my favorite Caminos. Lots of history and friendly people.

Have fun. I hope you have good weather. I Usually walk in late Apr/ early May.

Sharon

Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can fly

 

[mmm042]

Hi Alan.

Sitting in an airport hotel in Madrid, waiting to go home. I just walked a week, from Caceres to Fuenterroble. I saw one pilgrim in a hostel and none on the road. But the weather's been gorgeous. Extremadura's had a lot of rain and warm weather, so certain wildflowers normally seen only in the spring are blooming. Things are soggy in Extremadura, too, but nothing too serious.

When you reach Riolobos, stay in La Troje, a new inn. It's INCREDIBLE. They only charge 25 euros, and the home is newly remodeled and gorgeous (I was salivating over the cabinetry and stone/wood breakfast bar). Oh, and the wife, Filomena, personally serves you toast, torta de queso and a huge pot of cafe con leche in the morning, all included in the 25 euros. Dinner is available, too, but I ate out to scout out more places for my guidebook. Oh, one more thing. The husband, Juan Jose, drove me all around and shuttled my bags ahead for the cost of gas. Unreal.

Another good option, if you're not doing the albergues, is Las Lilieras in Castilblanco. I think that was 25 euros also. No breakfast, but a very nice home.

Buen Camino!

Melanie

 

[LTfit]

Lucky you! By this time you are on your way to Guillena and will be staying in the new albergue above the bar. Quite a change from the old one which the hospitalero showed me when I was there in 2011.

If you haven't seen the thread, the albergue in Castilblanco is closed.Unfortunately don't know what the other options are but someone else can surely help you out.

DO stay in the Albergue Parroquial de Fuenterroble de la Salvatierra (before Salamanca) run by the priest D. Blas Rodríguez. After all the albergues in which there were no hospitaleros and had to pick up the key, it was freshing to receive a warm, generous welcome and a communal dinner.

Buen Camino!
LT

 

[alansykes]

Thanks to all. Now safely in Extremadura. New albergue in Guillena is indeed muy confortable. And had a most enjoyable evening in the bar opposite as Seville were playing local rivals Betis and the whole town was cheering Seville on. I left to go to bed at 10ish when Seville were 3-0 up, but rapturous cheering later on told me about the two further goals, and they ended up winning 5-1.

 

[alansykes]

Re: Starting VdlP on November 18, now 10 days in

Having a wonderful time so far. Trying to take it a little more slowly than in 2010, and arrive in Santiago for Navidad. Had a delicious rest day in Merida just wandering around the streets and enjoying Roman remains.

Last night was in Alcuescar. A memorable stop at the Casa de la Misericordia. Father Luis took mass, gave the moving pilgrim benediction and made his little joke about having been to the "misa" the pilgrim must now come to the "mesa". Angel, the outstanding hospitalero there, was quite gloomy about the future generally in the "crisis", and specifically about the fact that increasing numbers of people are basically abusing the albergue system - some people apparently only put 1 euro in the donativo box, and the hermanos esclavos obviously can't be expected to subsidise the place, others treat him and other hospitaleros as if they were hired helps rather than generous volunteers.

But it's still a wonderful place.

 

[alansykes]

Re: Started VdlP on November 18, now on to Grimaldo

as the albergue at alcantara was closed, I changed my plans and decided to spend most of a day in Cacares.

I'm so glad I did - arriving at dusk after 40km on from Alcuescar, I was too tired reallly to be able to get out in the evening, so having a whole morning and most of the afternoon just wandering around its many splendours was a great treat.

The municipal albergue in the centre of Casar de cacares was very decent (and free). It has a tumble drier. The menu del peregrino at restaurante Majucar (which has the keys to the albergue) was excellent (a really delicious rich chickpea soup to start). The wifi in the municipal library was handy too, and it's open until 9pm. And I really enjoyed the Museo de Queso! dedicated to the local DOC Torta del Casar - having visited the new Museo del Jamon in Monasterio, I now only need a bread museum to have a full bocadillo: come to think of it, there probably is one in Cea - onde pan es arte.

The following day to Grimaldo was a bit long. The was partly because of the huge amount of work going on for the new AVE high speed train line. This cuts a livid scar across the landscape, with huge new bridges and tunnels appearing everywhere. It also means that the Via had to deviate at least twice so as not to walk across a building site, probably adding a couple of km to the trip. Sadly, from the bridges that are nearing completion, it doesn't look as if the one upstream on the Tajo will be of any architectural interest, other than for its size.

The albergue at Grimaldo (donativo), when I finally got there at dusk, was very cosy. Lots of blankets, well equipped kitchen, tumble drier etc. The barman in the bar next door did me a very welcome plato combinado with a delicious salad. He also told me that the AVE will simply stop dead at the frontier, as the Portuguese are refusing to pay for it to continue to Lisbon, as originally intended - so several billions of euros will have been spent so that the good people of Badajoz can get to Madrid a bit more quickly.

 

[mmm042]

Oh, too bad about the Alcantara Albergue. It's actually open year-round, but from Nov. - March you have to call at least one day ahead and make a reservation, and then someone will be there to open it up for you.

The AVE line is expected to be completed in 2017 to Badajoz.

Glad you're having a great time. I miss the Camino!

Melanie