- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances; Aragones; VdlP; Madrid-Invierno; Levante
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Our paths might cross. My "loosely planned" itinerary has me stepping out of Seville on 4/16 and walking the Casar de Caceres to Carnaveral leg on 4/28. But you know what they say about the "best laid plans". If we do bump into each other I promise you a smile, and any support you request. While I'm guilty of "wandering", I've never been "lost. And I've never met a stranger. Simply made a new friend. Don't be afraid if you find me talking to the animals. I'm not crazy. Simply a few beers short of a 6-pack.My planning is progressing- just as well, as I leave in ten days. I spent much of last night musing about the 33 km. walk from Casar de Caceres to Canaveral: my longest day with no accommodation. The pilgrim hostel at the Embalse is closed and the fishing guest house does not take pilgrims, both situations exactly as they were when I last walked the VdlP. Consulting my detailed planning list, I find that it will be late April when I walk this section of the route, so I can hope for comfortable temperatures. If I carry enough water, all should be well, and no more over 30 km. days. I remind myself that my 75th birthday will take place earlier in April and I am not in the best shape, with cold winter days in Calgary discouraging long walks. I shall be out for a walk with a friend this afternoon, and no more public transit until I leave, if the distance is doable.
It has long been customary for many walkers to take a taxi from Castilblanco to the National Park gate in order to cut down the km on that stretch to Amaden. I don't know if there is a taxi in Casar, but if so it might be an idea to get a ride to the Embalse Bridge, and take it from there. Peace of mind.My planning is progressing- just as well, as I leave in ten days. I spent much of last night musing about the 33 km. walk from Casar de Caceres to Canaveral: my longest day with no accommodation. The pilgrim hostel at the Embalse is closed and the fishing guest house does not take pilgrims, both situations exactly as they were when I last walked the VdlP. Consulting my detailed planning list, I find that it will be late April when I walk this section of the route, so I can hope for comfortable temperatures. If I carry enough water, all should be well, and no more over 30 km. days. I remind myself that my 75th birthday will take place earlier in April and I am not in the best shape, with cold winter days in Calgary discouraging long walks. I shall be out for a walk with a friend this afternoon, and no more public transit until I leave, if the distance is doable.
The problem is that you would then skip the nice part of the stage. I have heard of some people arranging a taxi from Cañaveral to pick them up at the Embalse. However, that arrangement is a bit trickier, especially if one doesn't speak much Spanish.I don't know if there is a taxi in Casar, but if so it might be an idea to get a ride to the Embalse Bridge, and take it from there.
I heard from the former albergue operator last fall that they were looking for someone new to run the albergue, but that they also had not yet solved the problems with the plumbing/water/sewage that have plagued the place for years. I have written to him again to see if he has any updates — even though he is no longer associated with it, maybe he’ll have some info.The pilgrim hostel at the Embalse is closed
It has long been customary for many walkers to take a taxi from Castilblanco to the National Park gate in order to cut down the km on that stretch to Amaden. I don't know if there is a taxi in Casar, but if so it might be an idea to get a ride to the Embalse Bridge, and take it from there. Peace of mind.
Albertagirl,Thank you to all for so many helpful suggestions. Like WanderingNotLost, I am currently planning on walking from Casar de Caseres to Canaveral on April 28. We might meet along the way (did you mean, "a few beers over a six pack?) I am beginning to consider Corned Beef's and Camino07's suggestions to take a train or bus from Caceras to Canaveral. This would allow me to avoid the dangerous section of road after Caceras and the long stretch of walking from from Casar de Caceres to Canaveral, as well as giving me a couple of extra days when I could either slow down or spend more time in Merida and/or Zamora, both cities which I should like to experience in a leisurely manner. As this is my second pilgrimage on the VdlP, I don't feel obliged to walk every kilometre: been there, done that. But I think that I shall let this go until the time comes and act according to where my energy is. Wish me well, my friends.
I'll leave early, enjoy the sun rise, walking at a comfortable pace. As this will be my 9th Camino, never sleeping outside, I never worry about finding somewhere to rest my head. While initial ideas don't always go as "planned", I have faith the Camino will always provide what is truly needed.
Thank you for your concern. I had read about the pilgrim who passed away on the VDLP.Have any of your previous Caminos been on the VdlP, the Mozarabe or another of the less-walked southern routes? It really is a very different experience from the Frances, the Portugues or the other northern Caminos. Occasional very long stages with no services. The Casar de Caseres to Cañaveral stage can be extremely challenging in hot weather - especially if the albergue at the reservoir is closed. No drinking water available for close on 30km. Planning ahead is vital. Not so long since a young and fit man died from heat-related causes a few km short of Cañaveral. I strongly advise you to err on the side of caution in deciding how much water you carry.
There is a concathedral in Mérida (I’ve never really figured out what that word means, but Cáceres has one too — it must be some ranking that puts it slightly “below” a cathedral), which is from the 17th C I believe. For me a church with an environment more conducive to reflection and contemplation is the smaller Santa Eulalia (dedicated to an early Christian martyr from Mérida), and an early Christian crypt below. There is also a fairly elaborate Roman fountain right outside the church. This church is not as centrally located as the concatedral, though, so that may be a negative.I have been considering where to officially begin my camino on the VdlP this year by getting my first stamp in a credencial. As I shall be on a walking pilgrimage and shall begin to walk in Merida, the logical place would be somewhere in Merida. As this is, for me, a pilgrimage, I feel that I should begin it formally in a church, as I have begun all my previous caminos. But I have not found any mention of a church in Kelly's recent guide to the VdlP. Any suggestions?
Wikipedia explains the idea of a co-cathedral. Often when a diocese has two major centres of similar size or influence and marks this by having an episcopal base in both towns. In this case the other cathedral is in Badajoz.There is a concathedral in Mérida (I’ve never really figured out what that word means, but Cáceres has one too — it must be some ranking that puts it slightly “below” a cathedral),
Ah Calzadilla de los Hermanillos! Is the little tienda still open? I was in El Burgo Ranero but my fellow hospi was sent to Calzadilla when no one showed up there for their 2 week stint leaving me in July to run the El Burgo Ranero by myself (full house within an hour every day).My time in Spain has been very busy since I arrived in Madrid on March 29th and travelled to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos to begin my stint as a hospitalera. The initial challenge was to open the albergue for the season. I was alone as a hospitalera for the first time and knew nothing about the setting: for example, how to turn on the hot water and how to contact those who could help me to acquire necessities (toilet paper). Soon most things were under control, with one exception. The new manager of Hosvol was involved in providing one meal a day for hospiraleros and would not accept my refusing this meal. As a vegetarian, I could not eat it. And much of the time the pilgrims did not want it either. However, I enjoyed the setting and the people: all very friendly.
I left there for my walk on the VdlP soon after my replacement arrived, and am now dealing with whole new set of challenges.
I have been in Zamora for two days now, and have already chosen three different accommodations, beginning with my third stay in the camino albergue, my current stay in the wonderfully unique Hosteria Real de Zamora, and finally, my move tomorrow into the Parador for a two-day stay. After a slightly better than usual overnight in the Zamora Albergue de Peregrinos, I was tired enough to move on to a private room in the Hosteria Real. It has turned out to be an amazing place: a real historical treasure with comforts not easily found. A deep bath with endless hot water was a wonder. Let me describe the setting: I went through reception, picked up my pack, and stepped through a door into a walkway around an indoor garden. Halfway around the garden was the door to the mikveh. This is a several feet deep bath, open to the sky and with natural stone walls lining it. Apparently, several centuries ago a Jewish family provided this necessary structure for feminine hygiene to the women of the household. The only private door out of the mikveh leads into my tiny bedroom: through double doors which can both be locked on the way in. I wonder what their original purpose was. I am not entirely enclosed, however. Windows out of my tiny bedroom and attached bathroom lead out into the walled garden, where the sun shines in from two stories up. Tomorrow, I shall describe how I experience my time in the Parador.So it didn't go quite as I had planned. This could be my motto for this my latest camino. I did walk the new Via Verde, but I missed my planned walk through Hervas. I was delayed, only to find myself descending a hill into Aldeanueva del Camino without the time to go on to Hervas, then to Banos de Monte Mayor, skipping Aldeanueva. Maybe another time. I arrived in Banos the next day and it proved to be a very satisfying stay. Many people helped me with plans when the tourist office information service proved to have been transferred to the local library. I spent a wonderful night in Hotel Rural Martin, and cash appeared mysteriously to cover most of the cost of my room and meals. I had been struggling with poor functioning of my cell phone. Finally I decided to get it fixed, and booked a bus ride to Salamanca, where needed service was available. Just before I left, I asked for help from the receptionist at my hotel. She managed it on her own. So I had a bus ticket to Salamanca and a hotel reservation that I chose to use. This gave me a little extra time to enjoy the city. I set off early this morning to begin my onward journey to Zamora in very pleasant cooler weather. I remember a similar cooling off from a previous departure from Salamanca. And on again tomorrow walking my last couple of days to Zamora, a central focus of this year's pilgrimage. Wish me well.
Always. My first walk is still four months away, but I always follows yours, inspiring to say the least. Hoping for you, rays of sunshine. BCWish me well.
Sorry to hear that life feels a bit chaotic, and I hope that the weather improves soon! Were the difficulties in your recent Camino due to Camino issues, or were they more internal?This last walk was hard, the journey home was hard
I think that I prefer less busy camino walking, and that doesn't seem to have been a possibility this year, even on the VdlP. I suppose that everyone needs to catch up, after the pandemic.Sorry to hear that life feels a bit chaotic, and I hope that the weather improves soon! Were the difficulties in your recent Camino due to Camino issues, or were they more internal?
I've been home almost a week and haven't finished unpacking yet!
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