My Camino de Santiago
 

I have been planning/ dreaming to do part of the Camino for at least 8 yrs now. For the longest time I thought I would do it as part of an organized tour as offered by companies such as Spanish Steps or Fresco Tours. And if I had gone by myself I would have probably done it that way.But once my husband and my grown up kids (18 and 23) joined in the adventure I knew that would be too costly. Plus, Spanish is my native language, so I wouldn't have a language barrier to deal with in the booking and execution of the trip, so I decided to plan it myself. Along the way I had help and benefitted from the experiences of Fodor's posters such as Lincasanova , lreynolds(Laurie) and Marigross, and other people I "met" on other boards, for which I'm extremely grateful.

I’m in awe of the “real” pilgrims whom I saw lugging heavy backpacks and staying at the pilgrims’ albergues, but I knew that at this point in my life that would not fly with me (frankly, maybe at any time in my life). So I booked private lodgings, some right on the Camino, others a little way off . During the day we carried backpacks with what we would need for the day, cameras, water, etc and our suitcases were moved each day by Jacotrans.

We started at the picturesque village of O’Cebreiro , which is the first point of the Camino in Galicia. We got there via Alsa bus after spending two days in León (about 2hrs30 mins) at the Parador. We did the walk in 8 days (could have been done in 7 but we decided to split the Palas de Rei to Arzúa stage which is about 30 kms in two days of about 15 kms each). The longest days were the 2nd day , from Triacastela to Sarria , since we decided to do the alternative route through Samos, and the 4th day from Portomarin to Palas de Rei (about 25 kms each). Not surprisingly these were IMO the most difficult days as well. In total we walked about 160 kms.

Things that surprised me or were different from what I envisioned:

-We were the only people on the trails for about 60-70% of the time. There were times that for 2-3 hrs we wouldn't see anybody else. Maybe we started later in the morning than most.
-Many portions of the camino were extremely rocky ( I was very happy that I had a hiking pole!)
-Bathrooms even in the most rustic bars were for the most part very clean and modern
-The dreaded climb on the first day to Alto de Poio was not as daunting as I feared
-However, there were many more than expected climbs and descents (once again, very happy to have a hiking pole)
-The variety in the vegetation, including the beautiful forests of eucalyptus trees and some that looked like a rain forest, with ferns and other tropical looking vegetation.
- There is indeed a sense of camaraderie between the pilgrims you come in contact with; however, for the most part the locals don't act overtly enthusiastic at our presence. I don't mean this is a criticism just as an observation. For some reason I had visions of people shouting "Buen Camino" at pilgrims as we passed their homes. Not a peep.I always said "Buenos Dias", sometimes I got a response, many others I didn't.
- My son thought there was more walking parallel to roads than he expected; my daughter didn't mind those portions , she said she thought they were exciting as she felt like a "hitchhiker"!

I meant to keep a journal or at least take notes but I never got around to it. So my impressions here are going to be based on memory.

Arrival to O’Cebreiro-
Arrived to Piedrafita de Cebreiro around 1 PM, took taxi up to O’Cebreiro. We had prepaid rooms at the old Monastery San Giraldo de Aurillac (dating from the IX century), located right next to the church of Santa Maria la Real. “Check-in” was at the bar of the O’Cebreiro hotel. The rooms had been renovated recently and are simple but comfortable and have private bathrooms.
O”Cebreiro has a lot of character, with the “pallozas” structures which look like huts with thatched roofs.
After having lunch at the O’Cebreiro hotel ( and having one of many the “Pilgrims’ Menu” we would have for the following 8 days) we walked a bit of the Camino going up to O’Cebreiro, taking in the views in the beautiful sunny and clear afternoon. That evening we attended mass and then had dinner at the restaurant in the O’Cebreiro hotel. Later at the packed bar of the hotel we watched the semi-final Euro cup game between Spain and Portugal, which went into overtime and was won in penalty kicks (the owner of the bar promptly turned off the TV once Spain secured the win). That night I could barely sleep, a combination of excitement for starting the walk the next day and also a disturbance between a couple of drunken revelers right under the window of our room kept me awake.

To be continued...

Going to read this right now! Will comment later!

I am looking forward to reading your recollections! When did you walk?

Thank you for posting this so quickly! It will be fun to follow you on this journey! I don't recall the locals saying "buen camino" but other walkers did.

It is lovely when you have the trail to yourself for some time. I didn't like the parts following the road, either, nor that industrial part which I don't remember where it was. Luckily those parts don't last for days on end!

Thanks for writing. I'm eagerly awaiting more.

Barbara, we arrived O'Cebreiro on 6/27, started walking on 6/28.
Lin, yes , for the most part other walkers (or bikers of which there were many!) would say Buen Camino or Hola when they passed you by.

Look forward to more.

I've been looking forward to your report and I'm really enjoying it so far. Can you tell us how you prepared for the Camino, both physically and mentally and what type of "gear" you took with you. Also, could you include the cost of your lodgings and other costs along the Way.

Barb,

My physical "training" was to walk as much as I could. Luckily we had a mild winter in NJ so starting in January/ Feb I would take long walks whenever I could. Frankly I never walked 25 kms in any one given day prior to the trip, the most I did was about 10-12 kms. I should have done more walking on uneven terrain and steep climbing. I should have also done some walking with a backpack.

In terms of gear, the most important is the walking shoes/ boots. I finally settled on a pair of Merrells mid "boots" which gave very good ankle support: http://www.zappos.com/merrell-moab-mid-waterproof~2
Its important that you use the shoes a lot before the trip.
Even though the shoes were comfortable there were a couple of "hot spots" on the side of my big toes so I would cover those areas with Moleskin to avoid friction.

The next most important thing IMO is a hiking pole. My husband and kids did not use one but for me some of the terrain would have been very difficult, even dangerous without the pole. The one I bought is a pair but I found it very awkward to use both, so I just used one on my right hand. My son used the other at times.

The hotel in O'Cebreiro was 60 Euros per room, I believe its much cheaper off season. The meals for the most part were very reasonable. The lunch (or dinner) Peregrino menu was around 8-9 euros per person, including a starter, main course, drink (water, beer or wine), bread and dessert. We had some dinners at some of the lodgings which were a bit more "elaborate" and expensive. I'll check to see what those were to give an idea.

The transport with Jacotrans was about 7 euros per suitcase per stage. I saw ads for another service called Xacotrans which seemed cheaper but you needed to call every day and arrange for the transport. With Jacotrans I paid in advance, gave them the itinerary ,and they took care of the rest. Without fail, our luggage was waiting for us every afternoon when we got to our lodgings.

Forgot to say, I suggest getting the "A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago" by John Brierley. It has very good info on itinerary, highlights, distances and description of terrain.

Day 1- O’Cebreiro to Triacastela- About 21 kms

The bar at the O’Cebreiro hotel didn't open until 8 AM , so we decided to go for a quick breakfast around 7 AM at another bar/café, the Venta Celta. The lady behind the counter wasn't in a chipper mood. She chastised the customer in front of me because she said “Buenos Días“ twice (she said it was more than enough to say it once!). When I thought it was my turn to place my order she chastised me with “¡Paciencia, el día acaba de comenzar!” (Patience, the day is just beginning! ) When I asked if she had any tortilla española she looked at me as if I had two heads. I knew from then on not to expect tortilla before 10 or 11 in the morning.

We started walking out about 8 AM. When we walked by the refugio we noticed that all the shoes we had seen the day before on the window sill were gone, which meant the pilgrims staying there were already on their way.

We were very lucky that this was a clear day which afforded us the beautiful views of the landscape for which this area is known. From what I understand this area many times is fogged in the early morning but not that day. The views we saw were magnificent, what you think of when you hear “Green Spain”.

We climbed the dreaded (only be me) Alto do Poio, the highest spot on the camino in Galicia. Once I got there I thought the worse was over, failing to understand that eventually we would need to go down (and then up, and then down….).

Lunch time found us at Biduedo, a sleepy little town where we followed signs to a casa rural, Casa Xato, for lunch. I think we woke up the owner, but she rose up to the occasion and prepared a Menu de Peregrino for us.

We continued our walk to Triacastela , arriving there around 4 PM. Visited the Iglesia de Santiago and then ,as previously suggested by our hostess at Casa Pacios(our lodging for the night in nearby Vilavella) we went to Restaurante Esther which is owned by Esther, a niece of the owner of Casa Pacios. Once there they called Silvia (another family member) who drove us to Casa Pacios, an old, lovely stone rural house ( 38 euros per room, with private bath) about 5 mins away. http://www.casapacios.es/

Later that evening Silvia drove us back to Restaurante Esther where we had dinner (not included but about 9-10 euros per person, with wine and water)and watched the Italy vs Germany soccer game with a group of Italians which were also staying at Casa Pacios. Esther drove us back to Casa Pacios when we were done.

To be continued...

My best friend's daughter and my daughter's college roommate just hiked the camino trail with Virginia Tech! She loved her experience and the people she met along the way. I am interested to read your report. I followed her blog as her group made their way or should I say found their way. :)

Loving this...thank you!

Enjoying your posts immensely.Your description of El Camino brings back fond memories.

It is actually relaxing and invigorating to read this report. Makes me want to go back again.

Oh Cruise!!! I'm so happy for you. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for sharing this .

Thanks for posting. We are going to walk the camino in a couple years for my 40th birthday, so I am soaking up all the info that I can in anticipation.

Thanks for the info! Can't wait to read more. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about the Camino, so your report is very timely and inspirational. Did you have much interaction with other pilgrims? How were those pilgrim meals? I'm wondering, if you have your luggage delivered to your next hotel, what would happen if for whatever reason you could not make it that far?

If you don't make it to your next reservation you catch a taxi to the reserved hotel and next day decide if you backtrack in another taxi or forfeit that small trek.

Since we just watched the fine movie "The Way," this is a very timely and itneresting post.

Great thread, cruiseluv. More, please!

Enhorabuena, cruiseluv! So glad to hear you had such a great camino. Looking forward to hearing more, and I'm so sorry we missed each other in Santiago. Maybe next year, now that you seem to be addicted, too. Laurie

Cruiseluv, so glad you made your dream come true for you and your family.

Waiting to hear more...

Hola a todos! I hope to have day 2 tomorrow. I'm in the middle of unpacking and repacking as I'm headed Friday to PR to share in my dad's 90th birthday!

Hola Laurie! We had such a great time! Yes, I'm already thinking of maybe doing part of the Camino del Norte. I miss the Camino!! Pls tell me, how did it go for you?

Barb, as Lin says from most places you could probably call a taxi . By car distances are very close! At times we would walk alongside some peregrinos that were speaking English and we would chat. We didn't come across many Americans. But most of the times we were the only people on the trail!

The great thing about the camino is that despite its many scenic areas, it borders civilization. You are never too far from a bathroom, a café and taxis know every inch of the area to come get you when the feet say "no more"!

Lin, I will take a minor exception with your comment "you are never too far from a bathroom..." Unfortunately, sometimes you are, lol!! (see Day 2 below).

Day 2- Triacastela to Sarria (via Samos)- About 25 kms

Nice breakfast the next morning which included among other things the delicious Cebreiro cheese (very creamy, a bit similar to cream cheese, but better!). And it was here that I made a BIG mistake: I had TWO cafés con leche(my downfall when in Spain, I adore their café con leche), and a BIG zumo de naranja, etc. I would later pay for this.

When we finished breakfast, Esther’s husband drove us to Triacastela, to take the Triacastela to Sarria via Samos path. The Camino out of Triacastela offers you two choices to Sarria: either via San Xil , a shorter route (about 19 kms) or the longer , alternative route via Samos , where the old Benedictine monastery of Samos is located (about 25 kms). We selected the latter. For about the first 3.5 kms you walk on the road, mostly behind a guardrail , but still a little unnerving. I was hoping that by the time we reached the village of San Cristobo there would be an open bar for a “rest stop”, but no such luck. Just many dogs, cats and cows meandering around town, the bar was still closed. So we embarked in several detours trying to find a restroom and wasted precious time doing this. It was quite an “adventure”. Lesson learned: find out about available rest stops and plan accordingly how many cafés con leche you can drink at breakfast!

By the time we got Samos (about 10 kms from Triacastela) , unfortunately, the Monastery had closed (would reopen at 4PM) , so we were only able to see it from the outside. That was disappointing and it was entirely my fault. By the way, the way you come into view of the Monastery, from atop the road, is very dramatic, makes for a great photo op.

We had a light lunch of bocadillos at a café in front of the Monastery and then started our walk to Sarria. As soon as we did, it started to rain. It wasn't hard, more like a steady drizzle but it was raw and damp. We decided it was a good time to wear our rain ponchos for the first time (it would not be the last!). Our next rest stop was the Taberna del Camino in Sivil, where the San Xil route joins the Samos route.

We were now eager to make our way to Sarria, where we arrived about 5:00. After a brief stop at the Information office for a map, we continued into the town center. We debated between finding a bar for a drink or calling the owner of the B&B where we were staying that night for a ride, and opted for the latter. Javier picked us up in about 15-20 mins to take us to the lovely Rectoral de Goian http://www.rectoraldegoian.com. The house has a tranquil and very pastoral setting. Rooms were big, comfortable, and with a lot of character ( 66 euros for a double,w/breakfast). After we cleaned up we had drinks in the terrace, followed by a delicious meal prepared by Javier and his wife Raquel, the owners. I believe it was about 15 euros PP, very reasonable given the quality of the meal. There were no choices, but we had no complaints!

Although we really liked this casa rural, if I ever did this again I would opt to staying in town or at least closer.

oops! guess there are moments.

Great report!

I think the Rectoral looks beautiful. I can see why you chose it.

Thank you for such an enjoyable read. Walking the Camino is something I dream about doing but doubt it will actually happen due to certain circumstances in my life so reading your report is almost like being there.

A bit off this actual topic... anyone interested in the Camino might love to read the most fabulous book by Cheryl Strayed, "Gift". It is her story of hiking over 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone, with just about no actual experience and how she comes to turn her life around. Great read and extrememly well written.

Opps, don't know why I typed Gift...The title of Strayed's book is Wild....sorry.

Cruiseluv

“Walking the Camino is something I dream about doing but doubt it will actually happen due to certain circumstances in my life so reading your report is almost like being there.”

Count me in with Lowcountrycarol above. I am sure there are many of us in the same boat.

I did visit SANTIAGO DE COMPESTELLA a few years back on a tour of northern Spain. There was a charming older couple in our group – from Australia but of Irish decent. The fellow had done a long camino a few years before with a friend so he wanted to show his wife Annie the area.

He had written a terrific blog of the experience which is no longer on the web – amusing and moving.

To see the pilgrims like yourself along the road approaching their destination is very touching. I thought the town itself magnificent.

Cruiseluv, thanks for sharing what others dream about….

I'll be very happy to meet a group in 2013 at some point to do part of the camino in a very simple way anyone can do ..

Let's see if we can make some of these dreams come true.

I think many of you just need a little prodding and someone to set part of it up for you.

Lin, pls keep me posted of those plans! And I want to second what you say, a little prodding and reassurance can go a long way.

I'm not a hiker by any stretch of the imagination, and it was not until recent months that I started doing any serious walking to perpare for the Camino. At times it was tough, but much less that I feared.

I would love to do a portion again walking alongside like minded friends. Even though I went with my family most of the time I was walking alone because they walk much faster than me(which was fine but I missed having somebody next to me to compare notes) .

I'll try to come back soon to continue the trip report. Right now I only have an Ipad and Its tough for me to write long on it.

We can wait. Go enjoy that papa's 90th birthday party and tell him we all said "Feliz Cumpleaños Abu!"!Que cumpla muchos más.

Gracias Lin for your very sweet comments!

Lin, I am planning on doing at least the Sarria to Santiago portion probably the first week of Oct 2013, so I'd be very interested in meeting anyone going at that time.
cruiseluv, I am SO enjoying your report!!

Unfortunately I'll not be in Spain those dates. I might plan something for the end of May next year.

Looking forward to reading more, thank you for sharing. I'm another one who has fallen in love with the idea of doing the Camino.