Trepidatious traveller – camino blog | Camino de Santiago de Compostela – before, during and after

the riddle of the big knickers

Posted on 25/02/2016 by magwood

I did a bit of camino shopping whilst I was in he UK. I bought some waterproof fabric to make a rain skirt (now made), and another length to have a go at remaking my ‘super-duper backpack cover/shoulder cape’. A pair of arm warmers. New hiking socks. A charity shop skirt for evening wear. A few gizmos.

Montane Women’s Primino 140g Boy Shorts

And two pairs of new merino wool pants (knickers) – large and grey.

Large because that is the size of my bum and, being woollen, they are not very stretchy. So a size large looks huge.

I am very pleased with them, they are very comfy and stay in place.

They won’t look very pretty hanging on the washing line in the albergue – but, hey, I have earned my big knickers. I could even sew a camino patch on them.

As soon as arrived back in Spain I unpacked my case and actually put everything away, either in the washing basket or on the appropriate shelf in the closet (I have to admit that this doesn’t always happen quite so efficiently). But a couple of days later when I looked for said big comfy knickers they were definitely not in their allotted space. I looked in all sorts of other spaces where I knew they wouldn’t be. I looked in the washing basket where I knew they wouldn’t be because I had already done all the washing. I looked in my pile of camino clothes where I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be. And when I couldn’t find them I looked in the same places all over again, and then once more.

Now, merino wool pants are not inexpensive items and I was not prepared to give up on my search without a fight. So I started to look in places where I absolutely knew they definitely would not be, like in David’s underwear drawer. And lo and behold, there was a pair of my hiking pants nestling between his boxers. But only one pair – If I had found two pairs I would have been happier, but just one pair led me to believe the worst.

I marched to the living room where David was innocently attending to some domestic chore. He was quite taken aback when I demanded to know what underpants he was wearing. I don’t know if he thought his luck was in, but he was fairly quick in complying with my insistence that he reveal his underwear – or I should say, my underwear.

When he realised he was wearing my pants he thought it was hysterical – I was slightly less amused and issued an order for them to be removed forthwith.

And no – his luck wasn’t in.

And yes, he will get his comeuppance when it is known around the village that he has been wearing my pants!

Posted in A view of life | Tagged camino shopping, merino wool pants | 21 Comments

too close for comfort

Posted on 21/02/2016 by magwood

Panic is not an emotion we would choose to experience too often and I have had more than my fair share in the last couple of weeks.

The first time my pulse started racing was in the early hours of a Friday morning a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately my phone was on my bedside table as I was settling down for sleep at around one in the morning when I noticed the screen light up. I took a closer look and saw I had received a text from my daughter. She had lost her voice so couldn’t speak to me. She was extremely poorly and needed help in caring for her two young children and I was able to find a Ryanair flight back to the UK within a few minutes and texted back to say I would be with her before twelve noon that same day. I was due to visit anyway the following week, so I just had an extra week with my gorgeous grandchildren who accepted and welcomed me taking over their daily routine without so much as a second glance.

I arrived back in Spain last night, fifteen days on, and was just enjoying a lunchtime welcome back drink in the sunshine with some very good friends when we received a phone call from our neighbour. That is, our neighbour who has eight (or possibly more) dogs, some of which ripped our beloved black cat Tibber to pieces almost exactly four years ago. It actually seems much longer ago than this, but I was reminded of the exact date just last week when good old facebook prompted me with an anniversary alert of the photo of poor Tibber that I posted in the still deluded hope that he was just missing and not presumed dead. To give her her due, our neighbour did return Tibber to us (in a sack) having found him in her garden. In her shoes I may well have been tempted to dispose of him without admitting what had happened.

So today’s phone call stating that our remaining cat Sheba had been attacked by her dogs stirred great panic for David and me. We made an instant exit from the bar, leaving our friends to settle the bill, and I urged David to drive the five minute journey at greater speed, whereas I normally demand he drives more slowly. The car raced up our steep drive, straight past our house to the top of the hill where we were met by our neighbour to show us where the poor cat had crawled after the attack, which she and her daughter had managed to break up. It was in a stone built structure, I presume a dog kennel, far back in the corner and it was hissing and spitting, obviously terrified. I took one look and said instantly ‘that’s not my cat’, but the more I looked at it, the more I wasn’t sure. David took my place and peered into the hole and also couldn’t be sure that it wasn’t our beautiful Sheba in the shadows.

At this point I had the brainwave of rushing down to our house to see if Sheba was in fact there. I peered through the glass door and was hugely relieved to see her lying resplendent in her normal position on a sheepskin rug on the sofa. Relief was immense and I puffed and panted back up the hill to tell David the good news.

Of course there is still an injured cat terrified and needing attention, but not my beauty. We offered help in dealing with the situation and returned home to give Sheba a lot of fuss.

To help calm my nerves I took a stroll around my garden accompanied by Sheba to see what had been going on in my absence. Quite a lot apparently – including blossom on the apricot tree…

Posted in A view of life | Tagged Animals, Expats in Andalucia, panic | 29 Comments

Cooperating in Cómpeta

Posted on 16/01/2016 by magwood

I made a lovely walk before christmas and had planned to write a post about it (one of the many unwritten posts) – I had even thought of a title – “a well rounded day” as, not only was the walk nicely circular, but the beginning and the end of the day tied up surprisingly well.

It was actually a very long walk of over 32 kms with an accumulated elevation of 958 metres and very hard going in the beginning because I seemed to have a complete lack of energy, and hard going at the end because I was knackered from over 9 hours walking.

But the scenery on my route from home to La Fabrica de la Luz, via Puerto Blanquillo, stopping off for half an hour’s rest and a spot of late lunch at El Acebuchal and back via the helipad was magnificent. The last section was slightly less pleasant than the rest of the day and involved a kilometre or so of road walking back towards Cómpeta in the gathering darkness, but passing the goatherd and his flock was a welcome diversion.

And now I will tell you about the other side to this “well rounded day”. At the beginning of this walk, whilst picking my way along the acequia (irrigation channel) very high above the road below with a very steep drop, I noticed how plump and lovely and plentiful the olives were looking and as I rounded a bend I came across a farmer preparing to collect his crop. No mechanical harvesting in these parts, the only machinery that can be used on this very steep and rocky terrain is a sturdy stick to wallop the branches, a net to catch the fruit and a mule to carry the load to the nearest road. It is very hard work and often the whole family will bring a picnic and spend their weekends clearing the trees. It is a lovely sight to behold, but must be back-breaking and dangerous work on such steep slopes.

So my beautiful day started with olives, and surprisingly ended the same way. As I walked into the top end of Cómpeta I could see a line of pick-up trucks parked along the road, and as I came closer I realised that farmers were waiting to deliver and weigh-in their crops at the olive-oil cooperative “La Reciproca de Cómpeta”. There were possibly a couple of dozen trucks waiting to deliver their sacks of olives. Being naturally very nosey I wanted to take a look and see what was happening at the point of delivery and was allowed to watch while a farmer emptied his sacks into the metal grid in the ground. I was delighted to get this opportunity to see the farmers delivering their crop – and I am sure that the guy I had seen early in the morning was probably waiting in the queue before going home for a well earned dinner (or perhaps more likely to the bar for a well-earned beer or anís).

I was further cheered during the last stage of my walk to pass through the village and enjoy the christmas decorations before carefully picking my way along the goat track in the pitch dark for the last ten minutes of my journey (luckily my phone had enough battery remaining to light my way).

So, having been pleased with myself that my day went so well, you can imagine that I was delighted when I learned that my garden club (who so kindly invite me to make a presentation about my camino adventures each year) had arranged a visit to La Reciproca for our January meeting – now I could see what went on after the olives were delivered.

Thanks to our knowledgeable host Sophie we were given an tour of the premises and she patiently answered all our many questions.

The cooperative has 320 associates who are entitled to have their crop processed. Other ‘clients’ can also use the facilities, but have to be registered with the local government as producers. The picking season runs from mid-November to mid-February, with December being the busiest period.

After delivery the olives are separated from any twigs and leaves (the goatherds collect the leaves for their flocks to enjoy), and the fruit is taken via conveyor belt to be weighed and a sample of each batch is taken and sent to a laboratory in Algarrobo to test for yield. The average amount of oil extracted from an olive is around 20%. This amount varies according to weather conditions in any year, with a range of around 18% to 23%. 2015/16 has been a particularly poor year with very little rainfall and the yield has been quite low.

There is considerable competition between the farmers, and those whose olives test for the highest percentage of yield feel justifiably proud and in return receive a greater payment for their crop. There is a chart on the wall showing the producers identification number with their respective percentage.

The cooperative handles around one million kilos of olives each year which produce about 200 thousand kilos of oil. The price received for the total crop doesn’t vary much from year to year, because if it is a bumper crop and there is an abundance of oil, the price per kilo will be lower, whereas if there is a lower yield, as this year, there will be less availability and therefore the price per litre will be higher.

The local variety of olives is Nevadillo Blanco, so called because of the silvery white underside of the leaves. They are used only for production of oil, not for eating. After weighing, the olives need to be processed within 24 hours to preserve their freshness and next go into a crushing machine where the pips are separated from the fruit, then to a mixing machine for 3-4 hours where an olive ‘mush’ is formed, and onwards to a centrifugal spinner where the oil is extracted from the mush.

The oil is stored in huge stainless steel tanks awaiting sale. Much of the produce is sold locally in attractive 5 litre cans and the remainder might be sold to producers in Barcelona where they grow the same variety but not in great quantity, and in a very productive year it can even be sold to Italy for mixing with their own oil, although we were told that this was not a preferred customer. Ninety percent of the oil produced in Cómpeta is classified as extra virgin.

Nothing is wasted during the production of the oil, the pips are sold to the town hall and used as fuel to heat the indoor swimming pool throughout the year. The ‘mush’ is collected to be dried and also used as fuel.

In 2016 the cooperative are celebrating their centenary. I imagine during most of these 100 years that the queues waiting to deliver their crop on a busy December day were of the four-legged, rather than four-wheeled variety.

There are very few new olive trees being planted these days (they take around five years to produce a crop) and the local crop of choice is avocados which produce a good income and I believe grants are available to establish new orchards.

This was a fascinating visit that was attended by a record number of garden club members all totally absorbed by the tour.

Posted in A view of life, Expats in andalucia | Tagged Cómpeta, Expats in Andalucia, extra virgin, La Reciproca de Cómpeta, nevadillo blanco, olive oil, Spain, travel | 27 Comments

A jaunt to Jerez

Posted on 09/01/2016 by magwood

Apologies that there has been a bit of a hiatus between my account of the trip that I took with my daughter Ella to Seville (at the end of November) and the continuation of this trip to Jerez – all that Christmasy stuff got in the way. Here, now are some lovely photos and a few words about the final two days of our Andalusian meander (around Málaga), saunter (through Sevilla) and jaunt (to Jerez)…

After a busy weekend in Seville, Monday saw us boarding the 10:30 train for the hour+ journey to Jerez de la Frontera and then found our way to the Hotel Doña Blanca (3*, lovely spacious room for 34 euros per night), which was very centrally located only a few minutes’ walk from the main square Plaza Arenal.

We made a quick turn-around and were soon out and about, looking around the food market, stopping for a drink and tapas for lunch and then popping into the tourist information office to get our bearings.

We were both keen to visit one of the famous sherry bodegas and the nearest was the Tio Pepe Bodega. The tour didn’t take place until later in the afternoon, so in the meantime we wandered to the Alcazar (originating from the 11th century when it was a Moorish fortress). We were delighted to discover that on Mondays entry was free and surprised to find that not many people were taking advantage of this offer and that we had the place practically to ourselves. I loved it. So peaceful and charming with courtyards and cloistered patios both intimate and grand, a lovely garden, towering palm trees, turrets to climb, bath houses to admire, a fascinating mooch around the former palace and the beautifully preserved pharmacy. There is also a camera obscura, but unfortunately it was not open, I guess because it was a ‘free’ day. But there were so many vantage points to look out over the city rooftops and the cathedral that it wasn’t too disappointing. We spent a good couple of hours just soaking up the atmosphere on a beautifully sunny afternoon.

On leaving, we strolled past the very impressive cathedral and wandered around the narrow back streets and small plazas, stopping for another drink and tapa before arriving at the Tio Pepe Bodega for our 5pm sherry and brandy tour.

There were various tour options – and we chose the guided tour with tastings of two sherries at 13 euros – other potions included four tastings and tapas. There were about eight of us for the tour and I was a bit miffed that we were invited to board a silly train to drive us around the extensive site, and we could only view what promised to be really interesting cellars through windows as we passed by. But we were eventually allowed to disembark and our knowledgeable guide led us into a building which housed antique distillation equipment and ancient barrels and she explained in Spanish and English about the history of the bodega.

We were then taken to another cellar where there were viewing rooms in which we were shown an interesting film about the founder and the origins of the sherry business, and after that the train was dismissed and we were able to walk around this fascinating and immaculately maintained bodega.

Some of the well- known brands from the Tio Pepe Bodega

Barrels dedicated to Jesus and his apostles, and also to the Spanish Royal family

A room left undisturbed since the death of the Tio Pepe founder

A glass of sweet sherry is always left topped up for the bodega mice

I really loved this visit in such interesting and beautiful surroundings, and it was topped off with a generous taste of both dry and sweet sherry. By the time we emerged from the bar, dusk had fallen and we were treated to a sight of the castle and cathedral floodlit against the inky sky – quite stunning.

A fitting conclusion to a fabulous tour

The Tio Pepe weather vane is recorded in the Guiness Book of Records as the largest in the world

The remainder of our stay in Jerez consisted of wandering around, eating and drinking and a visit the following day to the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre (the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art). Disappointingly I wasn’t allowed to take any photographs during the performance of these beautiful animals. We booked on line and paid considerably less than the advertised price.

By the end of our second day in Jerez we were running out of steam so didn’t look for anything else touristy to do, but we did enjoy some of the best food I have tasted for a long time – all from tapas menus, and it was the perfect way to wind-down after a few hectic days.

Wednesday morning saw us catching the train back to Seville and then returning to Malaga train station where Ella and I went our separate ways – Ella to the airport to return to the UK and I caught the bus back to Cómpeta.

It was a fabulous way to spend some quality time with my daughter and to enjoy three beautiful Andalusian cities in just five days.

Posted in A view of life, Expats in andalucia | Tagged Jerez de la Frontera, Málaga, Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, Sevilla, Seville, Tio Pepe | 15 Comments

A saunter through Sevilla

Posted on 06/12/2015 by magwood

David dropped Ella and me off at Malaga’s Maria Zambrano train station on Saturday morning (28 November) where we boarded the 10:40 to Sevilla. I discovered during my sorti into the Renfe website that it is possible to obtain a healthy discount on round journeys of three destinations, but unfortunately, as there is no direct train line between Málaga and Jerez, I couldn’t take advantage of this offer.

We didn’t opt for the fast AVE train as it was nearly double the cost although it saved around thirty minutes on our two and a half hour journey. After passing through El Chorro gorge alongside El Caminito del Rey where I had walked a few weeks ago (you can see my video this here), we alighted at San Bernado Sevilla station and walked for around thirty minutes through the city centre to our accommodation Hotel Zaida, a Moorish property situated in a quiet area between the cathedral and the river. Very pretty, spotlessly maintained with very helpful staff, 39 euros per night for twin ensuite room.

We had time to wander around the charming streets and sample a couple of tapas before making our way to our pre-arranged city tour. But not any old tour. Having been inspired by a friend who has recently experienced a segway tour in Málaga, I booked one of the same here in Seville.

And I am absolutely smitten with this form of transport, such great fun and at last I had an opportunity to use my new and totally unnecessary GoPro toy which I strapped to my obligatory helmet. After adequate training, our group, consisting of Spanish father and ten year old daughter, and two young women from Northern Spain and Majorca, our charming guide Eddie whizzed us through the narrowest streets imaginable, dodging stray children and doddery oldies, passing by the cathedral, through the Jewish Quarter, via the Maria Luisa park to the truly spectacular Plaza España, and returning alongside the river to the city centre. I really can’t remember the last time I had so much fun standing up.

We took the tour with Ensegway after reading excellent reviews praising their guides, and I have to say that even with high expectations Eddie did not disappoint for a second, stopping regularly to deliver historical information in a very entertaining manner. I can’t praise the whole experience highly enough. Ensegway provide three tours, half hour, one hour fifteen minutes, and two hours. We took the 75 minute option for 30 euros each, which was long enough for me as my feet had started to feel a bit numb by the time we finished. Do give this form of transport a go if you get the opportunity – I’m sure you will love it as much as I did.

A glass of wine was summoning, so we stopped off at a bar before making our way back to the hotel to pick up a jacket, but en-route passed an inviting establishment at the end of the street where our hotel is located, so we walked in and took a seat just in time for a flamenco performance and some ad hoc sevillana dancing by a couple of enthusiastic ladies in the audience. More very nice tapas were consumed along with the wine and we never did make it back to the hotel until bedtime. A long and satisfyingly busy day.

Sunday morning started with a stroll down to the Alfonso Canal where I stopped off for chocolate y churros, before coming across a river cruise about to set off, so we jumped aboard and grabbed a front seat to admire the six or seven bridges we passed under. Glorious warm sun shone down on us in one direction but as we turned around a very chilly wind soon made me less smug about bagsy-ing a front row seat. We sailed past the Expo 92 site for which two or three of the bridges were built, and then returned to the starting point at the Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold which according to the cruise guide was used to store gold and silver brought from America, but this theory is said to be false by Wikipedia which says it was built in 1220 as a defence for the Alcazar).

Ella went off in the direction of the bullring whilst I climbed to the top of the tower to snap a few photos from an elevated position, but she was distracted en route by a marching band and by the time I caught up with her she was supping a cerveza and tucking into a tortilla brunch whilst enjoying the rousing music from the band that had conveniently come to a halt at a small church that was opposite a bar. Although thinking about it, most venues in Seville are opposite a bar!

We made it to the bullring for a guided tour (the only way to gain access). Brief details – second oldest bullring in Spain (after Ronda), only oval shaped bullring, only privately owned bullring, seating for 12,000, has its own hospital, bulls can be pardoned a death sentence due to exceptional bravery, if agreed by the judge and torero (it happens very rarely). We also toured the museum. I thought I would cope ok with this tour, but I found the scenes depicted in some of the artwork in the museum totally sickening, most particularly the horses that blindly gave their lives to obey their riders. Horses are almost always keen to perform any task that is asked of them by their human care-takers – they trust we will look after their welfare as well as they look out for us. Wrong! Protective covering for horses was only introduced in 1928 and before this time (and probably on many occasions since) the poor trusting horses were often mutilated by the bulls. How obscene this business is.

Next stop, across to the other side of town to the flamenco museum (museo del baile flamenco), where the only flesh to be abused is self-inflicted. There were interesting art exhibits, many videos depicting flamenco through the ages, a great interactive hands-on exhibition of machines that tap out different flamenco beats – great fun. We finished in the museum just at the right time for the first show of the day at 5pm, although we were booked into a later performance.

Meanwhile we skipped across to the cathedral for a quick tour and a dash up the Giralda bell tower, just in time for the sunset. Such views of the city bathed in the gold of the fading light. Stunning.

A quick visit to the hotel for a change of clothes before returning to the flamenco museum for a show of music and dance that enthralled the small audience (small because the theatre is an intimate space with l guess around 100 seats. Excellent show, stunning performances.

The evening was rounded off with yet more wine and tapas.

What a wonderful city Seville is, we hardly scraped the surface of the myriad of options available to keep us entertained. I shall definitely be back.

Posted in A view of life, Expats in andalucia | Tagged Ensegway, flamenco, Segway, Sevilla, Seville, travel | 21 Comments

A meander around Málaga

Posted on 03/12/2015 by magwood

No trepidation was involved in my latest adventure…a round trip with my daughter Ella, taking in Málaga, Seville and Jerez de la Frontera. We were disappointed that a pre-Christmas family gathering here in Cómpeta couldn’t after all take place, but as Ella had already booked her flight to Spain, we decided to make some discoveries and take in a slice of culture.

Ella’s feet hardly touched the ground (she didn’t even make it as far as our home), as David and I met her at the airport, booked into our hotel in Málaga city centre (Hotel Sur 70 euros for triple room plus covered parking at 13.50 euros per 24 hours), and immediately wandered out to introduce her to some new experiences.

We started off at the newly opened, and much hyped, food market Mercado Merced (which was rather underwhelming – but that could well have been due to the time of day we visited). An early evening glass of wine was calling to us so we stopped in one of the many bars surrounding the lovely Plaza de la Merced (famous as the birth place of Picasso and boasting a life-sized seated bronze statue of the artist that is constantly used as a prop for tourist photos).

We headed back to the centre, via the ever popular restaurant/bar El Pimpi for a selection of tapas, and were then lured into the bar ‘La Buena Sidra’ because the showmanship of the staff was irresistible. I am most definitely not a fan of dry cider but to see the bar tenders pouring the sidra from one hand extended as far as possible overhead to the glass held as low as possible in the other hand whilst looking straight ahead was worth the involuntary grimace my face pulled on drinking the golden liquid.

It was now time to meander the charismatic narrow streets to the impressive Plaza de la Constitución at the head of the delightful main shopping street Calle Marqués de Larios. This was always going to be the highlight of my visit to Málaga as it was the day that the Christmas lights were to be turned on (always the last Friday in November). Malaga’s illuminations are always spectacular, and 2015 is no exception. The streets were thronging with happy visitors of all ages out to enjoy the atmosphere and look up in awe at the millions of lights that herald the start of the Christmas season.

We wanted to take Ella to our favourite restaurant/tapas bar El Refectorium Catedral, the most stylish establishment with the most delicious tapas we have come across. It is so popular that during three visits we have not managed to be seated at a table (although of course we could have reserved in advance) but perching on a high stool at the bar, or even standing, is all part of the experience, and if you are only eating a tapa, quite manageable. The restaurant was so busy that we decided to come back later and meanwhile visited the roof terrace of the AC Hotel Málaga Palacio for some spectacular views over the cathedral, marina and alcazar – what a treat. It isn’t always possible to visit this rooftop as sometimes there will be a private party, as was the case on our last attempt, but on this occasion we were in luck and were rewarded with amazing scenery, excellent service and great tapas.

We wandered back around the corner to the Refectorium by which time there was just about room enough for us to squeeze in (but still not find a seat). But no matter, just drinking in the atmosphere of such a place makes a bit of discomfort totally acceptable (of course whilst also drinking in a glass or two of vino, which always makes life more comfortable!)

I’ve said it before (and no doubt I will say it again, and again) the Spanish know how to throw a party, and better still, they know how to enjoy it with great good humour and friendship. Thank you Málaga for such a great start to my trip.

Posts to follow for the Seville and Jerez.

Posted in A view of life, Expats in andalucia | Tagged AC Hotel Málaga Palacio, Calle Marques de Larios, Christmas lights, El Pimpi, El Refectorium Catedral, Expats in Andalucia, Málaga, Málaga illuminations de Navidad, Mercado Merced, Picasso | 17 Comments

A word in your ear…

Posted on 09/06/2015 by magwood

OK guys, you haven’t heard the last of me just yet. I have a favour to ask – in fact I have two, but I will save the second one for another post.

So here’s today’s favour…

I know that many people have enjoyed my blog and that in itself makes me very happy. And if I can help those planning their own camino, then that is even better.

But rather than experiencing my camino walking as an entirely self-indulgent project, I decided before my first trip to try and raise some much needed funds for a local charity – CUDECA Hospice – a Málaga based cancer hospice that provides care for cancer patients both at the CUDECA Hospice facility and in the patient’s own home. I’m sure we all know someone, or more likely, many people who have suffered because of cancer and my most personal experience with that horrible disease was my mother’s battle over many years.

My mother was a strong and independent woman who never believed she wouldn’t be able to beat the disease, however many times it came back to attack her with new ferocity. I wrote about her (here) on her birthday during my first camino (seven years after she died) and I walked that camino in her honour. And just for the sake of balance I also wrote about my father (here), a quiet man who influences me more than I could ever have imagined when he was alive. They died within six months of each other, my old Dad sadly just gave up on life. I often think how much he in particular would have thrived into old age living here in Spain, being able to shuffle to the nearest public bench and natter away to the other oldies about something and nothing. In England the weather isn’t often conducive to getting out and communicating. It is such a healthy environment here for the elderly.

So, back to business. David, my partner, took on the role of fundraiser and tin-rattler and accosted everyone he came across for a donation in sponsorship of my first walk in 2013. This was no easy task as there are many functions in this area in support of CUDECA Hospice and the very generous citizens of this community have pockets that are only so-deep. But they came up trumps and we collected 940 euros. Last year was not quite so successful and raised around 600 euros, most of which went to CUDECA Hospice and some to a local animal charity.

This year David’s efforts and the extreme generosity of our friends and neighbours has resulted in a magnificent amount being raised (solely for CUDECA Hospice this year) in the sum of 1,100 euros. Many, many thanks to all who have given, both in a personal capacity and those local businesses who are all feeling the strain of the current financial difficulties. You are all very good people.

If anyone who lives in Málaga province and has not been accosted by David, would like to make a contribution to the cause, it would be really appreciated by all concerned. Donations can be made by bank transfer in person or over the Internet using the following details:

La Caixa Bank
IBAN/Account number ES 52 2100 1621 9102 0020 8268
and please state the reference “Maggie”

For those further afield who would like to donate to a less specific cancer charity, I have created a ‘just giving’ page in favour of Cancer Research UK. If you are unfamiliar with Just Giving I quote the opening paragraph on their ‘about’ page. I have used them before for both donating and fundraising.

JustGiving is the world’s social platform for giving.
Our mission is to ensure no great cause goes unfunded.
Founded in London in 2001, so far we’ve helped people in
164 countries raise over $3.3 billion for causes they care about.

You can visit my page via this link https://www.justgiving.com/Magwood2015

“the world’s leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research”

I know many of you plan charity giving throughout the year to your own chosen good cause. Perhaps you could give a little extra this month.

But whether or not you choose to make any kind of donation, you are most welcome to keep me company on my blog for as long as it interests you.

The next favour I ask won’t involve any expenditure – I promise.

Posted in A view of life, Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino Mozarabe, Expats in andalucia | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, charitable giving, CUDECA, hospice, Just Giving, travel, Via de la Plata | 14 Comments

Journey’s end

Posted on 06/06/2015 by magwood

And so I have really come to the end of this journey. There have been so many highlights, so many people I will remember and not very many that I want to forget.

Firstly there was George – we spent eighteen days together from first meeting until we parted in Mérida. The same time that I spent with Eli last year on the Camino Portuguese. But there is a big difference between sharing time and space with a man and a woman. George was meticulously respectful when we had to share space and it was great to see him again at the end of his camino.

The day that I parted from George, I met Olivier and his friends, but I didn’t get to know him at all at that time. Two days later I met Paul and fell into a very easy friendship with him. We walked the same stages until Santiago, usually walking together for some part of the day and often eating together in the evening.

And at the same time I got to know Olivier and we became firm friends although I decided against walking with him when he leap-frogged a stage, it was definitely the right decision for me. But I was so pleased to meet up with him at Finisterre and laugh our way through a couple of days.

In Santiago I was lucky enough to see many of the friends that I had made along the way, and was particularly delighted to greet Wilfried when I assumed he would already have departed.

This has been an exceptional camino for me. Although I am glad I started my camino experience in 2013 on the Camino Frances, I would not want to repeat that route now. Just too many people walking the same stages. I think the Camino Portuguese, particularly from Lisbon, remains less trodden. The Camino Mozárabe between Málaga and Mérida was practically deserted, we saw only six pilgrims in eighteen days, and five of those had walked the Granada route.

It was a shock when reaching Mérida to find the municipal albergue full (24 places) but I managed to squeeze in and over the next day or two the numbers evened out and we were mostly a group of 8-12 until we reached the split to the Camino Sanábres when numbers dropped a little.

The Via de la Plata was dominated by men, the majority of whom were French. I am reliably informed that this year the men to women ratio has been 3:1, but I was often the only woman with up to ten men. That wasn’t really a problem for me, but I did miss some female company. What would have been more of a problem was having no one to talk to in my own language, so I was very happy to be able to chat with Paul.

This camino has taught me that groups of men walking together tend to be very cliquey and dominate the space. I didn’t come across any groups of women walking together, so can’t comment on whether they show the same behaviour. Single people and couples are much more likely to mix and be sociable.

I very much enjoy walking alone, but am also happy to spend some time walking and talking to others. Everyone has their own pace and it is difficult to adjust to others who don’t match your own. I was full of admiration for couples who walked together, when the man was often considerably taller than the woman, but they managed an amiable pace together. I wouldn’t find that so easy. I walk quite fast but stop a lot to take photos. Paul and I acquired the nick-name ‘the English Runners’ but we were not racing with anyone, just walking at our natural pace.

Santiago is a fabulous city, full of visitors from different walks of life. Many pilgrims who have walked from afar (or not so far), and tourists of all nationalities in big groups led by tour guides that block the way in the narrow streets. Most pilgrims quietly arrive in the Praza do Obradoiro In front of the cathedral with a look of awe and gratitude on their faces, whilst others arrive in groups and are very noisy in their celebrations…and then there are the cyclists. Some pilgrims have finished their current journey but others choose to continue to the coast and have another three or four days before they can relax. For some, claiming their compostela is one of the highlights of their camino and others don’t bother to visit the pilgrims’ office and are happy with their credencial that logs the stages they have walked.

By the time I arrived in back in Santiago after walking for 52 days I had forgotten about the few tough days where the distance was a challenge, or the terrain was hard on the feet, or I was walking alongside a busy highway. What comes to mind are the magical memories of stunning scenery, the glorious sun-rises and beautiful ancient cities. And the weather! I was so very lucky. One day of walking in pouring rain, a few very windy days and some rather chilly mornings, but overall the weather was glorious and perfect for walking. Even in Galicia that is renowned for its rainfall, not one drop fell on me. I certainly hadn’t expected to be so fortunate. And I know that this good fortune colours my entire camino.

And after taking seven and a half weeks to walk from Málaga to Finisterre, I returned by aeroplane in one and a half hours. And now I am comfortably at home, no more sweaty rubber mattress covers, or being careful not to sit up in bed for fear of catching my hair on the springs of the upper bunk. Time to use the bathroom without worrying about keeping anyone waiting. Being able to eat healthy food whenever I want. Wearing clothes that don’t make me feel like a tramp. And, joy of joys, being able to tame my hair with straighteners. Such simple luxuries that I normally take for granted but will relish for the coming weeks.

Once again, thank you for sharing my journey and giving me so much encouragement. It has been an absolute pleasure to have your company along the way. I am already missing the interaction – I loved receiving your comments and hope you will keep in touch.

I hope you will enjoy some of my favourite photos. Just click on the first picture and it will enlarge and then you can flick through at your own pace.

Posted in Camino assessments and reflections, Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, Via de la Plata | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, travel, Via de la Plata | 62 Comments

…..and then there was one

Posted on 31/05/2015 by magwood

Well, that very odd feeling of being alone in a bustling city is here again. Very strange after being in the company of new but much appreciated friends for so long.

Yesterday morning (Saturday) Olivier and I stowed our backpacks in the hold and clambered onto the coach from Finisterre to Santiago. He stayed in a small hotel immediately off the Praza de Obradoiro whilst I checked into the albergue ‘The Last Stamp’ once again.

In my excitement about the last day’s walk I forgot to mention that I came across both Swiss Peter and the German ‘chuckle brothers’ on my way to the coast. When I thnk about all those people that stayed in the albergue the previous night and that I only saw a couple of them en route, and yet I saw these guys that I had spent time with a week or so before – it’s quite a coincidence. And then this morning, just after I had met with Olivier for a spot of breakfast I bumped straight into my favourite Austrian woman and her husband who had walked to Muxia and returned to Santiago on this morning’s bus. So now I have seen almost everyone with whom I spent camino moments, except, sadly Aase, but she sent me a message today and I was very pleased to see that.

The chocolate and churros I had planned for my breakfast weren’t forthcoming because my favourite cafe was closed, so we wandered round to the area by the food market and found a nice bar for a coffee and cola cao, and then we stayed for a glass of wine. Olivier then decided he would like to try another type of wine and then another. At Bar Pepe a plateful of tapas is served with each drink and I was soon feeling full and not a little lightheaded – before 1pm. And then it was time to walk my friend to the bus stop and bid him farewell. Of all the people I have met on this camino, Olivier was definitely the hardest to communicate with, having to converse in Spanish could be very tiring, occasionally frustrating, and often hilarious. He has plans to visit Andalucia with a friend in August and I think I may have tempted him to pay me a visit by telling him about Cómpeta’s annual wine fiesta ‘La Noche del Vino’. If free wine, food and music can’t tempt and French man, I don’t know what can.

As I returned from the bus stop I came upon a drumming group numbering not far off 100 drummers. I love the sound of drums and stood around watching them for a very long time. The charismatic conductor was jumping all over the place and it was impossible not to be mesmerised, even for the very young. The group is called Batebatuke – take a look at the link – I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

I then met up with Janet, an Australian woman who has been walking in Europe for the best part of a year. We are members of the same pilgrim internet forum. She is involved with the ‘amigos’ in Australia and is giving a speech at an international amigos conference taking place next week.

Then it was time for a siesta. All the time I was walking, I don’t remember needing a siesta even once, but now I have stopped I am exhausted. It is normal and I remember feeling the same last year. But now I realise that poor Olivier was feeling just like this when I arrived in Finisterre full of energy and dragged him up to the lighthouse. No wonder he lagged behind. I should feel guilty, but I don’t at all.

So now all my friends have departed and I’m not really interested in trying to make any new ones. Luckily I am sharing my cubicle for four with a mother and daughter and another woman, who all seem very quiet. And they are here for another night, as I am, so hopefully I will be able to catch up on my sleep before flying home on Tuesday.

I had originally planned to take a bus up to the north coast for a couple of days, but the weather has turned very dull and I don’t really fancy a big unfamiliar city. I feel quite comfortable here amongst the ‘circus’ of excited arriving pilgrims and tourist groups. But I shall be very, very glad to return home.

Quick update – I went out for some fresh air this evening and came across the delightful Christian, a young German guy who I have met a few times and then we saw Dutch Marga who I haven’t seen for a couple of weeks. It was lovely to see them both and when Christian went off to do some sketching from the park, Marga and I went for drink. This camino keeps on keeping on.

Please stick around for a few more camino related posts over the next few weeks. And thank you so much for all the encouraging and humorous comments, and for the great support I have received from so many people that I have never met but who feel like true friends.

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, Via de la Plata | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, Santiago de Compostela, travel, Via de la Plata | 31 Comments

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Fisterra) – day 52 – Olveiroa to Finisterre 35 km

Posted on 30/05/2015 by magwood

Sorry folks for the delay of my post for my final stage. I spent my blogging time soaking up the sun on the beach…it seemed the right thing to do.

I left the bustling albergue yesterday well before 07:00 and set off with one of the bag rustling light shining ladies who now seemed perfectly acceptable after my night’s experience amongst many snoring, bed rattling, tossers (as in tossing and turning, but take it any way you want). And at this point I have to say how very much I enjoyed your interaction with my previous post. I burst out laughing at your comments so regularly that I am sure those around me thought I needed some medical attention.

I was soon walking on my own and it was a fabulous stage. Beautiful tracks through moorland and woodland and delightful villages in bright but windy conditions. I took a couple of breaks in bars before glimpsing my first sight of the sea. Such a treat.

I passed through the large seaside town of Cee which looked very pretty in the older quarter and then took a very steep track which would eventually lead to the Finisterre peninsular.

When I finally saw from a distance the long stretch of beach that I would walk along, a few tears of elation escaped from my eyes. The previous time I had walked into Finisterre it was from Muxia and a different route, not one that was particularly memorable. But I remember well my Dutch walking companion from that time telling me how he had felt on reaching the beach (thanks Peter) and I have wanted to take that path ever since. It didn’t disappoint. I removed my boots, took a quick selfie for prosperity and walked straight to the water’s edge. It felt marvellous – I have tears in my eyes now as I write this account.

I sent a quick text to Olivier to tell him I had arrived and made my way along the 2 kms of beautiful white sand towards my destination of Finisterre. I don’t think many pilgrims walk along the sand, but take the easier path along the back of the beach. But I can recommend the experience – I loved every step of those two kilometres. And Olivier was there at the end to greet me. Perfect!

He had found a lovely albergue just outside the far end of the town (called Mar de Fora 10€, highly recommended) and after I had dumped my stuff we made our way to a beautiful bay of white sand to the north of the town. Not many people had found this slightly out of the way beach and we spent a couple of hours comparing our experiences over the last couple of weeks.

Later I went into the town to collect my Compostela for the Camino Fisterra before a fish supper and a hike to the lighthouse 3km uphill for the sunset. Poor Olivier was suffering a bit with his foot and couldn’t walk fast enough to reach the the top of the hill before the appointed hour of 22:06, and because I had stayed at his pace for too long before rushing on, I also missed the sunset. But it didn’t really matter – I already have the beautiful photos from my last visit and so I took a few snaps in the dwindling light and turned round to see how far Olivier had reached – and there he was slowly making his way to the top of the hill. So I turned back around again and I walked back up to the lighthouse with him. A perfect end to a fabulous day.

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Fisterra) – day 51 – Negreira to Olveiroa 35.5 km

Posted on 28/05/2015 by magwood

I met two English speaking women on arrival yesterday, one from the U.S. And one from Australia. It was nice to speak to them, but it transpired this morning that they are light shiners and bag rustlers, the scourge of the laid-back pilgrim. The show started around 05:30 and was difficult to ignore. They were long gone when I made my way to the kitchen at just after 06:30. I made myself a delicious roll with all the salad ingredients left over from my supper – avocado, local cheese, chorizo, jamon and cherry tomatoes.

I passed many early risers in the first hour or so and then the trail quietened. I stopped at a bar at around 10 km for a hot drink and was soon back on my way.

Some features of today’s stage were familiar, but I didn’t remember walking so much on the road, albeit quiet country roads, which alternated with woodland tracks and pretty villages. I had walked around 30 km before I found a suitable spot to sit down and eat my roll.

There were already around six early arrivals at the private albergue when I arrived, including the flashers from this morning. So I opted for a different room where there are probably 20+ places and only a couple taken. I found myself a quiet corner and bagged my lower bunk. An hour or so later the place is bursting at the seams – all 52 places are on the verge of being taken and I am really missing the relative solitude of the Via de la Plata. Lots of pilgrims know eachother from the camino Frances and are chatting away loudly. It is not what I am used to and not what I like. But I have found a sunny corner in the courtyard and bought a bottle of wine and am happy keeping out of the way and typing my blog. If it wasn’t for the fact that I actively want to walk to the coast (and therefore walk ‘from sea to shining sea’) I could be very unhappy right now. But in fact I feel I can rise above all the hub-bub and have no desire to be part of it. I shall opt for the self-description of ‘serene’ rather than ‘miserable old git’, but not everyone might agree.

Unfortunately I have just returned to the dorm to find that my ‘quiet’ corner has been taken over by a man who can simultaneously snore very loudly, fart even louder and fondle himself in the underpants area then remove his fondling hand and stick his finger up his nose. Quite charming. I think I need to fish out the ear plugs tonight. Maybe the light-shining-bag-rustling women aren’t so bad after all!

This section of my camino is so different from when I walked it two years ago with Ella. Then the weather was really miserable – cold and very wet. The poor weather threatened to spoil the experience for my daughter, but luckily, just in the nick of time, the sun came out to welcome us to the coast, and all turned out well. This year the weather has been fabulous. Beautiful sunshine with enough wind to keep it from being too hot – just perfect! Even at this late stage I am a bit nervous about praising the Galician weather, which is renowned to rain more than the UK. But the sky is still blue and the sun is still shining, so I can only cross my fingers and hope it will continue for a few more days until I return home on 2 July.

The reservoir that everyone thinks is their first sight of the sea

I will aim to get off nice and early in the morning, but without the light shining and bag rustling, and try to get some space between me and the hordes.

I am really looking forward to meeting up with Olivier tomorrow in Finisterre, after seventeen days since he took his short-cut. I am sure he will take up where he left off and tease me mercilessly just like an annoying younger brother. But I will serenely let his jibes pass right over my head and enjoy the company of an old friend – an ‘old’ friend of all of thirty days’ standing. I lost the lovely Austrians today – they are walking directly to Muxia and then back to Santiago, so I may see them in the city.

This camino is a totally different experience from my previous two and I will try to explain why in an assessment post when I am back home. Meanwhile…

Distance according to Wikiloc 35.5 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 624 metres
Accumulated elevation downhill 495 metres
Total distance walked 1,330.4 km, average 26.1 km per day

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, Via de la Plata | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino Fisterra, camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, travel, Via de la Plata | 22 Comments

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Fisterra) – day 50 – Santiago de Compostela to Negreira 21.6 km

Posted on 27/05/2015 by magwood

Life was just too exciting yesterday to spend my precious time waiting in line at the pilgrims’ office for my Compostela. So here I am at 07:40 waiting for the office to open at 08:00 so that I can pick up my Compostela before setting off for Finisterre. I am not alone – there are around a dozen here at the moment. I could wait until I return from Finisterre, but who knows, I might be equally busy then also.

Of the 10-15 people I have been walking with over the last couple of weeks, only two are heading out to the coast – all others are returning home. I hope this is a general trend, but I fear not. I think I must prepare myself for crowds in the coming days, which will be a shock to the system.

I met with Super George last evening and we shared several drinks and a nice dinner and exchanged lots of tales about the 4+ weeks since we were last together. George walked diretly north on the Via de la Plata and joined the Camino Frances at Astorga, so he was well used to crowds by the time he reached Santiago. It was really good to catch up and compare notes

Reunion with Super George and farewell to the two Italian couples

I heard from Paul that he caught his bus on time and was comfortably ensconced in Porto for a couple of nights before returning to the UK. What a great friend he has been, ready to chat or be silent, share a few jokes and exchange life stories. I am sure we will stay in touch in the future. I bade an emotional farewell to Jesus and particularly Mary who is a beautiful caring woman, always with a welcoming smile on her face. The two italian couples are also going directly home as are all the French. My favourite Austrian woman and her husband are walking on, so I hope to see them during the next three days. And I have arranged to meet with Olivier in Finisterre and walk to the lighthouse together. I am hoping that I might also see Aase at the coast. So lots to look forward to, as well as three more days walking.

So it was 08:10 by the time I walked by the cathedral on my way out of the city and it was immediately obvious there were many pilgtims walking in the same direction. I passed most people soon enough and began to recognise some of the route from a couple of years ago when I walked it with my daughter Ella. I particularly remember a huge hill that I thought was immediately on leaving the city, but that hill was a doddle. A few kms further there was another steep climb, but I managed it quite easily. I was beginning to think that I was obviously much fitter now because I remember having to take breathers last time. But then I found the real deal – it rose 230 metres in a very short distance and it was a tough climb, but I didn’t need to take a break so I must be fitter than previously.

I was pleased to see a cafe at around 9 kms and walked in to take a hot drink, but when I saw and heard the crowds of pilgrims in there, I turned right around and walked back out again. I found another a few kms along the road where there was just one guy taking a break, so I happily joined him.

I passed many other pilgrims along the way – Paul and I weren’t nick-named ‘the English Runners’ for nothing. Not that I particularly want to pass people – I just have a naturally faster pace – but not as fast as either Paul or Super George.

The distance from Santiago to Finisterre is around 90 km, unfortunately split into unequal stages by the available accommodation. So today was a short stage of 22 km and there will be two long ones coming up.

I am staying in the private albergue ‘San José’ in Negreira, where I stayed with Ella previously. The cost is 12€ for a spacious dorm, good bathroom facilities, towel and bed linen provided. There is also a good kitchen, extensive dining area and a lovely garden bordering the woods. So other than a trip to the supermarket for provisions, I haven’t moved very far this afternoon. And seeing that I resisted the temptation to buy a bottle of wine – this may turn out to be an alcohol-free day.

Distance according to Wikiloc 21.6 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 374 metres
Accumulated elevation downhill 463 metres
Total distance walked 1,294.9 km, average 25.9 km per day

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, Via de la Plata | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Camino Fisterra, camino Mozarabe, Camino Sanabrés, travel, Via de la Plata | 14 Comments

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Sanabrés) – day 49 – Outeiro to Santiago de Compostela 17.7 km

Posted on 26/05/2015 by magwood

As mentioned in yesterday’s post Paul and I decided to take a walk to see if there was actually a village here or just a few houses. I saw a large building in the distance that could have been a hotel and we made our way towards it. And jackpot – a hotel it was, and not only that, but also a bodega. As we walked up the drive and approached the property I could see a man busy cleaning the windows. I asked if the place was open and he explained that normally they close on Mondays but circumstances dictated that today they were open because a couple of unexpected pilgrims were arriving.

I asked for a tinto de verano and the window cleaner looked a bit dubious. So I said I would be happy with a white wine, at which point he began to take interest. It turned out that the the window cleaner was the owner of the beautiful hotel and also of the attached bodega that produces the finest Alboriña wine.

I asked him about the process and if the raised vines were important to the production. He told me that 300-400 years ago the locals realised that if they raised the grapes high above the ground they could avoid the humidity that causes mould to form (which is treated these days with sulphur). He said that in those days the farmers were very poor and raising the vines allowed them to grow other crops below. He said that the portuguese Vinho Verde is made from the Alboriño grape but it has nothing to do with the sparkle, which is created with the addition of other grapes (I think – I had sampled a couple of glasses by now and may have been a bit confused).

The hotel was an absolute delight with beautiful gardens and an atmoshphere of total tranquility. And not only that, but there was wifi to boot. How perfect was that?

So as I was busily composing my blog I hardly noticed when a couple of women stepped out onto the terrace. But as I looked up I realised that they were the New Zealanders who I met yesterday. The very same that I had a connection with. We enjoyed a lovely hour or so comparing caminos, ours on a budget as compared to theirs staying in decent hotels. But what lovely company – I enjoyed our chat so much.

New Zealand Margaret and I post at the hotel

But back to business, if anyone is considering a trip to Santiago de Compostela and doesn’t fancy staying in the City, look up this place on the Internet. It is only a 15 minute drive to the city, but is tucked away in the fabulous Galician countryside. I will definitely keep it in mind for a future visit. Please take a look – Pazo de Galegos – I can’t find a website for them but they seem to be very well reviewed on trip advisor.

Yesterday we arrived at the Albergue second only to the Austrians and secured lower banks – and took joy in seeing the French being allocated upper bunks – that is until we realised that their bunks were above ours, however my upper Frenchman behaved impeccably…no snoring and no tossing and turning. I think entente cordiale has been restored!

I was up and out very early this morning – I was really excited to be walking into Santiago and was out of the door by 06:35 and soon passed Jesus and Mary and the Italian couple who had left before me.

Although my guide had warned me that I would be disappointed by today’s stage, I am glad to report that it was entirely wrong. I wasn’t in the slightest disappointed – the walk through woodland and country roads was delightful. Paul caught up with me just before we reached the suburbs and I was glad to have most of the walk alone with my thoughts, and equally delighted that we would reach Santiago together after so long in each other’s company. (And I was overjoyed that he had picked up my body warmer that I had left on the back of a chair the previous evening – what a star!)

Paul being the camino old-hand-come-sceptic that he is wasn’t interested in visiting the cathedral or even going to the pilgrims’ office to collect a Compostela. So we spent our last hour together sorting out his accommodation in Porto where he is travelling by bus right now. I did get a goodbye hug out of him – and there he was, gone!

I made my way to the cathedral for the pilgrims’ mass at 12:00 and was delighted that the new system of reserving the front pews for pilgrims with credencials worked in my favour and I sat in the front pew. I was overjoyed when a few minutes later Wilfried found me. What a lovely man he is. More hugs and catching up after a few days apart. The service was beautiful and the nun with the fabulous voice sung many times. And then to top it all off the botafumeiro was swung. How wonderful. I couldn’t find Wilfried after the service but shared hugs and congratulations with most of the people I had been walking with over the last days and weeks (including the French) and I went for a coffee with Slovakian Rastislav who is a really nice guy, and then thought it was time I went to my albergue for a shower.

The first sight of the cathedral spires.
Wilfried, who I eventually found
And Rastislav, proudly showing his credencial – a truly smiley guy

I am staying for the third year running at ‘The Last Stamp’ private albergue. It is a bit pricey at 18€, but that includes beds that are sectioned off into two sets of bunks per ‘cubicle’ with personal powerpoints, fresh bed linen and good wifi.

I won’t post any photos of Santiago because I have enough already on this blog and the cathedral is still wrapped in scaffolding so isn’t very photogenic at the moment (if you are interested to see my thoughts and photos of this beautiful city see the few posts at the end of my Camino Frances).

I hope there will be lots more to tell about the rest of today, but I will catch up with that tomorrow. For the time being, be advised that all is well in my world, the sun is shining, my feet don’t hurt, I have a spring in my step and I am looking forward to setting off towards Finisterre in the morning.

Distance according to Wikiloc 17.7 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 266 metres
Accumulated elevation downhill 296 metres
Total distance walked 1,273.3 km, average 26 km per day

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Sanabrés) – day 47 – Castro Dozón to Silleda 29 km

Posted on 24/05/2015 by magwood

Another chilly start to the day with all layers donned, but fairly soon I was peeling off the sock-gloves and the buff hat. The jacket took a little longer because there was a lot of walking in the shade, but eventually the jacket, then the fleece sleeves and finally the infinity buff were all stowed in the pack.

The first few kms were on the road, but it being Sunday there was virtually no traffic. We eventually followed a track through some woods and found our first port of call at 12.5 km. I ordered a bacon bocadillo and Paul had bacon and eggs. All went down well and I set off on the next leg.

I crossed a totally empty motorway.
In Galicia even the drain covers are adorned with scallop shells!

There were quite a few villages that we skimmed. These places are much better maintained than those of a few days ago. Very few ruins now and many tasteful restorations. I guess now we are nearing Santiago the area is more affluent.

The sky was blue with a few fluffy clouds and the temperature didn’t rise too high – perfect walking conditions. I don’t like to tempt fate by commenting on how lucky I have been with the weather – but I guess I have just done that, so I shall expect storms over the next few days.

We passed through Laxe after around 18.5 km and I called into the Albergue as we passed to top up my water bottle. The building was actually being used as a polling station for the local elections which take place today, but I was allowed into the kitchen to fill my bottle. There have been many posters for the local candidates as we have passed through towns and villages over the last couple of weeks, and I have noticed that there are as many (or more) women standing for election as men.

More shady woods, a Roman bridge and quiet country roads completed this stage and we reached the sizeable town of Silleda at around 13:30.

We are staying in the private Touristico Albergue that has been advertised everywhere for the last couple of days. A bed for 8€ and a menu del dia for 8€ or 10€ depending on whether you want dessert and coffee. So I have just had a wonderful shower in complete privacy and have done all the ‘things’ us ladies like to do when such conditions prevail – like shaving legs and treating myself to one of the few uses of my lovely clarins face wash (from a tiny sample tube), and just making the most of endless hot water. I have also given all my clothes, towels and rain jacket to the hospitalera for a turn in the washing machine (just leaving my ‘fat’ walking pants and little used shirt to keep me decent).

So this place provides the three essential “W’s” all in one place – washing machine, wine and wifi (but not necessarily in that order).

I am sad to report that we have ‘lost’ our friends. Aase has sent me a message today saying that she walked on yesterday (40+ kms) and she thought that Wilfried was with us. But we didn’t see him yesterday nor today. Hopefully we will coincide in Santiago – they were great company and I shall really miss conversing with an interesting woman in English.

But two lovely things have happened since my last post. Firstly, yesterday evening I received an email from German Tobi saying that he and Michael had arrived in Santiago and were with Olivier – complete with photos.

Top – Toby and bottom – Michael, both with Olivier

And secondly, yesterday Paul met a couple of women from New Zealand. He walked with them for a while and discovered (1) that they were the women who had earned me my free glass of wine in Tábera for taking the phone call for the hostel owner and sorting out their booking. And even more of a coincidence (2) the woman called Margaret was walking the Portuguese route last year at the same time I was, and she walked for quite a while with an Australian guy called Brian, who I also met, and who follows my blog. I love these coincidences. And as we walked into Silleda the two women were just ahead of us and we stopped and chatted. And a huge ‘hola’ to Brian – when are you walking your next camino?

Only two more days now into Santiago, and then three to Finisterre. I have my flight booked back to Málaga on 2 June, so after returning from Finisterre I may get the bus up to A Coruña and/or Farrol for a couple of days of R&R. I don’t feel anxious for this camino to finish although I will be very pleased when the time comes to return home. I have been away for such a very long time.

Distance according to Wikiloc 29 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 451 metres
Accumulated elevation downhill 715 metres
Total distance walked 1,255.6 km, average 26.7 km per day

Camino Mozárabe (Camino Sanabrés) – day 46 – Cea to Castro Dozón 16 kmo

Posted on 23/05/2015 by magwood

Well, that hardly seemed worth the bother! There are two routes that run between Cea and Castro Dozón. We four had decided to take the longer route via Oseira Monastery which is apparently worth the extra kms for the views. Needless to say, I inadvertently took the shorter route without the monastery, but with equally lovely views and a very pleasant track, but only 16 kms as opposed to around 20 km.

I passed through a series of beautiful villages, woodland, scrub and meadow, past babbling brooks and amongst pretty birdsong, up hill and down dale. All the time entirely alone, without a soul in sight. It was lovely.

This little chap is a hoopoe but it is difficult to see his distinctive markings in the shadow,

But it was over in three and a half hours and I was the first to arrive at the Albergue at 11:00, which in contrast to yesterday’s experience, was being cleaned as I entered and all was fresh and bright.

About half an hour later a group of French guys arrived. These guys have been keeping time with me for quite a while. They are loud and seem to fill the space wherever they are. I don’t think it is just because they are French, groups of Spanish men have behaved the same way. I do wonder though if it is because they are men that they seem to take over the space. I find it very annoying. Maybe it is because they are all the same nationality, or because they are all the same gender. My group of two men and two women of three nationalities behave quite differently, with more respect to others.

The Albergue is very spacious with 28 places, separate bathrooms and separate showers, although the showers are the type that afford not one ounce of privacy – just a room with shower heads coming from the walls, no divisions, no curtains. After an hour or so there were more arrivals and by the time Paul arrived, all bottom bunks appeared to be ‘bagged’ – although he was a bit suspicious because he couldn’t see sufficient backpacks to account for the beds that had been taken. Whilst he was showering an Austrian couple arrived and quickly sussed the situation…the French had reserved beds for their friends. The lovely Austrian woman was having none of that and ordered the beds to be cleared for her and her husband – great stuff – bed war has been declared.

I think many people walked the short route (Paul included) – by accident or design I don’t know – but nearly three hours after my arrival people from last night’s albergue are still arriving.

Castro Dozón is a sizeable town of 4,000 inhabitants that I have yet to discover. I shall go for a wander after I have sent this post into the ether.

Distance according to Wikiloc – 16 km
Accumulated elevation uphill 407 metres
Accumulated elevation downhill 176 metres
Total distance walked 1,226.6 km, average 26.7 km per day