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Adventure on Camino Francis
  • Deepika Saksena

Adventure on Camino Francis

Hi there! I’m off to hike the famed El Camino de Santiago—Europe’s longest and most storied pilgrimage route - starting September 3. I’m taking the Francis Route that starts in SJPDP, France and takes me over the Pyrenees and down into Spain. Leggi altro
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  • Inizio del viaggio
    31 agosto 2022
    Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
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    All set for the big trek!

    31 agosto 2022, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    All packed and ready to go! My pack weighs 12.5lbs - will lead a minimalist existence for the next couple of months. I’m taking a flight to Paris and then a train and bus to St-Jean-Pied-De-Port (SJPDP), France, where I’ll start my trek.Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    1On the way from CDG airport to Gare Montparnasse
    On train passing through Bordeaux.Bus from Bayonne.1Reached SJPDP!Such a pretty town!With fellow pilgrims at La Coquille NapoleonLa Coquille Napoleon8Half of a Brazilian couple that wants to travel to India. Super friendly!1Views from my window at Maison Atalozti.3

    Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

    2 settembre 2022, Francia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Arrived yesterday. Train from Paris to Bayonne and then a bus to SJPDP. Spent the first night at a farmhouse and second at a B&B. Both inn keepers are super friendly and helpful. Had community dinner with friendly peregrines. What an international crowd - Brazilian, Danish, Aussie, New Zealander, German, British, Swiss, American and French. All under the same roof - many together in a dorm. Except for 2 of us, the rest were under 30.Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Leaving La Coquille Napoleon.
    2Bikers were having a tough time!32Every switchback was more beautiful than the last one!1Path I had climbed.Albergue Borda!2The Borda group. Basil Fawlty, I mean Lorentzo (Inn keeper) on the right.

    Camino Kickoff !!

    3 settembre 2022, Francia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Day 1 to Borda - was an absolutely beautiful climb to Orisson! I went from singing “I’m leaving on a jet plane….” to “Heaven, I’m in heaven….”

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    2Early morning views from Alburgue Borda.
    2On the move - my 12.5lb backpack becomes 16.5lbs with 4 litres of water!Unbelivably huge sheep.1A lot of sheep!4Climbing slow and steady, enjoying the views.Grazing ponies.3These cuties started much later than me and very quickly caught up.That food truck in the distance was an oasis at the half way point.1Climbing up to Collado De Lepoeder, the highest point at about 5000' - not too high.2Can you spot the bee?4During the descent the trail went through some beautiful Beech forests.3Wild Crocuses!Finally in Roncesvalles! Only 4 more kms to my Albergue in Burguete - in Hemingway haunts.Just 790kms more to Santiago 😀

    Over the Pyrenees - From France to Spain

    4 settembre 2022, Francia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Day 2 to Burguete - This was a toughee!! About 14 miles slow uphill to 2500’ climb and then a fast descent. I took the longer route that was a little less steep coming down - still felt it on my knees 😀
    The day before was also 2500’ climb - but in 5 miles and no descent. I much preferred that.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Finally a good nights rest and ready to head out!
    A typical Camino marker - there are markers every few miles.Hemingway describes this scene so well in The Sun Also Rises.5Felt like i was back in Mahilpur!!I went around it very carefully, not sure what kind it is....Kept bumping into this couple. He is Dutch and she is English.2Espinal!21High protein meal of chicken wings 😀Mostly flat path except at the end there was a fairly steep descent.Path through another Beech forest. Nice shade on a warm day.Clouds!1Communal Pilgrim dinner. Six nationalities including one Indian.

    An easy day…

    5 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Day 3 to Bizkarreta - I couldn’t find a place to stay tonight in Zubiri so booked one in Bizkarreta which is only 9km from Burguete. As I meandered my way to Bizkaretta, I found the cutest little town, Espinal, on the way so stopped for photos and a coffee.
    Bizkaretta is also nice, but not much going on here and couldn’t find any restaurant open. Luckily the Inn keeper made a delicious meal for 9 of us pilgrims.
    I’ve been listening to Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and todays trek was the perfect setting for it!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    5Entering Zubiri. Stopped here for breakfast at 8am.More ponies..This is the entrance to Larrasoana - dashed in here for a quick coffee and snack.Zurian - another cute town in the way...This was a bit boring and along the road.1Narrow path along the side of the mountain - road down below. Thank god it wasn't raining.Ran into Mercedes from Dominican Rep. - foraging for figs. The highlight of my day were the figs!!Will stay here next time.Entering Pamplona with my new friend Mercedes.Lots to see in Pamplona!Reunion in Pamplona with my Borda family. Tapas night.1A very special ham...Met up with my camino family from Borda for dinner.2Monumento al Encierro - running with the bulls!Pamplona Cathedral.Pamplona Cathedral.The monument to the Charter of Navarre (Los Fueros).Cafe Iruna where Hemingway used to hang out. And the bar next door.2Pretty gory - watch at your own risk! 😀

    Made it to Pamplona!

    7 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Day 4 and 5 Pamplona - Had to make up for the easy day before - walked 32 kms from Bizkaretta to Pamplona - with some significant climbs and a serious descent! Luckily I ran into a woman who had done this route before and she knew where to find the elevator that takes you up to the walled city of Pamplona. Saved me about a hundred steps up 😀. Spent 2 days in Pamplona to recover from it!
    Having listened to Hemingways book en route and to the vivid description of the 7 day bull festival I decided to check out the bull ring. They had a self guided tour with photos and videos of the whole process including the famous bull run. I’ve added a video of a small section of their show.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    4Hiking through harvested grain fields. Scarf provides sun protection.
    2Long row of windmills in the distance.Perdon Peak - Monument of the Santiago Way.3Top of the mountain with windmills... and camino stonehenge?6Its much steeper than it looks!1Sunset in Uterga.Met up with my Irish friends feom Borda.Legendary San Juan Bautista church in Obanos.2Arriving at Puenta La Reina.Drying peppers.113th century door to the Santiago church in Puenta.2Santiago Church.Leaving Puenta over the famous Romanesque bridge3This tree was covered with figs - I had my fill!Cirauqui - atop the mountain.Cirauqui - a very cute town, but every street is sloping steeply.Church of San Roman. Photo tqken from the albergue balcony.2At all Albergues you have to remove your shoes at the entrance.1Chef Juan - is also the owner and general dogsbody of the albergue.Evening entertainment - he was also seen giving these women a foot massage.

    Pamplona - Puenta La Reina & Cirauqui

    9 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Day 6 and 7 in Uterga and Cirauqui - This was a beautiful hike. First a significant ascent to Perdón Peak walking along gigantic windmills overhead and then stopping to take pictures of the monument of the Santiago Way which depicts a group of pilgrims from different periods crossing the line of windmills. Very iconic. After a very steep and rocky descent (that almost killed my knees) stayed last night in a cute Albergue in the town of Urtega.
    Left early this morning and had a much needed breakfast and coffee in Puenta La Reina. Admired the 13th century doorway of the Santiago church and crossed the Arga River over a beautiful Romanesque bridge to get to tonight’s Albergue in Cirauqui.
    Cirauqui is a beautiful medieval village perched on top of a mountain. The path to Cirauqui goes through recently harvested grain fields, vineyards and several fig trees growing along the side. The albergue overlooks the Romanesque church at the top of the hill - just one more final climb for the day!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    1Dusty but holding up so far!
    1A quaint olive garden.1San Salvador Church in Lorca.Basilica of the Annunciation - one of Navarra's Gothic treasures.Santa Sepulcro church in Estella.1The volunteer who stamped my pilgrim passport was very excited to see an Indian!1Church of San Pedro De La Rua.1Afternoon snack - local beer, bowl of olives and all you can pick grapes for €3 - not bad!2Church of San Pedro de la Rua.Palacio de los Reyes de Navarra, Estella.Iews feom the bridge, Estella.1Prisoners Bridge over the River Arga.1Doorway to the Iglesi.1Cloister of the Church of San Pedro de la Rúa, Estella3Brunch for $53Splurged on the room at the Chapitel!

    Estella

    11 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Day 8 and 9 Estella - Arrived here, in Estella, yesterday via Lorca and Villatuerta - small towns with prominent churches. The walk was quite uneventful with the usual ups and downs through fields and of course laden fig trees, olive trees and grape vines.
    Today I wandered around Estella and saw it’s beautiful old buildings. The tourist office is in a Baroque Palace and the town museum that houses the works of Gustavo de Maeztzu is in the former Romanesque palace of The Kings of Navarre. There were also two churches to see after climbing 100s of stairs - and being a Sunday, everything was only open from 11:30am - 2pm! Needless to say I had a busy afternoon!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    3Wine fountain....
    2This guy is from Liverpool settled in Pamplona. Great fan of Vandana Shiva.Approaching Villamayor de Monjardin.2Patxaran - digestive after dinner drink.Roommates in Villamayor de Monjardin.Fabulous dinner on the terrace.2Finally I can sing "The rain in Spain...."Stopped for a coffee break in Los Arcos.Santa Maria Baroque Church in Los Arcos.Leaving Los Arcos - you can see the Santa Maria Church in all its glory.Nice walk on a cloudy morning!You can see Sansol in the distance.In Sansol.Stayed at Albergue Palacio de Sansol - a palace restored.1View from my balcony.A beer and olives at a local bar in Sansol.

    Villamayor de Monjardin and on to Sansol

    13 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Day 10 Villamayor de Monjardin and Day 11 in Sansol - From Estella to Villamayor was a nice 11 mile walk past the Iratxe monastery, on the side of which is a popular fountain that dispenses water and/or red wine. I could only take a sip of this - too vinigery for my taste!
    Villamayor is a small town and I stayed at a wonderful Albergue run by volunteers from various countries - a German, 2 Italians, 2 Dutch and 3 Americans. I stayed in a dorm with bunk beds with 2 Korean women, one Swedish girl and one Canadian man who snored all night! But the dinner was amazing! The volunteers set up tables on the terrace overlooking the Romanesque Church and distant vineyards. 21 pilgrims and 8 volunteers from about a dozen or more countries ate under a sky threatening to rain, along with the thunder and lightening! Managed to finish before the heavens opened up to pour out the much needed rain.
    Soon after dinner we were invited to a meditation and prayer session. We came together in a low cavernous room set up with low sofas and cushions and dim lights. Mint tea was served. After some spiritual mumbo-jumbo and meditation we sat around and everyone recounted experiences on the Camino. It was very nice, peaceful and very, very friendly - a special Camino experience.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Nicholas James Parsons - watch out for him in the movies.
    1These two old guys run the palace albergue. The one on tje right is the owner.Torres del Rio - not far frim Sansol.Beautiful scenery on way to Viana.Had to eat some obligatory stolen grapes!1Seriosly steep paths.Viana at last!1Procession in Viana - before bull run.Logrono!!Met up with friends from Sansol.7The price of soda water is more than wine!Santa Maria de Palacio.24Pigs ears

    From Sansol to Logrona

    15 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Day 12 and 13 in Logrono - The Albergue Palacio de Sansol turned out to be an amazing place. It was a 320 year old palace lovingly restored by the current owner, José Maria. His family had owned it in the early 1900s and then sold it. Jose bought it back for €30,000 in the 1990s and more recently spent a millón euros to restore it into a really charming albergue.
    The pilgrim dinner was cooked by Jose and consisted of a watery soup of what looked like celery to me - but turned out to be artichoke stems. I was among the 5% that didn’t particularly like it (it needed some masala). Luckily there was a twenty-something sitting next to me who was starving and had my share - so was not wasted. This guy is an aspiring actor from LA - so we took a selfie I can show off one day.
    The next morning, yesterday, I reluctantly left Sansol - I had such a nice room, I wanted to hang out - and made my way to Viana, the halfway point. That path, all 11 kms - was a complete knee buster - there were seriously steep climbs and descents all the way to Viana. At Viana I found I had caught up with all my dinner friends who had left at 6 am because there was a bull festival happening in town and they were hanging out waiting for it. I watched the fireworks and the procession with them but didn’t wait for the bull run because of the timing. I had another 10km to get to Logrono.
    Logrono is a vibrant town. One neighborhood is devoted to tapas/pinchos bars and people hang around there snacking and drinking. Nobody eats dinner till 9 or 10pm. The town has a beautiful cathedral, Santa María de Palacio, and I got a much coveted stamp in my pilgrim passport - the lady at the tourist office said that it was hard to get.
    Last night, as I sat outside with a glass of red Rioja, some of my Sansol friends showed up and we ended up having more wine along with some a amazing but weird tapas. Surprisingly the 2 glasses of wine didn’t give me a headache!
    I spent 2 nights in Logorno. And btw, I’ve completed a hundred miles walking the Camino….    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Leaving Logrono - sunrise.
    15Ferdinand!Navarette in the distance - a welcome sight!Entering Navarrete - 12th century pilgrims hospital - only the fascade has been preserved.Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion in Navarrete.2Tne interior is very ornate with gold plating.1Pilgrims dinner.Collecting grape harvest...Ventosa.Monastery of Santa Maria la Real in Najera

    To Naverreta and Najera

    17 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Day 14 Naverreta and Day 15 Najera - Left fairly early from Logrono and reached Navarrete before noon. Didn’t enjoy the walk because I miscalculated and didn’t have coffee till I got to Navarrete. Needless to say, the day was a bit joyless. Sections of the trek were along a noisy road and I couldn’t listen to my book, so listened to and sang along Bollywood music instead!
    Today was fun, and I’ve stopped for the night in Najera - which turned out to be better than I expected after I crossed the River Najerilla. I’m staying in this old Albergue that is close to the Monastery of Santa María la Real that was consecrated in 1056. There’s a festival in town and loud music and bands everywhere. Hopefully I’ll get some sleep tonight.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    2Lines produced by airplanes - apparently due to rare combination of the temperature and clear sky.
    Beautiful early morning walk to Azofra.Azofra!2Mini break before Ciruena.Cute church in Ciruena.Taking in the Ciruena local scene while enjoying a Rioja wine at a small bar.Nicolette and John Baptiste - Breakfast in Ciruena2On to Santo Domingo!Entrance to Santo Domingo monastary. Love the bike!3Coffee and huge croissnts in Santo Domingo with Annika.Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral.Plaza del Santo.4Music and this strange dancing at an event in the plaza and church...And on to Granon.Farm machinery?View from my room in Casa Rural Cerro de Mirabel. Last night in Rioja.Church in Granon.2New friends - found another Indian!

    Ciruena and Granon

    18 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Day 16 in Ciruena and Day 17 in Granon vía Santo Domingo de la Calzada - the all night party in Najera kept all the pilgrims awake. Luckily I could turn my deaf ear to it and get some sleep. The cafés that were supposed to open at 6:30 am did not (open) and we had to get our caffeine in Azofra which had crowds of pilgrims at all their cafes. I found my friend Annika from Switzerland (she told me that she had walked from Geneva to Santiago about 12 years ago). The entire walk to Ciruena yesterday was very pleasant. I had left fairly early and reached Ciruena, a quiet, sleepy village by 11 am. I had plenty of time to wander around - past the little church and have a glass of local red wine and soak in the atmosphere of this cute place. Dinner at the Albergue was communal and the owner had made a lentil stew with vegetables and sausage - it hit the spot!
    This morning I left Ciruena late. I didn’t want to disturb my young room mate so stayed in bed till 6:30 am. The owner provided fabulous hot coffee and a light breakfast. Reached Santo Domingo by 9:00am and everything was closed. They too had pulled an all night party - even the tourist office was closed. I found Santo Domingo to be somewhat elitist - some very important looking people were bustling around and a bunch of expensive looking cars were parked in the plaza. The Santi Domingo church is the first church I have come across that charges for visit. Couldn’t get in through the normal entrance - it was closed for the special event - but slipped in with some other people for a quick look.
    Continued on to Granon. It’s a small cute town with a church and central square. Had dinner in the one restaurant along with other pilgrims.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    That would be me - on my way to Santiago. The beard? Yep!
    Only 548 km left!Entering Redecilla del Camino.Roasting pimiento morrón.Removing the outer skin - getting ready for bottling.Church at Redecilla del Camino.1This is for Laura - reflexology right outsid the church!Church at Castildellgado.Villoria del Rioja Church.Church at Belorado.The square outside the church - its beautiful but i had to take a wide angle shot which ruined it!The signs are so good - today I only saw about a dozen pilgrims - and didn't get lost!Dug into tje rock - reminded me of Ajanta Ellora caves.2First course of the evening meal.Second course.1Third course - flan. Full meal for €12.Tbos is Hannah. She went to boarding school in Rajasthan.Lunch today for €4.1Hearty dinner at a local bar - a truckstop.

    Belorado and Villafranca Montes de Oca

    21 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Day 18 in Belorado and Day 19 in Villafranca - in Granon I had stayed at a ‘Casa Rural’. These are private homes
    where the host rents out rooms with or without attached bathrooms. In this case I had a private room with an attached bathroom. The price was €50 which is expensive (😀) but it came with the free use of a washer, as well as morning coffee. While I prefer to stay in a private room I have found that it is fun to stay now and then in a shared room or even a dorm. This way you meet some interesting people and share a communal supper. A bed in a dorm can cost as little as €6 - and that is primarily in a municipal albergue where they don’t take reservations - and the early bird gets the worm - which is why some people leave the albergue at 6am or earlier. Last night in Belorado I got a bed in a private albergue. It cost €12. Initially I didn’t like it because there was no place to hang out washed clothes and no place to stretch and do my morning (minimal) warm up exercises. But I met a woman who had just moved from CT to VT, a young Korean woman and another American woman who had gone to a boarding school in Jaipur because her father had been a polo player. She wants to work for Babli at her ‘glamping’ farm - so I’ve introduced them via WhatsApp.
    The trek from Granon to Belorado was quite unremarkable. I’m now in the Burgos region and passed through a number of villages and they all had churches and center squares, but none of their cafeterias were open and I hardly saw anyone but pilgrims. Except in the town of Redecilla del Camino where a man was roasting peppers “pimiento morrón” and a group of people were removing the outer skin. These are canned and sold. When I say roasted I mean charred.
    Yesterday my knees were really hurting so I booked a room in Villafranca - just 12 kms away . This morning the people in my dorm left really early so I was able to stretch and warm up properly. Lo and behold my knees were fine today. I forgot to mention that I had met this guy, Steve, a couple of days ago from Austin, Texas. Turns out he is an ER doctor who grows his own turmeric and ginger. He gave me a few of his home made gelcaps of turmeric + pepper and told me to buy more in Burgos - an anti-inflammatory prescription for my knees! I’ve been having those tablets since yesterday - so perhaps that helped too.
    Villafranca is a very tiny village but has a few albergues, a casa rural and one fairly fancy hotel. I’m sitting at a bar that is frequented by truck drivers - there’s a bunch of trucks parked outside, I’m not sure how they maneuvered through the tiny streets. I wish I spoke Spanish and could talk to them. Next time!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Atapuerca!
    1Oak forest and a climb.Native Oak.Almost at the top - Camino Viejo.Guardia Civil is specifically for keeping an eye in and protecting pilgrims along the Camino.Barrios de Collina - San Juan de Ortega.1Leaving Atapuerca - early morning.12Lunch with old friends in Burgos!

    Atapuerca

    22 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Day 20 - Atapuerca is the site of several limestone caves that contain the earliest evidence of humans in western Europe—fragments of a jawbone and teeth date to over a million years ago.
    I left Villafranca early-ish and my knees were feeling great. I was able to climb up through the thick Oak and Pine forests at a quick pace. Passed through a few beautiful towns and reached Atapuerca in the early afternoon. I bumped into a few pilgrims and spent a pleasant afternoon drinking red wine and eating olives - outside a ‘cantina’. Sitting there under the trees, I felt as though I was in a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - remember when they are in Bolivia? There was nothing else to do. I had no wifi - I haven’t mentioned it, but I’ve had cell phone issues - apparently although I have enough data leftover (140gig), I am out of roaming on my French SIM. So for the last 5 days have had to rely on wifi. I’ll get a Spanish SIM in Burgos.
    Tomorrow - on to Burgos!!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    The main entrance to Burgos Cathedral is via the ornate Sarmental Facade on the south face.
    Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos.2Here I am!!Model of the Burgos Cathedral - was in a glass case so didn't photograph well.1Some 20+ chapels in the cathedral - ornate and beautiful.Golden staircase in cathedral.Santa Maria Magdalena - Leonardo de Vinci1241Iglesia de San Esteban. Cathedral in the background.El Cid!On the sode of a 3 story building.

    Burgos!

    24 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Day 20 and 21 in Burgos - Arrived in Burgos at about 12 noon on a Friday. I had gotten a reservation for just one day at the Hotel Norte y Londres but begged the woman at check-in to find a way for me to stay here for 2 nights. She did and I was overjoyed! I loved Burgos from the get go. And the hotel, though simple and quite spartan, is right in the middle of the town center. I met up with friends for a fabulous vegan lunch and then headed over to the Cathedral with a friend.
    The Burgos Cathedral is the most stunningly beautiful cathedral I’ve ever seen. The massive structure is Spain’s oldest Gothic cathedral, the third largest in the country, and it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Despite that and it’s stunning beauty, apparently it remains a ‘hidden jewel’ in Spain’s northern region.
    I took a zillion photos and have posted a few here.
    Apparently Burgos' most famous resident was El Cid. He helped in the reconquest of Spain from Moorish hands - remember the film? He was born in Burgos and there are many sites connected with his life. In the main square of the city stands this statue.
    One set of friends including Purvi and Steve left this morning but I ran into a few others that I had gotten to know and had a really nice dinner with them. One of them was heading back to the US and gave me her sleeping bag. I hadn’t gotten around to buying one - and it’s gotten cold very suddenly. I think I’ll need it!
    I’ve posted a lot of photos and will caption them in the next day or so. Tomorrow I’m planning to walk 20 miles.
    Hope I make it!!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Tardajos churxh.
    1Side of building in a small town - totally unexpected.12111125Made it to Boadilla after a 30km (18mile) walk.Eduardo - owner of the Albergue likes Bollywood films.1

    Meseta Part - 1

    27 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Days 22 to 24 (Castellanos de Castro, Boadilla del Camino, Villalcazar de Sirga) - the Camino is classified into three sections. The first tests (and may break) your physical well being, the second the mental and the third your spiritual. I am now at the start of the second phase and I can attest to the first. My knees were problematic right through phase 1. I would start off ok every morning but then go into a shuffle where I had to use my arms and the hiking poles to take the weight off my knees by early afternoon. Luckily I decided that I had to do something to fix them - and I did. Most mornings I get up early and do some stretches, muscle flossing (google it) and squats. Gradually the knees have improved, better every day. The last three days I’ve been on the meseta and I’ve walked 30, 29 and 18.5 km respectively with some ease. Today I found 18.5 kms easy and reached my destination at 1pm - really surprised myself.
    Everyone says the meseta is boring and difficult to traverse. I have found it to be quite ok so far. Each day I’ve started off at a fast pace for the first third and then dropped off to a slower pace. For example this morning I set off with these two Aussie guys - pilgrims, and went 10kms to Fromista at a very brisk pace to see the amazing Church of Saint Martin of Tours in Fromista and then have a second breakfast at a lovely little cafe in the church square before continuing on slower. Tomorrow I am walking with a Korean gentleman who I met at the local grocery store in Villacalzar de Sirga. He too is going to walk the 32 kms to Terradillos. Hope I make it!!
    As you can see from the photos - the towns, the churches, the countryside are starting to look similar. Perhaps this is why people get bored on the meseta. I have a few more days of this and will tell you how I feel as the days go on. I think I just love to walk, and hope that feeling stays with me.
    More next time!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    1Half way point just outside Sahagun.
    Halfway Compostella.Santa María la Blanca Church in Villalcazar de Sirga.11Met up with old friends.At the halfway point.Trees have been planted to shade pilgrims along this part of the Meseta.Storm clouds gathering.And the rain is a coming....10 minutes later the rain is done!El Burgo Ranero.2Very cute town with bakery. Will stay here next time.Lunch of sardines on a crusty bread with roasted peppers and almond cookies for dessert.A typical pilgrim rest stop in these parts.

    Meseta Part - 2

    30 settembre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Days 25 to 27 (Terradillos de Los Templarios, El Burgo Ranero, Arcahueja) - well folks you will be happy to know that I’m at the end of the Meseta. I have 10 kms to Leon tomorrow morning - it’s the weekend and shops close early afternoon on a Saturday and then don’t reopen till Monday and I need to shop. I need to get some gloves, a warmer jacket and a headlamp for early morning. It’s gotten quite cold and sunrise is later and later - and will be more so after Leon.
    Yesterday I passed the halfway point to Santiago in Sahagun and received my halfway certificate. Today I completed 283 miles - it’s a total of 480 miles to Santiago - all on my two little feet! I do plan to continue on to Finisterre and Muxia which will add another 100 kms or so.
    You’ll also be happy to know that my knees are just fine now and I’ve been doing 18 - 20 miles per day for the last 6 days or so - hence the progress. I have never been happier! I think it’s the endorphins- they’ve really kicked in. I will slow down a bit after Leon so I can enjoy the scenery etc. I think 12 - 15 miles should be my limit.
    But what the recent speed has done is to catch up with several friends and I’m really happy about that. I’m supposed to be dining with 3 groups in Leon on Saturday. These include my Indian friend from Boston, the family from CA that gave me a sleeping bag, the Aussie guys that I walked with a couple of days ago, my young Korean friend that invited me to a chicken dinner at her Airbnb in Burgos and Tony from Tasmania who plans to have a Camino reunion at his home. Not sure how I’m going to handle this group in Leon. Although some of them know each other I may have to have dinner twice. Today I walked again with Peter, the Korean guy who I met in Villacalzar de Sirga a few days ago. He lives in Vegas. He’s doing the Camino for his daughter who died of COVID in the first wave, at the age of 33. I’m going to invite him to dinner with the some of the others.
    I never realized I’m so social, I really get along with all these people. But there have been times when I’ve distanced myself from people. Like the American couple that kept on with “honey this” and “honey that”. I had tacked on to them yesterday in the early morning because they had a headlamp. But he was so overly solicitous and worried that she would fall into a ditch when she was chatting with me that after a while when they bumped into a friend, I took off.
    I’ve been a bit lax about writing and posting daily because when I walk these long distances I average about 3 miles an hour plus stops for food, sights, photos, and just to rest my legs. Then when I get to an Albergue, I check in, shower, wash my clothes, plan and make reservations for the next day, chat with Sunil and anyone else from home that wants to chat and then hang out with other pilgrims and have a drink and then dinner. Sometimes I am in a dorm and share a room with folks that fall asleep at 8:30pm. At other times I don’t have a wifi connection. So it does get tough to upload photos and write something. However I have realized that I forget things very quickly and all these Spanish town and Albergue names merge into one another. It helps to have this blog to keep it straight. You may notice that I added the names of the towns I stayed in at the top of this blog and also the last one.
    Today I’m staying in a hotel in a Leon suburb. Since they cater to the general public and not just pilgrims their restaurant doesn’t open till 8:30 pm - and I’m starving! Anyway this has given me time to update you all. Next post from Leon!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    1Dinner group 111Gaudi Casa Boutines Museum.1Procession - watching from my balcony.1Purvi!Dante's inferno1Dinner group 2

    Leon

    2 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Days 28 and 29 - Leon. I can’t decide which town I like more - Burgos or Leon! There is a 7 day festival going on to celebrate the patron Saint of Leon. My hostel is right on the main street through town and all day there are parades going past my balcony and all night people are partying - loudly! I feel that the Spanish don’t care about money and work - they make sure they have fun, and I really like that about them.
    The cathedral in Leon is absolutely spectacular! From the outside it looks beautiful and on the inside it is breathtaking. There are stained glass windows all around at three levels. And what’s amazing is that from the outside the stained glass windows are not at all obvious.
    The other really nice experience was the Casa Botines designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1892. It now houses the Gaudi Casa Botines Museum - devoted to the architecture and construction of the Casa Boutines as well as some history around Gaudi and his works. I never realized what an architectural genius he was and how prolific.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Finally - some water!!
    1The bridge where the lance charges were staged.1My room at the albergue.1Not a good way to get to Astorga.The good way to get to Astorga.Walking with Brenda.

    Hospital de Orbigo

    3 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Day 30 - Walked 35 kms today from Leon to the town of Hospital de Orbigo. It was a brutal walk - almost all the way on the sidewalk along a highway. My knees were shot by the time I reached this place. It was a warm afternoon and I was out of water. At the outskirts of town I fell upon the water fountain. Aaaahhh!
    Being me, I signed up for a ‘free’ historical guided tour of Hospital de Orbigo . This very cute 20 something explained the story of the knight who had to charge with his lance and break 300 lances of challengers in order to win his lady love. This event was staged on the bridge leading into town.
    The town is very pretty and I stayed in a cute Albergue. I met a humanitarian nurse, Brenda, who walked to Astorga with me.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Plaza Espana, Astorga.
    Astorga Cathedral.Cloisters.11Santa Colomba de Samoza. Rabanal.Stone Boat - my AlbergueMy masseuse Priscilla.End of Day beer in rhe courtyard of Albergue.1Had to taste the flan everywhere for Laura - all have been delicious!

    Astorga and Rabanal Del Camino

    5 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Day 31 in Astorga and Day 32 in Rabanal - it was a short walk to Astorga, 17 kms and then Rabanal, 20 kms. Astorga is a gem of a town. It’s a small town where locals of all ages gather in the town square to eat, drink and just generally hang out. I mostly sat in the square - plaza España and drank wine with Camino friends. I also visited the local cathedral which is quite imposing but doesn’t really compete with the cathedrals in Burgos and Leon.
    Today I arrived in Rabanal early afternoon. It is a beautiful town - everything is made of stone - house walls, the roads, fences etc. After lunch I went for a wonderful ‘deep tissue’ massage that totally relaxed me and relived the knee aches. In the evening I went to hear Gregorian chants in the local church and then a really good pilgrim dinner with friends. The next few days are supposed to be more challenging. Tomorrow there is a very steep descent in the last 10 kms - about 3,500’. My knees are going to take a beating.
    I could get used to this life - wake up early, pack my 5 things into my back pack, walk many kms, arrive and check into Albergue, shower, wash clothes, eat, drink wine, meet up with friends, sight see, and go to sleep. Repeat the next day.    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    2At the entrance to Fontabalin.
    Brautiful morning and yummy breakfast!1Jacob, a young aussie who loves the advice I give him 😀1Dr Steve put the stone he has carried all the way from home on the stone pile.Beautiful mointain views.1Cute mountain villages.2220 out of 767 kms remaining!4The last 10 kms were a rocky and steep descent.Made it!!The square I am staying in tonight1

    Molinaseca

    6 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Day 33 - I made it to Molinaseca! It was only 25 kms but there was a major descent in the last 10 kms that rattled my knees. This was after a climb of about 2,000’ through some beautiful mountain terrain and beautiful villages. While I had liked walking through the plains (the meseta) I was surprised at how happy I was to be back on the mountains. I walked with Dr. Steve - the ER doctor who grows his own turmeric and ginger and makes his own potents using natural ingredients, including some special mushrooms. We stopped for a wonderful breakfast of fried eggs, toast, fresh orange juice and coffee - normally if you stop at a cafe in the morning you just get coffee with tortillas which are made with more potatoes than eggs along with bread. Cruz de Ferro is the highest point in this mountain pass and many people bring a rock from home that they leave here. It signifies the release of some load or emotion. Since I don’t have either 😜, I just shot a photo of Steve depositing the rock his father gave him many years ago.
    Dr Steve admitted to me today that he has on 3 occasions used ibuprofen to reduce inflammation. So guess what? I’m going to have 2 Advils today so that my knees are ready for the 32 km hike to Villafranca tomorrow!
    This evening I sat and calculated how many days I need to complete the journey to Santiago and realized that if I follow the traditional stages, I only have another 9 days to Santiago. After that I have 2 weeks to hang out in Santiago and make the trek to Finisterre and Muxia. The last couple of hundred kms have gone by fast!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Castillo de los Templarios, Ponferrada.
    Town Hall, Ponferrada.2Without change there will be no butterflies.Camponaraya.Iglesia Cacabelos.1VillafrancaIew from my window at the Monestary.Murals in the Monastary hallways.1Grape press for wine.

    Villafranca Del Bierzo

    7 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    Day 34 - walked 32 kms from Molinaseca to Villafranca. Passed through the town of Ponferrada, I didn’t realize it was such a nice town with the ancient (Knights of the) Templar Castle, church and fortifications. I will have to return to this town next time and spend a couple of days here.
    It was a beautiful walk through vineyards with mountains in the back, but didn’t leave early enough so was walking in the hot afternoon. It hadn’t rained for many weeks so the ground was dry and dusty. Got into the beautiful town of Villafranca quite late in the evening and clouds had rolled in and there was some dramatic thunder. I had booked a room in a Hostal that used to be a monastery, very austere but full of character. My Aussie friends Rod and Jamie invited me to visit the cathedral and then (3) drinks but as soon as I was about to leave the Hostal, it started to rain hard. So I didn’t get to do any sight seeing at all! Just a lot of wine and food! Villafranca will also have to be visited again!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Vega de Valcarce.Vega de Valcarce.Vega de Valcarce.Entering Galicia.1Vega de Valcarce.1O'Cebriero.Early morning coffee scene - O'Cebreiro.Leaving O'Cebriero.Before sunrise.Josh and wife have moved to Burgos.1100 year chestnut tree.

    O’Cebreiro and Triacastela

    9 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Day 35 O’Cebreiero and day 36 Triacastela - Left Villafranca early for the 18 mile walk to O’Cebreiro. The last 10 kms of the route was one of the steepest, second only to the climb over the Pyrenees at the beginning of the Camino, but there were some stunning views along the Varcace valley that could not be captured by camera - although I tried. The valley is steep and narrow and heavily wooded with pine and chestnut so quite shady. Some of it reminded me of walks in Uttrakhand. Half way up the climb I stopped at a cute (and very welcome) restaurant for a fabulous meal and made the mistake of having a glass beer - bad choice because I still had a significant climb! Ran into the Aussies when I was at the tail end of the climb. Passed a pleasant half hour chatting while herds of cows passed right behind us. And then on to destination for the night.
    O’Cebreiero is a very cute town that apparently used to be a dairy village and is now a tourist hotspot. Ran into my friend from Vermont - Ginny, and had dinner with her. Somewhere along the way she had taken a bus to catch up. I also ran into Josh who has moved to Burgos from Florida. His wife had done the Camino several years ago and loved it so much that she decided to move here. She teaches English at a local primary school.
    Today, day 36, was similar with hilly terrain, there were some steep climbs and descents with a final steep descent into Triacastela. I walked for a while with the Aussies and Dr Steve and had dinner with a bunch of friends. It’s a small town and all the pilgrims had gathered outside this one restaurant that had seating all along the road.
    Tomorrow I’ll be in Sarria - from there it’s just 100 kms to Santiago!!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    Leaving Triacastela.
    Morning fog over the mountains.1My Aussie friends.2A little art gallery in the middle of nowhere. Like the kitchen in Devanya.With a cute sitting area and garden at the back.2Sarria!!2My steps the last several days....

    Sarria

    10 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Day 37 - The much anticipated rain started early morning. It was light so I set out fairly early. Somewhere along the way my Aussie friends caught up with me and I raced along with them and made it to Sarria in about 5.5 hours - a distance of about 13 miles, initially a climb and then a decent. Some parts of the walk were very reminiscent of the areas around Devanya in Uttrakhand. There was a very cute artists studio in the middle of nowhere that looked like the old stone buildings in Devanya.
    Did I mention that the number of pilgrims has increased by at least five fold. There are now hoards of loud people looking fresh and clean-clothed. People that started the Camino a few towns before Sarria. Gone is the peace and quiet we old timers are used to. There are lines at all the cafes. Luckily, since the lot of us that started at the beginning have gotten fitter over the days and miles - we can race past them. And if we start early, we can be ahead of the crowds.
    As we approached Sarria the rain picked up and we dashed into a coffee shop to warm up a bit. I then ran a few errands and stopped for a bite. As happens on the Camino - sometimes you keep running into the same people. This German guy Carsten, to whom I had once remarked that I see him at least once a day, walked in just as I was finishing a huge hamburger and was on my second beer. So I chatted with him at this warm friendly bar while waiting for my friend Ginny who had organized the apartment we are sharing tonight.
    Given the hoards, it’s getting harder to find places to stay, so we sat down this evening and planned and booked shared facilities till Santiago - Hurrah!    Leggi altro

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  • Deepika SaksenaAdventure on Camino FrancisViaggiatore
    1Old shoes, new shoes.
    Leaving Sarria - sidewalk mosaic of pilgrim.Sunrise over the moon.Mountain villages above the morning mist - looks surreal.Little villges on the way.Windmill in the distance.1A lot of the path was shaded by chestnut and oak trees.Selfie with the 98 km marker.1A pilgrim ?1Made a new friend - while having beer.Portamarin in the distance.Reached!2Birthday Dinner.Birthday dinner with Ginny and Steve.4Thats the pendant!

    Portomarin

    11 ottobre 2022, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Day 38 - Yesterday I had gotten a bit wet in the rain and my shoes had gotten completely soaked! So in Sarria I found a pilgrim equipment shop and looked for shoes similar to what I was wearing. I didn’t find those , but I found a pair of comfortable Keen sandals. I wore those today and they seemed to work fine on the slopes. It was another beautiful walk today, about 14 miles in my brand new Keens. Initially there were hoards of people - because remember I told you that a lot of people join at or near Sarria ? So I walked really fast to get ahead - practically running at times. This paid off and about 6 miles into it I was able to pass most of them and find a wonderful cafe for lunch - a cafe that didn’t have lines. Then stopped in Vilacha, the village just before Portomarin and had a beer at this really cute villa with a courtyard. The owner is Italian and this is his summer home and he runs a bar-cafe. In the winter he lives in A Coruña, a coastal town. I’m quite fascinated by people that have moved from other countries to Spain…and at the same time it amazes me that more people are not moving here. 😀
    Oh and I forgot to mention that it’s my birthday today and my two friends Ginny and Steve took me out to a fancy dinner. They also got me a gift - a silver chain and pendant with a Camino shell. ( Yes Anand, I did get an unexpected gift).    Leggi altro

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