Reset search
Camino de Santiago
  • Todd and Ann Zimmel

Camino de Santiago

On September 5th, Todd and I will set out on a bucket list adventure, hiking 800km of the Camino de Santiago. We are doing the Francés Route, which starts in St. Jean Pied de Port in France and finishes in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read more
FollowInsightsCalendarShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    View this morning of landscape and pilgrims with their headlamps on. Kinda cool
    Started the day with 27kms to go!!View of trail before 7amWas very dark and spooky1Speaking of spooky 🤣1Lots of rain and wind today. 40+mm ☔️Forest with eucalyptus treesMet nice Canadian couple from Gatineau and walked with them for alot of the journeyMajestic horses travelling the Camino this morningLots of umbrellas on display today 🇨🇦One step at a time..... ⛪️Weather is looking better ☀️Menu del diaGreat way to finish our day 😋

    A Salceda to Lavacolla 17.5kms 3.75 hrs

    October 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    It’s been a long time since we have had a rainy day in the Camino, but today made up for it. After our last rainy day walk a few weeks ago, I said never again so I got up this morning and headed straight to the bus stop! Todd is more embracing of all the Camino throws our way and he happily got in his rain gear and headed out at 6:30am for the 17km walk. From his reports, I think he loved every moment of it. I was quite content to get on the bus with all the locals heading into work.
    Dinner tonight with Ira from Brazil (from last night )
    Tomorrow we will make the final 10km walk on a sunny and dry day into Santiago!    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    At 9:30am Ann and I made it to Santiago de Compostela!!
    Arrived with Birgitte and Emily from Denmark and got picturesOur friend Carla from Barcelona who we met on day 1 on the train to Pamplona met us in the squareWe hadn't seen much of each other since day 2 so it was great to see her againNice reunion and she was happy we made itGot a nice picture with herMore bagpipes in the squareWent to the pilgrims mass at noon and was fortunate enough to witness the botafumeiro being usedThe alter in the cathedral was the most beautiful one we've seen in Spain 🤩Afterwards we enjoyed chocolate churros and cafe con leche at a local cafeWe took a picture with our bags because it symbolized all we needed was in those bags2Went to the pilgrims office and got our Compostela and Certificate of Distance 👍We did a little souvenir shoppingMet with Mark from New Zealand for dinner and he was kind enough to pay 😊1Compare the kms from this picture from Day 2 in Roncesvalles to Santiago picWalked Mark to a pub that had the Rugby World Cup between Ireland & New Zealand. Go Kiwis!!Swinging of the botafumeiro in the cathedral at the end of noon mass. Doesn't happen every mass. 🤩

    We made it! Lavacolla to Santiago 10kms

    October 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    35 days, 779km, multiple blisters, amazing new friendships and an experience like none other.
    It was a beautiful day to walk into Santiago from Lavacolla, only 10km today. We walked with Birgitte and Emily from Denmark. They are a lovely mother and daughter that we only met a week ago but have made a great connection with. I cannot explain the feeling as we approached the city. It just didn’t seem real after all these days. The Cathedral didn’t come into view until we were almost there. What an impressive and breathtaking site. One of our very first friends we met on the Camino was Carla, a lovely young woman from Barcelona who we met on the train to Pamplona. We only walked with her the first few days but our connection with her was strong and we kept in touch though out our Camino. We only saw her one other time while walking. She arrived in Santiago a couple of days before us and she was in the square waiting for us as we walked in. It was so nice to see her again. We also met with Clair from France who we walked with for almost 3 weeks at the beginning of our Camino. She came into Santiago a few hours after us and we had a nice reunion with her. After arriving in Santiago we headed to the pilgrim office where we received our final stamp on our credentials and our Compostela and Certificate of Distance. Very special mementos for us. We then attended the Pilgrim mass in the Cathedral where we were treated to the swinging of the Botafumerio…. It doesn’t happen at every mass so we were blessed to be able to experience it.
    This evening we met up with Mark from New Zealand who we shared a nice afternoon with a few weeks ago. After dinner, Mark rushed off to a pub to catch a big rugby match between New Zealand and Ireland. I think he could be in for a fun night by the looks of the place.
    Our last day in the Camino is drawing to close and although we had our struggles along the way, it exceeded our expectations by far. Hard to believe we won’t have to wake up early and start walking in the morning…although something tells me Todd might still do so.    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Left Santiago on the 15th "in style" for Porto Portugal
    Our home in Porto was in a working train station 🚆The name is The Passenger HostelOur hotel in the train stationThis was our room. 2 story family room below and bedroom above. Still had shared bathroomBathrooms were clean and spacious and looked out over the train station. Was very cool and uniqueView from our roomMet up with our friends from Canada at the train station as they were leaving for LisbonThis giant fishing net is a monument to the fishing industry in PortoAnn and I enjoyed fresh sea bass in Matosinhos which is near Porto1Statue represents the heartache wives & kids suffered when their husbands didn't return from the seaThe area has beautiful beaches and the biggest waves in the world are found in PortugalThe Camino runs through Porto. 🤔You can see Porto is a very hilly city. Good cardio workoutOne of the many narrow streets in Porto. Lots of great restaurantsPorto is the birthplace of Port wine which we are not a fan ofWe left early (4:30am) by train on the 18th for The Algarve

    3 Days in Porto, Portugal

    October 15, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    We left Santiago de Compostela on October 15th in the rain. After over a month of hot and sunny days, the weather has changed and the rains have moved in.
    We took the bus to Porto, Portugal and then a taxi to our hostel, yes another hostel. This time we had a beautiful private two story loft with a living room. We still had a shared bathroom but it was beautiful, clean and spacious and looked out onto the train tracks.
    We spent day 1 exploring the old town of Porto. On day 2, we met up with friends from Canada, Diane and Erwin and their daughter Kim. We will meet up with Diane and Erwin again in a few days in The Algarve.
    We then did the Hop on Hop off bus to do more exploring and ended up in a little fishing village called Matosinhos. The smell of fish permeated the air. We had one of our most delicious meals there. Sea bass and crème brûlée and chocolate mousse for dessert. We also had Vinho Verde, which translates to Green wine, referring more to age than colour. It is a young wine that is from this region.
    Porto is the birthplace of Port wine, neither of us is a fan.
    Next stop….The Algarve….    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Our home for 6 days. The street was originally where all the fishermen lived
    The house and the village is built on a hill overlooking the Atlantic OceanBeautiful mural taking shape of our neighbours homeAnn modelling our kitchen and family roomErwin in the family room with fireplace2 bedrooms2 bathroomsPlace has beautiful lower terrace with motorized awningUpper terrace is spacious and has incredible viewsOur first toast on the upper terraceFirst evening sunset 🌅1360 degree view of our beach on a rainy blustery dayFound a great fresh food market and bought red snapper and dourado fishThe lady did a great job gutting and butterflied our fish for the BBQPrepped the fish with butter and seasonings2Made a delicious fish dinner in our barbequeSmells from the BBQ were mouth watering 🤤Dinnertime 🥘Next night sunset

    Our home in the Algarve; Carvoeiro

    October 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We arrived in Carvoeiro on October 18th with our friends from home, Erwin and Diane. We will spend the next 6 nights here. This was our reward to ourselves for completing the Camino. Our Villa far exceeded our expectations. Two beautiful terraces with a view of the ocean and cliffs. I think I could spend the entire time sitting on the terrace staring out to sea. On our first full day, we headed to the local fish market and bought some red snapper and dourada fish. The lady at the market cleaned it all up for us. Diane worked her magic in preparing the fish for the grill. Todd and Erwin worked their magic on the grill…I cleaned up! It was delicious.Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Visit to Sagres. The south western edge of Portugal 🇵🇹
    The lighthouse at SagresWinds were brisk by the waterOne of the lighthouses that dots the coast200 Steps to the beachGetting to the beach was treacherousAnn on the beach in SagresBut the beach was spectacularCrazy intense wavesBeach at Lagos was like our beaches back home. Long and wide and the water was more calmAnother 🌈Todd Ann Diane ErwinComing home from our adventureSunsets tonightThis furry friend was on our roof making noise and looking for shelterMe-owww

    Visit to Sagres and Lagos

    October 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    We got into the car today to explore some of the other villages in the Algarve. We started in Sagres which is the western most point in the Algarve. The views of the Atlantic are spectacular. We also visited Lagos. The beach there is wide and long. It’s a beautiful beach but doesn’t have the cliffs. So far, we are liking Carvoeiro the best.Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Getting ready for a 3 hour tour, a 3 hour tour
    Well to do family own this working castleAmazing how close we came to the side of the cliffSmugglers Cave. Pirates used to hide in this caveCheck out the daredevil at the top2Walkway down to the water on the backside of CarvoeiroBeautiful views of Carvoeiro from the waterIncredible rock formation in CarvoeiroYou can see people hanging out of the cavesWow 🤩Splash of the wavesMost famous cave. Beach inside the caveCave with light from dome above.Incredible wave action and cave view of beach insidePeople gone overboardStorks nesting in Portimão

    Boat Cruise to Benagil Caves

    October 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Today we drove about a half hour to Portimao to do a boat tour to the Benagil Caves. Normally the boats go into the caves but due to the rough water we could only see them from the coastline. They were still magnificent to see. We had some good sized swells, which eventually made me feel a little queasy but I managed to keep it all together and still thoroughly enjoyed almost every moment of the ride. Todd, Diane and Erwin were all good and didn’t feel a thing. At one point, we were offered the opportunity to jump into the water. No one on our boat did but a couple of people from the other boat did. Wow….they were brave.
    As we were coming back to dock the skies were turning dark. We got in just in time
    All in all a beautiful day to be on the water.    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    2It had rained all morning and then the day became picture perfect. So to the cliffs we went 🤩
    The sea gave us quite a show...It was one wave .....After another.....And another....And another.....Ann and I couldn't take our eyes off the waves. They just kept coming & comingIn Portugal they dont have chickens in their yard they have turkeys 🤣Went to an amazing Indian restaurant with Erwin & Diane. 😋Had to try a traditional Indian beer called Cobra 🐍 🍻Food was fabulous!!Our steep walk home after dinnerOne more wave video 🤣

    The Magic of Carvoeiro 🤩

    October 22, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    What started as a dull rainy day turned into an incredible show by Mother Nature. After the torrential rain stopped, the sun came out and warmed us up. We took advantage and went to the boardwalk. We were amazed at the size of the waves crashing up and over the cliffs. We actually saw two people get knocked over by a wave, they were lucky they weren’t washed out to sea. It was mesmerizing to watch the power of the waves, and scary too.
    The day ended with one of our favourite meals of the entire trip at Ghurka Kitchen, an Indian/Nepalanese restaurant. So good.    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Church in Silves by the Fort
    Fort SilvesThe protector of the FortIf you were an attacking army would this scare you away?? 🤣Damsel in distress 😊Display of animals in need or who have been rescued.Olive trees within the walls. These trees are everywhere in spain and Portugal. 😋Portugal is known for their elaborate tile workStopped for all-you-can-eat sushi 🍱 and it was delicious 🤤Storks enjoying the afternoon sun ☀️

    Trip to Silves

    October 23, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Silves is a quiet historical village just north of Carvoeiro. We had all you can eat sushi and Chinese food for lunch for only €12. It was great value for what we got.
    A nice little half day trip…Carvoeiro still is our favourite village in The Algarve.Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Pano of a hidden beach in Carvoeiro. Stunning!! Turn it sideways for the full pano effect
    Saw this hidden beach in Carvoeiro when we did the boat tour of the benagil cave & had to explore itGreat day to test out the waves 🌊Interesting trek down to the beachWatch your stepWaves were intenseCrazy surf. Needed your wits about youSome big waves coming.Bake and Flake (Diane came up with this term) on our last day in the AlgarveIncredible rock formationsAnn did not even get wet. Almost time to go!!We didn't want to leave but the tide was coming in and this beach disappearsWaves were crashing 🌊Said a reluctant goodbye 👋Beach during the day....& as the sun was about to set 🤩 🌅Back at our place we enjoyed sunset with some wine with Erwin and Diane2Great memories. Hope to return someday soon!! 🤞 🙏

    Beachtime 🏖️ in Carvoeiro

    October 23, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Our last afternoon in Carvoeiro was like a day in Paradise. After our visit to Silves we went to Praia Paradiso on “the other side” of the main Carvoeiro beach. We had to walk up a big hill then down too many stairs to count to get to the beach. The waves were still strong so we didn’t go too far in but managed to get all wet. The water was actually pleasant, warmer than I had expected the Atlantic to be in October. We had a lot of fun being tossed around in the waves and then enjoyed soaking up the sun and scenery.
    Back at our terrace we enjoyed wine with a beautiful sunset !! What a beautiful way to finish up our time in The Algarve.    Read more

  • Todd and Ann ZimmelCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    Arrived in Lisbon on the night of the 24th & had a delicious meal of cod fish & spaghetti carbonero
    Lisbon is very hilly so they have elevators to help people get up and down to see the sites1Tram 28 is famous in Lisbon because it inexpensively takes you to all the hot spotsArco da Rua AugustaSo many tourists by the arch. Tourism is alive and well!!Selfie with the gang beside the Terreiro do PacoMonument of Christ overlooking the cityMan in square making bubbles for the kids and the kids at heartA giant panda 🐼 also made a guest appearanceWe did a walking tour of the city and learned about St Anthony and this statue represents him1Legend has it when you throw a coin and it lands on the book you will meet the love of your life 😂Portugal is known for decorating their home with tile work Lisbon has a museum that celebrates tileThey make their own cherry Liquor and sell it from their homes.We sampled the cherry liquor in chocolate cups. It was delicious & ....after we ate the chocolate cups 😋1One of the many monuments that line the streets of LisbonEnjoy traditional Portuguese sandwich called Bifana. Spiced pork with cheese on a bun.Savage Pigeons enjoying the Bifana also 🤣Lisbon is so hilly they even have outdoor escalators4Tonight we say goodbye to Lisbon and goodbye to our trip of a lifetime!! Thanks for joining us 👋

    Visit to Lisbon

    October 24, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    It’s hard to believe that this great adventure that we began on September 5th is coming to an end tomorrow. We can’t begin to express how incredible this experience has been for us. So many amazing places and interesting people we have met along the way. We had our share of down days but overall this experience was so much better than we ever imagined.
    As sad as we are to have this come to an end we are excited to return home and see our family, friends and of course, Ginger and Luna.
    Our last couple of days in Lisbon have been wonderful. It’s a beautiful city!!! It was a nice way to end our journey.
    Thanks to everyone who followed us and encouraged us along the way.
    Now to finish packing up one last time …..🥲    Read more

    Trip end
    October 26, 2023
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice