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Camino Frances 2025
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  • Kimmie Nguyen

Camino Frances 2025

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    🇨🇦 Calgary, Canada
    Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1

    Day 32 - Paris to Calgary

    1 Disember, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    I was up early, had breakfast at the hotel, showered again, and caught the 9:30 am hotel shuttle to ORLY airport a few minutes away. The shuttle driver asked me in French after drop off where my jacket was and made the motion of rubbing his arms as if cold. I just replied, "Oh... Canada!" to explain why my jacket was around my waist instead of on me. He said, "Ah!" and nodded with understanding and a smile.

    It took me a while to find the train in the airport so I was glad I had extra time. I used their kiosk to purchase an airport transfer for 15 euros and then took the train to Antony Station before transferring to the REB B line to get to Charles de Gaulle airport. The first ride was 6 minutes and the second one was an hour. A French gentleman asked me if I had done the camino and how many km as he got off our train. I said about 800 km and he said, "Very good!" He waved again as my train pulled away :)

    My train will arrive ar CDG at 11:30 am with 3 hours until my flight leaves. I grabbed lunch and bought some more souvenirs. Boarded the plane at 2:15 PM.

    I'm very excited to get back home to Canada!    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    111

    Day 31 - Santiago Airport to Paris

    30 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    I had churros and hot chocolate one last time this morning with Tobias and I admired all the pastries on display and bought one baguette for later.

    I also picked up items from the Santiago Correos post office I had forwarded from Burgos a few weeks ago. I almost had a heart attack when Google Maps said they were closed on Sundays but it was open when I arrived.

    I took the 6A direct bus to the airport from the intermodal train/bus station for 1 euro.

    Den was already at the airport since he had a flight to Madrid en route to Rome. We met at the airport cafe for a bit to grab a bite and chat about the camino before boarding our flights. He said he didn't learn anything on the camino and it just felt like a holiday. For me, it felt like work!

    I will stay in Paris overnight and then transfer to their other airport tomorrow to catch my final flight back to Calgary. I had booked an aisle seat but was lucky no one was in my row so I moved to the window seat!

    When I got to the airport, I grabbed my backpack and was told to go to the 15a exit and wait for a hotel shuttle in the D1 station. I couldn't seem to call the hotel from my phone to request a shuttle so I asked a local to make the call for me. It took about 10 min to arrive while I waited in the chilly open station stop. My room was nice and warm though and I got a hot bath in while I waited for the Portuguese restaurant on site to open at 7pm. In the meantime, I've also washed my hiking shoes which were filthy from all the mud and muck I accumulated on the last day hiking into Santiago. They're sitting outside of my window on a ledge and will hopefully be somewhat dry before tomorrow morning.

    I paid for the hotel breakfast and plan to take the shuttle back to the airport tomorrow before 10 am. I then have to take public transit to make the transfer from ORLY airport to CDG airport (which takes about an hour 15 min), check in at CDG around 11:30 am and board my flight which leaves at 2:30 pm local time and arrives in Calgary at 4:00 pm.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    3
    Taking pictures of us taking pictures of the food1

    Day 30 - PM - Santiago de Compostela

    29 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    We checked into our hostel and had our farewell dinner.

    Christmas decorations are up and make the walk over to the restaurant a pretty sight.

    I ordered a coke with dinner but Dunyao didn't want to pay for overpriced soda. He said he would buy a big bottle afterwards and drink it. Tobias prefers Coke Zero. They both went to the grocery store afterwards to purchase some. Me and Dan waited back at the hostel for them because I wanted to say my final goodbyes that night. When they got back they wanted to have their cola right away so we ended up going to the third floor kitchen to have a cola party lol. We got some final pictures with the 4 of us and I headed back to my room. I was very tired!Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1
    231211

    Day 30 - AM - A Calle to Santiago

    29 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    The Koreans' alarm went off at 6 am and with 5 of them packing, I won't be going back to bed. The restaurant here opens at 7 am so its a good idea to get up as well, have breakfast, pack up and leave too. There will be rain around 9am which is about half an hour to an hour before we'd likely reach O Pedrouzo and find shelter and another meal. We will get into Santiago in the afternoon.

    Our albergue offered a very basic breakfast for 4 euros consisting of toast, butter, jam, coffee, and orange juice. Me and Toby partook while Dan and Dunyao will wait 2.5 hours to have breakfast in the next open town.

    Yesterday was challenging with many ups and downs and it looks like today's route profile will be the same. I'm happy to get some food in me before starting the day and may have 2nd breakfast in a few hours :)

    I left before Tobias and promptly got lost lol. I was lucky that as I turned back, Tobias and another pilgrim were coming towards me and we made the right turn at the same time. I just followed them with their bright headlamps until it grew light.

    We caught up to the Koreans at Cafe Mira in O Pedrouzo around 10 am. Dan and Dunyao got lost twice so the Koreans must've gotten lost 4 times if they left 45 minutes before us lol. The rain started early and kept up much of the day so I was glad I had my umbrella.

    I think Toby and I wanted to see if we really were faster than the South Koreans or not. We left the cafe at almost the same time and then Tobias just took off. I rushed to follow him because he always helps me set the pace. We passed most Koreans easily but there was one guy that was like full out running. Legend has it he is still running lol. We can't tell if he made it into Santiago before us or if he dipped into a cafe at some point because we never saw him again and we took no breaks for 4 hours until we arrived in Santiago. Trying to overtake him made the day go faster lol.

    Me and Toby arrived first from our group and got some photos at the cathedral and then some ramen and dessert at an upscale food court. Dan and Dunyao met us after and joined for some food. They kept their meal light because they want to have a good dinner tonight. We all headed back to the cathedral for group photos before it got dark. I went to the albergue first while the rest of them went to get their certificates of completion (compostela). I already have one so didn't feel the need to get a second one.

    We all got a private rooms with private bathrooms tonight in the same albergue.

    Tomorrow Dan and Dunyao will take a bus to Muxia and plan to hike to Finisterre and then bus back to Santiago. I think Tobias plans to take a rest day in Santiago before hiking to Finisterre and then Muxia. Tonight will likely be our farewell dinner.

    Note to self: I will need to pick up my stuff from the Santiago post office before heading to the bus station to catch a bus to the airport.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    11

    Day 29 - Palas de Rei to A Calle

    28 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Today was a 30 km day. Dan and Dunyao left first and me and Tobias caught up with them in the afternoon.

    The Koreans told me at breakfast they would go to A Calle to shorten their day tomorrow so I reserved 4 beds as well through Whatsapp. Today will be the last day they're open before they close for the season!

    I really enjoyed our breakfast and let the owner know how much I appreciated their food and service and that I could tell they pay attention to the details.

    Everyone had churros today.

    We had dinner at the albergue and arrived just before 6 pm.

    I introduced Dunyao to mayochup and pate lol.

    Tobias spotted kiwis in the trees.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    Dan insisted we all pose like this
    Free snacks and drinks for pilgrimsAdding Taiwan and Guangzhou to the map1Stay there so I can go down and take a picture - KimmieThe picture!GoPro footage!1My dinner order - meat platter for 2!

    Day 28 - AM - Portomarin to Palas de Rei

    27 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    We slept in until almost 8 am, had breakfast at the albergue before we left and got our coffee fix in good order on the road. It was beautiful weather so we had a very pleasant walk. It also helped that I slept really well with 4 blankets including 1 that Dunyao got me. Dan only slept with 2 blankets and told me she didn't have a good sleep because she was cold last night.

    I was very speedy today after a later start so I walked ahead of my group and visited an albergue I stayed at back in 2023 at Ligonde. They had free snacks and beverages for pilgrims and a 75 km stamp for our pilgrim passports. They also had everyone stick a pin in a map to show where they're from.

    I waited for my friends to catch up to me at this point so I could show them this great find and so we could take group photos.

    We dined at a restaurant before arriving in Palas de Rei and they had great food, including a giant meat platter we struggled to finish and delicious seafood and vegetable stews.

    I was surprised when my friends wanted to eat again at 9:00 pm when I was still stuffed from our early dinner! We had thick hot chocolate, toast, mandarins, and ramen.

    Tomorrow we have our long day of almost 40 km. Dan will try and get a luggage transfer so she can walk without a backpack but the rest of us will walk with ours.

    There were only 2 other guests at our albergue - a South American girl who started in Sarria and another gentleman that Dunyao was familiar with.

    Along the way we also ran into the East Asian gang - a group of South Koreans, Taiwanese, and Japanese pilgrims.

    *Change of plans. We cant walk as far as we want because neither albergue is open in that town. We will only do 30 km tomorrow and have to do a long day into Santiago instead.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara

    Day 27 - PM - Sarria to Portomarin

    26 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Hot chocolate and churros
    Dan made pasta for the first time
    Tobias and Dan planning for tomorrow's destination and albergue

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1211

    Day 27 - AM - Sarria to Portomarin

    26 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    Last night was very cold. It was warm when we went to bed but it seems heaters got turned off at some point in the night to conserve energy. I had to get up and put on a sweater and bury myself under two blankets to get back to sleep. It is also a slow start since Dan woke up a bit later than planned so we will leave closer to 9 am instead of 8 am as planned. Everyone else has left. All the guests last night were women and the majority of them were French. They seemed very close and I wondered if they had come together to do the camino or if they had met along the way and forged strong bonds.

    It isn't really a concern with a late start. Today will be a shorter day and we should arrive within 5 hours around 2 pm after taking breaks. We originally planned to do 30 km a day minimum x 3 days to shorten our last day to 20 km into Santiago (so we can arrive at noon and sightsee). Our friends are a day behind though so we will only walk 22 km to allow them to walk 37 km to catch up with us today. It would be great to spend the last few days together and arrive in Santiago together.

    There were many new faces today and Dan found some familiar ones! We came across two South Koreans Dan had met on Day 2. They haven't seen each other since that day so it has been 24 days now! She noticed they have changed; they aren't so shy anymore and are very talkative and comfortable conversing in English. Dan was also happy to meet some more asians who spoke Mandarin from Taiwan. We got some group photos together at the 100 km marker. I also got some videos of Dan trying to get apples off a tree lol.

    It was nice to see more available cafes on this last 100 km stretch of the camino and we've also found another cafe for churros and hot chocolate tonight. Dan insists on cooking Chinese pasta tonight and told me to just relax and rest given my bad sleep last night.

    I rung the Liberty Bell just before Portomarin and recreated old memories by having Dan take some more photos of me on the bridge and steep steps leading into town.

    We booked a double room and arrived before 3pm.

    Description of the section
    At first light, a multitude of pilgrims set off down Calle Mayor in Sarria. The increase in numbers is notable from this town onwards and the Camino features more services and accommodation options. Today's section is a surprise that everyone enjoys. It's Galicia in its purest form: woodland, crops, cart trails, winter walkways and farmhouses come together perfectly in the rural landscapes of this region. Around 20 places in the municipalities of Sarria and Paradela, many of them with a bar, albergue or even a shop, begin to peep out between forests to tend to pilgrims' needs. This section features on a good number of postcards, but the approach to Portomarín along the banks of the Miño is also memorable, as is the ascent up the staircase of the ancient bridge leading to the Chapel of La Virgen de las Nieves.

    Complications
    The terrain in this section is fairly forgiving for Galicia. In the first hour of walking, there is a sudden and harsh ascent to As Paredes of just 600 metres. Within the first 13.5 kilometres, the path progressively ascends between Morgade and Ferreiros from 425 metres above sea level to 675 metres. From kilometre 16.5, reached between As Rozas and Moimentos, the path generally heads downhill.

    Detours and variations
    After crossing the Áspera bridge at the start of this stage, there is an additional route that is 1.6 kilometres shorter than the main Way. However, we recommend taking the usual route, guided by the characteristic milestones that signal the distance. At the 93.713 marker between Vilachá and Portomarín, there are three ways to approach the Belesar reservoir, which are described in the Alerts for the town of Vilachá. All the routes are also shown on the map on the app.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara

    Day 26 - Monbus from Fisterra to Sarria

    25 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    I woke up to my 6:30 am alarm and hastily got ready, made my breakfast and lunch, cleaned up, and packed my backpack. Checked out of the apartment at 8:00 am to catch my first of two busses. The first from Fisterra to Santiago de Compostela and then a transfer from there to Sarria. In the summer, theses busses are packed with a capacity for over 50 people and run frequently throughout the day but today there were only half a dozen people onboard. The later season has definitely deterred many people from walking the camino with it being wetter, colder, and fewer things open.

    Dan met me at the albergue in Sarria after taking a taxi 40 km from O Cebreiro. Toby and Dunyao will catch up with us later this week or in Santiago on the 29th. Many pilgrims we've met are several days behind so we may not see them again before we leave.

    She reported today had been a miserably cold and wet day to walk from other people so she was really glad she had an excuse to take a taxi. She had originally bought a bus ticket but missed the bus texting with me. She also talked about how cold and windy it had been in the mountains the last few days. The last place she stayed at was all brick with no proper heating and insulation so it was colder inside than outside! She was relieved it was noticeably warmer in Sarria which is sitting around a high of 9 degrees celsius vs 0 degrees in the mountains.

    I had gotten groceries before arriving at the albergue so I could cook a hot soup for her before she arrived. I changed my mind when the owner told me there was an extra 10 euro charge to use the kitchen. I wasn't willing to pay it on principle when the listing never mentioned it and included photos of a full kitchen. I will return the groceries for a refund and we'll go get some seafood instead.

    On the topic of food, Dan also told me she has gotten addicted to churros and hot chocolate after I introduced them to her in Leon. She has been to 3-4 different churro places since I last saw her so we decided to go to one before dinner today. There are always variations of the hot chocolate or churros so it's nice to try different restaurants. Sometimes the hot chocolate isn't great bc it is just hot milk with a pack or cocoa powder. We enjoyed the thick hot chocolate at the cafe we found but she found the churros a bit greasy.

    We have both been frustrated by the lack of open cafes and restaurants and agreed that if we ever returned for another camino, it would be in the spring or fall - around September or early October. We really need good food to be happy!

    Dan generously treated for churros and a seafood dinner. We had so much paella left over that it will be our breakfast tomorrow morning. We got back after 10 pm and I was so tired I fell asleep quickly.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    222

    Day 25 - Fisterra Rest Day

    24 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Slow mornings are the best! I want to go see the lighthouse today which is a 45 min walk away but it was rainy and overcast again this morning. I will wait until it is sunny and the threat of rain subsides which is in a few hours. It would also be great to watch the sunset around 6pm before returning to my apartment tonight.

    I debated going out for breakfast but none of the restaurants seemed to have a great breakfast offering. I really enjoyed my cheesy chorizo omelet sandwich from yesterday so I went and bought groceries to recreate it. I bought a whole carton of eggs so will have to use them up by tomorrow morning. It will be eggs for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and breakfast again. Any eggs that don't get cooked will be boiled tomorrow morning so I can take them on the bus as a snack.

    I was able to get all my ingredients at a grocery store 6 minutes down the road. The baguette was still warm which made my mouth almost water.

    I fried the chorizo in margarine, beat my eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper, and buttered my baguette. It was quite delicious!    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara

    Day 24 - PM - O Logoso to Fisterra

    23 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    I am enjoying the apartment all to myself. Laundry is done and I just relaxed before having dinner at a popular local seafood restaurant. I ordered the tasting menu and it did not disappoint! It included razor clams, pink scallops, fish with salad and potatoes, bread, dessert, and coffee. I used the bread to sop up all the lemon-y seafood juices once I had devoured the clams. I left the restaurant very sated and very happy - as happy as a clam!Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    Almost to Fisterra!The path splits to the left for Finisterre and to the right for MuxiaWhy would they put this statue in the forest??!My apartment building

    Day 24 - AM - O Logoso to Fisterra

    23 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    I am packing and will be leaving today at 8 am. Today's hike is approximately 28 km to Fisterra. It is another 3.3 km to Faro de Fisterra to get to the 0 km marker and lighthouse which I will do either after I check in at my penthouse apt or tomorrow. There is a restaurant on the top of that hill with great views of the sunset. I should take 6 hours without breaks amd arrive around 3 pm if I take 2 short breaks and make good time. The route profile shows a steep decline so that may be a bit ambitious but we shall see.

    It is still dark when leaving at 8 am as sunset is at 8:30 am today. It started to rain lightly and then pretty constantly as I left so I had to stop and put on all my rain gear. I didn't have to walk far to find a cafe for breakfast which was an omelette chorizo bocadillo and agua caliente. When I finished breakfast it looked like the rain had subsided so it had been a good time to take a meal break. I was the only pilgrim there but there were some locals hanging out at the bar. They looked to be hunters by their camo wear and were talking animatedly. Perhaps he was recounting a kill from that morning...

    As I finished breakfast and paid, the owner inquired if I was going to Finisterre. When I affirmed this, she warned me there would be nothing open for the next 15 km or 3 hours so I purchased an apple and chocolate croissant to go. She also asked me in Spanish where I had stayed last night and she was surprised I had been in Logoso. The albergue is closed she said in Spanish. I told her I stayed in a private room and she replied, "Ah, privado!" How many pilgrims were there?? Just me - uno! And she nodded. "Poquito peregrinos," I stated and she agreed and said a bunch of things in Spanish which I did not understand. I have noticed any small attempt to speak Spanish is appreciated and you get better treatment or a warmer reception. I wish I had studied some Spanish before doing the camino again but I only had 2 weeks to plan this time.

    It felt like both a short day and a long day. The first few hours passed quickly but the last half dragged on. I was eager to see the coast so pushed ahead even when I wanted to stop for food or take longer breaks. I finally took a nice break an hour from Finisterre to watch the waves lapping on the shore. The last 40 minutes of the walk left the highway behind and I walked on a path parallel with the coastline which was nice and serene.

    I arrived in Finisterre and stayed pretty dry until the last 20 minutes. It began to rain out of nowhere and I got almost soaking wet within 5 minutes before I could even get my rain gear on. I don't know if having it on at the time would've helped because the wind was whipping it everywhere anyways. I'm just glad I got drenched at the end of my walk and not at the beginning because it felt freezing after that.

    Someone met me at the apartment and offered to take my mochilla (backpack) for me but I politely declined. I regretted that when he told me there was no elevator (as usual) so I had to climb 4 flights of stairs with it lol

    I was happy to see there was a bathtub - I've only seen one other bathtub this entire camino. I quickly unpacked, charged my phone and ran the bathtub to get warm. After a long hot soak, I felt much better.

    I wanted to find a supermarket but they're all closed because it's Sunday! Thankfully I had some emergency food in my backpack - one chicken ramen I've been carrying for days, Karl's leftover surprise chocolates, and a protein bar the American sisters had given me 3 days ago. This will tide me over until the restaurants offer their dinner menu which is usually around 7:30 - 8:30 pm.

    I'm happy to stay here for two nights because there no rush to get up and check out tomorrow. The skylights in this penthouse open up which would've been ideal in the summer. I hope it is clear enough to do some stargazing tonight and if the rain ends, it could be nice to open them to listen to the ocean.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara

    Day 23 - PM - Negreira to O Logoso

    22 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    I arrived at my hostel at 5:30 pm. An older lady greeted me and even though she spoke no English, we were able to establish I'd stay for dinner. It seems I am the only pilgrim here and I would like to support her business so will stay instead of leaving for another restaurant as I had planned. I think I agreed to soup (sopa) instead of salad and fish instead of meat (carne) for 13 euros. She asked me what time I wanted to eat and I said around 7:30 pm so she will come knock on the door when dinner's ready in about half an hour.

    Today's walk wasn't too bad despite the rain. It was cold at times but I just threw on my jacket, neck warmer, gloves and shoved my hands into my pockets to stay warm.

    A nice hot shower after check in has warmed me up and I am snuggled in an extra thick blanket as I update this post.

    There were very few pilgrim sightings. I saw 4 of them walking in the opposite direction because they may have started the Camino Finisterre from Finisterre and are going backwards to Santiago where I started or they may be on a different camino route - they all converge in Santiago de Compostela.

    My room is nice with a double bed and private bathroom. I hope my hand washed clothes will dry overnight on the heaters!

    She came and knocked on my door at 7:40 pm and invited me down the dining room. It was a large room with a long dining table and only one place setting which confirmed I was her only overnight guest. A large China cabinet proudly displayed photos of her beloved grandchildren and tableware and glassware and you could find toys peeking from under tables and behind sofas.

    She asked me what I wanted to drink to start. I told her agua (water) but forgot the word for hot in Spanish so I made the motion of touching a hot stove and the sound of sizzling. She nodded comprehendingly and used her hands to show a big explosion. I thought maybe this was a volcanic eruption which is very hot and nodded enthusiastically.

    .... Then she brought me sparkling bottled water instead which I just accepted lol.

    Next, she brought me a large bowl of hot noodle soup and insisted I have seconds because poquito peregrinos (not many pilgrims). She was very attentive and checked on my eating progress every few minutes. I didn't want to insult her cooking by not eating enough so I ate much more than I needed to please her. I finished all the fish and half the potatos and was stuffed before dessert arrived. She gave me yogurt and ice cream for dessert options and I chose the latter.

    I stared across the table out her expansive windows as I waited and as the dark abyss of the night stared back, I suddently felt very grateful I had relented and agreed to stay for dinner. Otherwise I would've had to walk into that cold, dark night for 12 minutes each way to get a hot meal. Instead I was sitting here in a warm room and tended to by a very kind host. I was enjoying a delicious, home cooked meal and she said bon provecho (bon apetit) every time she brought out a new offering.

    After dessert, she inquired if I wanted coffee as well but I passed because I was soo full and just wanted to climb back into my warm bed. I used google translate and read to her:

    "Gracias por una deliciosa cena y su calida hospitalidad. Que tenga una buena noche."

    I am pretty sure I butchered the pronunciation but she was happy to hear these words and laughed out loud.

    Translation is: Thank you for a delicious dinner and your warm hospitality. Have a good night.

    I made sure to also tip her and she was doubly pleased for this.

    I told her buenos noches one last time before heading back to my room to relax before bed.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    Walking yesterday in the forest at duskWalking yesterday on the road after dark1Place mat showing some of the different camino routes - definitely not an exhaustive list!

    Day 23 - AM - Negreira to O Logoso

    22 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    Yesterday's walk could've ended disastrously. The late start, a 1.5 hour lunch break, inclines that made it hard to speed up, meandering pace early in the day, and the decision to go 8 km past the recommended stopping point meant I arrived at my destination after 7 pm when it was dark. I had started the day with only a half charged phone and it was down to 3% when I arrived. I should've stopped before 6 pm when it was still somewhat light out. Instead I had to walk through forests in the dark which was freaking me out. I made the decision to get off the recommended path and followed the road instead. The shoulder was really narrow so it was quite dangerous. I walked on the left shoulder so I could see incoming cars and held my headlamp in my hands so I could wave it around to signal to incoming cars I was by the road. All the drivers noticed me and would slow down or drive closer to the right shoulder to give me a wider berth.

    I called Karl to keep me company while I walked for almost an hour in the dark. He kept me calm, reassured me, and helped me navigate by tracking my GPS location so I could conserve my phone battery by keeping the screen off. He was a lifesaver!

    I was so glad and relieved when I finally made it to my albergue and so was Karl who was probably stressing even more than me!! I got the Pilgrim's dinner after checking in which included a lentil soup, pasta, homemade cake, and red wine. I dined with 3 others - a Polish woman from US, Peter from Czech Republic, and Matthias from Poland. Me and the woman were lucky to have the entire second floor to ourselves and slept really well with thick blankets and a heater.

    Since I had gone an extra 8 km yesterday, I could afford to have a bit of a later start at 9am today after breakfast (eggs, bacon, bread, and coffee). I was glad I had breakfast at the hostel because the next cafe was 3 hours away at Bar Casa Victoriano where I had a chocolate croissant and orange juice.

    The forecast called for rain around noon but it has mostly been a light mist which can still soak you through in an hour. I arrived in Olveiroa around 3:30 pm which was my original destination but decided to go a little further to treat myself to a private room in O Logoso which also looked like it had a stellar restaurant in town. As I walked through Olveiroa though, I was seduced by the delicious smells coming from a restaurant/bar. The place was packed and the only seating available was at the bar. I decided to stop and have lunch there and ordered their pork tenderloin and tiramisu. Once I am done eating, I should still have enough daylight to make it to my hostel well before 6pm.

    I had lunch here:
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/yHaRwkqNamvrhbWH6

    I will stay overnight here:
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/N3gU1BF4FReTN4ha9

    Friends on the original Camino Frances I left told me they have been doing 30-40 km a day so they will reach Sarria by November 25th. I have booked my two buses back to Sarria to meet them there the same day. Then we can do the final 100 km together to reach the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    2

    Day 22 - Santiago to Negreira

    21 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    After a late night getting into bed after 1 am because of train delays, I am up, showered and leaving my albergue at 8:45 am to find breakfast before I start hiking. Today's hike will be 27 km and should take about 7 hours with breaks. I am excited to do a route I've never done before (I bussed it to Finisterre in 2023 while friends hiked it).

    I didn't have to walk too far to find a nice cafe for breakfast. I met two American sisters in their late 50s or early 60s from Florida and we chatted a bit while we ate our English breakfasts. They had finished a shorter camino over 4 or 5 days that I had never heard before and were nursing sore knees and complained about one of the days when it just poured rain. Asked if they regretted their camino and they said they never regret a camino and I feel the same. They let me use their turbo charger to charge my phone and insisted I take some snacks from them before I left (an orange, energy bar, and lemon pound cake) and they even provided a ziplock bag for it.

    They were going to take a tour by bus through Finisterre and Muxia and visit a waterfall which they had enjoyed the last time in Spain. They told me I'd be better off enjoying extra time in Finisterre by the water than hiking the extra day to Muxia which is just a small finishing village.

    English breakfast orderes here:
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/BM7avGZmBXFZWDTL8

    I had been walking for about two hours when I came across a restaurant where I ordered coffee. I was going to leave right after given my heavy breakfast but they were roasting chickens so I ended up waiting almost an hour to order their lunch menu with three courses. I chose soup, grilled chicken, and flan for dessert and they let me swap out the fries for an ensalada (salad). All this with a drink and bread for 12.5 euros which was really reasonable! I was soo full at the end. I still need to walk 4.5 hours so will be arriving close to 6pm at the albergue. I will need to book it now if I want to make it there before it gets too dark!

    Grilled chicken lunch ordered here:
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/WbmSKVcAGgWssGEFA    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1What I packedSnacks for the 5 hour train rideMark treated me to churros and hot choc after a friendly chat4Leon train station1

    Day 21 - Leon to Santiago by Train

    20 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    We said our farewells to Arved before he left at 7:30 am. He is interrupting his camino to visit Madrid and will also visit a friend he met on the camino. He will return to Leon in over a week so we won't see him again. :(

    We will miss this young German who was so cultured for a 19 year old. He was also a devoted Catholic and showed great reverence at the cathedrals we visited. He wants to be a professor and with his intelligence, easy nature, and integrity, I have no doubts he will be. We will miss him as a person and as our Spanish interpreter!

    After he left, I had breakfast with Dan and Tobias before they left at 8 am and said our temporary goodbyes. While they hike the rest of the Camino Frances, I will start the Camino Finisterre and Camino Muxia which should take 4-5 days and starts in Santiago de Compostela and goes to Finisterre and Muxia on the coast of Spain. After I've completed it, I will reunite with my friends on November 26th to complete the last stage of the Camino Frances by November 29th and fly to Paris on November 30 for my return home. I am looking forward to some hiking in relative solitude for some much needed self-reflection.

    I have been browsing the shops since checking out of our apartment at 11am and will kill some time at a cafe before my 5pm train to Santiago. I also visited a park west of the city before heading to the train station nearby.

    Update:

    The train was delayed for an hour and after only an hour or so the train stopped and someone came by the carriage to give an update in Spanish. No one seems to speak English to translate but I finally found a younger Spanish girl who used her app to translate. It appears one of the tracks is damaged and we'll need to wait for them to repair it. This means my original late arrival time of 11 pm will be pushed back closer to 1 am. Ugh, it will be a challenge to walk tomorrow with so little sleep 😮‍💨    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1Thank you for the surprise flowers and chocolates Karl!
    $0.20 to weigh yourself at the pharmacy's machineWe saw Arved arrive as we went to get groceriesThe apartment building we're staying in3Cooking dak galbiKorean spicy chicken w cabbage, mushrooms, onions, rice cakes, sweet potatoes smothered in cheeseFarewell dinner for young Arved2Arved's last wish was to go for hot chocolate and churrosDan always wants us to pose like this. I offered to take the pic instead.

    Day 20 - Leon Rest Day

    19 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C

    I made everyone breakfast and we enjoyed that leisurely before my 10 am Thai massage session. My massage therapist was really thorough and really worked on the my stiff back and legs but my smart watch kept ringing during the massage even though my phone was on Do Not Disturb mode. I checked my phone after the massage and saw Whatsapp messages from a florist in Leon. He wanted to know where I was so he could deliver my flowers??!! I told him I'd come pick them up instead since I was in the area. Thank you Karl for ordering beautiful red roses and chocolates for me. It was such a lovely and thoughtful surprise!!

    Bodhi and Dunyao have left to continue their camino and some friends will arrive in town so we will do another potluck tonight. We went to the Oriental grocery store so I could pick up asian ingredients for dak galbi (Korean spicy chicken and vegetable stir fry) and tteokbokki with the leftover rice cakes. I had promised Jo I'd make him some Korean food in Leon. Dan made several dishes including braised tofu and veges, Chinese crepes/omelettes, and an apple cake dessert. She also bought more blood sausage and wants to eat it everyday.

    I also enjoyed some fresh churros and thick hot chocolate at D'Leon after brekkie to warm me up on a cold morning. Yum! Dan and Tobias joined me when they were done touring the cathedral.

    At dinner I asked about everyone's favourite meals on the camino. For Dan, it was the pulpo and lamb from the night before. She said she always regrets her restaurant orders after she sees what I order. She will copy me from now on lol. Tobias said it was the homecooked meals from Burgos and Leon tonight which Arved concurred with. Toby likes them because he gets to try new dishes. I also really enjoyed our potlucks - partly because of the good food but also because of the good company. Burgos remains my favourite before Suzanne, Sam, and Jason left us. Jo said without hesitation his favourite meal was my Burgos pasta but he also found my dak galbi tonight delicious! It was a great meal and in the nicest apartment we've rented yet.

    Tomorrow I will take a train to Santiago to hike the portion of the camino I haven't done yet and hopefully spend 2 days by the water.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    7Dinner at Ezequiel Calle Ancha
    6111

    Day 19 - Reliegos to Leon

    18 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

    Today will be 25 km to Leon - my favourite city on the Camino!!

    We left at 7:30 am and it was a bit of a chillier morning. I had an odd dream about Bodhi and woke up to a voice (his voice) saying clear as day, "Kimmie, don't leave Leon without me." He was sleeping across the room so it was a jarring experience. I told Dan about it and I insisted we wait for him at the next open cafe in town. Once he joined us, we shared the dream with him and he agreed to stick with us to Leon since he didn't take such things lightly. He recalled knowing someone who had a dream about their parents before they left for a trip to Mount Everest. He insisted his parents shouldn't go on the trip due to a strong sense of foreboding in his dream. The parents went anyways and died there. Bodhi felt they should've never ignored their son's vision.

    We walked at quite a quick pace today and got into Leon around 1:30 pm even with some longer breaks so we chilled on a patio with drinks and tapas waiting for our 3 pm check-in.

    For dinner, we went to a popular restaurant and ordered lamb and seafood and dessert. It was quite delicious.

    We saw some familiar pilgrim's at the table next to us on arrival and asked them to join us for a group picture after dinner which they happily obliged.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    13Pretending this tree is Karl1Demonstrating how we struggle walking again after a day of walking the camino lol

    Day 18 - Sagahun to Reliegos

    17 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Today we covered 30 km to Reliegos. The weather was nice and we left around 7:45 am and arrived at 3:45 pm so 8 hours with 2 long breaks in between. We didn't find any cafes along the way but there were two small grocery stores where we could get food. We were really happy to have fresh baguettes with ham, chorizo, and cheese even if we couldn't have our coffee.

    It was the 4 of us walking together. Everyone was kind of slow after yesterday's trying walk and the scenery was very boring with a path along the road. It seems the lead feet I developed on the last half hour of yesterday's walk remained this morning. It was a struggle for the first part of the day - though I did eventually embrace the slower pace and found I didn't mind slowing down so much.

    The only pretty things on this walk inlcuded the grass sparkling with dew drops and we watched some silvery spider web floating in the rafters of one rest stop.

    We stayed at the municipale albergue and for what seemed like a long day, we were among the earliest to arrive. We thought we might be the only people staying there because we saw next to no one on our walk but later many more people joined us. They started placing a
    plastic mats on the floors bc we ran out of beds on the main floor.

    The room had been cold when we arrived but the heat is on now thankfully since I'm feeling very chilly from a cold.

    There were no open restaurants in town so 5 of us went to the grocery store and bought some stuff to cook pasta, soup, and sauteed vegetables. I retired early to get some much needed rest after dinner. Tomorrow we head to Leon!    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    Breakfast / lunch

    Day 17 - Carrion delos Condes to Sagahun

    15 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Today we will attempt 2 stages in 1 day which is around 38 km. I hope to arrive in Leon on the 18th and we will need to cover close to 100 km in 3 days which means longer days. We have booked an apartment for 2 nights for a great price!After Leon, I may skip to Sarria so that I can walk Sarria to Finisterre.Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    2
    131

    Day 16 - Fromista to Carrion losCondes

    15 November, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Today's stage is only 19 km so Dan wanted to push for a longer day once we arrived around noon. We were quite hungry since there were no open cafes again. There were vending machines for coffee, burgers, popcorn, pharmacy stuff, and orange juice, but I passed on them hoping to find an open cafe.

    We had to walk all the way to Carrion de los Condos for over 3 hours to get food. We got something light to eat while I charged my phone since the bar/restaurant wouldn't serve full meals until 1:30 pm. We were giving our feet a break as well before continuing on. As luck would have it, Jonty arrived at our restaurant and mentioned him and Jo had gotten a room at the monastery and the rooms contained only 3 single beds - no bunkbeds! They also had private rooms with private bathrooms for 25 euros so Dan changed her mind and we stayed in town.

    We got some groceries at the Dia supermarket and used the kitchen to cook some blood sausages, tomato and egg stir fry, and make sandwiches for tomorrow. Jo joined us and swapped some wine for food. I also made him some sandwiches since we had extra meat and cheese leftover.

    We called it an early night and had a good sleep in our private rooms and comfy beds. I was glad to not walk further since it had been a wet, windy, and cold day. I started feeling a little sick that evening and was extra glad I wasn't waking up anyone with my coughing that night. The plan had been to do a longer day tomorrow and wake up at 6 am. Instead I texted Dan and told her to go first since I'd need extra rest with feeling sick.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    111

    Day 15 - Castrojeriz to Fromista

    14 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    It rained most of the night but had ended before we left the albergue at 7:30 am today. Dan and I shared a bedroom with single beds and a private bathroom. We slept really well and I was awake before my 7 am alarm. We left before Den and Arved who had stayed in the room next to us and arrived at Fromista's municipale albergue around 2:15 pm.

    Today's journey was 26 km and started on a very light stomach. There was nothing open in town and we walked for over 2 hours before we found an open cafe. They made some fresh jamon sandwiches to order which I enjoyed with my usual cafe con leche.

    There were many new faces along the route. Dan would yell out hello to everyone and joined a full table at the cafe while I was getting my food. It takes me longer to warm up to people so I was happy to see all the seats were taken and I could take a table to myself beside them. I retrieved the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper from my backpack for the sandwich which made it even better. It is sad to think many of our friends will no longer be familiar faces we run across on the road or in the cafes.

    The walk was under windy conditions but not as cold as I expected. A light long sleeve shirt was all I needed and a sun hat once the sun broke through the clouds. The only other thing we had to navigate were the puddles left over from last night's rain.

    There was a steep climb near the beginning and a nice walk along the river leading into Fromista. Some pilgrim's even soaked there feet in the river during their break.

    When we got into town, I got some groceries at the supermercado before they closed at 2:30 for snacking tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning.

    I showered and rested a bit after checking in but couldn't nap because the room felt cold even with an extra thick blanket. Dan messaged to let me know the common room was really warm and she was right. My cold fingers and toes have been enjoying their wood burning fireplace. On my way down there I spotted Arved and he let me know Jo had also arrived. We expect Den will take much longer because he is walking very slowly. Nicholas is also here but some stayed in the town behind us like Tobias.

    Tonight we dined at a Korean run restaurant that opened at 6:30 pm which I was very excited because they had ribs. Ribs were massive and I had to have Dan and Jo help me finish them!    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara

    Day 14 - Burgos

    13 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    We stayed up late last night and wanted to visit the museum of human evolution so will take a bus to Castrojeriz today. As well, one of us is still struggling with a foot injury and another one is sick with a fever. The only bus leaves at 5:30 pm so we had a lot of time to kill. I also went to Correos to send some items to Santiago since I bought a sleeping bag and some warmer clothes at Decathlon and wanted to reduce the weight of my backpack with unnecessarily items like my headphones, fan, extra toiletries, and clothes.

    I woke up a bit early to say goodbye to Suzanne who is headed back to the Netherlands and then we reheated our leftover dinner for breakfast. We spent some time cleaning the apartment and checked out at 11 am. The Korean Canadians were jumping ahead to Sarria given their shorter timeline.

    We dropped off our backpacks at the cathedral lockers which only require 1 euro deposit and then walked to the post office. For 15 euros, they sent my items to the Correos in Santiago and can hold it for up to 30 days.

    Next we visited the bus station but they wouldn't sell us tickets until 5pm. We then went to the museum of human evolution which was just okay for me. I felt the exhibits could be more dynamic or interactive. I only spent an hour there exploring the 5 floors but other pilgrims had spent hours there engrossed in the exhibits.

    Since I was finished early, me and Den went to wait in the cafe next door to have coffee and wait for the others. It is down to 4 of us now after some left and others walked to Hornillos de Camino this morning. I took a short nap and then we went to grab our backpacks and visit the bus station. Our bus was small and our trip about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get to Castrojeriz about 40 km away. We wanted to stop in Hornillos del Camino 20 km away but we couldn't reserve a bed and pilgrims the night before had complained they had to walk an extra 10 km to get a bed in Hontanas.

    We had to spend 30 euros each for accommodations in Castrojeriz and tomorrow we will leave earlier to try and secure a bed in the municipale albergue in Fromista.    Baca lagi

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  • Kimmie NguyenCamino Frances 2025Pengembara
    1Kimmie's pasta got excellent reviews :)1Me and Jo

    Day 13 - Burgos

    12 November, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    We said goodbye to some camino friends today after a group dinner and games

    It was very sad to see them go!

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