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Buen Camino 2

September - October 2017
A 28-day adventure by Christy Read more
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  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    11
    Day 2

    Hola de nuevo Santander

    September 7, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Wow, what a quick flight to Bilbao! We were half an hour early and didn't even leave on time. Not that I am complaining!! The shorter the plane ride, the better.

    Yesterday I had booked a bus seat from Bilbao to Santander through internet for 19:45, which was the next one available. However, when I got to the bus station in Bilbao, it turned out there were still seats left on the 6 o'clock bus. So, I arrived in Santander at around 8. It was a great bus ride, because I got to see some of the places and beaches I walked by last year.
    Recordar es vivir 😁.

    When I got to Santander, I found my Hostel quickly, because I already knew more or less where it was located. Santander is such a beautiful city, and I arrived just as all the locals were out on the streets. The old ladies sitting on the benches, people walking their dogs, the kids playing in the park, people grabbing a terrazza, love it!!

    I was pretty hungry, so after checking in I went to the same italian restaurant I had gone to last year. Why no tapas you wonder??? Well..... I will probably eat tapas , queso manchego, tortilla, jamon, aceitunas.......
    So I opted for el Italiano and had a vegetarian lasagna! It was fantastic!

    Tomorrow the plan is to take the train to Barreda and start walking. I am taking the train because the walk out of Santander is supposed to be hopi ugly and only asphalt, so I am skipping it, so I will have more time left for other places.
    Hasta luego 😘    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    11
    Day 3

    First 15 down

    September 8, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I started a bit late today, because I had to arreglar some stuff in Santander. Plus it took me forever to pack my backpack. Echt erg en zo typisch 😁😁😁.

    So at around 12:45 I hopped on the train to Barreda and once there I started walking. I quickly met a girl that was also walking and we started walking together. Turns put she started walking in Scotland!!!! 5 months ago. She is French, young (23) and carried about 12,5 kilos on her back. OMG, that makes me sound like a woos when I complain about my 8,5 kilos. She is carrying a tent, and last night she slept in a cemetery 😳. I kid you not.
    We ended up walking together for about 2 hours, and when we arrived in Santillana del Mar, she went to look for an Albergue.

    We said our goodbyes and I moved on, because I wanted to walk a little further to this town I am in now. It is called Caborredondo and the albergue here is good.
    They give you sheets and pillow and you are not allowed to bring your sleeping bag or liner or even ur backpack to ur bed. This to avoid oa bed bug problems 😝😝😝 I think. I am not complaining !!!!

    I will be going for dinner at the only restaurant in this town and then to bed. Not before I take 2 advil ofcourse, cause I am already feeling the agujetas. And I already had to puncture one blister, hopefully it is dried by tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    Day 4

    GO TO JAIL

    September 9, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    This morning when I woke up it was raining. I already knew it was going to be that kind of day........ WET WET WET. During breakfast I had a chance to chat with some really nice spanish people also staying at the albergue.

    One couple was from Bilbao en the other from Valencia. It was the last day for the couple from Valencia, so they gave me a pair of socks (so I wouldn't get more ampollas) and they also gave me their bastones ( walking sticks).
    I gave them my curaguide card, because they guy has always wanted to visit Curacao 😁.

    So after saying goodbye I started walking and after a while it started raining...... Hopi hard.... And there was nowhere to hide from the rain, so helaas my pants and shoes were empapados.

    When I arrived in Cobreces, the rain stopped for a little bit and then just when it started up again, I passed this little capilla. I call it capilla but don't know if that's the correct name. It was this little stone house with two stone benches on each side and at the back there was a statue of a saint.
    Anywayyyy, I stopped here out of the rain and had a chance to tend to my feet, which were wet and painful. After a while, feet rubbed with Vaseline and a compeed or two further, I started walking again.

    It rained off and on, and when I arrived in Comillas there was a light drizzle.
    I did not want to stop here, but with the rain and also the feet situation, it was the wise choice. The next albergue is 12 km away, and my feet can't handle that.
    Fingers crossed that I don't get bed bugs from this place 😁😁

    Comillas is also a nice town. Popular because a couple of buildings here are (partly) by Gaudi. I have been here before, and I think I even took mama, mimi and opa here to see El Capricho. So then I've been here twice already. Notice how I am trying to convince myself that it's okay that I'm staying in bed instead of exploring the town. Did I mention it's raining 😁😁😁😁.

    The albergue I staying at is referred to as La carcel, the jail! Because in the olden days it used to be a jail. No, I am not sleeping in a cell, they have been taken out. Tonight I am sleeping with 14 other people..... Let the snore fest continue 😝😝😝😝    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    Day 5

    Bingo!

    September 10, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Thank god for oordopjes!!! Last night in jail was a symphony of snorers. I had been wise enough this time to bring the oordopjes to bed, so I wasn't really bothered with the snoring.

    We had to leave the albergue at 9 o'clock, so at about 7 I decided to get up. You all know how slow I am, and I don't want to feel rushed.
    And even today, I was one of the last ones to leave 😁😁😁

    My first stop after the albergue was the same restaurant where I had my dinner last night (ensalada mixtaaaaaa yummy). I wanted to have a coffee and had also read that they have wonderful tortilla. Helaaaaaas, no tortilla, so I had a coffee and bocadillo con queso, ook lekker. Now, while I was sitting and enjoying my breakfast, I could see out of the window, a lot of pilgrims walking by, however, these people didn't have big backpacks, and there were lots of them. I found it a bit strange... And I was thinking, shit, all these people walking by, the next albergue is going to be full and I will have to walk further......

    Anyway, I started walking and pretty soon out of the town of Comillas I was walking a very nice route, passing a river, a beach, I was walking in Parque Nacional de Oyambre. Hopi nice, and suddenly I walk by a parking and there is a bus standing there, and outside of the bus they have drinks, snacks, and it looks like they are waiting........
    Turns out there is another way to do the camino, you can book with these people that basically provide everything for you, you don't have to cary a big backpack, no worries about enough food....... Heck...... No staying in albergues!!!!
    It's doing the camino the comfy way 😁😁😁
    I am sure it also costs a comfy price, NOT 😝

    Moving on I arrived at Playa de Oyambre and continued walking along the beach, heerlijk, the sun was shining but there was a lot of wind. It was very nice, big waves, lot's of surfers. At the end of the beach I went back up the road, to later again go down and walk along the next beach.

    It was about time to have lunch, so when I arrived at the beach before San Vicente de la Barquera, I decided to have the rest of my bocadillo con queso. What a beautiful view 😁

    From San Vicente I continued walking about 8 km further to Serdio, where I am now. I am sitting in the kitchen, showered, clothes washed and writing this, while I hear the hospitalera downstairs announcing numbers.
    There are a bunch of old spanish ladies sitting downstairs, so I think the hospitalera has set up her own Bingo game down here 😁😁😁.
    You gotta love Spain.

    O yeah, next to the albergue there is a small field, with cows and a bull. The bull must be very busy with keeping his ladies in line because he keeps moooooooiing really loud.
    Soooo tonight's symphony might also include some moooooooo's 😂😂😂😂

    Hasta majan    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    Day 8

    Reborn

    September 13, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Ok, so I skipped an update yesterday and with good reason...... My worst nightmare came true 😳😳😳😳 Ok maybe not my worst but definitely up there........ BED BUGS!!!

    I was preparing to leave the albergue in Serdio yesterday morning and while packing, I noticed something crawling on my underwear...... So I immediately sqooshed it and it gave off blood ... Eeeuw...... But I didn't know what bed bugs looked like so I looked it up on google.... Jaaaaaa hooooor, that was a bed bug, hopi gross, but it was only one so....... Pfffff .... WHen grabbing my pants I saw another one, sqooshed that bugger too, again.... Pats..... Blood. Ughhhh

    Ok, by now, I was completely paranoid and my main aim for the day was to find somewhere I could wash my clothes and find a farmacia where I could buy spray for my mochila.
    Unfortunately I wasn't passing through any big towns yesterday....... So chances of finding an albergue or hotel with washing machine were slim........

    After about 12 km walking and worrying, I walked by a house on the camino that said albergue Renacer, so I thought let me just pop in and see if they have any advice, because I thought for sure they wouldn't accept me staying there with my chinches.

    While I walk up the stairs, a woman opens and greets me. I explain what had happened and she said, no problem, I will help! Wow, she took all my clothes put them in a plastic bag to wash and alsoput my backpack in a bag and sprayed it with the stuff that I had bought.

    Later, while waiting for my clothes to wash and dry, more pilgrims arrived, all spanish. When my clothes were dry I finally put something on and at 8:30 dinner was served.

    It was a home cooked meal, prepared by my bed bug saviour Maria Del Pilar and we ate together at the dinning table. It was gezellig.

    This morning when I left the house, I felt like I was reborn! The name for this albergue, could not have been more fitting 😁😁😁    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    Day 8

    P for Poo and Playaaaa

    September 13, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    This morning when I woke up I looked outside, clear sky and the sun was shining..... Change of plans...... No walking ..... But a beach day!

    So I walked about half an hour from the albergue in Llanes, to the Albergue in Poo de Llanes. Such a nice place, nice hospitalero and close to a beautiful beach. This is my stop for today, I am writing this while sitting on playa de POO, surrounded by Germans, who all speak german....... No spanish ...... So I am their translator.... 😁😁😁

    Yesterday when I arrived at the albergue in Llanes, a german girl I had met in the albergue in Serdio, was at the reception and she was so happy to see me, because her ankle was really hurting and she had already gone to the doctor but they told her she had to go to the hospital to have a picture taken of er ankle to see if anything was broken. The hospital was at 50 km away from here and she had to take a bus. Communication with the hospitalera wasn't really going well, because she doesn't speak spanish and the hospitalera doesn't speak english. In comes the translator......... Me!

    Turns out there is a private clinic about 5 minutes from the albergue where a photo could be taken of her ankle, so no need to go to the hospital. I offered to go with her to translate, and she said GRAAG 😁.

    Turns out nothing is broken, but she just overdid it. This girl walked 250 km in 11 days 😳. So the doctor told her she needs to rest a week. He said that she was already the 2nd german he had seen this week, but that the first one could not continue, so she should take it really easy so it doesn't happen to her too. Let's hope she follows his advice.

    After the doctor's visit We went back to the albergue and I could finally take a shower, much needed cause I had walked more than 20 km yesterday. The albergue in Llanes was nice, good bed and I slept well.

    My walk yesterday was beautiful, I walked the ruta de la costa and also came by the bufones de arrenillas (I think it was called). Wow, gewoon geweldig! Please look at picture if you don't know what a Bufon is or look it up😁

    When I finally arrived in Llanes, I was mesmerized by the beautiful buildings, again look at picture to know what I am talking about 😁

    All in all a good day, as is today 😁😁😁    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    Day 10

    Heaven or .......

    September 15, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Omg, what a dat yesterday. The most km I have walked up to now in a day was yesterday, and believe me, I feel it in my legs! But it was also the day on the camino up to now, filled with the most laughter 😁😁😁.

    I had left the peaceful town of Poo in the morning, after a good night sleep. It was raining a little and I left together with a german girl named Lina. Lina also speaks Dutch, because she studied in the Netherlands.
    We took the coastal route, with beautiful views on beaches, rock formations, amazing. While walking, we came across people standing by a tent in a field. Turns out it was three pilgrims I had met in the albergue in Comillas.
    One girl from Belgium, and two guys from France. They had spent the night in the tent in the field. 😳😳😳😳
    Mind you, it had rained and was very windy, so the girl's tent almost blew away and she had to crawl in the boys' tent.

    Soo, I went to say hi to them and the girl, Kristien, said she wanted to continue walking with me, because tonight she wanted to sleep in an albergue. We ended up walking together, talking, laughing, going the wrong way, having to go back, having to stop because her camel bag broke so everything in her bag was wet......
    A very eventful day filled with ups and downs but always met with laughter.

    When we were close to the albergue, we were both so tired that we got the slappe lach.

    Finally at the albergue, I was soooo happy that I had the sense to have made a reservation the night before and in the morning I had also made a reservation for Kristien.
    But.........

    When we arrived it turned out there was an overbooking......... There where too many people who's names started with krist.....
    There was Christy, Christina and Kristien and the hospitalera thought Christina and Kristien were the same....... And Christina was already at the albergue........ Owh shit.......

    In the end........ We got a room just for the two of us (the hospitalera vacated her room for us 😂). It was great! I had a shower, a delicious vegetarian dinner and also the option of having a massage, but just too tired, so I went to bed.

    Now, a lot had happened since then, the short version...... Kristien did get a massage after dinner, during which the masseuse discovered all these red spots on her and told her she has bed bug bites, so all in rep and roer, everything has to be cleaned, the hospitalera not so happy, because she might have brought bed bugs in her albergue, haaaai diosssss, anyway, I am still at the albergue now, waiting for her clothes to dry.........

    To be continued    Read more

  • TravelerBuen Camino 2
    1212
    Day 10

    La isla bonita

    September 15, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Tonight I am in a small coastal town called La Isla. Let me set the stage, I am in the only cafeteria in this small town, it is raining outside and it seems like all the locals from this town are in this bar ..... It's loud. I came here to have dinner (by myself) and had a ensalada mixta and tortilla. I decided to take an extra coffee (descafeinao) because it is just raining too much to walk back to the albergue.

    Yes, I am alone. This afternoon, after Kristien her clothes had dried, the hospitalera drove us to the next big town....... Yes, I cheated!!!!
    It was raining, i had more then 20 km ahead of me and it was already 1 o'clock. I left Kristien in Ribadesella and was dropped in the next town by the hospitalera. Kristien had to stay behind because her heel and ankle were swollen after the massage and it hurt to walk, so it was better to take a rest day. I felt bad leaving her alone, but I want to be in Villaviciosa tomorrow to meet up with a friend from Madrid.

    On my way to the La Isla it rained off an on but I was lucky to be able to hide from the rain so my shoes didn't get too wet. While walking the last part, I met up with Lina, the german girl who also speaks dutch. She is also staying at the albergue but was going to cook in the cocina, instead of eating out. Ai no yuuuuu, hopi gana, I guess it's the age...... It must be the age, because while walking here she said, you know...... The name of this place reminds me of the song La isla bonita, I said huh, you know that song??? Who sings it? She said she had no idea......... OMG, I feel old 😂😂😂

    Ok, I am off in the rain. Bet you lights in the albergue are off already! Ughhhhh 😩    Read more

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