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Spain 2026
  • PW and JKW's trips
  • Phil Woodford
  • PW and JKW's trips
  • Phil Woodford

Spain 2026

An open-ended adventure by PW and JKW's trips & Phil Read more
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  • Trip start
    March 2, 2026
  • Spain 2026
    Traveling is tiring!
    Spring flowers1Side view of cathedral

    Arrived in Santiago

    March 2 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Phil and I have finally arrived in Santiago de Compostela and have finished our first day of Spanish class! We flew into Madrid on Friday and traveled to Santiago by train Saturday.

    We have a little apartment in a suburb up the hill and about 2 miles from our school. Sunday we walked to the school and back to check our timing. It takes about 45 minutes to walk to school (all downhill) and about 55 minutes to walk back (all uphill). Tomorrow we are going to check out the bus to and from school as Tuesdays and Wednesday we have two early evening walking tours here in town. The school sponsors a couple of these free activities each week. We dont want to walk back and forth twice a day.

    The weather is cool and damp, but it has not rained on us here yet. This part of Spain receives a lot of rain. We brought umbrellas and rain coats and will probably take the bus on rainy days.

    Flowers are starting to bloom. We'll be here until after Easter so I am sure we'll see more greenery and flowers soon.

    I will post once a week ago to let you know how things are going.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    This is the oldest church in Santiago from the 9th century.
    A fire at the police department has pressed these two vans into service for office work.1A view of the cathedral from the park on our walking tour.Tulips tree in bloomA monument to a poet Rosalia de Castro who is from this area.A statue of Lorca, a famous poet killed by Franco for being gay.This is a kindergarten. Pretty building.This is a famous statue in the park of the two Marias.Our bus card.

    Friday, March 6

    March 6 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F

    We're having a good first week although some issues have arisen. School is going well. Yesterday we had coffee with our classmate, Jackie. Her husband, Alex, is a big Camino fan so he and Phil sat and talked about Caminos, while Jackie and I discussed a wide range of other topics. They were able to get a 6 month long-stay visa. Alex is working from home 3 days a week. Jackie goes to Spanish class, but they travel every weekend so she is often absent on Friday or Monday. She has okayed this with the school so periodically she is shifted to other class groups because she's missing a large amount of material each week.

    Right now there are just the 3 of us in class. Today and Monday with Jackie gone, it will be just Phil and I unless another student joins.

    We did learn to ride the bus this week as well. Jackie explained that you ask the driver for a multiple ride card. For about 11 or 12 dollars each, Phil and I got bus cards with 20 rides loaded so it is very economical. We can add rides if we want or need later.

    We had a little trouble figuring out where to catch the bus home again. In fact one day we walked about 10 miles total to school, back again, then around town on a tour with the school and then wandering around looking for our stop to go home. We did find it, but we were pretty tired. Now we walk to school (2.4 miles, but downhill) and then ride the bus home uphill.

    This weekend we plan to take a day trip to the nearby town of Lugo. It is a walled city and also has some museums with Roman ruins. We go by bus in the morning and return in the early evening so more on that in the next post.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Here's the menu from the meat place. It was packed with families on a Sunday afternoon.
    BTW, shout out to our kids in Alabama. We go by this Cafe twice a day!My coffee, very pretty!Liam Brunch, Santiago. Excellent place to eat!A view of the cathedral from a hidden back corner.The St Francis church, also big. Lots of beautiful old churches and buildings here.

    Typical week

    March 11 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Weather wise, it's been rainy, foggy or both daily. We even bought some new coats on sale this week, because it was just too chilly even with a couple of merino wool tops and our gortex raincoats. The coats were on sale due to the end of the season, but we were glad for them today!

    On Sunday, we studied our notes and had a stylishly late Spainish lunch at the grilled meat place near our house. It is kind of like an Argentina steak house, but the meat choices were local chicken, beef, and pork ribs. Phil had ribs. I had chicken (a roasted half chicken!) And you could get seconds if you wanted so we had 4 sauces, potatoes, salad, lots of meat, and a grilled chorizo. I brought half my chicken home for chicken and noodles. Phil even had some ice cream!

    Monday after class our school activity was in the classroom and involved imagination. We had fun with students from the other levels.

    Tuesday, Phil and I stayed in town and ate lunch at a brunch place. The school activity later that day was a tour of places where two famous women authors had lived and worked in Santiago.

    We've been walking to school (rain or shine) and taking the bus home after class. We're getting in between 4 and 10 miles per day walking. We hope to make another day trip this weekend although we are not sure where just yet.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    1It was dreary in the morning at Noia and a little wet and chilly!
    This is the church which displayed the tombstones.This one was a pilgrimThis one was a butcher. See the ax and knife?This one was a sailor with an anchorMandarin orange trees line the streets.Fresh octopus in the city marketplaceThe "House of Salt" was likely a preservation place for the shellfish.A lemon tree, very pretty. Phil sang me a song about it from his youth.This will be the new albergue. It's not quite done yet.A Camino marker showing it is about 2 day's walk to Santiago.1Another church. This one is actively having services.These little scallops are called Zamburinas.My cod entre.Phil's lamb chops.Two desserts half eaten. Tiramisu and Mango Mousse.Spring flowersThis is the city hall, we believe.Its close enough to the sea to support palm trees.1The estuary later in the day without the fog and drizzle.

    Noia and end of the week

    March 14 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    We've had a good week, but it has rained most days at least part of the day. We are still walking a lot (several miles each day), and it is getting easier.

    School is going well. I am going to be moved to a slightly higher level next week so our class days will be split up. Phil will go in the morning with a woman from Holland and another from China. I will be in class with a woman from Australia in the afternoon.

    We picked up a schedule for the Easter week processions and learned that there will be a festival next week in a nearby village (The Pigs' Feet Festival), so we may hang around next weekend instead of a day trip. Music, parades, and of course a pigsfeet banquet is promised!

    Today we took a bus to Noia. It is only about an hour away and it's right on the coast with a large estuary that supports a shellfish industry. Specifically cockles are harvested here. They are kind of a small clam and there are several kinds. The work is done mostly by women who wade out in the water in wetsuits with a special rake with a basket attached. The also have a little inner tube to float a basket along to hold their catch.

    Phil and I went to a maritime museum and a lot of this fishing process was explained. It was a nice, rather new, museum. The volunteers were very nice and everything was posted in three languages so we could understand.

    We also went to a church that displayed tombstones that show a person's livelihood. There were cobblers, butchers, sailors, and even a pilgrim!

    We visited an albergue that will be open this summer. It is managed by one of the organizations that we volunteer for. There's a Camino route through this town so we might walk it next year. Maybe we can volunteer here one day, too.

    Finally we ate at a highly rated seafood restaurant. We arrived just in time as the tables filled up fast. We both had a plate of Zamburinas (little scallops) for the first course. Phil had lamb chops and I had cod for the second course. Then we shared a Mango Mousse and a Tiramisu. After a coffee, we waddled along the sea shore fully stuffed a bit before we caught the bus back home.

    Tomorrow is a laundry and study day.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Its springtime in Galicia. Lots of rain means lots of flowers.
    Here is a fountain made from repurposed materials.This wall is all different tiles.This mural of the cathedral is made of broken tiles.Here the artist posted a poem.This wall is repurposed dinnerware.Apple blossoms

    Midweek checkin

    March 18 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    This week Phil has class in the morning with 2 other students for 4 hours from 9 to 1:30. I have class from 1:15 to 3:45 and it is just me and the teacher in my class. So basically, I am speaking Spanish for that whole time 1:1 with my teacher. I am learning a lot and I think Phil is, too.

    We have had 3 activities this week. One was a walking tour with a meet and greet at a local bar (bars are places to get a light meal and coffee, beer, wine, or soft drinks). This week we have a young man from Russia, a young woman from China, a middle aged woman from Holland, a young woman from the US, a retired woman from the US, a retired woman from France, Phil and I. There's one other man from the US, but he didnt participate in the walking tour.

    Tuesday, we all gathered after class to play some board games. It was really fun and with all different levels of Spanish we were all learning from each other.

    Today we had a walk to a neighborhood in Santiago which was decorated by a retiree with murals using discarded building materials. He continues to live there and continues to work on the art and beautification process.

    There is a fiesta in a nearby neighborhood this weekend and Phil and I have booked a Sunday day trip to one of the national parks (Las Cathedrals) on the northern coast. I will take photos and post afterwards.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    A little open air market was going on in the parking lot Wednesday.
    I thought these were places to leave laundry at the laundromat, but they are package delivery boxesFlowers just keep on coming this week!The special meal for the pigs feet festival!Two drummers and two gaita players roaming the streets for the festival.Later today, there's a vermouth tasting and live music. A live band and dance tonight.This is the shopping mall somewhat near our apartment.Here comes the band!

    Festa da Uñas

    March 21 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Its been a busy week. On Thursday Phil had an interesting experience on the way to school. It was a holiday (Father's Day for St. Joseph's Day) and very few people on the streets as Phil was walking to school. Across the street about halfway along the route, he saw a young couple with a baby. Suddenly the woman just fainted and collapsed and the young man holding the toddler was also trying to keep his wife's head from hitting the ground.

    He looked up at Phil who was by now running across the street to their aid and just said in English "Help"! Phil took the baby while the man tended to his wife. He was able to get her to her feet. The man secured the baby in a stroller and asked Phil if he would walk with them pushing the baby until they reached their apartment nearby.

    Phil stayed with the baby while the man helped his wife up the stairs, then he returned, thanked Phil and got the child. He told Phil that she had a miscarriage and had been discharged from the hospital after the bleeding had abated. Perhaps she was just anemic from blood loss or perhaps she was bleeding again. We will never know because after he got them home, Phil went on to school. It appeared that at least the man was an American as Phil saw somehow that he had a Texas driver's license.

    I've somehow developed my usual cold and sore throat that I always seem to get for a week or two when we are here. I've been battling that while trying to have 2/ 1/2 hours of 1:1 Spanish lessons each day. Last night, Phil said I woke him with my wheezing. He said he first thought it was a cat outside yowling to come in, but when he nudged me it stopped and he realized it was me!

    Today after some laundry and shopping, Phil and I walked to the nearby festival. (My phone says I walked 6 miles although Phil's says it was only 4.5) The festival is celebrating Pigs Feet. uñas means toenails in Spanish.

    Several restaurants are having a special meal of Pigs feet and all the fixins. I just didn't think I could do it with my cold so after walking around a little, enjoying some local music, and exploring a nearby shopping center, Phil and I headed home. I had to lie down for a nap after coughing my head off before we got home!

    Tomorrow we are going on a group bus tour to see the Cathedrals National Park which is actually a beach so I'll post again after that.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Here we are next to the bus.
    Here's a sign with all the forbidden activites.A little waterfall trickling down to the beach.The tide is going out, but the current is very strong.Glad we had our crocs!1There is the musician.A Crack that looks like a cathedral window.A cave where an arch is forming.Seaweed clinging to the rocks.Phil enjoying the surf.Large tidal pools, but we did not see any sealife.You can see a tiny arch window. More dramatic from further out.This is pastel do cabracho. A cake made from scorpionfish. Not bad!More flowers in Lugo than two weeks ago.He's playing as the tide receeds.

    Trip to the north coast

    March 23 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 45 °F

    Sunday, despite my cold, we took a bus tour to playa de las cathedrals or the Beach of Cathedrals. This is a protected natural monument in Spain and the citizens of the State of Galicia are very proud of it. It is on the north Atlantic coast in the Sea of Cantabria. It is narrow and due to the wave action can be dangerous so can only be visited during a low tide. The rock formations are very striking and look somewhat like churches, hence the name.

    Phil and I took our crocs so we could wade without wearing wet shoes and socks the rest of the day. While we were there a man dressed in traditional costume was playing the gaieta or Galician bagpipes on the beach. We waded a bit and walked among the stacks of stone. It was difficult to see the arches which look like buttresses because you need to be further out from the shore. In any case, it was still beautiful.

    After some wading, our group drove into Ribadeo, a nearby town on the coast to eat lunch. This town had a lot of influences from Galician people who were forced to immigrate to the Americas and other parts of Europe due to policitical and economic concerns. Many made their fortunes and then returned to reinvest their money in the economy. They helped pay for schools, and infrastructure like waterworks, sewer treatment, and electricity. Many built lavish homes. These returning Galicians were referred to as Indianas. Ribadeo is full of these lavish old buildings.

    After a late lunch, we traveled to the walled city of Lugo. Phil and I had been there a few weeks ago and since I didn't feel well, we just went to get a quiet cup of coffee while the rest of the group walked around. It was really a lovely, sunny day, but the wind was chilly.

    I learned a few things on the trip. Most of the bus group were Spaniards from other parts of Spain and they seemed really clueless about Galicia overall. We befriended one couple from Malaga who were from the far southern coast of Spain. There was a group of 4 Asian women who spoke English, but the rest of the group was Spanish. The tour guide spoke rapidly switching quickly and easily back and forth from Spanish to English. The bus was completely full and there were a few people who were late back to the bus every single time we stopped (which annoyed Phil and I since we are always early.) The bus driver was amazing, however, I had to really fight not to get carsick. I think if I had felt better, I would have enjoyed the trip more. Overall although it was efficient and rather inexpensive (60 euros each for a 10 hour trip), I think bus tours really are just not my thing. It would have been difficult for us to visit the special beach though without renting a car so I am glad we did it.

    This week we both have morning classes. I stop at 11:30 and Phil goes until 1:30. There are three afternoon activities this week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Easter processions begin on Thursday night. We will definitely go to the daytime processions on Saturday and Sunday next weekend. I expect Santiago will fill up with tourists and maybe more pilgrims by next weekend.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Ham Croquettes
    A rice dish (similar to paella) with pork ribs, chorizo, bacon, and blood sausage.Phil had a crem brulet with homemade cherry sherbetLots of gulls here as we are near the sea.

    End of week 4 in Santiago

    March 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    This week has literally flown by for me. I am still getting 2 1/2 hours 1:1 with my Spanish teacher 5 days a week. By the end of the morning, my brain is really tired, but I am understanding more, speaking more, writing short stories, and reading more all the time.

    Next week we will rotate teachers again. I will have the same teacher I had for 2 weeks in 2019. Phil has been studying with her the last two weeks and he will have the teacher I've had for 2 weeks. I will continue to study 1:1 next week and Phil's class will have only him and one other student. We'll be getting out of class at the same time for the first time again in two weeks! Thursday and Friday will be a holiday so we only have 3 more days of class. I think Phil's feeling more confident as well.

    We have appointments for haircuts tomorrow and the Easter week parades (called processions) are starting tonight. We hope to watch the one tomorrow afternoon and another on Palm Sunday.

    Today we had a really nice lunch out on the town. We ate near the city market. We are looking forward to all the Easter activities.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    1Phil with even less hair than usual and a trimmed beard.
    1My hair is pretty short, too!Here comes the procession.And there it goes by. Not much to it today.

    Saturday haircuts and first procession

    March 28 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    We had 11 am appointments for haircuts. Then went for a coffee and and ran into some friends (Alex and Jacque). Hung around after waiting for the procession.

    Phil got a beard/mustache /wild eyebrow trim and a haircut. Looks good. The stylist gave me a really short haircut so I shouldn't need another until we get home!

    Today's procession was short with no band. The Our Lady of Humility was carried by a determined but small group. Nothing at all like last year's elaborate processions in Leon and Zamora. No one on the streets to watch, but Phil and I.

    I hope tomorrow's procession for Palm Sunday will be a bit more of an event.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    The beginning of the procession info the plaza.
    A children's choirLots of people getting their palms and greenery blessed.The band's banner1Jesus being pushed along by his float bearers.Everyone getting palms blessed.The band with players of all ages.

    Palm Sunday

    March 29 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Daylight savings time went into effect last night so it felt like we were getting up earlier (and we were!)

    We walked down to the old town just in time to catch Jesus riding into the plaza accompanied by a marching band. Although the celebration was still not as big as the ones we attended last year, people were still enthusiastic. Young and old were ready and waiting to have palms, bay branches, and olive branches blessed in a ceremony by the Bishop. We watched from up high on the steps of the plaza and then looked around and met Jesus and his entourage on their way back to the Church of San Francisco in the main cathedral square. Very special.

    Not so special was that our bus was about an hour late due to traffic delays, but we got to meet an Irish pilgrim named Dedrie waiting for a bus to the airport after her pilgrimage.

    Tomorrow we have tickets after school for the Cathedral museum and some special exhibits.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    A view of the cathedral from the plaza where people enter for mass.
    The Plaza Obradoiro where pilgrims arrive at the end of the CamimoMy mushroom tacos.Phil's pork carnitasThe beginning of the procession of HumilityAdults and also small children were involved.Youngest member in the stroller.The float called a paso is born by many people who carry it on their shoulders from underneath.The band involved young and old and provides a rhythm for the paso carriers to walk together.We joined the throng and followed the procession until we could make an exit on the street we needed

    Last day of class

    April 2 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    Wednesday was our last day of class. We've had 92 hours of instruction so I hope that helps us improve our spoken Spanish and our understanding. Phil is certainly using his Spanish with more confidence. We brought some fruit and pastries for the faculty and staff for our last day.

    We visited our friend, Sandy, and her husband, Alf, at the Dutch welcome room at the Pilgrim Office after class. Sandy had 4 weeks of 30 hours per week of Spanish alongside Phil (one extra hour each day). She is in charge of the Dutch hospitality center and organizes all the Dutch volunteers. She and her husband are attorneys and after her 2 weeks volunteering here, she will return to her home in Holland and walk from her doorstep to Santiago.

    We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant. It was good. Not like Mexican style in the US, but still good. We had some croquettes made of plantain and cheese and then I had mushroom tacos and Phil had pork carnita tacos.

    We went home and did some laundry followed by a short nap. After a light salad supper, we walked back to town and watched the Procession of Humility. Despite the crowded streets, the people were largely silent as the procession passed.

    Tonight we will attend the procession of the Last Supper and then around midnight, the procession of Jesus being beaten where the Confraternity members bear the cross through the streets and beat themselves with whips. Very somber.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Not too many just before the procession, but this super tall German was right in front of me
    During the procession the crowd became a real crush of folks.Paso of Christ in the early processionYou can see how crowded it was getting.Paso of Maria. People straining to catch a glimpseAppetizers ham croquettes1Phil's pizza1My saladThe paso or float of Jesus bound to the pillarNazareno or penitent carrying one of the heavy crosses barefoot with a chain on his ankleThe paso was carried by 16 members of the Confraternity.Many were barefoot for this several miles procession through the stone streets at night (47 degrees)Nazarenos carrying crosses in the late procession.Even band members often barefootThis cross was much heavier. Note the chains and bare feet.

    Maundy Thursday

    April 3 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F

    We spent most of the day at home organizing our things for our upcoming walk on the Camino. This year because of our extra time in Santiago we elected to bring a small suitcase with things we thought we would use in Santiago. Ironically, most of the things we didnt use or need (an extra pair of shoes, umbrellas, etc). Today (Friday) we are taking the suitcase to be mailed to us when we reach the albergue where we will volunteer in May. @Ivar has a service that collects and holds luggage for pilgrims. Many people find they have packed too much so send it ahead to Santiago and Ivar keeps it until they arrive at the end of their pilgrimage This year he will hold our extra things and mail the suitcase to us while we are serving in Spain before we go home. That way we don't need to bother with the extra luggage while walking the Camino for 3 weeks before our service time. Among other things the suitcase holds all our study materials from language school.

    Thursday night we walked into town and saw the 7:30 pm procession commemorating the last supper. We arrived early and found a great place two steps up on one of the main plazas where I could see above the crowd better. Unfortunately everyone else who came at the last minute also thought it was a great place and we soon had the usual pushing and shoving as people jockeyed for the best view. Phil let several really short older ladies up onto the step with me and did his best to shield us all from the crush.

    Then we went for supper (Phil, pizza and me, salad) at a church near the beginning of the final late procession of the evening. I figured the crowd pushing baby strollers and noisy loud folks smoking their cigarettes would have headed home by 11:30, but there were still plenty of those folks around. We chose what I thought would be on a quiet corner, but it also turned out to be a popular choice. Seems I am great at picking the choice locations on a map. We were literally inches from the Nazarenos or members of the Confraternity walking the streets, often barefoot, and carrying crosses. This parade was the Procession of the Flagelado with a float or paso of Jesus chained to a post and waiting to be flogged. It was a very solumn procession.

    Afterwards we walked the 2 miles home up the hill to our apartment and went to sleep about 1:30 am. As a side note, the walking we've done while in Santiago has improved our overall stamina and we were able to march right up the hill that a month ago left us breathless.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    The Cathedral Holy Door only open on years when St James Day is on a Sunday.
    The crowd gathersThe procession enters from two directions of the square.Mary descends the steps with her bearers.Simon helping Christ.Veronica offers her cloth.Veronica offers her cloth at the right time in the sermon.Christ moves forward.The crowd is mixed with all the pasos during the sermon.John and Mary approach Christ.The sermon done, the procession heads off through the streets of town.The San Martin Pinario church.Our on-demand water heater.The troublesome gas cap!

    Good Friday and some issues

    April 3 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    After a short night of less than 6 hours sleep we got up and carried our suitcase down to Ivar's office. We made arrangements to have it sent to us in Zabaldika in 3 weeks.

    Then we went to a Cafe above the Plaza Quintana where the first Good Friday Procession was starting. We met a Danish woman and her mother while having coffee.

    Later we sat on the steps of the plaza and watched the procession. There were 4 pasos and two different bands. A priest told the story of Good Friday over the loudspeakers. There was a paso of Jesus bearing a cross with help of Simon. There was a paso of Veronica with a cloth with the faceprint of Christ. There was a paso of John and one of Mary. The bearers moved the pasos in the courtyard at various points in the story. It was easy to see how the people of old who did not read or have TV or movies could visualize the story.

    We came back to our apartment after to find out that something was wrong with our hot water. The apartment owner and his dad worked on it and called a repairman, but this is a holiday so they made little progress. The hot water is an on demand system with large gas bottles. Saturday is not a holiday, but I did let them know that if it could not be repaired by tomorrow afternoon that we'd need to find another place to stay.

    They are back tonight working on it again. Hopefully things will get fixed as we have no real desire to leave early.

    Only one procession tomorrow night. We'll miss the ones tonight due to the work on the hot water system. We've just found out that they fixed it by putting a new valve on the end that connects to the gas bottle so we can stay put!    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    The procession begins.
    Parade band of mostly school children.Children's band.Children from the school carrying the cross.Children bearing the cross.The crown of thorns.ChristWomen carrying lanterns and candles keeping vigil.More bands with kids of all ages.Again barefoot with the crossChrist being taken down from the cross.Women in black representing grief.Maria escorted by a military guard and band.Maria. Her paso was quite large and hard to turn the corners in these narrow streets.We think this is a local unit. No parade weapons here. They carried the real deal.The military band. They also had gaietas, a type of Galician bagpipe.Military band.

    Saturday night

    April 5 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    A somber and lengthy procession that began at one of the local schools and included many school children, 3 bands, and a military escorts on Saturday. Phil and I picked a great place to viewing.

  • Spain 2026
    2The crowd is in line to enter the church for mass.
    Roman Centurions in the parade, too.Jesus is moved into place.They watched the story.A child dressed as an angel removes the shroud of grief.Jesus greets Mary.Coffee at a local bar on the way home.

    Easter Sunday

    April 5 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Our last full day in Santiago. We overslept and didn't wake up until 9 am after getting home late last night after the procession. We still made it to the cathedral Plaza Quintana in time to see the Easter pageantry. We sat on the steps and watched the crowds gather. Then the Archbishop of Santiago came out and gave the homily and retold the Easter story.

    Christ and Mary met in the center of the square and the mourning cloak was taken off Mary by a little angel.

    We had a coffee at a local bar and made our way to our temporary home. We've washed our clothes and are packing up. We have a cab picking us up at 6:30 am and we have a 7:45 train tomorrow. We'll have 2 train changes and won't get into Pamplona until evening. We plan to begin our Camino on Tuesday morning and will walk as far as we can before returning to Pamplona on April 29 to prepare for our volunteer time.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    One of our trains today was pretty zippy at speeds of up to 300 km per hour. (180 mph)
    My supper was a tomato and tuna salad.Phil had fried eggs on sausage and French fries.

    Travel day to Camimo

    April 6 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    We had a long trip to Pamplona involving 2 cab rides, three train segments, a commuter rail segment, and 5 different train stations. Our little room at the Aloha Hostel in Pamplona is small and expensive, but it's just fine for tonight. Its a holiday here in Pamplona so no grocery stores open and very few restaurants open. The hostel does provide coffee and breakfast which is likely toast and jam. I have a few things squirreled away though that I brought from Santiago so I am sure we'll be fine.Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Yellow arrows are our markers letting us know we are headed the right way.
    We are leaving Pamplona and heading up a steep hill.Phil crossing a stone arch bridge.Green countrysideAn abandoned church and monastery complex on my way up the hill.The valley below

    Change of plans

    April 8 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Yesterday, Phil and I headed out walking the Camino from Pamplona. It was a good day for walking and the sun was out. Phil was chatting with some other pilgrims and I was walking a little ahead preferring the quiet of the morning.

    We'd walked a few miles and were in the city outskirts when I noticed Phil's pace had slowed. I stopped and waited for him and took a few things from his pack to carry in mine. He started limping noticeably and as we progressed up a steep stretch with no car road access, he was really hardly moving. I took his pack thinking he would be able to walk without it, but he began to stumble a little and was unsteady even with his walking poles.

    His back was just giving out so we stopped to rest and for him to stretch. It was apparent that he was not going to be able to walk with or without his pack. We agreed that I would go on to the next town to either get a cab to come retrieve him or leave my pack at an albergue and come back and carry his.

    The town was much further (2.5 miles) and the road much steeper than I remembered. I got a cab number and started back down. Phil also began to slowly make his way down to the last suburb. The cab driver was unavailable as was another that she referred me to. I met Phil hobbling along and we waited at an urban park in the shade while I unsuccessfully tried to find a cab.

    Finally we noticed the bus going by with some frequency so we boarded the bus and rode 37 minutes back into the heart of Pamplona. I got us a good deal on an AirBNB apartment for 2 nights until we made a plan of how to move forward.

    Tomorrow we'll take a bus over to another Camino (the Camino Aragones) where Phil and I have volunteered twice in the past. I've rented us a mountain condo for the next week so he can heal up and we can consider next steps. Since this is shoulder season (between ski and hiking season), the apartment is a good value.

    If he's able, we'll pivot to a few days on another flatter terrain Camino for a few days before we head back for our volunteer time. He's sore, but moving around ok today.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    We had coffee in Pamplona at the famous bar that Ernest Hemmingway loved.
    Mountain views driving up to our condo by taxi.Cows lounging right here in town.A water aquaduct into town.Spring flowers1View from our balcony.1

    Moving day

    April 9 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    We moved camp over to Villanua which is in NorthCentral Spain near the French border. We've been in this area before when we served as hospitaleros nearby. It is beautiful and in the mountains. There is a regular bus that goes up and down the Mountain from the Somport Pass and it runs several times each day so we can go to the top or down to the town of Jaca.

    Although I carried a small stash of food with us, we've pretty much eaten that up tonight. We can get some groceries here in town, but it's very limited so we'll head down to Jaca tomorrow for a quick shop.

    Phil wants to walk around with his backpack on tomorrow, but only partially loaded.

    Views from our balcony are fabulous. This is a quick checkin, but Phil is doing well. He carried his backpack to the bus station and was able to walk to the condo. His phone shows he made his step count today so that is promising.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Beginning our walk. Plum tree in bloom behind us.
    View from the South bridge.A yard in town with its own orchard just ready to bloom.The town fountain.3The community church. Mass on Sunday at 11 am so we may try to go depending on whether it is snowingCool door tucked back inside this tunnel.Tulips in bloom.A Camino marker. We saw pilgrims yesterday.View from the north bridge.

    Shopping and training day

    April 11 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F

    On Friday, we woke to beautiful skies and a near empty pantry. We took the mountain bus into Jaca for shopping and met an American at the bus stop, an older man named, John, who lives here in Villanua. His wife is Spanish and they apparently have homes in both Villanua and California.

    He was on his way to Jaca to do some shopping as well. He gave us a few tips on riding the bus and training for Phil. There are several sections here he said where we could walk and then catch the bus back home so we will try that early next week.

    After some shopping and lunch, Phil put a half load in his pack and we headed out for a walk around the mostly flat community. There is a river and two bridges so we started at one end of town, crossed the bridge and walked to the other end and crossed the other bridge. We stopped for a cold drink and then headed home.

    Phil did pretty well with his lighter pack and we walked about 2 miles. We'll increase that today and I will find ways to get rid of some of my pack weight (like carrying less food) so I can take more of his things in my pack.

    Today we are heading up the mountain early to buy train tickets for next week's next steps to start our modified and flatter Camino Ebro. I have worked out 6 or 7 days of less than 8 or 9 miles per day over flat terrain. The route is well supported by train and bus in case we find it is still too much for Phil.

    We'll have plenty of time at the end so will find a place to stay in Logroño for a few days before heading back to Pamplona on April 29 to transition to the albergue.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    North bus stop in Villanua.
    The restored Canfranc Train Station is now a luxury hotel.River at Canfranc in front of the restored station hotel.A waterfall by the road that goes up to the Somport Pass.Old train cars being restored. One is a medical car..This is the remodeled strain station where the mountsin rail line ends.A building that appears unused up in top of the mountain.Lunch today.Beautiful garden outside one of the row houses here.New construction of some more condos.A look at the older part of the town from up above where our condo is locatedWater aquaduct for the community.Power and flood control damWater flowing into the river from the mountain and view of the mill race covered walkwayPart of the mill raceHeron fishingWater comes out of the lower cave and feeds the mill raceOld washing area where women brought laundry to wash by hand.Phil and I in front of the path to the Cave of Witches.1A cool doorway with a crest aboveWindow showing how thick the walls are.Old restored house next to new construction.Chimney caps that are unique to the region.Another heron, but this one is in a field.

    Train tickets and local exploring

    April 12 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 43 °F

    Today we took an early bus up to the town where the train leaves at Canfranc Estacion. I had struggled to buy tickets online using my phone and in the past there was a ticket window at Canfranc. Imagine my disappointment when it was only a video terminal where I spoke to a clerk to buy tickets at the newly remodeled station. It took all my Spanish (thank you school lessons) to work through the process. Phil and I have discount cards for senior citizens. They worked fine at home buying tickets before we came to Spain, but they would not work on my phone. Sadly they also did not work properly with the clerk so after several frustrating attempts, we just bought our tickets without the discount (only 15 dollars more.) Anyway, I was glad I could understand and discuss the issue and we did get tickets. We'll get our discount tickets checked at a station with a live clerk in the future.

    We walked around and got a few groceries. We are going to stay one night at the station hotel before our next leg of the trip. It will be my birthday and the only way to see inside the station is to stay there. The first time we saw it the station was a ruin. I will post more about it's history when we stay there .

    After a healthy lunch at home, Phil loaded his pack again and we went for a slightly longer walk through town again. I posted some photos of construction for my Dad. He is an engineer and I recall on walks with him as a child we always had to stop and look at houses being restored.

    We also went to the Visitor's Center which was open today. We walked out the "mill race" path which was originally a small aquaduct to bring water into town for a mill where grain was ground. It also provided water for the local washing area where women gathered to wash clothes. The mill race was covered by boards to make an interpretive path so you could walk out to see the water source.

    The Cave of Wtches here is also an attraction. We have walked by it a few times, but never taken the guided tour. The Visitor's Center also had a very cool exhibit explaining how the threat of being named a witch was used to control women here in Spain over the ages.

    On our way back, we found a few other paths we might explore next week. This is a perfect little resort town. There are two grocery stores (one for tourists and one for locals it seems). There are four or five bars and restaurants. There is an active library and church and the city seems to have strict building codes to keep the community's new construction looking as much as possible like the old.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Yesterday's rain
    Blue skies this morning over the new snow on top.A robot lawn mower we saw today here in town.Flowers on our walk.Some kind of crocuslike flowers emerging in clusters.A flower similar to vinca.Some kind of lillies.Wild strawberries.VioletsAnother storm moving in! It was misting on us at the end of our longer walk.Aragon river south of town

    A chilly Sunday and a windy Monday

    April 13 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 43 °F

    Wow! What a front that came through! It rained almost all day Sunday and we are so glad we have our winter coats that we bought in Santiago!

    Sunday we managed a shorter walk in the late afternoon. It drizzled the whole time.

    Today (Monday) it was very windy and the real feel was below freezing despite the sun. We made a bus trip into Jaca for some shopping. We stopped at a copy shop and had some pages printed that a Camino Forum member sent us from his guide book for our upcoming Camino Ebro. Then we went to the Asian Bazaar for a pocket knife and corkscrew for our walking time. Finally we stopped to get a few groceries. I am trying not to overshop. Last time I carried several extra pounds of grocery stuff, but this time I need to leave room so I can carry more of Phil's stuff next week.

    In the afternoon we took a longer walk on a nature path next to the river toward the next village. We saw so many spring flowers! Phil's fitbit says we walked about about 4.2 miles this afternoon, plus our morning shopping distance. My phone says 7.75 miles total, but it usually over estimates due to my short stride.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    A Camino marker on our longer walk.
    The cemetery is up above the city. A nice view of the mountains.A mountain stream on our walk.The sign is to a water fountain on the Camino route.Here's the fountain!A farm at the top of the hill.The train runs into the mountain right under the farm!Cows up at the farm.Yet another stream!Mistletoe in a pine tree! Have not seen that before.The local pharmacy is in this old building.Phil's shorts. Whoops!

    Longer walk, warmer, but a cold wind

    April 14 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    Today Phil's Fitbit said we walked 6.5 miles today. We took two walks. A shorter one in the morning to get groceries and then a longer 4 mile walk this afternoon.

    The weather was sunny, but it was really windy and the wind was cold. Again, we were glad we had the warmer gear to wear.

    One of our two grocery stores was closed today so we had to make do with what we could find. We are trying not to buy more than we will eat so sometimes we just buy a little each day. Also these small stores are kind of hit and miss so if you see something you want today they might be closed or the items gone if you come back later.

    Today I put Phil's shorts too close to the pellet stove and melted a hole in them. I repaired them with duct tape, but since he has only one pair of shorts and one pair of pants, we'll have to try to source a replacement.

    We are here 2 more nights. Then we stay at Canfranc Station one night before we catch an early train to the town where we'll begin our Camino.    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Phil's new shorts!
    A pretty plant with an ugly name "stink weed" or "dungwort".A very faded yellow arrow. Good thing I had an app or we would have been lost twice today!We took a break here.A purple flower.Yellow ones!An old stone wall.Bathtubs being used to water livestock.Look close to see the green lizard.Crossing the river.This is an aquaductWalking across the train bridge.Church in the next town. Originated in the 12th century.It was remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries.Used to be a doorway into the church here.Pretty crab apple tree blooming near the bus stop.

    Ready to launch after today's walk.

    April 15 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Today we walked 8.28 miles and we walked the 5.44 of that in 2 hours and 19 minutes. The terrain was hilly, but Phil did fine. We walked to the next town and took the bus back.

    We check out of our apartment in Villanua tomorrow and will spend the evening and night at Canfranc Estacion in the luxury hotel. We're getting our last laundry done this afternoon.

    Speaking of laundry, we were able to replace Phil's sport shorts which are his sleep clothes and the only second pair of pants he had. There's a sports store here that rents snow skis, bikes, etc. The owner is going out of business for retirement, but he had one last set of men's shorts in Phil's size 50% off. Yay!    Read more

  • Spain 2026
    Our very nice room with a big bed.
    A big TV and coffee set up.Big showerBig bathroom overall!The card they give you at checkin.They took an old window from the original ruined train station and made it into a picture frame.A picture of a picture of the original station.The old station in ruins.3Night life in Canfranc Estación. We passed as it does not open until 11 pm.Sign says you cant drink liquor out of the trunk of your car, plus hours are 11 pm to 4:30 am.The Library Bar in the hotel.All Art decoOld wooden radio above the fireplace.Car show outside, we think. This is a Ferrari.Mostly Porsches.More PorschesAnd still more Porsches.This one is a McClaren. Phil says not many made.Here it is from the front.A Lotus

    Old restored train station

    April 16 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Today we said goodbye to our apartment in Villanua and took the 12:15 bus up to Canfranc Estación. We had "checked in" online and our room was ready when we arrived so we did not have to wait until 3 pm as stated on the website. This hotel was a complete ruin when we first saw it on 2022. The station was opened in 1928 and the train was a transborder train with France. There are many stories and legends about the role the train played in WWII with Nazi gold and people escaping the Third Reich. In 1970, the train crashed and plugged up the tunnel between the two countries. Since then it has only run from Zaragoza up to Canfranc Estación a few times per day. The station building had been boarded up and there was only a train platform.

    This is a lovely tourist area and although the Camino Aragones goes through here, we saw mostly tourists and visitors today. Heard people from France, Britain, and Spain.

    We had a nice lunch at an exceedingly popular restaurant. We took naps in the giant bed and we're enjoying an aperitif now in the exclusive lounge. There is a Michelin Star restaurant here as well, but it is very expensive and I saw very little on the menu that I thought we might enjoy for the price. Instead we bought some fruit, cheese, and cold cuts and will have a light supper in the room. Also, in case you were wondering, it cost 20 euros to swim in the pool for 50 minutes and you must wear a bathing cap. We opted out.

    Our train to Tudela leaves at 6:35 am and we only have to walk across the courtyard.
    Happy 64th birthday to me!    Read more

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