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Terri's Trails
Terri's Trails

Terri's Trails

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  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    BreakfastFortunately there was a little dry path to the sideRoman Bridge over the Guadiana RiverYummy lasagna for dinner2Fantastic room in Hostal Emeritae1My own terrace!

    Walking Day 11

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Almendralejo to Mérida
    ~32 km/20 miles

    I started out just after 6:30 this morning because I knew that I had a long day ahead of me. The Mapy app gave me several options, so naturally I chose the shortest one, which ended up with me encountering a fence in a very dark industrial area where I couldn't see if there was any way around it, despite using my headlamp and flashlight on my phone. There were a couple more wrong turns in the dark, so my actual distance walked was a kilometer or two farther.

    I eventually made it to a road which led me to the Camino trail as the sun was peeking over the horizon.

    I stopped in Torremejía (the only town on the route today) around 10, and had a breakfast of toast with ham, cheese, and a tomato spread.

    Another four hours on the trail after that and I arrived in Mérida where I immediately passed by several Roman ruins. I'm spending two nights here so I can explore more — and have a rest.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    Grapes
    More grapesGrapes againAn olive tree — and grapesA respite from grapesLonely poppy with euphorbiaChoo-choo!There are some lovely old buildings hereThe blandest room I've stayed inPlaza de TorosGrapes again! 😂My first stork sighting this year!Free tapa of black paella with musselsYummy wrap with shrimp, guac, veggies, etc.

    Walking Day 10

    April 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Villafranca de los Barros to Almendralejo
    15.8 km/9.8 miles

    I chose to stop in a slightly off Camino place because it's actually a city — about 35,000 inhabitants. I wanted to be somewhere on Easter where I would have a good chance of finding a variety of options for lunch and dinner. Almendralejo has plenty of restaurants open today plus several "bazaar" type stores that sell a wide variety of items.

    Since I had a short day, and have to walk a bit to get back on the Camino I'll have a longer day tomorrow to Mérida, but I'm planning to spend two nights there, so I can rest up and sightsee.

    Today's theme was grape vines — there were vineyards as far as I could see in some places.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler

    More from Almendralejo

    April 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    A few more photos from around Almendralejo.

    Since I wanted to get to bed early I tried to find a restaurant where I could have dinner around 7pm — the only one that I could find was McDonald's 😂. But I had an absolutely delicious Korean BBQ crispy chicken sandwich.Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    If I hadn't just had breakfast at my hotel I would have stopped for a churro!
    1Moooo!I took a wrong turn just past this tower and walked at least an extra kilometerVines to the left of me, olives to the right.2Delicious salmorejo (similar to gazpacho) with melon and ham

    Walking Day 9

    April 4 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Zafra to Villafranca de los Barros
    ~20km/12.4 miles

    Got a later start today because my hotel offered breakfast starting at 8.

    Another day with little shade walking between vineyards and olive groves.Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    1I got an early start today
    1Giant bull sculptureArrived here just before 9am, but alas no bar was open here on Good Friday1Lots of olive groves — or are they orchards?3Had to do some wading hereThere are often grapes growing on one side of the road and olives in the otherI love the train on this sign!1I stayed in a pretty nice hotel1Gorgeous pharmacyAnother town, another procession!

    Walking Day 8

    April 3 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Fuente de Cantos to Zafra
    ~23.8 km/14.8 miles

    See translation
  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    22

    Walking Day 5

    March 31 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Almadén de la Plata to El Real de la Jara
    ~13.7 km/8.5 miles

    I'm behind on this blog, so here are the pictures. Details later (maybe)

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    12For some reason, the distances are marked in meters, instead of kms.5I don't know what this sculpture is supposed to represent3My lovely room2Real lilies in my room

    Walking Day 3

    March 29 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Guillena to Castilblanco de los Arroyos
    ~18km/11 miles

    Walked with Barbara again. It seems that each day's walk has been an hour longer than the last. My first day was two hours, the second was three, and today we covered the distance in four hours.

    I'm staying in a nice casa rural which is actually in town.

    The landscape was nice with lots of wildflowers.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    1

    Walking Day 2

    March 28 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Santiponce to Guillena
    ~13.5 km/8.4 miles

    I'm really easing into this Camino. Another short day today.

    As I was leaving Santiponce I saw another pilgrim ahead. When I caught up with her I learned that she's Barbara from Ireland — yay an English speaker I can talk to!

    We walked together to Guillena, which took less than three hours. I didn't take many pictures today, but it was a lovely sunny day. We walked through an agricultural area where farmers were readying their fields for planting.

    I'm staying in a hostal tonight that's apparently popular with pilgrims. My room with double bed and private bathroom is only 25€.

    Downstairs is a bar/restaurant where I had the menú del día for lunch. My first course was salmorejo, which is similar to gazpacho, but thicker and creamer. Second course was pork loin and French fries.

    Today's quote was "Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great."-
    Orison Swett Marden    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler

    Day in Sevilla

    March 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    I started the day by going on a walking tour. The highlight was the Plaza de España with its 47 tiled alcoves representing every Spanish province.

    I finished at a tapas restaurant where I had mushroom risotto, a salmon crepe, slices of pork tenderloin in a whisky sauce, and spinach and garbanzo stew.Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    111

    Via de la Plata Day 1 walking

    March 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Sevilla to Santiponce
    8.9 km/5.5 miles

    Although it was a short walking day on the Camino I logged 37,978 steps and 16.8 miles on Fitbit!

    I spent the morning walking around Sevilla a bit, then after mailing my suitcase to Santiago from the post office I set out a little after noon. But not without stopping at Gloria & Rositas Casa de Helados to try the lemon basil sorbet recommend to me by forum member Sherri. It was delicious!

    After crossing the bridge and walking through the Triana neighborhood I was quickly on the outskirts of Sevilla. The Camino path follows the river for a bit on a dirt track shared by cyclists, cars, and today a horse and buggy.

    I'm staying in a studio apartment in Santiponce, which is compact but we'll appointed.

    After arriving here I headed over to the highlight of this town — the ancient Roman city of Italica. Italica was the first Roman city in the Iberian Peninsula, and was the birthplace of Emperors Hadrian and Trajan. https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6376/

    The amphitheater is huge, and there are several intact mosaic floors in the ruins of the buildings.

    Before I left home my friend Jzionna gave me 30 tiny "Vita-moral" scrolls to open each day containing travel related quotes. Today's quote is from St. Augustine — Solvitur ambulando / it is solved by walking ♥️    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler
    41

    To Sevilla

    March 25 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    I arrived by train in Sevilla around 2pm. I was surprised that the street that I exited on was called Avenida Kansas City! I asked my tour guide about the name and he told me that KC is a sister city to Sevilla. I forgot to ask if it's KC MO, or KC KS!

    I taxied to my hotel and set to work organizing my stuff. I will send my small suitcase to Santiago before I start walking, so had to move some items from the suitcase to the backpack.

    Then I walked across the river to the Triana neighborhood to meet up with Sherri from the Camino forum who had invited me to a Flamenco show and dinner. The Flamenco was good, but I'm afraid that I was too tired to fully enjoy it.

    The restaurant that Sherri chose was very nice. We split several dishes. The standouts for me were artichoke in a burrata cream sauce, and solomillo de atún (tuna loin) over salmorejo.

    Then we walked over to the Cathedral to see it all lit up before we went to our separate hotels.

    On my way to my hotel I couldn't resist getting ice cream from La Abuela, a forum recommended place.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino X Via de la PlataTraveler

    Travel day - Medford to Madrid

    Mar 23–24 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    Just a quick post to update my journey thus far. My flights from Medford to Madrid went off almost hitchless. The minor hiccup was a 40 minute delay in my flight from Medford to Portland where my connection time went from 1:45 to 1:05. And the gate for my international flight was the farthest possible from my arrival gate.

    I managed to read 20% of a book and sleep several hours on the long flight, waking up when I smelled breakfast being served. Then a 2.5 hour flight from London to Madrid and I'm now 25% through the book.

    I caught the very convenient airport express bus to central Madrid and only had an 8 minute walk to Hostal Delfina — the same place I stayed last year. A smaller room (and smaller price) this time, but there was still a dish of hard candies and artificial flowers in my room.

    I went for a little walk, then had dinner across the street at Honest Greens, which was delicious and felt virtuous at the same time.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    My room at San Martín PinarioViews from my room2Dinner with Jzionna, Debbie, Brad, Julie, and Roxanne

    Camino Part II - Day Eight

    June 6, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Padrón to Santiago
    ~24 km/15 miles

    Final day of my Camino this year!

    Another misty day requiring rain gear all day.

    I got an early start, and walked alone for a couple of hours until I met Debbie from Seattle, another Camino "repeat offender" on her 4th Camino.

    We had a similar pace, and arrived in Santiago around noon.

    I got settled into my room at San Martín Pinario, and was delighted that instead of being towards the end of the long hall, my room was the first one from the elevator. But there's enough distance across the hallway that it's not noisy.

    Jzionna is also back in Santiago. I made a dinner reservation at the Green House restaurant and invited those I had spent time with on this second part of my Camino to join us.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    There are now tons of others on the trail

    Camino Part II - Day Seven

    June 5, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Caldas de Reis to Padrón
    ~18.5 km/11.5 miles

    Today was definitely rainy. Not heavy, but wet enough that I needed my rain gear most of the day. I walked about half the day with Roxanne from North Carolina. I met with Brad for dinner again, where we had paella at a Mexican theme restaurant. 😂Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    I don't know why these shipping containers were there, but there were a lot of them!The pulpo (octopus) that we sharedI stayed in a guest room that a woman rents out in her apartment

    Camino Part II - Day Five

    June 3, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Pontesampaio to Pontevedra
    ~11.5 km/7 miles

    Another day of repeat scenery to Pontevedra. I had only walked through when I was here 12 days earlier, knowing that I would have a chance to spend more time here later.

    I met a couple of women as I turned off to take the river variant into Pontevedra - Rosemary from Vancouver Island, and Marian from the Netherlands. We walked together and agreed to meet for dinner. I also invited Brad from San Diego, who I hadn't seen since O Porriño since he had stayed in different places the last couple of days.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    The walk was pretty nice todayUnique garden art

    Camino Part II - Day Four

    June 2, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    O Porriño to Pontesampaio
    ~23.4 km/14.5 miles

    Part of today's walk was a repeat of my Day 25 on Part I. The Coastal and Central routes join at Redondela. On my first time through I stayed in Arcade. This time I stayed across the river in Pontesampaio.

    All morning as I was walking I was thinking about having lunch at the restaurant with the robot servers, which had really good burgers. But when I was about an hour away I realized that it was Monday, and many restaurants are closed on Mondays. Unfortunately, that was true of this restaurant. 😔    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    One of many beautiful gardens on the way
    A view of Tui across the river1These magpies had been harassing this poor cat for quite some time1

    Camino Part II - Day Three

    June 1, 2025 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Paços to O Porriño
    ~26 km/16 miles

    I got an early start in hopes of beating the heat, but the heat wave broke, and the temperature was very pleasant for walking - plus there was a lot of shade along the route.

    I arrived in Valença, the last town on the Camino in Portugal very early, while everything in the walled old town was closed. I walked the ramparts that surround the town, and coukd see the Spanish town of Tui across the river.

    After leaving Valença I walked across the bridge which joins Portugal and Spain.

    A while after leaving Tui there was quite a dramatic increase in pilgrims on the trail, since many who want to walk the final 100 km to receive their Compostela certificate start there.

    I met Brad from San Diego (he started from Porto, not Tui) whom I identified as American by the Trader Joe's sunscreen spray sticking out of his backpack.

    Not long after meeting Brad we came to the turn-off for a slightly longer, but more scenic variant along the river where Jen, another American seemed to be debating her options. I urged her to come with us on the variant, and we had a great time walking together.

    Brad and I both had places booked in O Porriño, but Jen had cobbled together her own itinerary, and took a bus to Vigo after the three of us had some tapas together.    Read more

  • Terri's TrailsCamino Portuguese 2025Traveler
    1

    Camino Part II - Day Two

    May 31, 2025 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Labruja to Paços
    ~17.8 km/11 miles

    I walked with Julie from my guesthouse today, but she wants to squeeze in the Spiritual Variant and still arrive in Santiago on June 6th, so she walked farther than I did. So, I won't see her again until Santiago.

    Today was the day with the steepest, gnarliest climb of the Portuguese Camino, and I was happy to do it in the morning. When I walked this route in 2019 that climb came at the end of a hot day when I walked over 30 km/19 miles!

    I spent the night at a really cool albergue called Quinta Estrada Romana which had a nice communal dinner.    Read more

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