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August - October 2017
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  • Mike Savage
    Day48

    Algarve

     October 15, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    We stayed three days in Faro and explored by train and on foot. Largos was nice around the lighthouse and cliffs and even the harbor and waterfront were nice. Faro, Olhão, and Tavira were pretty dirty with a lot of graffiti and a whole lot of expats. Dave would like to live here at least part time. The weather was perfect in the whole region.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day43

    Seville

     October 10, 2017 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    What a beautiful cathedral here that is either the largest or third largest depending on how it is categorized. Beautiful chapels and I was able to attend mass at two of them. Saturday at midnight was the Crowning of Mary with a huge procession that went for an hour and a half with many thousands of people around the Cathedral and perfect weather too. We were so blessed to be able to attend. There is so much to see and do in the old city and we did a lot of walking. Of course I try all of the food from the region including Bull Tail and Pigs cheeks. Both are very tender and very tasty.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day41

    Johnnie's Library

     October 8, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    My last day in Santiago was another great day. I started with mass at the Cathedral then visited St. Francis church and the monastery founded by him 800 years ago. It has been difficult to impossible to find lodging in Santiago and there are now many large tour groups visiting. We are so lucky to be staying with a friend. I also visited the church of Saint Fructuosus of Tarragona which is an important Saint in Spain from the third century and a small church I walk by many times a day. Next we were invited to see Johnnie's Library which means to "stop by for a drink." Justin and Kate from East Texas were there too. Johnnie first met Kate on the Camino in 2007 so it was a good reunion for them. Kate and Justin have been married three years now and just walked the Camino Francês together. Johnnie was an excellent host with an excellent collection of Scotch whisky and being Scottish is quite proud of it and shared it freely. He even had my favorite non-alcoholic beer so everyone was happy. What a great last day in Santiago.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day38

    Alfonso, Interview, and Alameda Park²

     October 5, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    Another interesting day today. I started the day thinking it would be a slow day with little to do. I needed to do my laundry and I was going to meet Dave for lunch but that was it. Alameda Park is a large park with walking paths, and is just at the top of the hill with a view of the old city, so that was a great place to start. I was able to get some exercise and say the Rosary before I met Dave. When I got to the side of the park with the view of the old city I could see the spires of the Cathedral and a couple of other churches and also a square tower that I was not familiar with. When it was time to go meet Dave I decided to go the long way and stop by Sybille's house and hang our laundry which then required me to walk across Obidoiro Plaza in front of the Cathedral. As I was hurrying across the plaza I recognized Alfonso who I walked the Inglés Camino with two years ago and who only speaks Spanish as he lives outside of Madrid! When I got to Pilgrim House Gail wanted to interview me and then Dave and have each of us tell a Camino story for a project that they are working on. I told the story about when I walked with Alfonso and there was no coffee. I think you have all heard it. Later Dave and I were walking back to Sybille's house, saw the lights of the Cathedral from the park and spent the next half hour walking back and forth across town finally figuring out that the tower we were seeing from the park was the bell tower of St Agustín where we had been going to church. What a full day.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day36

    Lugo

     October 3, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Interesting trip to Lugo with the original Roman walls around the old part of the city. We could see where the oldest Camino route (the Primitivo) came through the city as well as the Via Romana XIX that dates back to Roman times. I was able to visit the Cathedral too but did not get any pictures as a Police memorial was just ending.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day35

    Santiago Domingo

     October 2, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 64 °F

    Santiago Sunday. We went to St. Agustín at noon for another beautiful Mass. Johnnie played the organ and Steve sang like normal then Sybille, Petra, Dave and myself in the next pew. Johnnie made sure I was able to follow the Spanish responses and had a paper for me in English and Spanish to help. Afterwards we went to lunch including 86 year old Kay from England who had a very slow Camino walking about 8km a day with her walker and chair and resting quite often. She made her first Camino to Santiago in 1950 and wanted to walk this Camino, she said, as the other "bookend." Shortly after we sat down Michael Walsh from Thurles in County Tipperary was able to join us. He had just that minute finished walking the Camino Inglés and was still wearing his backpack. He is my age and just finishing a career as a bodyguard to the president. We talked for a while and found we have at least one friend in common. It was nice that I was able to toast and greet him in Gaelic and he appreciated it. He, Johnnie, and Steve were finally getting together to commemorate the death of a friend and poet (Danny Sheehan) who was on a Camino by sea with 3 other Irish men. He drowned a few months ago when they were rowing their traditional Irish homemade boat across the mouth of the Minho River that separates Portugal and Spain. I had been following their story so I knew a little about it.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day34

    Santiago

     October 1, 2017 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    Pretty easy day walking the last 11 miles in to Santiago. Some strange signs along the way like a sign saying it was an Enchanted Forest followed by a silhouette of a witch then later a sign that said Camino Inglés Official Dog! I have no idea what those were about.

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  • Mike Savage
    Day32

    Sigüeiro

     September 29, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Easy walk today. It sprinkled a lot this morning then started to rain just as we got to the albergue. Perfect timing! We passed the Cafe where the coffee machine was broken last time I was there and I got to show Dave the sculptures. I hope the pictures come out well since it was pretty foggy. We finally came across another person (German woman) who speaks English! Some pretty trails today with ferns answers mushrooms but mostly walking back-roads.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day31

    Hospital de Bruma

     September 28, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    The Spanish word "hospital" has to do with hospitality. The name of the town is Hospital de Bruma. There are a few homes here as well as a bar and the Municipal Albergue. Not much to report today. Fairly easy road walking with some trails and very small towns. Nice lunch stop at Mesón Museo Xente No Camiño. Beautiful paintings on the walls all painted by the owner.Read more

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  • Mike Savage
    Day30

    Betanzos

     September 27, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    There were quite a bit of short hills today and thankfully a lot of shade. There was a very steep long hill near the end of the day but fortunately there was not any rain. The albergue actually has a washer and dryer so my clothes will be good and clean! Fortunately the albergue doesn't close until 10:00 since there is no place that offers dinner before 8pm and most are 8:30. I made a visit to the church of Santo Domingo in Betanzos and it is gorgeous inside including a sculpture of a Pilgrim above the tabernacle. I wonder who it is.Read more

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