• Susan and Jim's Travels
  • Susan Halpin
  • Susan and Jim's Travels
  • Susan Halpin

Camino de Santiago

Pengembaraan 61hari oleh Susan and Jim's Travels & Susan Baca lagi
  • Camino Rule #1

    30 Oktober 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    The last kilometer is always uphill!

    We walked 22k today to the small hilltop city of Melide. We dragged ourselvesup the last kilometer. To our Pension, which is run by a Hotel next door. On check-in, we were told we are upgraded to a hotel room! Score!!!

    We are about 52k from Santiago. 3 more days walking. We will split it over 3 walking days, all under 20k. We will arrive in Santiago next Wednesday, Nov 2nd!

    We have heard the city and Cathedral will be crowded on Nov 1st, All Saints Day, so Wednesday is good with us!

    We saw our first grove of Eucalyptus Trees today.
    Baca lagi

  • What a Difference a Day Makes!

    30 Oktober 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Our hosts last night at Casa de Cota could not have been nicer to us. We arrived yesterday afternoon soaked from the rain & they washed our clothes for us. They didn't have a washer or dryer in the casa rural, so they took our clothes to their house. The woman is 8 months pregnant with twins! It is kindness like this that makes a hard day so much better. There was also a hairdryer provided in the bathroom so we could dry our shoes this morning so we didn't have to walk in wet shoes today.
    The sun was out, it was warm and our walk brought us through many pretty little villages. We saw a big stand of eucalyptus trees. More rain is predicted for tomorrow. One day at a time. We have just 3 more days to until we reach Santiago.
    Baca lagi

  • Special post from Kilometer 42!

    31 Oktober 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    A shout out to my brother Fran, who yesterday finished the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, walking the 42.2 kilometers in just over 7 hours!

    By comparison, we will walk our final 42k over 2.5 days, with a couple of bottles of Vino Tinto during our nightly rest stops!

    Well done brother!!!
    Baca lagi

  • Albergue Camino Das Ocas

    31 Oktober 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    We continued our 18.7k day, through the small city of Azrua, with quick stops at the supermarket for wine, bread, cheese and ham for our afternoon meal. And at the Pharmacia, to replenish the ibuprofen supplies! :-)

    We walked to our night's destination, an Albergue/Pension that is actually 1/2 mile off the Camino, away from any town. But it is in a good spot for our walking schedule, less than 20k to get here. Less than 20k to tomorrow's stop!

    Lots of hilly, up & down walking this afternoon. No more mountains, but the river valleys are frequent and steep.

    We could be walking through NH or Vermont cow country, instead of Galicia!

    Two more days!
    Baca lagi

  • Feliz Halloween desde Pregontono!

    31 Oktober 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Missing home a bit as I usually enjoy passing out candy to the Trick or Treaters in our neighborhood. There's always next year! We didn't see any ghosts, goblins or witches on our treck today, but we did see pumpkins, cows, ducks and Spanish Dagger plants. We were pleasantly surprised with very good weather as we only got sprinkled on a few times today, and I had my sunglasss on & off. Today's walk was a hilly woodland hike through small villages, along streams & farms. Two more days til we reach Santiago.Baca lagi

  • Walking w a Friend to Amenal

    1 November 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    We met Paul from Ontario last night in our hostel. Since it is the end of the Camino season we were the only people there last night. We enjoyed dinner together last night & walked most of today together. The walk seems so much shorter when you're talking with a friend. I didn't take many pics today. It was a beautiful sunny day in the low 60's perfect for walking. Many woodland paths & small villages with chickens, sheep & horses.

    Hard to believe tomorrow is the last leg of our Camino adventure!
    Baca lagi

  • Last night in Amenal, 16k to go!

    1 November 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We have reached Hotel Amenal for the night. Just over 16k to Santiago.

    We walked today with Paul from Ontario, until early afternoon he stopped one village before us.

    And at our hotel just now, we had a drink with, Caroline from Toulouse. We have been bumping into to her since before Cruz Ferro. She had taken a fall on the trail before we first met her. She had 6 stitches in her forehead and two black eyes back then. She is looking much better now. But she kept on walking, and now she is one day away! We hope we see her tomorrow in Santiago!Baca lagi

  • Camino Completo!

    2 November 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We did it! Our Camino is in the books!

    The Cathedral Square is very beautiful. Looking forward to exploring the city more over the next few days.

    Received our Compestella a few minutes ago. Having a celebratory lunch now.Baca lagi

  • Exploring Santiago

    3 November 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    We had about a day and a half in Santiago to get to know the city. We stayed in a hotel right outside the old city. After doing a bunch of chores like, getting new shoes, shipping hiking stuff home, and laundry, we did a lot of walking around this very old city. We visited the cathedral. Saw the tomb of St. James. Attended a mass for Pilgrims (Jim did the first reading & responsorial psalm). Shopped for a few nonhiking things to wear for the next leg of the trip. The summer flowers were still looking pretty around Catheral Square, kind of a contrast, as we saw city workers busily putting up Christmas lights & decorations.Baca lagi

  • Santiago Cathedral

    3 November 2022, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    We had a day to sightsee in Santiago de Compostela.

    We toured the great cathedral here and visited the tomb of Saint James. Photos never do justice to the interiors of the huge chuches

    We bumped into one of our Pilgrim friends, Susan from Australia. Got a photo with the two Susan's together.

    And we had dinner with Paul from Ontario last night.

    Today we have a 3 hour bus ride to Porto Portugal. We have never looked forward to a 3 hour bus ride before! :-)
    Baca lagi

  • We have arrived in Porto

    4 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We took the bus to Porto. Navigated their great Metro successfully. We had help with our first ride purchase from a Metro ambassador, who waits by the ticket machines.

    Settled in our apartment rental, and are now find our way around.

    Found our first café.

    And we have realized all the useful Spanish phrases we learned over the last 45 days are almost useless now!
    Baca lagi

  • Afternoon in Porto

    4 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Second leg of the trip...this is a really cool old city. Our apartment is in the old city a 2 minute walk to the bridge over Duoro River. We watched the sunset from the bridge tonight as we ate roasted chestnuts from a street vendor. Trains were coming in as we watched the sunset.Baca lagi

  • Felt like Summer in Porto

    5 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We had the most beautiful weather today. Bright blue sky, no clouds sunshine, it felt like it was the end of August not the beginnong of November. The city was packed with people because of the besutiful weather! We took a trolley ride from one end of the city to the other. Christmas decorations are already up here. We discovered the famous Bolhao Market. Did a Port wine tasting. took the Funicular dos Guindais back up the enormous hill to our apartment just as it was getting dark. The moon is just about full. My legs are so tired, I feel like we did another day on the Camino, the streets are cobblestone and the city is really hilly. Going to sleep well tonight!Baca lagi

  • A day roaming Porto

    5 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We took the old team line out to the mouth of the Douro river, seaside town of Fox do Douro. Beautiful weather! Sunny , warm Palm trees along the beach. Big waves breaking over the rocks. It was great.

    Walked around town for a while, then across the river to find one of the many Port Wine Caves . We did a flight of Port wines and then strolled across the lower level of the bridge and took a funicular car up the big hill.

    We are off the Camino, but still putting in a lot of steps every day!
    Baca lagi

  • Another (Gift) Summer Day in Porto

    6 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We were expecting a cloudy, drizzly day and ended up with another gorgeous sunny, clear day. Temps in the mid 70's. The city is very hilly & the cobblestones uneven, so we definitely are getting a workout walking all day. Visited the Porto Palace gardens. Saw peacocks, azaleas, and impatiens. Visited a church, the Porto Cathedral and several street markets. It was a gorgeous day, what month is it again?Baca lagi

  • Porto Cathedral

    6 November 2022, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We made an afternoon visit to the Cathedral, also on top of a hill!

    Just another magnificent Cathedral/Cloister/Chapterhouse. You bump into these places every other day over here.....