Airport Lounges have long been represented as stylish hang outs for first and business class passengers whilst they wait to board their flight. I have now tried multiple Airport Lounges for myself and from my current seat in Madrid’s Cibeles Lounge have decided to reveal all I have learnt, about these coveted spaces.
It is no surprise that many people choose to escape to an Airport Lounge, when the hustle and bustle of the main dining and seating halls of the departures areas in airports are often so noisy, and uncomfortable. Airport Lounges are more affordable than ever now, and us mere mortals from Economy are finding our way into these spaces, to treat ourselves to pre flight relaxation.
There are different levels of Airport Lounges, with some being specific to frequent or prestigious flyers of specific airlines, and many that are simply ran by the airport and vary by quality. I have spent time in some excellent lounges, as well as ones that did not feel very special at all. The main way to determine if it is worth it, is to find out in advance what is on offer.
What to expect
In all airport lounges, you can expect to have unlimited food and drink (including house wine and beer), comfy seats and WiFi access. The quality of these three things can vary though, so it is always worth looking for reviews and photos before you book.
In Madrid’s Cibeles lounge the Wifi is good but you still have to log into it every hour as it is time limited… a little annoying and not really an advantage over the main airport WiFi here. The food is nice, but of course very local and basic, so mainly pastries, breads, and salads. The seats are awesome! There is a mix of seating areas, a desk area for those wishing to work on laptops, a dining table area, and an armchair area. Every seat has individual access to a power outlet so I am enjoying my comfy armchair with my computer.
In some extra special lounges you could access benefits such as a restaurant service, hot food at all times, free alcoholic beverages, a concierge service, a place to shower and even somewhere to take a nap. Some lounges have gone the extra mile to create a relaxing experience with special rooms for playing video games, or in the case of Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse Lounge at Heathrow, you can get a complimentary spa treatment with the right pass. That sounds really good to me…
Normally, you can access your lounge for up to three or four hours before your flight. There can be exceptions though. Cibeles were good enough to allow me an extra two additional hours because I was already in the airport as a transit passenger.
How to get in
Some lounges are still reserved for the elite passengers; those with a business or first class ticket, or with membership to an airline. If you are lucky enough to afford a better ticket, then you can enjoy all its benefits for hours before departure.
Many lounges can now be accessed by all classes of passenger thankfully, and there are several ways to access the space.
Depending on the popularity of the lounge, you could purchase access face to face on arrival, but this is risky, as some can become very busy. It is safer to book in advance. You can do this through either an agency or directly with the airport. Many airport websites will have the ability to book a lounge direct.
The other method, is through an agency website. Websites, such as Holiday Extras, Wowcher, and Lounge Buddy are all examples of easy platforms to book a lounge, and receive a printable voucher to take with you. This costs on average about £30 per visit.
If you are a regular flyer (with different airlines) then you could consider investing in an annual pass that gives you access to over 1300 airport lounges across the globe. Priority Pass offers either 10 free lounge visits and then discounted visits for $299 USD or unlimited lounge visits for $429 USD. This includes all the lounge benefits, plus access to customer support, and their app.
Either way, the rules to remember when you are going to book your lounge, (assuming that I have convinced you of the benefits) are:
Book in advance where ever possible
Book the correct time of arrival, to give you the maximum benefit of the allocated time, so after when you expect to get through security, but before your 45 minute pre departure boarding time.
Book the correct lounge in the airport! If it is a big airport, make sure you are booking a lounge in your terminal of departure.
Check the reviews and photos of the lounge.
Check the serving times for any hot food menu (I was caught out by this in the Cibeles).
A new year brings new possibilities, and after two years of Covid travel restrictions, and a worldwide vaccination programme fighting off the latest variant, everyone can finally start to consider their well deserved holiday breaks. So the question is, where to go?
I have a good idea of what locations are on my list to visit during 2022, perhaps you would agree with my top ten choices for this year. Hopefully, I can tick at least some of them off this year.
Patagonia (Argentina & Chile)
Patagonia, the place, not the clothing line. With my tickets already bought, I am very excited to be visiting Patagonia this year. The region of Patagonia is shared between the South American countries of Argentina and Chile. It is an untamed area of 400,000 square miles, full of mountains, lakes, and glaciers. This area is as far South as you can go before you hit Antarctica.
Popular with nature lovers and active travellers, it is full of activities but can only be visited at certain portions of the year, as during the Winter, it becomes too cold and dangerous to inhabit. I plan to hike as many national parks as I can, as well as visit wild penguins and if I am lucky, see some whales!
Scottish Isles
Another one, for a good bit of hiking and bird spotting, I can not believe that I have not yet visited Scotland! I keep meaning to head up the road to visit the land of the Scots, but I have not yet got to it. If I can get the cash together, I would like to purchase a van, do a campervan conversion, and use Scotland as my testing ground for the vehicle.
There are so many islands surrounding scotland, (over 900 in fact), making this a beautiful region to enjoy. These isles benefit from rolling wilderness, gorgeous beaches, castles and further whale watching! I am particularly interested in visiting Calanais Standing Stones which is actually older than Stonehenge.
Valencia, Spain
Valencia is the place to go to get warmed up, it has over 300 days of sunshine each year, and 2000 years of history to explore. During a city break, ancient and modern monuments, as well as beaches can be found. It is also the origin place of Paella!
I was due to visit the romantic city of Valencia during 2021, but I had to come home early due to Covid restrictions. I am determined to rectify the situation this year, and I am also lucky enough to have a local friend who can show me around the area.
British Columbia, Canada
British Columbia is the must see tourist region in Canada, and home of the rocky mountains. I was all booked up to visit the area before the pandemic, but then my trip was cancelled. The area is massive, and of course includes lots of mountain sport and trekking activities, but you can also travel through the area more gently on a luxury train.
The region is bursting with wildlife and I am determined to see some bears when I visit, but I also want to visit Calgary (which is the gateway town for those flying from the UK). Calgary is the location for the Calgary Stampede, which is a summer agriculture show and rodeo. It is world famous, but was cancelled during the pandemic, I hope it will be back in full action over the next year.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica seems to be in the media a lot at the moment, and for good reason. This small country makes up 5% of the planet’s biodiversity, as it is full of rainforests, volcanoes, and wonderful experiences involving wildlife and culture. It is also not short of a white sandy beach…
I have known about the destination for a while, because of its passion for conservation and eco-tourism. Costa Rica has 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, 8 biological reserves, and a series of protected areas. I can just see myself abseiling down waterfalls, and camping out amongst the wild animals.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Another location that catches my eye because of its eco friendly credentials, Ljubljana in Slovenia, is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities. With a backdrop of snowy mountains, nature seeps into the city as they have created multiple outdoor spaces. It sounds really inspiring to see and I can just imagine taking a super nice breath of fresh air there.
Ljubljana has things to do and see throughout the year, and is another place where hiking is easily accessible. The Velika Planina seems to be a particularly unique attraction, as an area with small huts that look particularly pretty.
Norway
Norway, is a place that I (and probably many other people) now highly associate with either the movie ‘Frozen’, or superhero/god, Thor. As well as these mythical beings, the country has stunning fjords, glaciers, and the ‘northern lights’. It just seems to be a magical place to exist in.
I would love to travel by boat around some of the 1000+ fjords and hopefully not get too much seas sickness… I have also discovered that Norway now has an attraction that can be visited, which is very unique; an ancient ice tunnel below the highest mountain in the Alps. I am not normally one for cold places, but this seems like a must!
York, UK
I have done the Yorkshire Three Peaks (technically, I struggled through two…), but I have not actually visited the city of York yet. York, is supposedly very similar to my home town of Norwich, and of course has the famous York Minster, which I would like to visit. York seems to be heritage heavy, which is really up my street, and along side some great places to eat and relax, it sounds like the perfect retreat.
North York Moors National Park is a great place outside of the city to set up the telescope, and enjoy the dark starry skies. I would be happy to add on some camping there, and the end of a city break in York.
Zakopane, Poland
Zakopane, is a resort town in Poland on the other side of the border from Slovakia. It has picturesque wooden chalets and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the surrounding mountains. The town also has plenty of thermal spas to relax in.
Poland is still a very cheap place to visit, and I also have some contacts in the country, that I could visit as part of my trip. This could certainly be an easy break to make happen.
Columbia
Columbia is a country with a mixed brand of coffee, politics, and now disney’s ‘Encanto’. For a long time, I knew little about Columbia, but I now have a dear friend, who is Columbian. He has described to me about the friendliness of the Columbian people, and the lush jungle and mountain scenery. So, now I am intrigued.
This huge nation has several large cities, with beautiful colonial architecture, and a thriving nightlife. In the wild rural areas, there are plenty of opportunities for trekking, sport fishing, diving, and bird watching. I hope to visit with my friend when he next visits. It is always great to be with someone that knows the area.
Fingers crossed, I can find the time and funds to make it out to all these places. There is a good mix of seasons and price ranges involved, so I think I stand a good chance! I hope this year brings as many adventures to you, as possible.
After completing my journey to Santiago de Compostela, I hit the road again, and made my way to the beautiful city of Salamanca for an overnight stay.
Salamanca is a small city in the North West of Spain. Whilst it is not dramatically far from Santiago de Compostela, it was not the simplest to get to. I had to take a train to another town, and then a local bus to Salamanca. After this long journey, I was too early for check in, and decided to start on the sightseeing straight away.
I knew nothing about Salamanca before visiting. Only that it was a city that looked nice in pictures, and had a name that I enjoyed saying out loud… SAL – A – MANCA 😄
It turns out that Salamanca is also known as the ‘Golden City’ because of the golden orange colour of the buildings throughout the old town. The colour definitely does make you feel as if you were in an arabian paradise, but Northern Spain really doesn’t fit that profile! 😄 The city’s old town has a mix of palaces, religious buildings, and university buildings.
It seems that the University of Salamanca is very well renowned in Spain, as the first university that existed in the country. Many of the oldest buildings in the city are under use of the students still today. The public library can be visited for free, and is particularly unique as a building completely covered in the image of shells, giving it the name ‘Casa de las Conchas’. This was interesting to me, as shells are the symbol of the Camino de Santiago that I have just completed. On this occasion, they are related to the marriage between two noble families.
I also paid for the guided tour of the Pontificia university building, which is a separately owned catholic part of the university for theology and law schools, and has an adjoining church. This tour was in Spanish so there was a lot of me trying to follow what was being said, but the general jist of it consisted of a very fancy staircase, cloister and some sort of debate room.
The building was very fancy, and there were many references to important figures from Christianity, the history of the university, and the monarchy. I think you would be very lucky to study in these surroundings.
You can also climb the towers of the buildings and walk around the outside of them. The views of the city are great here, and I enjoyed seeing the bells. The only downside was that it was a foggy day!
Of course, I also visited Salamanca’s Cathedral. You actually get two for the price of one when you visit, as the old cathedral resides inside the new cathedral. When the new one was built, the city decided not to tear the old one down but instead incorporate it. They are very different and make it a very large space to visit. A useful audio guide is included in the visit and pilgrims receive a discount.
The new cathedral has many chapels and lots of detail, as well as two beautiful organs that can be admired from the front and back. The choir carvings are also exquisite. It is a brilliant place to take photographs. Later, on the self guided tour, I entered the old cathedral, which has a much more plain and simple feel to it. Though the architecture is simple, it does still have many chapels as well, and many more ancient wall paintings to admire. The cathedral also has a small museum space to enjoy.
In the evening, Salamanca’s golden stonework, lights up the streets and the shopping areas and main plaza is bustling after 8pm. I happened to be here after the christmas decorations were up, so I was able to dine outside in the plaza with a lovely meal and a heater, and watch the christmas display with hundreds of local people.
The next morning, I wondered along the riverside, took a look at the roman bridge and visited an art nouveau and art déco museum, within a beautiful building called ‘Casa Lis’. The building has gorgeous stained glass windows and a stained glass roof. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed except for in the cafe, so there is only a photo of my hot chocolate! This was delicious 😉
Finally, I made my way to the train station for my next stop. I was delightfully surprised by the train station in Salamanca. It is huge and has many restaurants and a cinema attached within the building.
Overall, Salamanca was a pretty little city, with a good few things to see that are all very close together. I would be happy to return and visit more of the university, noble houses and palaces next time.
Before walking the Camino de Santiago, I had thought that people were being cheesy and over sensitive when they talked about their camino experiences. After 828km of different cultures, landscapes, and physical and emotional challenges, I know better now.
It is hard to explain why I began this great challenge in the first place. I liked walking, I wanted to practice my spanish, and I suppose I wanted to prove something to myself, but the truth is that it goes a lot deeper than that. It has a lot more to do with feeding the soul (I know that sounds corny, but it is true).
‘Normal’ life is so fast paced, and so fixed on superficial goals; making the most money you can, being the best at your job, being popular, educated, prosperous in all things. I found that I had become lost in the noise of it all, unable to relax, nor ever fully able to satisfy the expectations of others. Life was not energizing me, and after suffering the loss of loved ones too, I could not see a way out of the maze I was in.
When I decided to leave everything behind to start travelling and begin walking the camino, many people told me that they envied my courage. The truth is, whilst it is brave to leave your comfort zone, that is not what led me to walk ‘the way’. When you get so desperate to live happily, you will try anything to reconnect.
The Camino de Santiago is not a leisurely walk, or even just a physical endeavour. It is a spiritual journey full of physical anguish, beautiful moments and life changing epiphanies. That is what my life needed.
Every day, there was only one goal, to follow the bright yellow arrows, and find the next place of refuge. The only priorities are food, water, shelter and occasionally if I was lucky, heat & hygiene.
There were moments when putting one foot in front of the other was agonising. With blistered feet, tired muscles, sweat streaming down my face, as I carried everything I had on my back. I’d wonder if I made the right choice, if I could carry on. Then, something would happen, something small and natural, and it would change my thoughts. Things like finding an ancient cave, seeing a rare eagle fly just next to me, or a beautiful mountain view.
I had one day, when I had been walking for two hours in the rain, uphill, I was in pain and not enjoying myself. Then, suddenly, the rain cleared and I was at a natural park with views of the sea and rivers running past, birds swooping down to the water below… and then above me a rainbow appeared. This almost moved me to tears. It rejuvenated me and reminded me that all storms are followed by beautiful light and life.
But isn’t that what life is about?
Working through the struggle to get to the happier moments. Life is a constant search, not for happiness as a constant state, as this is not possible. It is a search for moments of happiness, contentment and peace. You cannot have moments of happiness without the contrast of pain and struggle.
Quite a few times during the walk, I compared it to what I imagine childbirth is like to some degree. Your feet swell, your back hurts, you have an agonising physical experience, then when it is over, you forget all the pain and can only think about the amazing result.Often, people forget about the pain so easily, that they want to do it again!
What is perhaps more important that this, is that the more pain you have endured, the more happiness you have the capacity to appreciate. I used to wish that the bad things that had happened in my life, hadn’t happened, but if they hadn’t how could I have the strength and search for happy moments that I have. If you never stumble, how can you learn to get up?
Many people already have all they need to live happily. Medieval pilgrims would have seen normal people today as rich in all they have, and expect us to know our blessings. In the western society though, people no longer can appreciate it. I would now argue that we have become too comfortable, too lacking in the struggle to survive. This is why it is harder to feel happy moments when they come, instead you feel nothing at all.
If you lived in nature, and it began to rain, you would need to find or build shelter to escape it. You may also rejoice the rain, because after long drought, your survival depends on it. I cannot count all the times I have cursed the rain, and been angry about it, simply wishing it would stop, meanwhile I effortlessly wonder into my home, that I did not take any risk in acquiring.
When exploring the ancient lives of paleolithic cave people during my walk, and visiting their shelters, I realised how ungrateful I had been. These people had barely anything, and what they did have, they spent long periods of time making themselves. They lived in damp hard holes in the ground, and had to fight bears and other animals for the right to be there.
This made me reconsider things. I should be grateful for the rain that many others might pray for still today, and the home that I did not have to bleed for.
Once I began to change my mindset, I started to appreciate things. Everything became more special. Whilst the rain may not be may favourite weather, I could now look up and smile in it.
A piece of bread was now vital substance, my socks and shoes were precious gems, and passing animals became welcome friends. I watched the snail slide down the same path as me, and considered his struggle, following the same hard terrain with no tools, and his home on his back. I found a new respect for many creatures that do not possess the aids that we have. I could not match the struggle of the snail, the donkey or the stray cat. I must remember and appreciate this.
It all comes down to perspective, and there is plenty of that around on the camino, from the scenery to the people you meet.
I met so many different people, and had such varied conversations. From simple laughs with local bar tenders, to deep life conversations with diners on the next table to me. Most of the pilgrims I met were searching for the same thing as me. Meaning.
I met a couple that had already been cycling for four months from their home in Germany, wanting to find more joy in their lives. I spoke with an Englishman that wanted to live day to day, and a man from Belgium, who was looking for a new direction.
The nuns, farmers, small business owners and simply just other pedestrians, we were all sharing the same need to slow down. The culture of Spain in general is very relaxed, and people savour their meals and take their time to talk to strangers and neighbours alike. The amount of times I was stopped by a local that wanted to talk with me and ask about my journey, is hard to count! It was so warming, and it just made me feel connected to these people.
Whilst I have met many people, most of my time was spent alone with my thoughts. Friends have asked me if it’s horrible being alone, and don’t I get lonely.. well I did get lonely, and sometimes it made me sad, but more often I was happy.
I could sing as loud as I wanted to songs that I do not know the words, cry about stuff that only mattered to me, and work through my thoughts. I know that it can be scary to face your thoughts and feelings, but it is the only way to move past them.
I don’t believe these are things that someone could have told me and I would have then understood. They needed to be lived. Going back to basics as far as possible, this was the shock I needed, to remember what I have and what life offers us all. To be able to be grateful to just be on this planet and living this moment, and enjoy it!
It truly is a pilgrimage, and a journey to explore yourself, and I would recommend that anyone who feels lost, walks ‘the way’.
During my two months following the Camino del Norte from Irun to Santiago de Compostela, I have stayed in all sorts of places. Some were absolute luxuries and some were absolute horror stories. I have now narrowed down my top ten.
On the Camino de Santiago’s many routes there are lots of accommodation types on offer:
Albergue / Hostel
Very similar to each other, many are pilgrim only. The main differences to remember are that in an albergue you generally have one main hall for everyone, lights out and lock up at 10pm and have to be out by 8am. Many have no heating, and you have to keep your fingers crossed for a bottom bunk, as after a week of walking, you won’t want to be climbing a ladder each time you need to wee.
Pension
This is normally a guesthouse but sometimes a pension might have a bunk room, and extra services. Normally it is owned by a husband and wife team, and they will have a bar/restaurant next door.
Pasada / Country Lodge
These are like luxurious pensions and tend to be in a rural scenic location, in a small village, and possibly the only place to stay.
Hotel
I would say that a hotel is obvious, but it is not. There are many different standards and many hotels have no services at all, and are really pensions. For me, a hotel needs to have a manned reception, this was only common in hotels above three stars.
Top 10
To make it to the top, the accommodation has to have the big three; great location, great price, and a great bed.
1. Blai Blai Hostel, Zarautz
I had a really comfy stay at the Blai Blai. The hostel is in a popular location for not only pilgrims but also lots of surfers. The woman on reception was very nice and helpful. There is a supermarket above and to the side of the hostel, so very convenient. The rooms are very clean and modern, with all the outlets you need in your own little bunk. The only cons were that there was no oven (not uncommon), and no in house washing machine, I had to go to the laundarette down the street.
2. Albergue Bide-Ona, Portugalete
Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of this one. The guy managing the albergue is really friendly, and helped a lot with information and route planning. The albergue is clean and organised, and has a really chilled vibe to it. There is also a really reasonably priced cafe down the road where I got a giant bowl of cesar salad that was delicious.
3. Pasada Villa Rural, Guemas
Again, another one with no photo. This is pretty much the only place to stay in Guemas, as it is a tiny village. The lodge is really nice quality though, and the owners have a restaurant next door which is handy. The views from the rooms are really nice and you can enjoy sitting on the terrace too.
4. Canal Hotel, Unquera
I think the photo below is enough to earn the Canal Hotel a place on the list! In general though, it was a pleasant hotel, with clean rooms, friendly staff, and a free breakfast.
5. Casa de la trinidad (San Francisco Convent), Laredo
This convent had no heating but otherwise it was great! The nuns sign you in, and then buzz you in and out when you go for dinner. The rooms are very clean, and there is a kitchen available. It felt very special to sleep in the convent, and I had the room to myself (there are only two beds to a room).
6. Casa Espana, Villaviciosa
I really thought I had a photo of this hotel but apparently I don’t, and that is very annoying! It is a very pretty hotel! It is a historic building and has a gorgeous appearance outside and inside. In my room was lots of hard wood antique furniture. Everything was very clean. The staff were also very helpful.
7. Boogalow Hostel, Gijon
The Boogalow hostel is still fairly new and it is a really comfy stay. A great location, facing the beach and with sea views. There is fun decor including games and best of all, a swing chair! The hostel offer lots of free muffins and snacks etc, the only downside was they needed a few more bits of kitchen equipment, in case there are lots of guests wanting to cook at once.
8. Hotel Palacio de la Magdalena, Soto del Barco
This former palace is beautiful and very luxurious! I had so much time in the bathtub, and laying on the comfy bed. They even gave you your own dressing gown. I realised later that there was also a spa! Unfortunately, I was only there one night and did not have any swim gear so could not take advantage. I did use the hotel restaurant which was very fancy and still reasonable at only €16 for the menu of the day. Plus, they gave me complementary leek cake!
9. Casa de Manas, Grove
Beautifully finished country lodge, surrounded by a river and cows. The bed was very ‘princess and the pea’ style, the radiators looked like marble, and the bath was a jacuzzi. Very nice! The owners were also very helpful and provided a free breakfast at the restaurant a little up the hill.
10. Hotel San Marcus, Sobrado dos Monxes
Comfy room, and nice bathroom. Very cosy, with a balcony to sit on and views of the monastery. The lady running the hotel also made free drinks and snacks available 24/7 and breakfast was included.
Doing the camino off season, did leave me with less options to choose from this year, but I am so glad I managed to get a bed at these locations. I would recommend to anyone doing the walk, to mix it up and sprinkle some different types of stay into your trip. You deserve a little luxury after walking for 40km in one day, and the baths really help!
This week was my final 100km to Santiago de Compostela. Many people begin their entire route from here, for me, it was the beginning of the end, of a very long walk.
Now that I am in Galicia, a new language has been introduced again, a subtle change in culture and architecture. It is so interesting to see the subtle changes. The terrain is flatter and now includes many forests, and little services.
The week began great, leaving before sunrise to walk to Vilalba, I enjoyed my first walk in mostly sunshine for many days. I got some brilliant photos, and whilst my foot was sore, I was full of positivity. Especially once I saw the first road sign to Santiago! It finally felt within reach!
I made my way to a cafe, which I found then to be closed, but hung around outside looking sad until the nice spanish lady let me in! She opened up just for me and I had a hot chocolate, and a long conversation in spanish about politics and Galicia. Very good practice.
Before I knew it, I had made it to the hostel. I was all on my own at the hostel, and it was 1km outside of town, so I had an interesting attempt at ordering a delivery. After a long struggle, I finally had my cheeseburger and chocolate brownie, snuggled up in my sleeping bag.
Vilalba is a nice town, with lots of shops and services, a little castle. It would make a good rest day stop, if I had not been so eager to finish!
The walk to Baamonde was very rainy and had many roads, except at the beginning where there was a pretty boardwalk route through a park along the river. It was ‘only’ 22km but a big struggle with an already very sore foot and knees. Thankfully, I had some company in the second half, in the form of a lovely pilgrim from Switzerland. He had already walked 2000km, and was already ready to get to Santiago by now. I love walking alone, but it is nice to have someone else to listen to other than your own thoughts sometimes. Eventually, we made it to our hostel, and enjoyed a lovely dinner together of baby squid again, of course.
Baamonde is a very small place, but it is also the marker point for being 100km from Santiago de Compostela. This makes it a starting point for many people’s journey. For me, it was a beautiful sign that my journey was almost complete.
The next day I had a choice to make. I could do one long day of at least 32km to the next stage, or take another route over two days (doing 15km, then 25km). The guy from Switzerland wanted me to join him for the big hike, but my foot hurt too much. I decided to stick with my plan of long afternoon rests and went with two days. So we went our separate ways, with an agreement to celebrate together in Santiago.
The 15km to the little village of Miraz, turned out to be really enjoyable, despite my pain. The sun came out for me, and I could take lots of breaks as the walk was shorter. I walked with a herd of cows for at least 1km which was a fun experience, and I even came across a house where the owner made his own special pilgrim stamp. I knocked on the door, and he especially came out, lit a fire, melted some wax and stamped my passport.
On arrival to the village, I relaxed, soothed my feet and counted the days to Santiago.
The next day was my last walk over 25km, to Sobrado dos Monxes. The weather was very bad again, and the poncho was on all day. There were very little places to sit and no bars to use as refuge until I was an hour from the end. The landscape was quite different, more boulders and I could sense that I was now very high from sea level, making it much more windy.
I did spend two hours of the walk with three local spanish guys. We chatted in espanol, which was great practice for me. They walk the last 100km of the camino every seven years (on holy years) on the run up to christmas. So, they were fresh to the walk, on their first day, and so much quicker than me, who at this point is limping! I have been limping for about five days now… After a few hours I told them to go ahead of me, so I could take a break. Several hours later I arrived in Sobrado.
I was in a lovely hotel this night that overlooked the monastery in town. There was an option to sleep in the monastery with the monks, but at this point I just needed comfort and a hot bath. It was amazing to lay in hot water and soothe my muscles. The next day I left a bit later so that I could explore the beautiful monastery. I wanted to take the mass but the timings did not work with my schedule. The monastery is beautiful, and I almost missed a massive section of it where the door was out of sight! Thankfully, a nice monk pointed me in the right direction, and we had a good chat. Apparantly, they don’t use the large part of the church for masses anymore, instead it can be used for weddings. Very fancy!
Then by 11am, I was on my 22km walk to Arzua, and on to the home stretch now!
I cannot say anything good about this stretch of the walk. The rain never stopped, and I was in agony. I actually attempted to change my socks (in wet shoes) at one point, and squeezed about a pint of dirty water from them. There were many roads, and little places to rest. When I made it to Arzua, I was relieved and exhausted.
Arzua is quite a big town, and the joining point for the camino del norte with the more popular camino frances. This meant I would finally be able to send my backpack ahead of me for two days. Now that my entire body is sore, this is great news!
The next day started with irritation to get my backpack sent off, and with trying to fight for a chance to use the one plug outlet to charge my phone, that was shared by 40 people.
The rain this day was the worse there has been throughout, plus strong wind. I did not have my backpack though, so I felt light and quick for the first time in months. It was great. Whilst, I was still in pain and very wet, I found myself feeling very grateful, for life. Grateful to have the opportunity to be alive and here.
I also saw many other pilgrims along the way now, and I was able to get some sick satisfaction that I was not suffering the path alone. I can now identify a pilgrim with ease. The key identifiers are:
Backpack and poncho
Obsession with stamps
Hiking boots and poles
Tortured look in eyes
Broken spanish or use of the phrase ‘tanta lluvia’
Sports wear
Dirty and smelly looking
Walking with a limp, we all have the same one.
This day I spent the afternoon walking with a very lost looking 20 year old girl from China. She had only started a few days before, and was not well prepared. She only had a small puffer jacket, trainers,a little bag, no sleeping bag, and an umbrella that consistently turned inside out. She was struggling to find her way, and so I offered to help. We walked through absolute rivers to get to the next stop in Pedrouzo but whilst I was ankle deep in water, all I could do was accept it, laugh and keep singing along.
After one final night in a pilgrim hostel, a very cold damp night, I finally made my last big walk to just outside Santiago, Monte del Gozo.
The walk was a lot drier, only raining half the day. It was also an even mix of walking through woodland and road, which was good for the feet.
The best part, came at the end, when I visited the pilgrim monument overlooking my final destination, Santiago de Compostela. The monument is 600 metres off route on a hill, but worth the view. After this, I took a well deserved rest at a hotel outside the city, and found some much needed moisturiser for my poor feet.
The last part of my pilgrimage came the next morning, with a final 4km walk to the cathedral, and to receive my certificate!
Santiago de Compostela
The outside of the city is modern and industrial, with many neighbourhoods as you would expect. The exciting part is when you arrive in the old part of the city. There are many small plazas, arch covered walkways and historic buildings. I began to see the towers of the cathedral from quite far out, and as I approached it, the streets became more winding and maze like. The closer I got to the cathedral, the more pilgrims I saw, from all over the world, and with all the different gear on their backs or bikes. No one arriving on horseback though!
A large plaza faces the breathtaking cathedral, with three other historic buildings, one of which is a very pricey hotel. I was lucky to arrive when it was not raining, and we were all angling for the best shots. After admiring the outside decoration for a while, I made my way to the Pilgrim’s Mass.
All in spanish, the mass was difficult to follow, but the vibe was still nice, and unexpectedly they swung the Botafumeiro (big incense burner) across the cathedral transcepts, which is a well recognised symbol of the church.
After mass, I spent some time admiring the cathedral, and went a little crazy buying souvenirs. I then wondered around a little and came across another christian building that seemed to be quite intriguing. The monastery of San Martín Pinario, now partially used for a hotel, school, and museum. The main church is actually magnificent! Possibly more impressive in artwork than even the cathedral.
The choir sits behind the main altar, which is unusual, and so you can actually go to the back of the main altarpiece, and admire some amazing fine carpentry. You can also go upstairs and view the church from the galleries where a second choir resides! This was a lovely surprise. There is also an opportunity to look directly at the dome ceiling art. The museum also had some good pieces to admire, and this large attraction was only a few euros.
That night I met up with my new friend from Switzerland for our celebratory dinner, and we toasted to our success in making it to the end. He had arrived a few days before me, and told me where he had been shopping for new clothes. Now that I had walked into the city in literally rags, I decided I needed to prioritise a bit of shopping.
I took a bus from Praza Galicia for only €1 out to a big shopping mall, and spent a long while tracking down the right pair of jeans.. 😍 I don’t know why the Spanish only sell skinny jeans?! I have now walked 828km and these thighs still cannot fit in them! In the end I found some ‘mum style’ ones, a bit embarrassing but oh well. It is good to be back in denim.
After my shopping spree, I decided to make a visit to the Museum of Pilgrimage. This museum is four floors and pilgrims can enter for free. 👍The museum holds a mix of photographic exhibitions, historic artefacts, and paintings. The collections explain the origin of the Camino de Santiago (way of St James), who James was, and how his tomb was discovered in Santiago. The museum also explains how the pilgrimage route has become more popular over the centuries and many pilgrims’ experiences. The other pilgrimages from around the world and different religions are also discussed.
This was very inspiring to me, and I was glad to see that the reasons I chose to walk the journey were echoed by others.
Something else not to be missed at the museum, is going to the top floor. Here, I found up close views of the cathedral towers.
The final thing I did before I went to bed, was visit the cafe casino, opposite my hotel for a little cheesecake. This is a gorgeous building that is now a swanky cafe and even has a grand piano being played, to really make you feel at peace.
Overall, the Camino de Santiago has been a very unique experience. It has been a great opportunity to travel slowly, and see beautiful landscapes, as well as small villages and towns, that you would not likely stop in, if you were travelling to your destination directly. The people I have met, and culture and traditions experienced can never be replaced. I had said that I could never walk so far again, but the more I think about it, the more I think I could be convinced…
After two months walking Camino del Norte through all sorts of weather and terrain, these are my top tips.
1. Walking poles
Lots of people walk without trekking poles, and it is a personal preference. For me, after so many consistent days of walking, I don’t think I could have finished without them. They take the pressure off your legs, offer you something to lean on when there is no dry seat, allow you to test the depth of mud, catch you when you fall, and make good weapons if you need them!
2. Getting used to bread and ham
Always keep a little bread and some snacks in your backpack. There are many stretches without services, and the walking schedule does not match the spanish eating schedule. Supermarkets close on Sundays and many restaurants are shut on mondays. Restaurants will not serve meals until their meal times (3pm and 8pm). The only thing you will get is a ham sandwich. Get ready to get sick of ham real fast!
3. Energy drink powder
I never used to use energy drinks or add anything to my water before the camino. I decided to buy some on the way and start using some strawberry flavoured powder. I ended up really being able to tell the difference between days I had it, and when I didn’t. It also helps to supplement the lack of access to meals as I mentioned above.
4. Sending your backpack on
Correos, Spain’s postal service, offer a backpack transport service for pilgrims. This runs all year on the french way but only up to the end of October on other routes. I used it for my first three days and final two days. If you can do it, I would recommend doing it for the beginning at least, so you can gradually get used to the trek. Especially, if doing the North route, with lots of mountain climbing at the start! The service is really good, and cheap!
5. Download the Buen Camino app
I used the Buen Camino app every few hours. It was really a great tool. The app has an up to date map, with the official route and alternative paths and shortcuts. Also, up to date information about issues on the route, attractions and accommodation. I cannot recommend it enough.
6. Bring a portable charger
My phone is a little on the old side, but regardless, bringing a portable charger is a really good idea. You are likely to be without a plug outlet for up to 10 hours at a time on some days, whilst draining your phone with music, photos and apps. This helped me out a bunch of times.
7. K-Tape
I used K-tape on my sore muscles for the first few weeks. It really helped me to feel better, and prevent hiker’s knee. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to apply it.
8. Paper tourist map
When in a city or large town for more than a day, it can be a good idea to get a paper map from the tourist office. This is a prevention method like the portable charger. When all your devices fail you after a long day out sightseeing, you will still be able to find your way back to your bed. Plus they are fun!
9. Plastic bags and newspaper
If you are walking during a wet time of the year, although you can still expect rain at some point, have plastic bags and newspaper handy. I have now learnt that there is no such thing as a waterproof shoe. No shoe can stand up against the rain of the autumn/winter camino. Putting plastic bags around your feet is a temporary prevention that helps. To dry your shoes overnight, stuff them with newspaper balls, this sucks out the water.
10. Have small change
Spain has not yet become a cashless society. Do not kid yourself that you will be able to wonder around with only ‘contactless’. Many shops, cafes and albergues will not accept card payments, and will be moody if you give them big notes. Many of the washing machines and dryers are also coin operated, so you will need to keep some coins handy if you want to wash your two outfits!
11. Check your check in times and leave early in the morning
Many accommodation providers have random check in and check out times, and if you turn up late they will not let you in! There is also likely to be situations where you have to phone the reception from a locked door outside, as many do not man the receptions full time. Additionally, I would recommend leaving early in the morning. You never know how long a walk is really going to take, and you want to maximise daylight hours, and rest time in the evening.
12. Take lots of short breaks and dont sit for long
I tried to sit for about five minutes roughly every two hours and up to 30 minutes for lunch half way through. If you sit too often or for too long, it will just keep getting harder to get up and going again!
13. Don’t think too far ahead
Don’t think about how far away it is to Santiago, or even the town you are trying to get to at the end of each day. It is too overwhelming, and frankly discouraging. It is better to think of lots of short distances whilst walking, for example the next town or landmark. Then when you have done that, you look at how far to the next one. It makes each one, a little win.
14. Accept that there is a good chance that you will need to take public transport sometimes.
You may well do the camino entirely walking, but don’t beat yourself up if one day you just have to take the bus. There will be days when you just have nothing in the tank, or the weather is too dangerous to walk, or you might have an injury.
15. Don’t forget to stretch and take your ibuprofen!
Pretty self explanatory, but I forgot to stretch often, and it makes a difference. I also really needed ibuprofen by the end!
This week I entered my final third of the walk, and as the rain poured down, the paths became rivers, but I powered on!
The week kicked off with a stop in Aviles, which is a large town. It has charming streets full of arches, old chapels and former monasteries, and a fountain of dribbling monks!
I stayed all alone in a large pilgrims albergue for the cheap fee of 8 euros and prepared for the week ahead.
Next was my soggy 20km to Soto del Barco. Most of the walk was through forests with deep red ferns and overflowing rivers.
I had hoped to find a cheap place to stay, but it was all pricey in this village at the bottom of the valley, so I decided to stay in a hotel. The hotel was beautiful as it was a former 18th century palace, and so enjoyed a little luxury and a slap up meal, of food that I could not identify!
The next day I walked to Soto de Luina. The rain continued and I had only been able to have a few small pastries and a piece of fruit for breakfast. I’d thought I would pass a cafe but all day I didn’t. The day was spent walking through forests.
Thankfully, forests and woodland are in my opinion, the easiest terrain on the joints, as the ground is so bouncy. I grew up in the woods (in a house not in the trees), and feel in my element within them.
The overflowing rivers and lack of food was making this very hard for ‘only’ a 22km walk. The day was full of ups and downs, and I had to stop frequently. A few times I thought I might pass out.
When I finally arrived in Soto de Luina, I made my way to my bed for the night, in an old abandoned school building. No heating, and no kitchen, but its all part of the experience… right? 😣
When I looked at my map, I found that my next stop in Luarca was up to 40km away (that is maybe 12 hours walk), and the morning came and my shoes were still wet, and my body still weak. So I decided to journey by train this day. I felt a bit guilty, but sometimes you have to know when to give yourself a break.
It was also a great place to do the train, as the track rides over the town of Luarca, and provides great views. The train driver was really nice too. We chatted in spanish, he showed me when to take photos, gave me some paper for my shoes, and showed me the control room! It also gave me a chance to nose around the town for longer, and just recover a little.
Luarca is a small town which was founded on fishing, especially for whales. The town has a winding river running through its centre and a reasonable amount of bars, restaurants and shops. As you walk through the town, which is full of grand indiano buildings, you are led to the harbour, two beaches and a climb to the lighthouse, cemetery and hermitage.
The hermitage is open to explore, and the cemetery can also be visited, and has some local famous figures within it.
The scenery is lovely, and whilst I was up against strong winds, I did manage to wonder around and look at the sites before the big storm hit! When I could hear thunder, and see snow, I knew the train had been the right decision this day..
The next morning, I headed to Navia. The rain started early and kept on coming, changing from small drops to monsoons without a second to react. I kept myself motivated by singing along to myself ‘hit me with your best shot!’ And it definitely did, when it began to thunder, I started to freak out that I was in the middle of nowhere holding metal sticks!
I pulled myself together and carried on, assuming that I was the only person mad enough to be out here, when another pilgrim appeared behind me.
This peregrino from down under, had managed to leave from Irun a week after me and was now overtaking me! Bit embarrassing… After walking together for an hour though I realised he had been doubling up trail lengths each day, not taken any rest days and was not stopping to look at things. Whilst I may end up being the last pilgrim of 2021, I still think slow and steady is a better experience. I do hope I’m home for Christmas though…
The arrival in Navia was met with a big smile from me, and in the pouring rain, and frozen to the core, I arrived at my hotel. Navia is a reasonable sized town and the hotel I stayed in was pleasant. One cheeseburger, and a warm bath later, and all was restored.
The next day was a big one, about 33km to Ribadeo, and into the final region of my camino, Galicia. It feels like forever that I have dreamed of standing in front of that beautiful Galicia sign. A sign that I have travelled over 600km and I am almost there!
I walked from sunrise to sunset, and the day started with the rain but by the afternoon there was some sunshine. There was also plenty of uplifting camino related signs, statues, and artworks. The day covered a mix of landscape; some forest but mostly road.
I did have a very natural river experience, when the river had overflowed the footbridge. I had to take my shoes off and cross bare footed. It was freezing, but fun!
At one point, I was given a choice of two routes, an inland one, and a coastal route. I chose the coast, so I had something to distract me from my ongoing pains, and because now I spend a lot of time trying to read the sky for clues of what direction the clouds will blow. It looked clear that way.
I made the right choice! I had 360′ views of nearly clear skies, with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. This really was a nice surprise.
After 10 hours on the road I had to really push myself to make it over the bridge into Ribadeo as the night sky rolled in, and it began to rain again. The bridge is massive, and the views of the city are stunning, especially lit up at night. Then I got to the other side and finally saw the Galicia sign… and gave myself a big pat on the back.
Ribadeo is a must see stop, as it has lots of services and shops, and some gorgeous buildings.
The next morning, my body felt ruined, everything hurt and my foot was inflamed. I was facing another 10 hour walk, and there was no way I could do it. It was a sunny day, and I did not want to waste it or fall more behind. I spent some time in the nun’s convent praying for strength, visited the pharmacy for more ibuprofen, and took the one daily bus part of the way to Lourenzá.
I stopped here for a few hours and took a look around the outside of the gorgeous monastery which unfortunately was closed. I had some octopus and bread, and I walked a short 4km through forest to a nearby country lodge to rest my injuries. A while later that day, the Aussie stumbled in, and I was shocked to see that he wasn’t days ahead. It turned out, he had worked too hard, and was suffering with an injury now as well. There is no getting out of this walk unscathed!
The next day was supposed to be an easy 18km. The rain kept coming but I made it to my first stop in Mondenedo, this little city has a cathedral, that I was keen to visit. It was 3 euros to enter but did include an audio guide. The cathedral has a strange layout following many extensions, it has three naves, a chapel in the center, a small cloisters and a small museum inside. It is worth a visit, as the art work and choir in particular are lovely.
The city has a few other historical buildings, and an exhibition about Camino del Norte inside an old church. The man looking after it was very chatty and helped me to consider my next stages of the walk. He also warned me of an upcoming bank holiday when all the shops will be shut. The exhibition itself was quite interesting focused on the upcoming locations on the walk, within Galicia.
Once I had walked out of Mondenedo, I began a very long and vertical ascent. This eventually took me to the other side of forest, and I then walked about 10km through farmland. There are no services here, just me, the cows and two horses that took a run at me! I was entirely soaked, but singing along to my motivational playlist, which helped.
Then I decided to look back, and there was a double rainbow! Just the pick me up I needed, and lucky that I saw it. A minute later it was gone. An hour later, I finally arrived at Gontan’s pilgrim hostel. My clothes (2 outfits) were washed and dried for the first time in a week, and I fell into a coma.
The week has brought me a mix of emotions. There have been a lot of times when I have considered abandoning the camino, but I am still here, and still persevering. Pilgrimages are never meant to be easy, and with Santiago de Compostela so close now, I cannot turn back! Fingers crossed I can keep my body going until then…
I spent a morning in Oviedo whilst I was travelling the Camino de Santiago. The city is the main city of Asturias and the starting point of Camino Primitivo.
This great city has a romantic charm to it, and boasts of its connections to the origin of the Camino de Santiago. This is because the first pilgrim to make the journey to see St James’ tomb was King Alfonso II ‘the Chaste’, in 834, he set off from Oviedo. This is also why the Primitivo route that begins here is thought to be the original route.
The city has all the shops and restaurants you could need, as well as some very pretty plazas, and hundreds of sculptures and other works of art. I particularly liked one of a lady sitting on a bench in Plaza el Fontán called ‘La bella Lola’. She is just looking out on the plaza and seems to be just letting her mind wonder. It made me think of how I must look so often on this journey.
I also visited San Francisco park, which boasted of further sculptures including a famous Argentinian cartoon character called ‘Mufalda’. The park is a former convent garden, and has a number of features to explore. I was most surprised to see the date of my visit cut in grass at the edge of the park, I guess someone must cut the new date and change it every day!
The Pilgrim’s Cathedral
Oviedo’s Cathedral, is also known as the Pilgrim’s Cathedral, as it is a ‘must see’ for all peregrinos. There is a saying related to the connection, which promotes the importance of any pilgrim to visit…
“Whoever comes to Santiago and does not come to San Salvador, the Cathedral of Oviedo, visits the servant, but forgets the Lord.”
The cathedral is very large, and holds many beautiful chapels. Pilgrims can enter for a discounted price, and an audio guide is given for free, which is definitely worthwhile, as there is so much to explore.
The biggest draw of the cathedral is the holy chamber. This important area of the cathedral is where many relics from Jerusalem and the holy land were placed by King Alfonso II. This includes soil from the home of the Virgin Mary, a cross thought to be made by two angels, a piece of wood from the cross, and the blood stained cloth that was wrapped over Jesus’ head during his burial. This makes the sanctuary very special and a popular place for people all around the world to visit.
I am really glad that I made the trip to Oviedo, and it was only 5 euros on the bus from Gijon, so there would have been no good reason not to!
I would certainly recommend it as a must visit location in Northern Spain, and I hope to return again when I have more time in the area.
Another week of walking has gone by, and this time the distances were much longer, and the terrain was more varied.
First stop was a stay in Barreda, and a visit to Santillana de Mar. A beautiful town that makes you feel as if you have gone back in time. The streets are cobbled and old stone is all around, they have lots of bars and restaurants, and a tourist information point. Also some museums. I visited the Torture Museum!
The museum was quite interesting but also very gruesome. It also made me wonder what sort of person would acquire a collection like this… The animal masks were particulary weird, apparently it was to silence the speech of women and other lowly folk at the time, and also a symbol of public humiliation.
2km down the road is also the world heritage site, the Caves of Altamira. The caves were discovered in the 1800s and have a collection of pretholific paintings inside, and a system of spaces for different uses. The caves were so popular to visit that they began to become damaged, and had to be closed to the public. Now, only five people per week are selected to visit the original cave. The museum has painstakingly created an exact replica for the general public though.
I visited the replica, it was still underground and very dark but certain areas of importance were highlighted. There were many paintings of animals, that were surprisingly detailed, and a pressed in hand print. This whole experience was a lot better than expected and only cost €4! I was also able to wonder down to the outside of the original caves.
Whilst walking the camino to the next stop in Comillas, the seaside views and sites of farms became very familiar, and I also went hunting for more caves!
Nearby to the path, I had seen on the map that there was a cave in a woodland that had been discovered to have ancient paintings again, and you could have this one all to yourself. La cueva de aguas was about 20-30 minutes off the track, and was very exciting!
In this small cave, deep in the woods, I had to ditch my backpack outside, and crouch to get in. It is completely pitch black, and I could hear the loud sound of water. When i finally got my torch going (I had resisted, as I was afraid of bats), I realised there was water gushing around my feet, and a waterfall running through the cave!
It was really amazing to find, and I could just make out the higher level in the cave, where the cave people would have made home. This cave was on the route of the miners, and another small cave can also be seen on the path, but is inaccessible.
After the excitement of the cave, I had fallen behind schedule, on this very long stretch. I walked as quickly as I could through more roads, woodland, and past a gorgeous beach, trying to get to town before sunset.
I spent the last few hours frantically calling pensions and hotels in town to try to find a room. I kept coming up against the same response, ‘we are closed for winter’. Forty minutes walk away, and already night time by now, I sat in a bus shelter, and seriously considered sleeping there. It looked like quite a well built shelter, but I didn’t like the idea of being 40 minutes behind on tomorrow’s walk. In a final attempt, I phoned a golf club in the town, and managed to rent a 3 bedroom apartment for one night, for 85 euros. So with no food, and sore feet, I dragged myself there and managed to get a bed for the night. Bright side – it had a washing machine!
The next day, I left late, got my stamp from the tourism office, and headed out for a shorter walk to San Vincente. The day began with a lot of rain, and going uphill. After the stressful night before, and being hammered by rain, my will power was running low. Then all of a sudden, I was at a beautiful nature reserve, the sky cleared, and a rainbow appeared, and everything was better again.
San Vincente was a big town with a beautiful old church on the hill, (that used to serve as a hospital for pilgrims), a castle, and then a pleasant restaurant and bar scene below. I met a fellow traveller over dinner, and we talked about our trips and exchanged stories. It was great to have a good conversation, it had been a few days, since I had spoken to anyone.
Next, I crossed the river into Asturias region, the third of four in the walk. I could immediately see the differences in the area from Cantabria. Many of the buildings were brightly coloured and beatifully built in the 1800s. They were built by ‘indianos’, spanish people that went to South America, made their fortune, then returned and built beautiful lavish homes for themselves.
I stayed in Llanes for the night, in the train station albergue, and the influence was clear here. It also had a gorgeous ancient quarter of the town, as well as a port once famous for whaling. There are quite a few shops here but it is on the pricey side.
Next day, was the 20 mile hike to Ribadesella. The day before I had to cut my walk short, as my foot was so sore it had started bleeding. I was worried about making the hike but feeling determined.
The walk was very varied, with the Picos de Europa mountain range on the left and beaches to the right, woodlands and farmland. It was really enjoyable and had amazing scenery. It was only in the final two of eight hours I began to be just dragging myself along to the end!
Ribadesella is another coastal town, with a harbour, and another gorgeous beach. I hiked to the viewpoint and did some sketching, and just chilled. There are some more caves near this area, but on this day I decided to keep them as a mystery. It always gives me a reason to return!
The next walk to Colunga, was still full of beautiful beaches, but also some other things that I have noticed only in Asturias. Gateways with a weird style of layered tiles that I can only assume is decorative, a unique way of pouring cider that has maximum splash impact, (it turns out Asturias is famous for its cider)… and these unstable looking sheds… called horreos or paneras.
They seem to be dotted all along the rural villages. They are all wooden huts, sitting on top of stacked stones. I would be very nervous to go inside these, as they look so wobbly. Traditionally they were used to stock dry grains away from rodents (I have seen rats climb though…) Now, people continue to use them to store firewood, hay, and I even saw some people living in them! Planning permission must be a breeze here… they are everywhere!
Gijon
After a rainy day and night in the pretty town of Villaviciosa, I finally arrived in the city of Gijon. I stayed in a hostel right on the beach.
The city has countless cider houses, and whilst I did not spot a cathedral, it has several churches and a basilica. This was my last opportunity to stock up on supplies before I arrive in Santiago de Compostela in another two weeks or so. I hit the supermarket for more plasters, high protein snacks etc. Hopefully, I will be okay!
With only a day in Gijon, I had to be picky about what to see. Gijon has a set of roman ruins that I was tempted by, but the pull to find out more about those wooden sheds I had seen, was much stronger. So, I walked to the edge of the city, to the Museum of the people of Asturias.
The museum was way better than I expected. For a start, it was free! YAY! I thought that it would be just a few boards with photos and objects, but the museum was actually mostly outside. The biggest part of the site is devoted to the actual traditional buildings of the region. These buildings such as horreos, shepherd refuges, and country houses, have all been actually dismantled from their original location and reassembled at the site. Pretty impressive. You can enter many of the buildings and see how it would have looked. For example, the peasant house has the rooms and fireplace set out as it would have looked, and there is a cider press with huge equipment and barrels in place.
The museum also had temporary exhibitions, and a bagpipes museum! Apparently bagpipes are big in Asturias tradition! As well, as some very odd looking bagpipes, there are a variety of other traditional instruments on show, and details about how they are made.
If you want to make the walk extra worthwhile, the museum is also next to another museum, the football stadium, sports centre and a lovely park.
Overall, I think whilst I am now becoming physically exhausted from all the walking, the Camino continues to prove itself as totally worth it. The walk this past week was colourful and varied, and I really liked Gijon. Time to follow those yellow arrows… see
To mark the end of the first half of the walk, I have made a little video..
Go Go Chlo 