AMAZON BOOKS RECENTLY UPDATED THEIR WRITERS' WEBSITES. HERE'S MINE:
VIA DE LA PLATA: UPDATES BY INGE AND EUGENE CARROLL (May 2012)
These veterans plan to walk to Galicia and reach Santiago de Compostela
by the end of June via various caminos (Plata, French, Norte, Inglés, Primitivo)
<<< Inge Carroll.Andalucía: The Casas rurales (called refugios or albergues at times) between Granada and
Sevilla are too expensive and often disappointing. No real pilgrim infra structure is apparent.
PAST SEVILLA: In heavy rain they reached SANTIPONCE (Hotel "El Ventorillo" €40= triple OK)
More updates (May 2012): The Albergue Municipal in El Real de la Jara is OK. However, recently
a new albergue opened its doors: the Alojamiento Rural de Peregrino <<<<.
This one is great!! Very helpful hospitalero too!! Recommended!!
Torremejía (Extremadura): Casa Perín is OK. Hotel "El Carmen" is better and cheaper.
Restaurante Altarazone is highly recommended. Very good menu for 9 Euros.
The walking has been very hot indeed. Walking after 1 pm is not possible.
We expect to reach Mérida on Tuesday 15th. Lots of good ham!
We stayed at Aljucén (past Mérida), and are on our way to Alcuéscar (Thursday 17th).
In the Albergue of Almadén de la Plata (Andalucía) a French pilgrim had his bike stolen, worth over 3000 Euros !
The Police weren't very impressed; it happens all the time. So, WATCH OUT FOR THEFT !!!!
The weather stays hot here in Extremadura.
TO BE CONTINUED ...
EARLIER ON:
CAMINO UPDATE APRIL 2012 (EASTER) The Camino is filling up with turigrinos already!
Also with persons who watched the movie "The Way", with Martin Sheen starring.
So, SHEENOGRINOS fill the road nowadays! The HAPEGRINOS have become SHEENOGRINOS.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Support Team Member Dietmar Völkel will walk the "Kolonnen Route"
(also: the Green Border Road) from Hof (in Szechia) to Lübeck. (Some 1400 kms.) He starts on 5 July.
FEB/MARCH 2012: Thank you Confraternity of St. James in London for your help!
Jack de Groot.
HOW TO WALK FROM BURGOS TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA ? (500 KMS)
HERE IS THE STORY OF EUGENE AND INGE CARROLL (JAN. 2012)
THEY ARE VETERAN PILGRIMS (SEE SUPPORT TEAM PAGE)
The two travelled by train from Denmark to Basel and flew from there
to Madrid. Next they took an ALSA bus to Burgos.
They arrived late, and had booked a room in hotel
Norte y Londres (very good hotel, very affordable rates in off season)
----------------------------------
BURGOS - HORNILLOS DEL CAMINO (20 kms)
After a good breakfast in El Rincón de España thay walked to
Tardajos (more drinks / snacks on the right in Bar Ruiz)
and continued to Hornillos. The albergue offers a wood fire
and a limited supply of food. Note that it is possible to
walk on to Hontanas, but that the path can be very muddy indeed!
---------------------------------
HORNILLOS - CASTROJERIZ (20 Kms)
Good albergue in Castrojeriz, and many services available in this
village. The hospitalero provided a reservation for an appartment
for one night in Frómista. Nice climb just past Castrojeriz. Fog!
--------------------------------
CASTROJERIZ - FROMISTA (22 kms)
Food and snacks available in Itero de la Vega, and a nice walk along
the channel. Good menu in Restaurant Van Dos in Frómista.
Good Appartment. The albergue tends to be closed in winter.
--------------------------------
FROMISTA - CARRION DE LOS CONDES (19 kms)
One of the albergues was open in the village which offers
quite a lot to the pilgrim. Dinner at Rest. Conde Garay.
--------------------------------
CARRION - MORATINOS (30 kms)
Very unfriendly German hospitalera in Calzadilla de la Cueza
so Inge and Eugene walked on to Moratinos.
The house of Rebekah and Paddy was open (Peaceable Kingdom)
where they had a good stay.
-----------------------------------
MORATINOS - EL BURGO RANERO ( 26 kms)
Good bar El Torre open in Reliegos (opposite park on the right).
Not much open in Mansilla.
Eugene and Inge missed a few arrows in the fog past Sahagún,
and ended up on a route to the north. They got help from friendly
locals and reached Burgo Ranero. Good restaurant In Mansilla;
El Postigo (menu E 8,50)
-----------------------------------
BURGO RANERO - MANSILLA DE LAS MULAS
A friendly hospitalero helped them in Burgo Ranero, where they had
a good menu in El Peregrino, opposite. Good shop too: Pili.
---------------------------------------
MANSILLA - LEON (20 kms)
Nothing (No albergue) open in León, so the two took a bus to
Astorga where they stayed two days in an albergue to rest.
---------------------------------------
LEON - ASTORGA - RABANAL DEL CAMINO
They walked from Astorga to Rabanal (19 kms) where they stayed
in the very good Albergue del Pilar, run by Isabel !!
Good breakfast. Menu available.
Isabel wants to sell the Albergue. See: MY TOP 10 PAGE !!
For a good view of ASTORGA; view picture later on this page.
-------------------------------------------------------
RABANAL - PONFERRADA (33 kms)
Nice, long walk. Nothing open in El Acebo, which is a scandal
with so many bars etc. present !!
Late arrival in the very good albergue of PONFERRADA
--------------------------------------------------------
PONFERRADA - VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO (20 kms)
Easy walk to Villafranca, with a lunch break in Cacabelos
(Restaurante El Apóstol). Good hotel in freezing Villafranca;
Casa Méndez. Restaurante Sevilla on plaza: good!
-------------------------------------------------
VILLAFRANCA - RUITELAN (18 kms)
Walk through the Valcarce Valley to the friendly, good
albergue in Ruitelán. Good breakfast and morning music
----------------------------------------------------------
RUITELAN - TRIACASTELA (35 kms)
A taxi is available for the luggage to Cebreiro. Not for us!
A steep climb it is to Galicia! Bar Carolo (at Cebreiro) is
always open. Nice descent to Triacastela. Services OK.
---------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT:
TRIACASTELA - SARRIA (20 kms)
Two possibilities, as always. Left or right.
The high, short road, or the low, long road via Samos.
Do nor expect many services, and you won't be unhappy.
---------------------------------------------------
SARRIA - PORTOMARIN (19 kms)
Nothing open in between the 2 villages,
except O Mirallos (Patricia & Julia at km 98)
Pretty good services in Sarria & Portomarin
---------------------------------------------------------------
PORTOMARIN - PALAS DE REI (24 kms)
Good stay at Casa Curro in Palas! Municipal renovated now.
Bar España open early in Portomarin. As always. Also @
--------------------------------------
PALAS DE REI - ARZUA (28 kms)
Drinks / Raciones at Venus bar (Arzúa). Good municipal
albergue. Good pasta at Café Chaplin in Melide.
----------------------------------------------
ARZUA - MONTE DO GOZO (36 kms)
(very good albergue!) Some bars open near O' Pino
Albergue has kitchen. Also restaurants nearby.
-----------------------------------------
MONTE DO GOZO - SDC (1 hour)
Good dinners at Mazaricos, Bispo,
drinks at Casino bar. All great. Picture below: Manolo's
THURSDAY 1 DECEMBER JUEVES
NEW NEW NEW !!
Do you want to find an author on AMAZON BOOKS?
Here is how!
Example: Author Jack de Groot
¿Buscas a un autor en AMAZON LIBROS?
¡Fácil!
Por ejemplo: Autor Jack de Groot
WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2011 MIERCOLES
Astorga
An article of mine was published electronically yesterday by "El Correo Gallego",
newspaper based in Santiago de Compostela. Click on the LINK on the LOGO to go
to a beautiful website, created by Arancha Serantes from the University of
Santiago de Compostela. The text is in English and in Spanish (800 words), and deals
with modern times on the pilgrim road.
Un artículo mío fue publicado electronicamente ayer por "El Correo Gallego",
periódico de Santiago de Compostela. Se puede leer este artículo
(800 palabras) después de tocar el LOGO abajo. Encontrarás un sitio
de web muy bonito e interesante. Fue creado por Arancha Serantes,
de la Universidad de Compostela. El texto mío habla de los tiempos
modernos en el camino, y está escrito en inglés y en español.
On 9 June Jack de Groot broke his ankle
while walking the Salvador Route. He was
cared for by the wonderful staff of the
Hospital Victor Álvarez Buylla
in Mieres (Asturias).
Thanks to all of you: Dr. Menéndez, Mari Luz, Angela, Carmen,
Tatiana, Raymundo, Mar, Gema and all the others,
including the staff from the Administration
and the Library.
Next time we meet I'll be walking on both feet again.
"Si bien sé que han de venir tormentas,
y me caeré, pero al fin de cuentas
he disfrutao, de todo lo bailao." (Lucía Pérez)
On 18 June 2011 I returned home on crutches,
with the brilliant help of many staff members of IBERIA,
ánd the staff at the "Aeropuerto de Oviedo" (Asturias)
ánd the caretakers at Barajas Airport, Madrid.
(A young lady from Ecuador moved me in a wheelchair
at dazzling speed through T4 from gate 74 to 33.
"¡Qué viva Ecuador!" I told her. The Iberia plane
waited 8-9 minutes for me. Thank you, captain.
The staff at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport picked
me up at the door of the Airbus 321, ánd arranged
my transportation home. Finally, many thanks to
the people who picked me up from the grass
in the little village of Santa Marina (Asturias),
ánd arranged for an ambulance to arrive within 30 minutes.
The driver said goodbye to me in the Urgencias of the hospital:
"I found you, and here you are safe!"
Picture left: the locals at Santa Marina.
SEE ALSO THE
NEW "PILGRIMS AD 2011" PAGE
IN THE NAVIGATION MENU
