My times on the Camino de Santiago
Drew Robinson is back on the Camino. Six years after he brought us the very popular “Camino de Santiago Documentary – A Journey of the Mind“, he returns to Spain via the Camino Portuguese.
This time around he would be joined by his wife and his two-year-old son. The first part of the journey takes us to Barcelos. Enjoy!
I was delighted to be contacted by Maria regarding a possible post on her excellent website SpanishforCamino.com.
Her website is full of hints and tips for those looking to improve their Spanish. As she lives on the Camino, she sees pilgrims passing by every day. So her website is a great place to start if you are planning a few days on the Camino. Not on does she talk about Spanish words, but there are great tips on food and health in Spain.
Anyway, my conversation with Maria can be found here. It was fun looking back at my first Camino. I also talk about this website and my involvement with Camino Society Ireland.
And the Camino experience keeps rolling on..
I had toyed with walking the start of the Via de la Plata from Seville as a 2nd Camino this year. Maybe ten days or so. But I received a message out of the blue from a Camino buddy that I met last September. He is starting his own Camino from Lisbon in September and had his dates. So I decided to book my flights (Ryanair!) and walk the first week or so.
This is where it gets tricky. From Lisbon to Porto on the Camino Portuguese, the municipal albergues tend to be spread further apart due to the lower number of pilgrims but there are more hostels and hotels. However, I’m glad I am starting out in Lisbon as there is quite a bit to see but I won’t have the time to see it all. Brierley’s guide will come in handy too.
I’m hoping to reach Coimbra but if I don’t, there is a great bus service that will bring me to Porto. But first, I have a Camino Ingles / Celtic Camino to count down to starting in May!
I don’t think I have featured anything on the Camino Primitivo before. There are so many other routes to discover, but so much time!
The Camino Primitivo is a difficult, but beautiful pilgrimage, that starts in the town of Oviedo and ends in Santiago. It has a distance of 310 kilometres or 192.6 miles. This Camino crosses three provinces – Asturias, Lugo and A Coruña and can be completed in about 2 weeks. It passes the city of Lugo before arriving at Melide on the Camino Frances.
The below video captures some of the sights and sounds well. This is one for the future for sure. If you are planning to walk this particular Camino, the below links might be of interest to you:
I made this news known to my Instagram followers a few weeks back so I’m a little unsure why I haven’t written something about it since here. It’s no great shake, no major event, just a new hobby that I hope to take up and fill in the gaps.
I have purchased a new Canon DSLR camera and to be quite honest, I don’t know why I hadn’t done it sooner. The purchase has been on my mind for quite a while but there are so many types of cameras and lenses and brands, I didn’t know where to start. Luckily enough, I have good friends who are passionate about photography and were able to point me in the right direction. Now that I have the camera and lens bought, I am just waiting for a waterproof cover before I take it out for some shots. I have been getting used to the many options (and there are many!).
Whether or not I bring it to Spain in May will depend on how comfortable I am with it.
Today was fun, all Camino related. I spent the morning in Dublin city centre at a Spanish class devouring the future tense (not something I am common with) before taking a trip to my favourite outdoor store to purchase last-minute Camino items. Thank you Christmas vouchers!
1 ) Columbia full zip fleece – I have a number of fleeces but am not comfortable to bring them on Camino, so I decided to take another visit to town and buy a fleece that I had worn previously. Columbia is a great brand and I wore this type of fleece for my 2012 to 2014 Caminos, although a different colour. Not a bad price too.
2) Tried and tested – Concentrated soap – I have been using this since 2012 to wash my clothes. As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. I see no reason to change for my upcoming Camino. The Lifeventure soap is a great price, it’s handy and you can use it for everything. Great for washing clothes, yourself and everything else for that matter. It is sold in a 200ml size also if your trip is longer.
3) Superfeet insoles – Another tried and tested item. I have been using them since I returned from Sarria in 2012. That year, I suffered from plantar fascia and blisters and when I got home, I was advised to get these soles. I haven’t looked back since. I buy a new pair every couple of years. I just haven’t got around to buying a new pair of soles since I bought my new pair of Salomon trail shoes.
So that’s it. You can find my check list here.
Is there anything I am leaving out? Do you think I am bringing too much? Let me know in the comments below.
Buen Camino!
John Roy is a peregrino from Halifax, Canada who has an active YouTube account with many helpful videos on the Camino. He has just returned from a trip on the Camino Portuguese and has started to upload the first videos of many of his time there. This first video shows his arrival in Porto and his first few days.
For more helpful videos, you should check his YouTube channel. Enjoy.
