El bar de pichi carrion de Los condes

Just before you head down the hill to hotel Xio the monastery is the bar - WiFi password EL BAR DE PICHI - AN ESSENTIAL  guide for the average pilgrim as we move forward to using our phones and not our brains.

Camino 2011-2018 credentials

Today, in Castrojeriz, is a rest day!

Seems so and the sun is out so the washing is on the line. Time to put photos up and to do another plan to rip it up! Alas I've spent an hour and still not got one photo up.... So the plan Today is Monday 27th so Tuesday Fromista - we climb the hill then stop at Itero for a tea, aka elevenses, Boadilla at 1pm then Fromista fo 3pm. Ideally walk onto the Amanceaur in Poblacion de campos for 5pm. Next day 3-4 hours to Carrion de Los Condes for 11.21 and bus to Terradillos Thursday a short day to Sahagun and at a push Bercianos Friday walk down to MAnsilla De LAs Mulas, via el acebo and Religeous and maybe bus to Leon Saturday definitely in Leon and Sunday bus to somewhere and walk to Astorga and have two nights, if needed so Monday/Tuesday head up to cowboy town and into mountains of cruz de ferro wednesday and stay at swimming pool albergue then town before ponferrade thursday. Tick tock so ponferrade bus to hotel before O'Cebriero, Saturday climb O'Cebreiro and stay over. Get bus down to Palas Del Rei and walk back to Eirexe before starting trip back. Lots of action to review and movement updates not just the lavatorial stuff which is legend as usual. I now understand a lot more about fat burn but thats for another day. We made Pamplona to Burgos without too much trouble.

Josie's diary - Tommy turns cars

It has always been hard to keep a diary but it has been so much harder keeping fourteen diaries.

I feel at times i'm writing stuff down with hysterically contrasting recollections on the same speech. Its like Bahktinian theory gone mad. We thought the novel was democratic but the fantasy land of pilgrims have no boundaies.

I know my fellow prilgrims are different  from me but it is quite funny to see the exaggerated views especially when i have a clear and sound mind and they don't.

Sometimes it's a language thing and I apologise in advance.

I have tried to be succinct whilst allowing them the licence to verbalise in an irrational and irritating way.

I met them all along the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, along the way of the stars.

They were going the same way as me so we had that in common. As unlikely as it sounds, it was enough to cut them some slack. When you meet them you may ask why.

I liked them all in this Camino way, it's a stylised liking akin to people who like Dancing on ice, love Island or even big Tommy C's glorious Hibees. A common bond that disregards every other personal and social attribute. 

It's a religion with or without a cross, a pew or a prayer mat.  A celebrant or prayer book, but it is a religion.

Pardon the pun but it's a movement. It goes through your body from sunrise to sunset. It pulses across the North of Spain towards Santiago de Compostela. One giant intestine, and the physical activity pushes the point home.

It's a slow and steady flow of humanity.

Characters drift in and drift out of your daily walk. They speed up and you lose sight of them. They slow down and you never see them again. They hop buses or hit hurdles, see doctors or return to work. 

They disappear and reappear at  the whim of the Camino conjurer, St Jacques, who quite simply provides. Like all great magicians you are too busy seeing what St Jacques provides, to worry about what he's forgotten. Such is the beauty of the Camino.

And now the story.

 Josephine Archer - Tommy Turns Cars

2023 three day jaunt!

So we fly to Santander and train to fromista - our base for 3 nights. We get early bus to Burgos and get off at tardajos. We walk to Rabe +30mins) - hornillos (70mins) - San bol (1.2 hours) Hontanas (1.1 hours) then to castrojeriz 1.75 hours. 

Walking time 6 hours drinking time 3 hours.

Then get the bus back at 6.30pm to Fromista.

Next day we get off at Castrojeriz and walk to Itero (1.75hrs) boadilla (1.25hrs) then Fromista (1.25hrs)

Walking time 4.25 hrs 

Drinking time 3.75 hrs

We all know how Jimmy goes for it on Day 1

😂

As life support sang in the 80's

You better stop, and look around

Puente la Reina

It was a long and sweaty walk but we made it. Muruzabal and Uterga were the drink stops before this wee cheeky one as Stu ran on ahead and got the albergue. Santiago Apostol is as grumpy as ever and kicked us out at 8am looking for all the world as if we'd shat on more than his doorstep. I've stayed here 7 times now and I never tire of it. Someone has to get me started in the morning!

San Sebastian

A wee stroll along the front then a wee run to the WC! Funny how 2L bottles of water get me moving.

Thunder is due today but don't tell the swimmers. They're loving it and Stu is getting all the bets on for tonight!

Pamplona bus about 4 and cafe iruna about 7

Pont Neuf Stuart Donald just giving

He is the gift that keeps on giving is our Stuie. Here he manages to get his 16 London bridges 25k charity walk shirt to match the buses of gay Paris. Quite simply a wonderful gesture as he starts his Camino bridges trek!

Next stop the bridge from Hendaye to Irun, or France to Spain.

We managed to get a drink at the station but when we went for the meal at night the lack of a pass meant we could only go in and order a take away and sit inside whole we waited. You could see the staff were unhappy about it but wools is wools and we didn't care, we just wanted to get fed and a taxi home worked fine as this house we had was brilliant. Rue general Michel Foucault isn't a name I knew before but it worked for comfy bed and great host.

Camino video time

Updates see us confimed for Burgos on September 23d and Cardenuela Rio pico on the 22nd, which means we walk over from Montes Des Oca on Tuesday September 21st. https://youtu.be/IxsL4q5pras shows Paul, Stuart and I in 2015 I never like to book too far ahead as it stops you doing long or short days, even when you know the bus timetable! There is always the community thing. You build your community over a month and its always a shame if you lag behind or bolt ahead. The best caminos I've had have seen me drift in and out of communities as we slow down to let others catch up or bus along a stretch after falling a day behind. Pamplona - Wednesday 15th https://youtu.be/kFy5-lhVnZc a wee video from the first 6 days pics going past the wine fountain, Fuente de irache Estella/los Arcos - Friday Logrono - Sunday Navarette - Najera - Azofra Monday Santo Domingo/Belorado/Montes de Oca - Tuesday We've no idea how the accomodation will be with the current covid situation but will keep you all posted!