Harry & Al walk the 500+ mile Camino to Santiago de Compostela

Wednesday, 5 October 2022

half way

So far on this Camino we have had everything from glorious sunshine as it is today day2 the rain we had in a sofa

We are walking down the road to carry on de Los condes and after are 18k we will jump the bus and go go to Tara dear yours templarios it has been fantastic and so far so good

Tuesday, 4 October 2022

I have written about this before so I do so again. The winter is not the time for me to do another 30 day Camino but it is is perfect for a 3 or 7-day Camino and with the flights to Santiago and the flights to Santander being so cheap I'm now looking more so at these options.

The weather will always dictate but my current thinking is simple.

Fly to Santander at 6.30am on 17/11 or 24/11 and fly back at 22.10 on Sunday 21/11 or 28/11 on the late night return and you have fantastic options. Even better it's £39. If you have 10 days all to the good.

You can reach Burgos or Fromista very easily so here's my tips.

Get to Burgos have some tapas. Go to Villambistia and walk back to Villafranca Montes Des oca and stay at Christina's place. It's cheap and my favourite residents run meson albe. Food drink and a wee walk.

On Thursday you walk to Burgos. Be brave it's a huge walk but just do it and get the last bus at 5.30 to castrojeriz and stay with albergue Rosalia. We have leeway to stop at Cardenuela Rio Pico and stay at Santa Fe and then on Saturday walk to Burgos and get the 1pm bus.

Ideally you want a train to Santander and get a few tapas bars before heading back but there are options which are rare on a Sunday so think about the weather and where you want to be before you leave.

It could be short of Burgos is better so finish in Burgos and similarly going past Burgos to Fromista is good.

I'm in poblacion tonight and can walk back to train station tomorrow or I'd stay in bocadillo del Camino and walk forward to get a train.

The long 3.5 days trip is clearly on my mind

Leon soon

We walk to carrion early and catch the bus to ledigos/ terradilios then we stay Wednesday night.

Next day we walk to sahagun and then train to Leon.

Friday or Saturday we bus from Leon

Astorga or just after for Saturday night.

Rabanal Sunday

El Acebo molineseca Monday and ponferrade Tuesday.

Vigo Wednesday

Porto Thursday and Friday and Saturday fly home or up to Santiago to fly home Monday!

walk to itero, boadilla and Fromista taxi to poblacion des Campos

What a great day. It started with hilarity in the kitchen and before that snoring in the dorm. It's a great albergue Rosalia in castrojeriz as it's all single beds in dorms of 5/6/19 or a twin room if you want to pay 3€ each extra.

The meal yesterday was as much fun as the linguistic language at breakfast and soon we were off. Not soon enough for the hopitalero serving us, oh how we laughed as she chased us all away with buen Camino, now fuck off...

Soon we are at the top of the hill

It was very cold so precious few watched the sunrise but a good handful.

I sang here comes the sun. It's a song many know but I think when I was asked to please go on, it meant, fuck off down the Camino you arse. You're spoiling my moment of calm.

Well, so said one wag.

I said I wrote the song a few years back after hearing it sung by a legend!

Next up was Itero de la Vega. Not everything was open but I did find a new fountain as we left town on the right.

It's essential to fill up as the next hour is dry and exposed.

The sunflower patch was the first we'd seen that wasn't bowed and dried.

Loads of colour hence the photos.

We got to boadilla at the clock struck 12 so really chuffed to get this far before the heat really kicked in.

Next up the canal..

It's simply wonderful.

A bit more open to the sun at 2pm but all was good.

Fromista brought us food and a taxi

Monday, 3 October 2022

Leo Stu and Simon in castrojeriz

Brilliant meal,, brilliant company met the mate of my dad's french mayor in st Martin de jussac

and also Leo from Canberra......

Sunday, 2 October 2022

Great albergue great food

After Atapuerca and just before Burgos

1 hour in the morning to Burgos town edge and then walk the river route for 90 minutes if you have gone left around the airport fence or take the bus if you've gone right!

Saturday, 1 October 2022

Godfathers - Helldorado Vitoria gasteiz

What a build up. 40 years later on Deadbeat's been tracking some of our finest and here in Spain we find some. Singer Peter Coyne, guitarists Ritchie Simpson and Wayne Vermaak, bassist guitarist John Priestley erm, my notes are soaked in wine and drummer Billy duncanson, but it's all about the sound. It's all about the attitude and most importantly it's all about the reception.

And that's where we begin.

The support act, The Peawees, from la specia in Italy, were brilliant and the crowd let them know. Lots of thrash and old fashioned rock n roll. All the bits in the right order and the crowd knew the words so clearly album sales were going well. I'm no professional as Deadbeat readers know so apologies for my crass observations.

"Walk you through" made me want to get into Camino mode again and I know it's a song I'll be singing with different people and different words!

So many of the choruses seemed to be looking for different verses. I loved both but not always with the ones they had.

The song 2 earlier had all the excitement building and brilliant easy music was perfectly performed and the balance beautiful but the chorus was just a bit off perfection. There's no suprise about how successful they are and as I said, I know fuck all, I just look at the reaction and the crowd loved it.

The best songs were saved for last with walking through my He'll and their take on, who do you love ? An aft used title and the crowd loved it. Generously the singer got involved with the crowd to let the mutton chopped drummer have centre stage. Fantastic stagecraft and worth the admission money alone.

I've got to tip my hat to helldorado.net as this is a great venue. La Sorbonne back in its day

The main act were Godfathers and Peter proved poetically the powerhouse they are. He's put together a great band and they are a tight unit, essentially letting the songs sound as sublime as they are. Lou Reed wrote a few good songs in CF and G. As Eric Morecambe famously told Previn - he had the all the notes - and Godfathers have them in the right order.

Transforming writing into the practice and into the gig is an art but transformation of a crowd into ecstasy is what it's all about.

Muy importante!

The reception tonight in Helldorado was stunning. This band have clearly got so much going for them here in Spain and generally on the continent, check out the website, and do the obvious, listen to them.

Music is in their soul and it comes through. The message, the narrative is loud clear and loaded. Waken up!

It's an international language and it's worthwhile just reminding us why we want to hang out with our European friends. Music is our common language. Peter Coyne delivers it.