El camino de Santiago – Page 3

Grado to Salas

June 26, 2024September 13, 2024Posted in El camino Primitivo, HikeTagged Camino Primitivo, El camino de Santiago, primitive way, Saint James way, Santiago de compostelaLeave a comment

The second day of walking was 23 Km/ 14.29 miles.

Today has been the most challenging day because of the weather. The temperature was 75°F and 95% humidity. The weather in Asturias is very humid; it reminds me of the weather from Yucatan, that feeling of heat coming from the ground before rain.

On our hike today, we walked through the forest, but we did a lot of walking on asphalt, so it was challenging to hike with the heat coming from the ground. We also saw the historic San Salvador De Cornellana Monastery, which has a rich history dating back to its foundation in 1024.

According to local legend, a little girl from a prominent family once got lost in the forest, and a female bear took care of her until she was found. In gratitude for this survival miracle, the girl’s family founded a monastery and engraved the image of the female bear nursing the girl on the main door.

Contemplating structures that have stood for over a millennium prompts us to reflect on the brevity of our lives on Earth.

Oviedo to Grado

June 25, 2024May 10, 2025Posted in El camino Primitivo, Hike, primitive wayTagged Camino Primitivo, El camino de Santiago, Hiking, primitive way, Saint James wayLeave a comment

The first stage of El Camino Primitivo is 28 km/17 miles.

We were very excited to start the journey to Santiago. After we left Oviedo, we entered the forest. Most of the walk was easy. We walked through farms, saw several town washhouses, and crossed ancient bridges, including the bridge Peñaflor over río Nalon, built in the 12th century, where the Spanish and Napoleon’s troops fought during the war. Also, we encountered the remains of a Roman house.

As we walked through the villages today, the number of abandoned houses struck us, each a silent testament to the passage of time.

Padrón to Santiago de Compostela.

June 27, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged Camino Portugues, El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Our second time walking into Santiago but this time with our daughters. We walked 175 miles over 13 days and started in Porto, Portugal. We are tired and sore but very gratified to have finished this adventure as a family. Santiago de Compostela is a city steeped in a rich and intriguing history. Happy to have had the opportunity a second time to arrive here on foot.

Caldas de Reís to Padrón.

June 26, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged Camino Portugues, El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Our walk was uneventful. Good weather most of the day, we ran into our old friends, and we met new people along El Camino. The sense of camaradería between the people walking is one of the the many experiences in El Camino.

Pontevedra to Caldas de Reís

June 25, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Another heavy rainy morning here in Galicia. As we get close to Santiago, more families and groups are walking. You can identify who are the ones who have been walking for days from the ones who just started walking.

Today we ran into our friends from the USA who we had not see since Tuesday. Believe me, when you find your lost friends in El Camino, it is a moment of happiness and excitement. Today we walked, ate the mandatory second breakfast and lunch together, and we took different paths when we arrived in Caldas de Reís. We said to each other, see you tomorrow and went to our hotels. Hoping to find them again tomorrow on the way.

Redondela to Pontevedra

June 24, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, Saint James wayLeave a comment

We reached the point that walking 13.5 miles in less than five hours is not bad at all. Don’t take me wrong; After ten days of walking between Portugal and Spain, we have minor injuries in the feet or knees, and the whole body is sore. But we are in the rhythm of walking, eating, and open to discovering whatever it is in the next miles.

Doing El Camino de Santiago is not only developing physical endurance but also mental endurance.

O Porriño to Redondela

June 23, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Another rainy day. Today we passed the mark of 100 Km to Santiago de Compostela. At this stage we saw more people walking el Camino, some of them are with tours that leave the group in some point and then are pick up after few miles. Not bad if you have physical limitations.

Tui to O Porriño

June 22, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

This morning as we were leaving the city of Tui we encountered a group of the Spanish military doing some practices around the city. Some of them carrying guns, and others only backpacks. It was kind of intimidating watching these young people exercising among us.

Tui is a well preserved medieval town. There is a cathedral at the center of the citadel and three churches, and convents within a few blocks from each other, that design is very common in old cities around Europe.

Today’s hike was along freeways, rural roads, and sometimes in the forest. Today we said Good Camino and farewell to one of our Camino’s friend she was walking more miles than us today, she is planning to arrive in Santiago on Saturday.

Rubiaes to Tui.

June 21, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged Buencamino, El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Today was an easy hike, only nine and a half miles, and we crossed the border between Portugal and Spain. We had excellent weather, and I think we spent more time eating the second breakfast and lunch than walking, which is good because at this point, we are tired and with minor injuries in our feet and knees.

Crossing the border between Spain and Portugal is seamless, the geographical division between both countries is the Rio Minho. Beside the signs that identified each territory is the spoken language change and an hour of time difference.

Tui is a beautiful medieval town with citadel and church on a central hill overlooking the river.