Nov 26, 2012 - Hobbits, cat adoptions and caves…………

In the last week we have hiked some amazing mountain trails in the Picos de Europa range, seen 25,000 year old cave drawings at Altamira, been “adopted” by 2 cats, visited the mountain village of O Cebreiro (which looks like a Hobbit village or somewhere in rural Ireland from 200 years ago) and ended the week in the city of Santiago de Compostela – the end of the pilgrimage for everyone hiking the Camino de Santiago. Things we have learned about Spain in the last week: • If you enter precise coordinates into your Sat Nav and rely 100% on...

Jul 2, 2012 - PORT/SPN-N Pt, Galicia, Asturias (T-bike)

This cycling adventure started in the South of Spain (Huelva) and went West into Portugal, to the SW point of Sagres, and then up the coast of Portugal. The south was warm and windy (almost always a North wind which is not ideal when you are riding North), the middle of Portugal a bit cloudy, and Northern Portugal and Northern Spain unequivocally RAINY! And then some more rain. If you cycle up this way, be prepared for mountainous rainy riding. The scenery is fantastic but it is tough riding. If you need or want any specifics for a bike...

Nov 7, 2011 - Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela welcomed us with a glorious sunny day that enticed us to explore the whole town. The Cathedral roof top tour was booked out so we booked for first thing the next day. The inside of the Cathedral was very spectacular and not being religious this was still an amazing experience. The history of the builing and the pilgrimages really made you appreciate the christianity faith and the importance to the masses. The Plazas, Monasteries, University cobbled streets and beautiful gardens were a sight to behold. We spent the...

Jun 23, 2011 - Santiago de Compostela

After walking for 6 days in the rural areas of Galicia it was a bit of a shock to walk into Santiago de Compostela. It is a city of over 100,000 people which is much bigger than the towns, villages and farms we were used to. The simplicity and peacefulness of the walk vanished immediately. That said, once we got absorbed into the city we found it to be a very nice city. Santiago de Compostela is known for its Cathedral and its university…both are big. The cathedral isn’t the biggest, according to the experts, but it is very impressive both...

Oct 28, 2010 - Pilgrims

@@@@@@@ Background Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the Spanish province of Galicia, but it is also it’s spiritual capital. It is rumoured that as many as 250,000 pilgrims will descend on the city during 2010, one of the rare Holy Years when July 25th falls on a Sunday. The next Holy Year doesn’t happen until 2021. ‘Compostela’ comes from the Spanish campo de Estrella or ‘field of the star’; the star that a hermit followed in AD 813 and discovered the tomb of the martyred St. James who had died in Palestine. His followers had...

Sep 30, 2010 - Santiago de Compostela

The end of a long walk on the Camino for pilgrims....Judy Sharp (wife of Peter from MPBS days) did this over 35 days a couple of years ago and must have really welcomed the sight. ABC....another b cathedral, but a hugely impressive outside, and museum....inside quite austere. The Parador is another oldie and a goldie. We have but a short time here, and will complete our viewing of its treasures this morning before moving on to Oporto for 3 nights.

Aug 8, 2009 - St Jimmy’s Resting Place

I had booked the Area Central Hotel via the internet even though, weirdly, it was located within a mall like shopping centre. We spent the good part of an hour locating the shopping centre and then Pete spent the good part of an hour finding his way out of the main parking and into the hotel parking. Not to worry, our rooms weren’t ready and shops surrounded us. The main town, the old part, was about a half hour walk up the hill through winding streets but my feet were still not up to such a walk with current footwear. Once again our Fairy...

Jul 31, 2009 - Northern Spain

The first week of our visit to Spain was devoted to a walk or pilgrimage on the Santiago trail - the Camino de Santiago. We flew from Paris to Santiago de Compostela via Barcelona. It was a roundabout route mainly because of cheap flights. But we did get to do a quick trip around some parts of Barcelona which we did not plan to visit this time (we couldn’t fit everything in). We ambled down Las Ramblas, the main pedestrian mall with the millions of others, lunched at the marina, wandered through the narrow streets of the Barrio Gottic, were...

Jul 10, 2009 - 10 Day Trip Throughout Galicia

While having Jason’s family with us in Spain, we took a 10-day driving trip throughout the northern and western coasts of Spain and even touched a little bit of Portugal. All six of us piled into a mini-van for ten days! Yes…think “European Vacation!” ☺ It was a blast though, and we all had fun. Here is a break down of the journey: Day 1 – Leon and Oviedo - On day one we picked up the car, packed inside and headed off on the open road….only to stop less than 30 minutes later to return a slowcooker and have lunch at McDonald’s. Once we were...

Sep 23, 2008 - I´m in Santiago!

Sorry for not writing for so long! I only have a few minutes but thought I would quickly update you. I arrived in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday morning. It was an incredibly journey filled with ups and downs and all kinds of fun stuff in between. To arrive in Santiago is an emotional experience. Stephen Hawking was in Santiago yesterday. He´s here for a lecture. More later. I need to catch a bus to Finestera.

May 14, 2008 - Santiago de Compostela

Vanuit ons hostal lopen wij in een half uur naar de kathedraal. Grotendeels bergopwaarts. Wij gebruiken heel andere spieren dan in de afgleopen weken tijdens het fietsen. Rianne voelt haar kuiten. Bij het pelgrimsbureau aan de Rua de Vilar laten wij onze stempelkaart zien. Wij krijgen een Compostolaat: een officieel bewijs waarin wordt verklaard dat wij als pelgrims Santiago hebben bereikt. Om twaalf uur begint in de kathedraal een plechtige eucharistieviering voor alle pelgrims die vandaag zijn binnengekomen. De kerk zit bomvol pelgrims en...

May 5, 2008 - Onto Spain and Santiago

What a trip and long time no write. The last time that I updated the “travel journal” was in an internet cafe in Biarittz. I also had an msn window at the same time and was talking to my old producer-boss, Shane Neville, (the Nev) and he told me to quit MSN'in and get outside. It was great advice and since that day I havent stepped into an internet cafe. So if you are not on my Facebook, then here is the update... After basking on the beaches in Southern France we are now addicted to coastal towns, so we changed our entire journey. When you...