SANTIAGO´S WAY

Always,since I was a child I had heard about a way in the north of Spain called Santiago´s Way or The Way of Saint James. In 2011 I was thinking about travel to do this way,but finally it was impossible.
Finally in this year 2013 I have done this amazing travel and this is my little story about it :

Tuesday 2 of April     2013

 I take a train from Alicante to Madrid and from there I take another train to Ponferrada.
I arrive to Ponferrada at 18.00 and I begin to walk until the albergue for pilgrims :

And from there I can see beautiful landscapes

I take my camera and I go to visit the city .

Ponferrada is also noted for its Castillo de los Templarios, a Templar castle which covers approximately 16,000 square meters. In 1178, Ferdinand II of León donated the city to the Templar order for protecting the pilgrims on the Way of St. James who passed through El Bierzo in their road to Santiago de Compostela.

The castle hosted the Knights Templar's Grand Master of Castille. However, the Templars were only able to enjoy the use of their fortress for about twenty years before the order was disbanded and its properties confiscated in 1311. Several noble houses fought

And I go to the restaurant to try an excellent food

When I return to the albergue I write in my diary and I meet Teresa. She is a great woman that love travel and tell me a lot of things about her travels and about "the camino". We speak about our favourite city,Edimburgh ,and about other some countries.
I go to the bed a bit early to me ,22:00 . Tomorrow begin my adventure

Wednesday    3 of April   2013

PONFERRADA-VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO     (   23 KM.)

I get up very early and I have a great breakfast. At 8.00 I begin to walk until my next destiny : Villafranca del Bierzo.

It is a peaceful way . I have read that in summer you can find a lot of people doing this travel,but just now is not easy find a lot of people. In the way I meet James from South Korea, we continue walking and finally I arrive to Villafranca :

Today has been my first day walking (23 km.) and I need a massage in my left knee .The weather is a bit cold but for the moment it is not rainy. At night I speak with James and we go to have a dinner in a restaurant called Sevilla.
I have bought a cream in the pharmacy for my knee because tomorrow I have to walk 30 km. from here to O cebreiro,so will be better that I go to the bed .


Thursday   4 of April    2013

VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO -  HERRERIAS   (20.73 KM. )
I have slept very good and now it is time to have my breakfast. When I finish I take my rucksack and I start to walk

Today I would like to go until O cebreiro ,so I will have to walk 29 km. more or less. In the way the landscapes are amazings. I have a break to eat something and I continue walking

Suddenly I can feel a great pain in my knee. I have a little break but it is not enough ,so finally I decide finish my travel for today. Now I´m in Herrerias and today I have walked 21 km.
In the albergue I have a shower and I take my camera again

This albergue is like a freezer,but the people there is very kind. There I meet Eva from Switzerland and She,James and I going to have a dinner close to the albergue. Tomorrow will be a difficult day we thought...

Friday   5 of April    2013

HERRERIAS- FONFRIA  (21.89 KM.)

I am alive...... ^^  Sleep here has been like sleep in the North Pole ,jaja, but fortunately I am alright.
My knee is not very good today,but I have to continue. I begin to walk with Eva and James but when we go to have a little breakfast begin to snow

Eva say that will be more time in the bar and James and I begin to walk. When we walk 15 minutes more or less James tell me that he has to walk more fast to see a friend in Triacastela,so I begin to walk alone again. ^^
The weather is very cold and now the snow is more intense

At last I arrive to O cebreiro  and there begin to snow very hard

This place is so beautiful.... but I have to continue. Still I have to walk 12 km. more today and the weather is very cold just now (-2 ºC ).

I´m very tired and my body is so cold.... but at last I arrive to Fonfria and I go find the albergue

This albergue is awesome,very comfortable. I speak with the owners because I am very hungry and they tell me that in 30 minutes I will have a great meal

Now I go to write and read some National Geographic magazines. Today will be a day relax ^^

Saturday     6 April     2013

FONFRIA - BARBADELOS ( 31.46 KM)

I get up early again and the weather is horrible

It will be better than don´t think about the weather . I begin to walk at 8.00

Near to Triacastela the weather is much better and there is a bit snow

I continue walking very hard and very fast and at last I arrive to Sarria

I´m very hungry,so I decide have a break to eat something

Now I am much better to continue walking 

I had thought sleep in this city today but I would like to continue walking a bit more . The waiter of the restaurant recommend me an albergue in Barbadelo,so I decide walking until there 

Finally I arrive until the albergue 

Today have been a great day. I have walked very hard and my knees are a bit better. I love this travel,meet different people from other countries and of course the beautiful landscapes.

Sunday    7 April     2013 

BARBADELO- PORTOMARIN ( 18.66 km.)

The weather today is cloudy and when I start to walk begin to rain. Today I would like walk more slowly because yesterday I walked a lot and I am a bit tired. 

I love this forests ,while I walk I can listen birds and the nature. I didn´t know that you can find places like this in Spain.

Now I need a break,it´s rainy and I need a break to dry off and eat something

And I continue walking until arrive to Portomarin 

Portomarín is a municipality in the Spanish province of Lugo.

The town of Portomarín was constructed and built next to a Roman bridge over the Minho River and rebuilt in the Middle Ages.

St. Nicolas church

Today has been a short day walking,but is rainy and will be better find a albergue in this city. 

I have chosen an albergue called  "Ultreia" and it is very comfortable .  

Monday     8 April    2013  

PORTOMARIN - PALAS DE REI (25.06 KM)

I get up to have a tea and I can see that today the weather is better than yesterday . I have a shower and I begin to walk 

While I was walking I have found James . We have spoken and I have continued walking until Palas de Rei

Palas de Rei is a town in the province of Lugo, Galicia in northwestern Spain. It belongs to the comarca of A Ulloa.

The history of Palas de Rei appears closely linked to military culture, which retains many of the archaeological remains (dolmens and forts) from a remote settlement. According to tradition, the city owes its name "Pallatium regis" to the palace of the Visigothic king Witiza, who reigned between 702 and 710. In Palas, Witiza would have killed the Duke of Galicia, Favila, father of Don Pelayo.

I am very hungry and I go to have a great lunch 

This "pulpo a la feira " is delicious. Now I go to the albergue to have a shower and write somethings about my travel and some postcards for friends .

Tuesday   9  April     2013

PALAS DE REI - ARZUA  (29,52 KM.)

Today will be a difficult day. I have to walk 30 km and just now is rainy. Now is 7.30 and I start to walk alone again. 

I have read that in Melide you can try the best "Pulpo " (Octopus),so I have decided have a break and try this excellent food 

Now is time to continue. Is rainy very hard but still I have to walk 15 km until Arzua 

At last I have arrived to the albergue in Arzua. The way today has been horrible and very long. I have been waiting to see James and finally I have made a great dinner to us 

Wednesday   10  April     2013 

ARZUA - PEDROUZO  (19.20  KM) 

Is very early and James and I get up to have a breakfast while we wait to buy an umbrella to James. 

Today the weather is not good ,rainy a lot and I am sure that will be a difficult day to walk 

The way has been difficult . When we have arrived to the albergue we have seen another friend there.
This albergue is horrible,and the bathroom..... oh my god!!! ,jaja, will be better don´t speak about it
We have gone to buy some food for this night and we have a great dinner with very kind people ^^

Thursday  11  April      2013

PEDROUZO - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA ( 19,98 KM) 

I am very happy today because in a few hours I will arrive to Santiago. This travel has been amazing,I have met very interesting people and I have take beautiful photos. I have thought a lot about somethings in my life and I have learned a lot of important things .

This moment is very special. All days waiting this moment and just now I am here

Now I have to go to Pilgim´s office and visit this beautiful city 

Santiago de Compostela  is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain.

The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the city's cathedral, as destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route originated in the 9th century. In 1985 the city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Always in my heart ..... "THE WORLD IS A BOOK AND THOSE WHO DO NOT TRAVEL READ ONLY A PAGE "