Camino de Santiago, Pt 3!
In this final blog post about the Camino de Santiago, I'm just going to cover a few things that didn't fit neatly in the first two blog posts. This is more of a hodgepodge of interesting details that I wanted to share about the walk and things experienced that are still in my mind.
One of the most defining experiences on the Camino is the dormitory living. At many stops along the way, there are dormitories just for the pilgrims. The prices average around 10 euro a night and many times they are in the old city center next to the cathedral. Incredible locations at incredible prices! While the accommodations vary from 6 person dorm rooms to open bays for 200 people, it was always an interesting experience, especially when you had a heavy snorer sleeping right next to you! Here a few of the different dorms that I stayed in.
This was the first dormitory, a place that holds 180+ people. It was easy sleeping as the first day is generally considered the hardest
This dorm was much more typical of what you would find on the Camino. A room with about 10-20 beds, coed, and a lot of noise and early morning wake ups
Here was my favorite dorm setup located in Burgos. 6 beds with spaceship style cubes and your own little light, outlet and privacy curtain
Everytime you entered a dormitory, you were asked to take your shoes off (which we gladly did). This was to keep the facilities clean and they always provided storage for our shoes
When walking the Camino, it was important to keep the mind distracted from the painful feet and sometimes flat wheat fields. This was done by talking with other walkers but sometimes you wanted more. And the Camino delivered by having various signs, markings and inspirational messages, throughout the 800km.
A stop sign on the Camino with a fun message!
This painting on a wall caught my attention. Yes, sometimes during the walk I did think about some of the creature comforts at home!
I especially liked the Caution, Pilgrim Crossing signs!
Throughout the Camino, there are arrows guiding you to Santiago. Usually they are yellow painted marks but here someone created this one out of stones! This one was about 2 meters long
While walking the Camino, the people in the small villages would wish you a Buen Camino and also had permanent messages encouraging you
In addition to the signs on the Camino, there were many memorials and relics. Here are a few.
Here is one of many memorials for people that died while walking the Camino. These were often found at the top of some of the tougher hills and would make you think
Other memorials were not for someone who died on the Camino but for someone who died elsewhere and their loved ones would leave a picture or belonging
Another memorial with relics and stones left by Pilgrims
I'll just wrap up this blog post with a few pictures of some of the animals that we encountered during the Camino. Nothing exotic but they still provided entertainment and a nice diversion!
Here was a very friendly cow who was showing me a good trick. I showed him I could do the same (really!)
Here is another curious heifer! Maybe I should become the cow whisperer!
Around halfway on the Camino, we started seeing a lot of storks. We enjoyed seeing them, especially when they would fly by with their huge wingspread
I really liked this guy as he had the right message for the Camino walk...slow but steady!
That's all regarding the Camino walk. I highly recommend to give it a try. I know that not everyone can afford to take 5-6 weeks off but even if you can do it in stages of a couple weeks at a time (which several people I've met have done). It's been 6 weeks since I completed it but it's still very much on my mind.
Buen Camino everyone!!
One of the most defining experiences on the Camino is the dormitory living. At many stops along the way, there are dormitories just for the pilgrims. The prices average around 10 euro a night and many times they are in the old city center next to the cathedral. Incredible locations at incredible prices! While the accommodations vary from 6 person dorm rooms to open bays for 200 people, it was always an interesting experience, especially when you had a heavy snorer sleeping right next to you! Here a few of the different dorms that I stayed in.
This was the first dormitory, a place that holds 180+ people. It was easy sleeping as the first day is generally considered the hardest
This dorm was much more typical of what you would find on the Camino. A room with about 10-20 beds, coed, and a lot of noise and early morning wake ups
Here was my favorite dorm setup located in Burgos. 6 beds with spaceship style cubes and your own little light, outlet and privacy curtain
Everytime you entered a dormitory, you were asked to take your shoes off (which we gladly did). This was to keep the facilities clean and they always provided storage for our shoes
When walking the Camino, it was important to keep the mind distracted from the painful feet and sometimes flat wheat fields. This was done by talking with other walkers but sometimes you wanted more. And the Camino delivered by having various signs, markings and inspirational messages, throughout the 800km.
A stop sign on the Camino with a fun message!
This painting on a wall caught my attention. Yes, sometimes during the walk I did think about some of the creature comforts at home!
I especially liked the Caution, Pilgrim Crossing signs!
Throughout the Camino, there are arrows guiding you to Santiago. Usually they are yellow painted marks but here someone created this one out of stones! This one was about 2 meters long
While walking the Camino, the people in the small villages would wish you a Buen Camino and also had permanent messages encouraging you
In addition to the signs on the Camino, there were many memorials and relics. Here are a few.
Here is one of many memorials for people that died while walking the Camino. These were often found at the top of some of the tougher hills and would make you think
Other memorials were not for someone who died on the Camino but for someone who died elsewhere and their loved ones would leave a picture or belonging
Another memorial with relics and stones left by Pilgrims
I'll just wrap up this blog post with a few pictures of some of the animals that we encountered during the Camino. Nothing exotic but they still provided entertainment and a nice diversion!
Here was a very friendly cow who was showing me a good trick. I showed him I could do the same (really!)
Here is another curious heifer! Maybe I should become the cow whisperer!
Around halfway on the Camino, we started seeing a lot of storks. We enjoyed seeing them, especially when they would fly by with their huge wingspread
I really liked this guy as he had the right message for the Camino walk...slow but steady!
That's all regarding the Camino walk. I highly recommend to give it a try. I know that not everyone can afford to take 5-6 weeks off but even if you can do it in stages of a couple weeks at a time (which several people I've met have done). It's been 6 weeks since I completed it but it's still very much on my mind.
Buen Camino everyone!!
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