EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO: u been there?

[istarbaks]

I have always wanted to do this but I just couldn't afford it. Sigh!

In fact, sabi ko sa missis ko, mas maganda ito kesa sa traditional Holy Land Tour. Delikado na kasi, baka ma-suicide bomber ka pa dun sa HL.

^ Airfare lang ang major expense dito. Hindi mo rin kailangan ng mga hotel reservations dahil napakamura ng mga pilgrim's inn.

I went to Fatima, Jerusalem and Lourdes (starting point ko). I'm glad I did the camino as the latter activity. Kasi parang naging culmination sya ng lahat ng pilgrimage eh. Although Jerusalem was entirely a different experience...

[istarbaks]

Saint Jean Pied de Port:



This is the traditional starting point for many pilgrims.

It is the last town in France before crossing the mountains getting to the other town, Roncesvalles of Spain.

[istarbaks]

From Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side, you will cross the Pyrenees mountains:




And you will reach the next town, Roncesvalles, which is already in Spain, where you could spend the night:

[istarbaks]

The Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles segment is the first leg for many pilgrims. However, it is also probably the most difficult.

Others try to take a break and spend the night here:



This albergue's terrace/deck in front, just across the street, is a treasure:

[istarbaks]

After Roncesvalles, the usual next stop of the pilgrims is Larrasoana. You pass by some old road and bridges:


(photo source)

Then you enter the small town with some nice old architecture:


(photo source)

[purpleheadd07]

oh wow, i've only read about this on paulo coellho's books!

[istarbaks]

^ano ba sabi ni paulo tungkol dito?

(hehe, 'sensya na... i have the book pero di ko pa nababasa )

[istarbaks]

The road continues...


(photo source)

until you get to the gate of Pamplona walls:


(photo source)

You get in and you are in the old quarters of the city:


Pamplona's city hall (photo source)

[istarbaks]

This is the albergue where I spent the night for only 6euros in Pamplona:


(photo source)

The facade may look like an abandoned storage but what you see inside is this:


Hall


Lounge


Dining area (bring your own food)




The beds (bring your own beddings i.e. sleeping bag)

(photo source)

[bo_boi]

Ilang months mo to ginawa istarbaks?

[istarbaks]

^ nag bicycle kasi ako kaya halos 3 weeks lang. nagsimula ako sa lourdes, france.

kung maglalakad, minimum ang 1 month, mga 33 days. may kasama na dyang rest days.

[istarbaks]

After Pamplona, if you are walking the Camino, your next probable stop for the night is Puente La Reina. But before you reach this town, you will be passing this by:


(photo source)

If you decide to take a little detour, you will be able to visit this little but nice Ermita de Eunate:


(photo source)

When you reach the center of Puente la Reina, you will see this centuries old bridge:


(photo source)

It is not a bad idea to spend the night here as there many historical churches and architectures around, and they also have cafes where you can meet other pilgrims.

[bo_boi]

Hirap naman mag bike. Ilang kilometers per day?

[superparadise_X]

ang plano ko Istarbaks ay plano pa rin,

I keep telling myself na kailangan kong magsimula somewhere pero I dont know...so far, wala pa rin akong ginagawa, like maybe start my Schengen Visa application, talk to my boss about a possible three month vacation, start saving for the airfare and so much more.

In my heart, ito na lang ang kulang sa mga pilgrimages ko..am sure marami pang darating pero parati tong sumasagi sa isip ko and lalo akong naiinis na wala akong ginagawa...hayyzzt

And now, kakabukas ko ulit ng Pex after been so busy for the past few days, ito agad nakita ko and I guess your thread has a way of reminding people to start doing something...Thanks for that!!

Now, my plan is to do the Camino (either the French way or from Portugal) sometime end of June, 2013 and kailangan nasa Santiago de Compostela na ako at least three days before July 25th, 2013. The Feast of St James, the Apostle.

Of course, it was also in my plan to hone my Portuguese back again, enroll at Instituto de Cervantes for my intermediate Spanish to be at least conversationally-equipped and be under the tutelage of my former college friends and perhaps French too at Alliance. I know super dami kong iniisip kaya wala akong nagagawa pero I have reasons, really serious reasons....

but in the end, like what you've said in your blog. We worry too much and in the end, we might not need that so many things in our lives, after all....


and I had this chance encounter at the Rijksmuseum with a gay couple from Cape Town, South Africa in Amsterdam. They too had done the Camino and I could vividly remember the joy in their faces, recounting their pilgrimage.

They too mentioned, na we only need to worry about the airfare..and the rest could be easily found somewhere. In the end, they said to have thrown their extra slippers, things that dont matter really and only their memories inside their backpacks! The conversation happened while looking at Rembrandt's famous and critically-acclaimed Nightwatch painting

thanks istarbaks.. be back soon with a little concrete plan in the future

[istarbaks]

Hirap naman mag bike. Ilang kilometers per day?

self-control lang ang kailangan. kumbaga, sa umpisa hinay-hinay lang. ang nangyari kasi sa akin, nung first day ko feeling ko ako si superman kaya walang pakundangan kung mag pedal

although alam ko naman na dapat relaxed speed lang sa umpisa, hindi ko pa rin mapigilan na medyo bilisan. dahil na rin siguro sa excitement. ayun, wala pang tanghali eh inaantok na ako sa pagod. at sumakit pa mga binti't tuhod ko, lol.

anyway, may araw na higit 100kms ang binisikleta ko, meron din namang 40kms lang, depende sa naisipan kong bayan na tutulugan. ang daily average distance ng mga naglalakad na pilgrims ay 20~25, at sa pag bisikleta ko naman ay 70~75. pero mabagal pa yang lagay na yan! yung na research kong isang cyclist, average nya ay 90kms!

after nung 1st day ko, hindi ko na pinilit na bisikletahin ang mga lugar na paakyat ng bundok. nilalakad ko na lang yun at may mga nakakasabay akong mga walking pilgrims

[istarbaks]

ang plano ko Istarbaks ay plano pa rin,

I keep telling myself na kailangan kong magsimula somewhere pero I dont know...so far, wala pa rin akong ginagawa, like maybe start my Schengen Visa application, talk to my boss about a possible three month vacation, start saving for the airfare and so much more.

In my heart, ito na lang ang kulang sa mga pilgrimages ko..am sure marami pang darating pero parati tong sumasagi sa isip ko and lalo akong naiinis na wala akong ginagawa...hayyzzt

And now, kakabukas ko ulit ng Pex after been so busy for the past few days, ito agad nakita ko and I guess your thread has a way of reminding people to start doing something...Thanks for that!!

Now, my plan is to do the Camino (either the French way or from Portugal) sometime end of June, 2013 and kailangan nasa Santiago de Compostela na ako at least three days before July 25th, 2013. The Feast of St James, the Apostle.

Of course, it was also in my plan to hone my Portuguese back again, enroll at Instituto de Cervantes for my intermediate Spanish to be at least conversationally-equipped and be under the tutelage of my former college friends and perhaps French too at Alliance. I know super dami kong iniisip kaya wala akong nagagawa pero I have reasons, really serious reasons....

but in the end, like what you've said in your blog. We worry too much and in the end, we might not need that so many things in our lives, after all....


and I had this chance encounter at the Rijksmuseum with a gay couple from Cape Town, South Africa in Amsterdam. They too had done the Camino and I could vividly remember the joy in their faces, recounting their pilgrimage.

They too mentioned, na we only need to worry about the airfare..and the rest could be easily found somewhere. In the end, they said to have thrown their extra slippers, things that dont matter really and only their memories inside their backpacks! The conversation happened while looking at Rembrandt's famous and critically-acclaimed Nightwatch painting

thanks istarbaks.. be back soon with a little concrete plan in the future

well, i think it's better that you don't force yourself into doing it soon. it took me more than 3 years to materialize my camino. the first time that i learnt about it on the television, sabi ko sa sarili ko na gusto kong gawin ito.

i did not, however, made any plans about it for for a long long while. parang wala lang. then came a moment that i thought the right time has come and within 6 months, i was off to camino de santiago.

i'm sure the right time will come to you. besides, parang mas maganda pa nga kung mag travel ka muna sa iba't ibang lugar muna. malalaman mo rin ibig kong sabihin kapag nag camino ka na... or you can buy my book

[superparadise_X]

^^ SO TRUE.....basta, asa plano siya......

and please let me know about your book...I'll find it and surely buy myself a copy.

[istarbaks]

Are you sure about the book?

If you are, pm me your address and I'll send you a copy.

[istarbaks]

Let's move on to the next place where most pilgrims would stop after Puente la Reina-- Estella.


(image source)

This segment is a colorful camino. You will cross different kinds of terrain:


(photo source)


(photo source)


(photo source)



Of course, there are many kinds of cheap accommodation for pilgrims. Although you can have a private room, or a room with twin beds, most take the cheapest option that resemble a dormitory like this albergue:


((photo source)


Some pilgrim accommodations are named "hospital" aside from "albergue" and "refugio." Here's one in Estella:


(photo source)

You may notice the shell design. It's a symbol for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. People wearing dried, empty scallop shell are identified and acknowledged as pilgrims.

[nextgizmo]

Guyz there is a movie about this, starring Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen.. The movie title is "THE WAY" panoorin nyo and you will see all the pics that has been posted here..

Just my two cents.