EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO: u been there?

[nalini]

I want to do this pilgrimage, too.
Thanks for sharing your experience, istarbaks.
You posts are very helpful.

[istarbaks]

^ Thanks

I may not be an expert but you can ask me anything about the camino during your planning stage. I'll try my best.

[istarbaks]

From the previous page, ito yung sinasabi kong scallop shell ng mga peregrino:


(photo source)


(photo source)

[baby_doc]

nice posts. makes me want to do this someday

[superparadise_X]

i have my scallop shell na.....hihihi

[istarbaks]

^ In case you forget to bring it with you, the (pilgrim's) information center in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port can give you one for free. May tali na yun.

You can also buy one with printed design from any souvenir shops everywhere along the camino. I chose to wear the simple one from the info center.

For some, they come prepared with this shell because they received it as pasalubong from a relative or friend who did the camino. It's like, as one of them said, passing the baton that it's their turn to walk the camino.

[istarbaks]

One of the basic thing you need when doing the camino is water. You can easily consume 1L in only a few hours of walking. The problem is, carrying liters of water is heavy and may slow you down.

Fortunately, there are water fountains along the camino. So you can only bring your empty pet bottle and refill them everytime you pass by a water fountain. These fountains come in different shapes and sizes but they serve the same purpose.


(photo source)


On the way out of Estella going to the next potential place for overnight, you will encounter a very unique fountain. You will pass by vineyards and guess what comes out from their fountain?

Wine!

Bodegas Irache offers a fountain that comes with 2 faucets, water on the right, and red wine on the left:


(photo source)

[istarbaks]

After the wine fountain, you can reach the laid back town of Los Arcos:


(photo source)

[istarbaks]

The camino from Los Arcos to the next town, Logroño, is beautifully entertaining. No wonder the film The Way included this scene:


(photo source)


You will also pass by this Holy Sepulchre church which they say is strikingly similar to Eunate's (previous post) architectural features:


(photo source)


Don't forget: The yellow arrows show you the way...

[indio_bravo]

Mga magkano ang estimated budget? At safe ba kung sakaling mag-isa lang ako? Baka bigla na lang kasi akong maglaho nga parang bula at di na makabalik sa Pilipinas.

Gusto ko talagang pumunta ng Spain para lang i-hone ang Espanol ko. Pero parang masaya din mag-Camino

[istarbaks]

Starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the camino is about 800kms to reach Santiago de Compostela. If you average a 25km walk daily, you'll finish it in 32 days. But of course, there will be times when you want to extend your stay in a city so let's assume 35 days.

Cheap accommodation like albergue ranges 5~15euros/night. Let's take the median, 10euros.

A pilgrim's meal costs 8~12euros. Let's take the average, 10euros.

You will be walking during the day so chances are, you'll eat only what you have with you and have pilgrim's meal only for dinner. In my case, I bought french bread and liver spread in a supermarket for less than 10euros. That's what I'd been eating for days on the road.

So let's do the math:

Accommodation: 10euros x 35days = 350euros
Food (pilgrim's meal): 10euros x 35days = 350euros
Food (others): 10euros x 5weeks = 50euros

Total for basic food and shelter needs: 750euros for 35days

In order to receive the compostela, the "certificate of completion", you should walk a minimum of 100kms. If you are doing the "minimum" camino, then it will just take you a week or less. That's way under 200euros for food and shelter.

Airfare depends on the time when you are going and from where you will come from. Let's put aside 1K~1.5Keuros for that.

[nalini]

Thanks for the budget estimate.

I'd do the camino de santiago next year if my trip to Brazil does not push through. I really, really want to visit Spain. I regret skipping the country when I last went to Europe.

[superparadise_X]

Wow...your post below is super informative

matagalan pag-iipon pa pala gagawin ko at kelangan bawasan ko na kakagastos ng kung anu-ano...lolz

Thanks Istarbaks! Will keep this in mind

Starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the camino is about 800kms to reach Santiago de Compostela. If you average a 25km walk daily, you'll finish it in 32 days. But of course, there will be times when you want to extend your stay in a city so let's assume 35 days.

Cheap accommodation like albergue ranges 5~15euros/night. Let's take the median, 10euros.

A pilgrim's meal costs 8~12euros. Let's take the average, 10euros.

You will be walking during the day so chances are, you'll eat only what you have with you and have pilgrim's meal only for dinner. In my case, I bought french bread and liver spread in a supermarket for less than 10euros. That's what I'd been eating for days on the road.

So let's do the math:

Accommodation: 10euros x 35days = 350euros
Food (pilgrim's meal): 10euros x 35days = 350euros
Food (others): 10euros x 5weeks = 50euros

Total for basic food and shelter needs: 750euros for 35days

In order to receive the compostela, the "certificate of completion", you should walk a minimum of 100kms. If you are doing the "minimum" camino, then it will just take you a week or less. That's way under 200euros for food and shelter.

Airfare depends on the time when you are going and from where you will come from. Let's put aside 1K~1.5Keuros for that.

[istarbaks]

About the airfare, I think may paraan para makamura. Naalala ko na yung roundtrip ticket ko ay through AirFrance, Tokyo-Paris, dahil yun ang pinakamurang nakita ko. Pero dahil sa Lourdes ang destinasyon ko, sa AirFrance na rin ako kumuha ng ticket Paris-Lourdes. Mga 20euros lang yata yung dinagdag ko para maging Tokyo-Lourdes.

Tapos yun namang pag-alis ko, nakakuha ako ng seat under 10euros sa RyanAir.com kaya nakapag side trip pa ako bago bumalik sa Paris para sa returning flight ko out of France.

[istarbaks]

^ So my point was, para mas makatpid sa airfare, pwede kang makakuha ng discounted RT tickets at i-combine mo ito sa mga LCC. Halimbawa, New York-Paris ang RT ticket mo tapos kuha ka ng LCC tickets (ex. RyanAir) papunta sa starting point at paalis from Santiago de Compostela.


Let's continue on to our journey...

Medyo malaki at moderno ang city ng Logroño. Pero mas maliit sya kesa sa Pamplona. Nevertheless, nagkadaligaw-ligaw ako sa paglabas ng syudad na ito. Inabot ako ng dalawang oras para lang mahanap yung kalsadang dadaanan ko

Heto yung simbahan nila:

(photo source)

At heto naman ang madadaanan mo kung maglalakad ka:

(photo source)

Yup, isa sa mga kalsada dyan

[istarbaks]

^ Yes, the road out of Logroño is confusing dahil may construction ng mga bagong kalsada.


(photo source)

Pero mababait naman mga tao dun. Yung nagme-maintain ng halaman sa gitna ng highway ang tumulong sa akin at itinuro ang tamang direksyon.

Sunod naman ako hanggang sa marating ko ang tamang daan...




(photo source)

Ang kasunod na bayan ay medyo malayo, halos 30kms din na lakad ito. Pero iba-ibang terrain ang malalakaran mo at meron pang mga ala archaeological sites kaya sure kang mag-eenjoy.


(photo source)

[istarbaks]

Ooops, been travelling again lately so I got not much time to post here.

Will post continuation asap!

[bo_boi]

Post na istarbaks. Planning to do this next yr. pero parang sarria lang sguro mag start. Kulang ng oras.

[istarbaks]

^ totoo?

Grabe, nasa Logroño pa lang pala tayo

[bo_boi]

Layo pa nga masyado ng logrono