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Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Salamanca October 17th 2022

An all-day coach trip to Salamanca was the agenda for today. From Barca d'Alba we crossed the Águeda river, a Douro tributary, to enter Spain. The mountains of Portugal extended briefly into Spain, but shortly thereafter we were crossing the high plateau of central Spain, known as the Meseta, This region is part of Castille and Léon. The landscape and vegetation here, like the plateau in La Mancha, is very reminiscent of Southern California. It is mostly open country with scurb vegetation or farmland. A few towns are encountered on the road to Salamanca. The first was La Fregeneda with a hilltop church. Others featured light industry, warehouses and agricultural businesses. After about a two-hour ride, Salamanca came into view. The first sight of Salamanca was the tower and dome of the New Cathedral. Then we ... read more
Plaza Mayor
Arco del Toro
Plaza Mayor - Ayuntamiento

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » León July 8th 2022

Leon is perhaps not one of the best-known Spanish cities but it deserves to be better known and not just because of the Texas rock band named after the Medieval Kings that hailed from here. Historically it is an important place as it can be considered one of the earliest democratic societies as it established a proper independent judicial system back in Medieval era. It has history back to Roman times, but seems to have hit its peak in the 15th Century. Today it attracts visitors not just due to its history but also because it is a key junction on the Camino de Santiago. On our drive here from Haro we follow one of the popular pilgrim paths and we see many people on the path, despite this not being the best season to walk. ... read more
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Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Salamanca June 27th 2022

After the hectic pace of yesterday, today promised to be slower and more relaxed. We woke up at 6:45, showered and left the suitcases outside the door at 7:30 while we checked out and ate breakfast. By 8:30 we were on the road, outbound from Madrid. Today was also seat assignment day. To make it fair for everyone on the bus, we initially choose seats with friends or loved ones either in front or behind us, but not across. Every day we move 1 seat towards the rear, so that everyone eventually gets to sit on both the left and right sides and at the front and back of the bus. None of this is important, and most people don’t really care where they sit, but the most important part of this exercise is that we ... read more
Segovia Aqueduct
Segovia Cathedral
View of Avila

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Salamanca June 9th 2022

We woke up casually late, since we had nothing special to do. We had made arrangements to use BlaaBlaa car service to get a ride to Jerez de la Frontera tomorrow, thanks to Manoli's nephew Miguel, since they wouldn't allow our phone for verification. So, we had the whole day to see the sights. Tonight was supposed to be a fiesta, with fireworks and all at night. First, we visited the double cathedral, the old and the new that are connected. Then we went on a roundabout excursion to the roman bridge. They were in the process of putting out the fireworks, and had a lot of the area taped off. We took some nice photos of the cathedral from the other side of the bridge, then went looking for somewhere to eat lunch. We ended ... read more
The ornate door of the cathedral
Looking across the roman bridge
The roman bridge

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Vega de Valcarce May 30th 2022

We were up and out the door by 6am, heading for Las Herrerias. About an hour later we entered Pereje (or as someone with a spray can decided, Perexe). I missed Pradela completely and about an hour later we entered Trabadelo. Along the way we noticed a major highway on the hillside above us. About when we entered La Portela del Valcarce, we spotted a very nice, very modern Hotel, Hotel Valcarce, that was at an offramp from the highway. It looked like it had a cafeteria, so we checked it out, along with some other pilgrims. Sure enough, they served coffee and breakfast stuff, we went it. I had a napolitana and Manoli had some churros to go with her coffee. After breakfast, at about 10am, we entered La Portela del Valcarce. At first I ... read more
A neat pilgrim statue in Villafranca
Entering Pereje
Iglesia de Santa María Magdalena in Pereje

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Molinaseca May 29th 2022

Today was to be a fairly safe travel day, with no hurry, so we got up and on our way soon after 7am. We passed through Campo just before 8am, and then Ponferrada just after 8:30am. It was as usual a fairly long walk through town, since Ponferrada is a pretty big town. There was a roman bridge over a very scenic river, then the famous Castillo de los Templarios. Right across from the castle was a decent looking cafe/bar, so we stopped for breakfast. After breakfast, we walked through town, and reached there park. This one was like the last few, very long, but very scenic. After the park, and just as we were leaving Ponferrada, we found the only other place that you walk through a building on the Camino. The other one had ... read more
First view of Campo
Panoramic view of Ponferrada & surroundings
Entering Campo

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Molinaseca May 27th 2022

We got up a little later than usual since we didn't have a long day, only 20 kilometers. We ate breakfast at the Bar Cuadros Cafe at 6:50, then made our way out of Astorga. Astorga is pretty good size, so it took us 20 minutes or so. We entered Valdevieja, and left it behind in no time. It is basically a suburb of Astorga. Next, we passed through Murias de Rechivaldo without even knowing it, and entered Santa Catalina de Somoza at about 8:45am. We stopped at a cafe/bar for a coffee break, then plodded on. About an hour later, we entered El Ganso, the last stop before our destination for the day, Rabanal del Camino. Here we stopped in the famous Cowboy Bar and then started the long haul of about 6.6 kilometers. It ... read more
Plaza Major with a giant chess set
A very unusual church on the way out of town
Finally leaving Astorga

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Astorga May 26th 2022

As usual we packed up and out the door of the albergue at 6am. We knew from the night before that Bar La Torre was open at 6am, so we stopped for breakfast. A couple hours later we passed through Villavante. An hour or so later we spotted Hospital de Orbigo for the big water tower and another half an hour we reached the famous bridge. The bridge and town were made famous by the knight Don Suero who after having his affections for Lady Leonor refuted, said he would confront any knight attempting to cross the bridge.... or something like that. We stopped on the other side of the bridge at the Hotel/Bar El Paso Honroso for breakfast and a nice view of the bridge while we ate. About 30 minutes later we passed through ... read more
The unusual ... napkin holder
Breakfast at Bar La Torre
Manoli posing with a pilgrim statue in Villavante

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Astorga May 25th 2022

We packed up, left our backpacks downstairs and headed out the door by dawn. Unfortunately, we forgot to turn in the key. When we got to the cathedral, we were given a fantastic view of the church at sunrise. On our way out of Leon, we passed by the Museo Leon, and the fancy inn or parador attached to it. In front of them, in the Plaza San Marcos, was a nice statue of a pilgrim. Apparently we passed through Trobajo del Camino without even realizing it, although I got to point out to my wife the wine cellars I'd seen the last trip. We reached Virgen del Camino in about 2 hours. Here was is the split that we had to make sure to take to get to Villar de Mazarife. There was also a ... read more
The Museo de Leon and the Parador de Leon
Statue of a pilgrim in the Plaza San Marcos
Some wine cellars in Trobajo del Camino

Europe » Spain » Castile & León » Burgos May 23rd 2022

We left Atapuerca a little after 6am, with quite a few others. After about an hour, we thought we saw Burgos way off in the valley. Shortly after that, we came upon Villaval, but it was just a tiny town with a few houses, and no cafes or bars. About a half an hour after that, we entered Cardenuela Pico, and I remembered the bus advertisement on the outskirts of town. It was for an albergue and cafe, the Bocateria. We, along with quite a few others, stopped there for breakfast. Another half an hour and we spotted Orbaneja Riopico, passing by Quintanilla Riopico. Get the similarity? All three towns were on the Rio Pico, or Pico River, so they named themselves after it. We entered and passed through Orbaneja Riopico and about an hour later ... read more
First view of Burgos, I think, a ways away
Villaval in view, but nothing there, just a few houses
A bus/advertisement on the outskirts of Cardenuela Riopico




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