Have You Walked The Camino De Santiago?

ZarbK

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Hey all, I just thought I'd post this new discussion for anyone on here who has done at least part of the camino so we can chat and share experiences. Has anyone else on these forums done the Camino?

Let me tell you a bit about my experience:
I was walking the camino across Spain in the summer of 2013. I flew from Toronto to Paris early in June, then took the TGV tren south to Bayonne, and then a bus from there to my starting point at Saint Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, close to the Spanish border.
On my first day of walking, crossing the Pyrenees into Spain, I met all these students part of a Philosophy class that were doing the camino together as a class which was really cool! We ended up becoming great friends and I walked with them the entire way! I miss them. Along the way, this group included a beautiful young couple from Argentina and some Dutch friends we met and we all traveled together and became like family for those weeks we were together.
Well all together, it was 6 weeks of walking across northern Spain en route to Santiago de Compostela, and then from Santiago our group walked another 3 days to Muxia and Fisterra on the coast, where we partied for a week before going back to Santiago to party for a few more days! ;)
The day that we arrived back to Santiago from the coast was the same day that high speed train crash in Santiago happened in late July 2013, if anyone remembers that. Sadly, the parents of the one of the guys in our group were gonna meet him in Santiago and were on that train... and their son's name is Santiago. It was deeply tragic...

And when it was all over, we all took a bus to Madrid airport where we parted ways. I ended up flying from Madrid to Florence with this Dutch guy I met and had become good friends with on the camino. From there we hitchhiked and train-hopped (and got kicked off a train for not paying! :D) down to Rome and then to Ancona where we were gonna take a ferry to check out Greece, but the ferries were closed so we got on the ferry to Split, Croatia instead!

Gawd, I miss those lovely people! I really need to go on another adventure like that again soon!

Let's hear other people's experiences too!
 
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I had been living as an exchange student in Germany, when I heard about the route (Jakobsweg in German), walked part of it. At that time I had already purchased a 3-month Eurail pass, so on that trip, it would only be a small part of my itinerary. I had done the first part from France into Spain, but, did not venture farther, because Basque separatists had been placing bombs into lockers in Spanish railway stations.

I am glad that your experience exceeded your expectations!
 
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I had been living as an exchange student in Germany, when I heard about the route (Jakobsweg in German), walked part of it. At that time I had already purchased a 3-month Eurail pass, so on that trip, it would only be a small part of my itinerary. I had done the first part from France into Spain, but, did not venture farther, because Basque separatists had been placing bombs into lockers in Spanish railway stations. I thought Pamplona was a really nice city.

I am glad that your experience exceeded your expectations!

Cool, how far did you go on your short excursion? What year was that?

I knew about the Basque separatists but it was peaceful when I was there. I did see a lot of graffiti from them though. I dont think they would bother the peregrinos though, their quarrel is with the Spanish government not the pilgrims. If anything, the passage of the peregrinos is a big boost to their local economy so I doubt they would endanger that.
 

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Cool, how far did you go on your short excursion? What year was that?

I knew about the Basque separatists but it was peaceful when I was there. I did see a lot of graffiti from them though. I dont think they would bother the peregrinos though, their quarrel is with the Spanish government not the pilgrims. If anything, the passage of the peregrinos is a big boost to their local economy so I doubt they would endanger that.

The year was 1981. Perhaps they would have left the pilgrims in peace; however, at the end of the pilgrimage, travellers would have had to return home. In those days, it would have been by train.

Given that there was so much for me to see, and that I had paid for unlimited train travel, I opted for other places. Those cities and towns were sometimes well known and other times off the beaten track.

It is always uplifting, when I read that someone's travel experience exceeds his or her pre-set expectations. Thank you for sharing your original post! Have you done a lot of travelling?
 
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The year was 1981. Perhaps they would have left the pilgrims in peace; however, at the end of the pilgrimage, travellers would have had to return home. In those days, it would have been by train.

Given that there was so much for me to see, and that I had paid for unlimited train travel, I opted for other places. Those cities and towns were sometimes well known and other times off the beaten track.

It is always uplifting, when I read that someone's travel experience exceeds his or her pre-set expectations. Thank you for sharing your original post! Have you done a lot of travelling?

Honestly I didnt really know what to expect, but yea had an amazing adventure there ;)

Yea i’ve done a fair amount of travelling around Europe several times as well as in other countries. New Zealand, Fiji, Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand, across Canada many times, down the US west coast. Next time i travel Greece and Egypt are at the top of my list.
 

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Honestly I didnt really know what to expect, but yea had an amazing adventure there ;)

Yea i’ve done a fair amount of travelling around Europe several times as well as in other countries. New Zealand, Fiji, Costa Rica, Mexico, Thailand, across Canada many times, down the US west coast. Next time i travel Greece and Egypt are at the top of my list.

Your travels are impressive! I, too, have been across Canada and the USA.

For Canada, I have been to all 10 provinces and 2 of the 3 territories. I have also been to the French Territory of St. Pierre & Miquelon, just off the coast of Newfoundland. Newfoundlanders are the only Canadians, who go cross-border shopping to France instead of America; yet, other Canadians make jokes about them (Newfie jokes?).

For the USA, I have been to 47 of the 50 states plus Guam, the US VI and Puerto Rico. I have only been to Tijuana, Mexico. I am not a fan of politically corrupt societies.

I have seen a number of islands in the West Indies: Dutch-speaking, French-speaking, Spanish-speaking and English-speaking.

I have been through much of Europe: Island, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, The UK, Spain, Andorra.

For Africa: Namibia, South Africa.
 
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Your travels are impressive! I, too, have been across Canada and the USA.

For Canada, I have been to all 10 provinces and 2 of the 3 territories. I have also been to the French Territory of St. Pierre & Miquelon, just off the coast of Newfoundland. Newfoundlanders are the only Canadians, who go cross-border shopping to France instead of America; yet, other Canadians make jokes about them (Newfie jokes?).

For the USA, I have been to 47 of the 50 states plus Guam, the US VI and Puerto Rico. I have only been to Tijuana, Mexico. I am not a fan of politically corrupt societies.

I have seen a number of islands in the West Indies: Dutch-speaking, French-speaking, Spanish-speaking and English-speaking.

I have been through much of Europe: Island, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, The UK, Spain, Andorra.

For Africa: Namibia, South Africa.
You’ve certainly been busy over the years too, very impressive! I hope to match a list like yours when I’m older too.

I did a day trip from Spain over to Morocco which was interesting, thats my only experience in Africa so far. I feel like I am only getting started, I think a year off work travelling around the world might be coming in the next few years at some point. Gotta see South America, and more of Asia and I want to get to eastern europe as well. So many places, not enough moola. Heh ;)
I just hope this corona-v craziness subsides so I can actually go...
 
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You’ve certainly been busy over the years too, very impressive! I hope to match a list like yours when I’m older too.

I did a day trip from Spain over to Morocco which was interesting, thats my only experience in Africa so far. I feel like I am only getting started, I think a year off work travelling around the world might be coming in the next few years at some point. Gotta see South America, and more of Asia and I want to get to eastern europe as well. So many places, not enough moola. Heh ;)
I just hope this corona-v craziness subsides so I can actually go...

I have wanted to see parts of South America as well as other parts of the world; however, COVID has amended that list somewhat. Given the foolish behaviour of others with this whole pandemic, I have taken some places off my list for good: China, Brazil, Russia, India.

I still do like travel, but, will be choosier. Has this also colored your travel outlook at all?
 

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I have wanted to see parts of South America as well as other parts of the world; however, COVID has amended that list somewhat. Given the foolish behaviour of others with this whole pandemic, I have taken some places off my list for good: China, Brazil, Russia, India.

I still do like travel, but, will be choosier. Has this also colored your travel outlook at all?
Yep for sure, I was already leery about visiting China due to the communist dictatorship policestate there, and of most middle east countries, but those others you mentioned I’d still love to see. Brazil won’t have the idiot Bolsonaro forever. I think the ‘plandemic’ scare will subside eventually, just gotta be patient in the meantime.
I’ve heard great things about Russia and India from fellow travellers.