Jimandi

Santiago to Madrid

The alarm was set for 8:00 to give us time to: (1) get ready (2) have breakfast and (3) walk the half mile from the hotel to the train station for our 10:49 train to Madrid. Out of habit we woke up at 6:45.

Linda still having a transition breakfast. Jim’s transition from Camino breakfast to home apparently complete.

Transitioning from the Camino back to the real world is a challenge in many ways. One is how to move our stuff.

After our 3rd Camino in 2019, we began using a transport service to move most of our stuff from accommodation to accommodation and carrying only those things we might need during the course of the daily walk in a smaller, lighter day pack.

We left our hotel to walk to the train station, but this time we carried our day packs and all of our other stuff in our larger backpacks, which Correros has been transporting for us until today.

Transitioning to and from the Camino requires that we carry both packs for a short time/distance. We’ve tried several ways to do this, but the way we did today has worked well for the last several Caminos.

One obvious solution is to not take as much stuff. We’ve made progress in that direction but obviously not enough. It’s a balance between traveling lighter and being prepared for unforeseen situations. Jim is probably worse at wanting to be prepared, especially when being away from home for 50+ days, away from normal support systems.

Linda all loaded up, too. We worried if we fell down we might roll over on our backs like a turtle and would be unable to right ourselves!

Train station on the right. The packs took only a few steps to get used to and all went well.

We found a seat in the waiting area of Santiago Compostela Estación de Tren. About 30 minutes before our departing time, an announcement in Spanish and then in clear English, directed us to enter the cue for scanning our tickets and going through security. We placed both back packs and fanny packs on a conveyor through a scanning machine and retrieved them a few seconds later, much like our domestic security processes. We put our backpacks back on and only a few steps away, carefully rode the escalator down to the train passenger loading platform.

This is a view of the via or platform where the train arrived. The escalator made it easy for us to manage with the two packs.

Linda just sat down on the via (platform) without removing the packs. This made it easier to maneuver getting on the train and reaching our seats.

Packs stowed overhead and us comfortably in our seats as the train eased out of Santiago Compostela station.

The trip from Santiago to Madrid took abour 3.5 hours (10:49 – 2:14). It was direct with 5 quick stops and traveling at speeds approaching 300km/hr (180 mph) in between stops.

It’s amazing at how smooth the ride is at that speed. It’s much smoother than on airplane flights. Restrooms and snack food are much more readily accessible than on air flights. And seating space and comfort is superior to air travel… all at a much lower cost. It’s too bad that similar options do not exist in the United States.

The train moved too fast to get decent photos, but here is one an hour before arriving in Madrid.

A selfie as we walked on a passageway from the train in Madrid-Charmatin station to find a taxi.

We de-trained on time and missed a turn making our way to the taxi area that only cost us 5 minutes or so of extra walking.

Before we arrived in Madrid, Jim had taken a screenshot on his iPhone of the webpage describing the name and address if our hostal. When our driver, who was from Iraq and spoke only his native language and Spanish (sort of), seemed confused about our destination, Jim showed him the screenshot, he nodded and we were off.

The short ride to our hotel of 15 minutes was a record… and the €26 fare reflected it.

We used this screen photo to give directions to our taxi driver.

Check in went easy and after a few minutes to get familiar with our room and test the wifi, we set out to find a place to get our main meal.

We had a simple routine check in at our hostal in Barajas, a suburb of Madrid. It’s only a few minutes from MAD (the Madrid international airport). (We took this photo of the wifi password, in case it was not noted in our room).

A ten minute walk in the very small town of Barajas led us to the nearest restaurant open on this Sunday afternoon. It featured a blend of Spanish and Peruvian cuisine… indicated by its name, “Cocinaperuana”.

Our shared appetizer- chicken wings with Peruvian sauce

Linda had chicken with rice seasoned with Peruvian sauce.

We walked back to our room, got showers and rearranged our stuff which became our backpacks secured in the reusable IKEA duffles (which traveled Camino2026 with us) to be checked on our flight home and our daypacks, now serving as our carryons.

Our hostal will provide free transport to MAD airport at 9:00 in the morning, so we set our alarm accordingly and called it a day.

Santiago

So, yesterday we walked into Santiago de Compostela and were awarded our 8th Compostela for walking the Camino Frances across Spain.

It was a particularly satisfying accomplishment in that Linda had her 81st birthday in Pamplona 46 days ago and Jim will celebrate his 80th birthday in 27 days. And in many ways, Camino 2026 was no more difficult and even seemed easier much of the time, than previous Caminos.

Today we slept in, having little else to do! We went next door to a bar and had a semi-typical breakfast to begin the transition to the real world.

We spent some time reflecting on how it felt ending our 45 day, 304 miles of walking. We are still processing that. What comes next with respect to the Camino, only time will tell.

Our focus by mid-day had shifted to the trip home over the next two days and making plans that allow for a smooth flow from Santiago hotel to train-to Madrid to Hotel in Madrid to Flight home.

We took a break at 2:00 to visit Linda’s favorite Santiago restaurant, Le Coq, for our main meal.

Crispy chicken on a stick, baby lettuce, goat cheese. cherry tomatoes, walnuts and a light balsamic dressing for Linda. Cajun spiced chicken breast, baby mixed lettuce. mozzarella cheese, avocado, orange, apple and a heavy balsamic vinaigrette. Our red wine (vino tinto) was a very nice house mencía.

For dessert we had a very light, warm chocolate brownie with an ice cream sidebar: chocolate for Jim, hazelnut for Linda.

The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to planning, organizing and repacking our stuff, napping and reducing our snack inventory.

Day 45 – Vilamaior to Santiago

Walked today: 6.0 mi. Camino’26: 304 mi.

At 7:30 it was 60F and an overcast sky, creating conditions that were perfect to finish Camino2026.

Starting from the front gate of Casa de Amancio, we walked on concrete or asphalt pavement all the way.

Pilgrims initially were singles, in couples or in small groups.

By the time we had walked a mile or two, several larger groups appeared behind us and soon passed us.

One large group of about 50 pilgrims of varying ages was from the Basque region of Spain with bright red shirts and a lead pilgrim carrying a big red Basque regional flag.

We were walking almost alone when we reached San Marcos. Our usual stop was closed with a sign indicating they were at the San Fermin festival (“Running of the bulls”) in Pamplona where we began Camino2026 some 45 days ago.

We stopped at an new (for us) bar and had our last Camino 2026 breakfast of cafe-con-leche and tostadas.

Without saying anything out loud, we both seemed to savor all of this morning’s walk. So we took our time with breakfast and continued on our way, observing our surroundings perhaps with a little more care and emotion than usual.

Walking by the huge sports complex and participant housing on the left.

We chatted, as we walked down the steep hill, with a couple from Bavaria in Germany, walking their first Camino and starting in Sarria.

With Santiago clearly visible ahead, we wove through the walkway that helped us and other pilgrims avoid the hazardous traffic of the expressway and train tracks around the city. We have witnessed this develop on our previous Caminos starting back in 2015.

We began the nearly 4 mile walk through Santiago, making our way to its historic center to the Catedral, which holds the earthly remains of James, the Greater, Apostle of Jesus Christ.

The next photos show the changing look of the scenery and buildings as we walked to the Catedral.

This area has relatively modern buildings, restaurants and specialty shops and wide sidewalks.

Sidewalks get more narrow and dangerous.

The Capilla de San Lázaro… located in the suburb of San Lázaro. Sadly, it’s always locked when we walk by… never seen inside.

Sidewalks still somewhat narrow and more residential multi story buildings dominate.

This section has wide sidewalks, mostly a walk-street with limited vehicle traffic for delivering products to a variety of stores, shops and businesses. We stopped for OJ and a visit to an ATM, before entering the old city,

Here the sidewalks get narrow, limited traffic, one-way. Much older structures for shops and residences.

Now we”re in the historical old city multi-centuries old.

Along the way we passed the Capilla de Animas. Today was the first time it has been open when we walked by.

The inside of Capilla de Animas (Chapel of Souls).

Still walking, we passed “A Casa do Peregrino”, where we stayed for several days on our first two Caminos.

Passing the North entrance of the Catedral.

Linda made it!
The Catedral de Santiago de Compostela on the Praza de Obradoiro.

Jim made it!!
The Catedral de Santiago de Compostela on the Praza de Obradoiro.

The pilgrims office in Santiago de Compostela where we receive our Compostela.

Our traditional Cola Cao toast to celebrate receiving our Compostelas.

We walked another mile to our hotel where we’ll spend tonight and tomorrow night. Thanks for being with us these past 45 days.

We’ll provide brief posts in the following days to document the rest if our stay and trip home plus reflections on Camino 2026.

Day 44 – O Pedrouzo to Vilamaior

Walked today: 7.3 mi. Camino’26: 298 mi.

We have mentioned 3 different names for the place we stayed last night.

O Pedrouzo is a small town within the parish of Arca, which is part of the municipality of O Pino. O Pedrouzo serves as a key stop for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago before reaching Santiago de Compostela.

The front of our pención as Linda left the front door at 7:45, 59F,

The restaurant where we had the grilled steak yesterday. The garden store where we got the Padrón seeds is two doors up from the restaurant.

This is the health clinic where Linda received treatment for spider bites in 2015.

Just a few steps past the clinic, we turned left and were back on the Camino.

Typically higher level pilgrim traffic as many who pass us today are planning to reach Santiago this afternoon.

Lots of pretty scenery in the eucalyptus, oak and chestnut forests.

Walking on the edge of the forest for a bit.

Jim took a group photo for this Chinese family we hopscotched. When they caught up to us later, after the photo, the two very young children looked wide-eyed and smiled at Jim, remembering him taking their photo.

We stopped for breakfast at a familiar bar/albergue in Amenal.

We watched pilgrims through the table tops as they emerged from the road underpass walking pass the bar.

The bartender did a nice job with the cafe-con-leche artwork.

After breakfast we climbed a steep hill through a deeply eroded wash/path.

We struggled with other pilgrims reaching the top of the hill.

These are some of the largest eucalyptus trees we’ve seen in Galícia on the Camino.

The path continued a gradual, sometimes steep ascent as we approached the outskirts of Santiago.

We finally reached the pinnacle which got nice and flat for a while. We periodically heard jet engines as we began walking around the Santiago airport.

We made a left as we came to the freeway going into Santiago at the ornately sculpted Santiago marker, continuing to walk around the airport, still unseen, only occasionally “heard”.

The Camino now taking us downhill, after all the trouble we went through to get up to the top.

First visual confirmation that we were near an airport.

We continued walking around the airport before reaching San Payo.

On the way into San Payo we chatted with a nice couple from Australia, Graham and Jennifer. They were walking their first Camino. They had walked for 41 days from SJDdP. They continued on to Lavacolla and we stopped for a rest and OJ.

We stayed here, in Payo, on a previous Camino.

Leaving Payo on pavement we climbed up a long, steep grade and followed the Camino back onto a dirt path through the forest.

We walked toward Lavacolla through the woods looking for a way to get to a rest stop before the final 2 miles to Vilamaior.

We discovered a passage way through a hedge behind a large, upscale hotel on the highway into Lavacolla.

After surreptitiously making it to the parking lot. we followed a restaurant sign and made our way into the lobby as if we belonged. Jim asked reception for the bar and got a suspicious looking nod to our right and we quickly entered and took a seat, backpacks, poles, and all and ordered a Cola Cao.

No guilty looks from us, we’re just here for a drink and maybe a visit to the restroom.

After finishing our ColaCao, we walked along the road to the Camino exit from Lavacolla.

As we rejoined the Camino out of Lavacolla, we felt like we were being watched!

The legendary creek where pilgrims bathed: Laffi recorded in the 17th century: “There is a river in a wooded place two miles from Santiago called Lavacolla, in which French pilgrims, out of respect for the Apostle, wash not only their private parts but, stripping off their clothes, clean all the dirt from their bodies.”

As you might expect, the Camino was a narrow paved road which became either a steep or not-so-steep climb for the next mile or so, to Vilamaior, our destination for today.

The entrance to Casa de Amancio, Vilamaior.

A view of the garden and our room door on the far left.

Our meal was served at a table just outside our room door, overlooking the garden. First course was chicken tempura.

Second course was pan fried sea bass. Jim forgot to take the photo until we were already digging in.

Another wonderful Mencía wine we had for our main meal.

The view from our table (and room door).

We had a very manageable walk, perfect weather and a relaxing afternoon. It was our first time staying in Vilamaior. We’ve wanted to stay in Casa de Amancio after having breakfast here in 2015, but it has always been booked until Camino 2026.

Tomorrow, Santiago!!

Day 43 – Salceda to O Pedrouzo

Walked today: 6.1 mi. Camino’26: 291 mi.

We left our backpacks in reception for Correos, paid our bill and said our goodbyes to Santiago, then exited Albergue Turístico Salceda out the back gate to take the shortcut that Santiago told us about on our first visit in 2015. Two pilgrims from Russia, leaving the albergue at the same time, asked to join us. We chatted while walking the shortcut and after Jim told them how to merge with the camino path, they walked on ahead.

The two pilgrims from Russia, who joined us on the short cut.

Leaving the end of Santiago’s short cut just before merging with the camino for today’s walk.

We walked this road for several hundred yards, merged with the camino path as it crossed the road and moved into the forest.

We walked on a path like this through several small hamlets… two, of which had places for breakfast, but both were closed.

Like many of the hamlets in this area, hydrangeas seemed to be the adornment of choice.

We left the forest and hamlets behind and walked along a busy, large truck infested road until finally stopping at restaurant O Ceafoiro, located at the intersection of another busy, truck infested road.

Still on the edge of the forest, but following the main road.

A small park with a “dry” water fountain for pilgrims.

Pretty forest scenery dominated by eucalyptus trees.

An impressive underpass cut into solid rock.

Walking through a couple of tired hamlets with ruin dominated dwellings.

We stopped at an upscale campground with a nice attached bar/restaurant. We unanimously decided to skip the camping part, but did indulge in small glasses of fresh squeezed OJ.

After the campground, we walked down, then up a paved residential road that rejoined the main road into O Pino. The camino crossed the road and headed back into the forest skirting O Pino and O Pedrouzo, aka: Arca.

We left the “official” camino and walked on into O Pino and neighboring O Pedrouzo, where we will be staying until rejoining the camino tomorrow morning.

Walking past the albergue we stayed at in 2015 on our first camino.

Leaving OPino and entering O Pedrouzo . We stayed in the large building on the left on our second camino in 2017.

We texted our destination for the day and got confirmation that we couldn’t get access to our room before 1:00. It was only 11:30, so we went into kill-time mode.

We stopped at a convenient bar/restaurant and ordered drinks and found a seat and table just outside on the sidewalk. We sipped, people watched, greeted passing pilgrims and sipped some more.

Our initial time killing perch, waiting for our room.

Getting bored with the time killing, we got more creative and decided to (1) visit Jim’s #1 source for Padrón pepper seeds and (2) find a restaurant close to our reserved room and (3) make a reservation for dinner.

We stopped here to buy fresh (2026) seeds for Jim’s and Anne’s hydroponic gardens.

We stopped at Arca Gourmet restaurant which is next door to Pención 9 de Abril and had a simple, light lunch, anticipating a heavy, early dinner.

Jim ordered a tuna on toast to add extra B-12 and protein.

We finished lunch at 1:02, paid our bill, walked next-door and checked in and got settled in our room. It’s a fairly modern property, expensive at €94.50, but meets all our needs for today’s visit.

A typical look of being “settled” in our room.

After doing some chores and a brief nap (Jim only), we walked a half-block to a grilled steak specialty restaurant that we discovered last year on Camino2025.

We grilled a large beef T-Bone steak at our table with sides of tomato & lettuce salad and fries. The seasoning for the meat was an oil and herb blend and sea salt flakes.

We left no prisoners, only trimed fat and bone, as we attacked this delicious cut of beef. And we thought we were totally sated…

… until the waiter placed this delicious version of “chocolate cake” in front of us. And it, too, disappeared in short order and we finished our house “signature” Mencía wine.

Two more days to Santiago!!

Day 42 – Arzúa to Salceda

Walked today: 7.2 mi. Camino’26: 285mi.

After several very hot days, it appears that the temperature for our remaining days on Camino2026 will top out in the lower 80’s.

Last year, the places open for breakfast for the first 4 miles of today’s walk were limited, so we had breakfast in Arzúa before beginning.

Breakfast in one of a very few open bars this morning at 6:45.

Pilgrim traffic fairly normal this morning.

We made a brief stop to enter our first cello (stamp) for our crediential for today… see actual credential and stamp below. We need a minimum of two stamps each day during the final 100 km to earn our Compostela.

This is the current page of our “credential” which documents our Camino. The green stamp (right-center) is the actual entry, “stamp or cello”, we made at the stop shown in the previous photo.

After leaving Preguntono we crossed a paved road, went through an underpass of another road, then up a step switchback and onto the path again.

Jim couldn’t help but take photos of pretty scenery all around us.

A brief rest and drink at a bar not open in recent caminos.

A big Hórreo as we passed through a tiny hamlet.

Erosion hollowed out section, but pretty in its own way.

Neat way to advertise pilgrims to visit.

We were the only takers. But, by experience, we know they have excellent fresh OJ. And clean bathrooms.

Seemingly docile watchdog. Got louder and serious when a pilgrim tried to get friendly.

Just before leaving the path to today’s destination.

This was our 8th stay at Albergue Turistico Salceda. It’s about 1km off the camino path on the outskirts of the village of Salceda.

Lucia welcomed us, literally with open arms when we arrived, then asked us to have a seat while she verified our room was ready. She returned promptly with our room key. It was only 11:30 and check in time was 1:00.

Our first chore was to get showers and gather all dirty clothing and deliver it to reception to wash and dry.

We had lunch in the dining area at 1:00,?then spent the afternoon chatting with Lucia, Santiago and Lucia’s daughter, Larisa when we not in our room attending to our other chores.

For dinner, Santiago offered to cook his specialty, a huge T-Bone steak grilled at our table, with small potato chips, Padrón peppers and a nice crisp green salad, on the side.

It was delicious and impressively presented, sizzling to our table.

Larisa helped her mom and granddad with dinner for us and the other dozen or so guests.

The whole visit this afternoon was dedicated to getting reacquainted and celebrating the special the relationship we have with this Camino family.