Author: Setmeravelles

Puigcerdà y el final del viaje.

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During my first year in Madrid back in 2009, a friend recommended the Catalan town Puigcerdà to me, and ever since, I’ve wanted to go. As it’s a 3-hour train ride on Cercanias from Barcelona, it always got postponed to the next trip. Durante mi primer año en Madrid en 2009, un colega me recomendió el pueblo catalán Puigcerdà. Desde entonces, he querido ir, pero como es un viaje de Cercanías desde Barcelona que tarda tres horas, siempre lo aplacé.

This time, I made sure to go, and I even stayed a night there. Por fin, en este viaje, fui y me alojé una noche allí.

After my bus from València to Barcelona arrived, I walked from the bus station to the hotel that would watch my luggage for a modest fee during my short excursion to the Girona village of 9484 people. Next I went to the L’Eixemple barrio where I had lunch before catching the train. The trip went through beautiful Pyrenees scenery, although it was a long trip for sure. I watched movies on my iPad and the scenery go by. Después de la llegada del autobús de València a Barcelona, caminé desde la estación de autobúses a un hotel donde iba a guardar mi maleta grande por un precio económico durante mi excursión cortita al pueblo gironés de 9484 personas. Luego, fui al barrio de L’Eixemple donde comí antes de coger el tren. El viaje iba por paisaje precioso de los Pireneos, aunque era un viaje largo, desde luego. Me entretuve con pelis en el iPad y ver el paisaje.

The hotel was nice and next to the train station, and they were impressed with my Catalán. I love shocking people with it. I dropped off my backpack and then went up the escalators to the main part of the town. El hotel estaba bonito y justo a lado de la estación de tren. Les impresioné con mi nivel de catalán. Me encanta hacer eso. Dejé la mochila y subí las escaleras mecánicas al pueblo.

My friend in 2009 was right. The views were stunning. I then walked to the nearby lake around sunset, and I enjoyed seeing geese, ducks, and dogs. I had dinner in the main plaza, then went back to the hotel. Mi colega tenía razón en 2009. Las vistas eran impresionantes. Luego fui al lago cercano sobre la hora de la puesta de sol, y me encantó ver a las ocas, los patos y los perros. Cené en la plaza principal, y volví al hotel.

The next morning I got up and walked around the main part of town again before catching the long train back. I spent the rest of the trip, two nights in Barcelona, resting for the plane journey back to the US. La próxima mañana, me desperté y di un paseo por el pueblo una vez más antes de coger el tren de vuelta. Pasé el resto del viaje, dos días, en Barcelona, descando para el viaje de vuelto a EE.UU.

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Spanish Road Trip 2022 Part II.

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After finally clearing security after the flight from Zagreb to Barcelona, I went to the rental car place and picked up my car and made my way to Sitges, population 28,527, where I stayed in a really nice hotel with an amazing breakfast on the cheap for being off season. I took a walk on the beach before falling asleep late. The following morning I took another beach walk after aforementioned breakfast before heading to Manresa to pick up my suitcase. Después de, por fin, pasar por la seguirdad de BCN Prat después del vuelo de Zagreb, fui a recoger el coche que había aquilado y fui a Sitges, población 28.527, donde me alojé en un hotel muy bonito con un desayuno increíble. Como ya era temporada baja, no costaba mucho. Di un paseo por la playa antes de dormir, y la próxima mañana di otra vuelta por la playa después de desayunar antes de ir a Manresa para recoger la maleta.

After that, I drove to Tarragona where I stopped for lunch. I walked around the province capital of 141,542 residents trying to find a decent place to eat that wouldn’t break the bank, finally settling on a Chinese restaurant. Luego, conduje hasta Tarragona donde paré para comer. Caminé por la capital de provincia de 151.542 personas buscando un sitio bueno, bonito y barato para comer. Al final, comí en un chino.

I couldn’t figure this rental car out, and a warning light came on that I wouldn’t figure out why until the next day. I went to Peñíscola, population 8210, where I had reserved a nice hotel. I had the place to myself, and the owner gave me a code to find the key. It was a unique experience that I enjoyed, but it was also kind of eerie. It was kind of far, maybe 2 kilometres, from the city centre. Me costaba aprender como funcionaba el coche de aquiler, y había una luz de aviso que no entendí para nada. Al final, lo soluncioné. Fui a Peñíscola, población 8210, donde dormí en un hotel bonito. Estaba solo allí, y el dueño me había dado la contraseña para encontrar la llave. Era una experencía única, y me gustó, pero también era un poco raro. Estaba a unos 2 kilómetros del centro del pueblo.

I spent the afternoon walking to the city centre and enjoying the beach and old town. It was practically deserted, and I definitely preferred my first visit to the village back in 2011 on a school excursion. Pasé la tarde con un paseo al centro de la ciudad, y disfruté de la playa y Casco Viejo. No había nadie. Preferí mi primera visita al pueblo en 2011 en una excursión de colegio.

The next day, before having to return the car in València, I drove to Alcalá del Júcar, population 1148, in the province of Albacete. The village was also deserted, but it was beautiful. It’s on the Camino de la Lana (how I missed being on a Camino), but the nature views were incredible. El próximo día, antes de devolver el coche a València, fui a Alcalá del Júcar, población 1148, en la provincia de Albacete. El pueblo tampoco tenía mucho gente, pero era precioso. Está por el Camino de la Lana (como echaba de menos estar en un Camino), pero las vistas de la naturalezas eran espectaculares.

I had lunch at an expensive, posh restaurant overlooking the town, but it was worth it and an experience. Comí en un restaurante pijo con vistas del pueblo, pero valía la pena porque era una experiencia total.

I returned the car to the Valencia airport and caught a taxi into town. The next few days were spent remembering my beloved town and seeing all my fave cafes and eating paella. Devolví el coche al aeropuerto de Valencia y cogí un taxi al hotel. Los próximos días pasaba recordando mi ciudad querida y volver a mis sitios favoritos, y claro, comiendo paella y no arroz con cosas.

I still had one last destination before returning to the US. Todavía me quedaba un destino más antes de volver a EE.UU.

A continuación…

Camino Cancelado

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I don’t have the mental energy to do a bilingual entry right now, and barely have the mental energy to do it in English. Perdonad.

Something has felt off about this Camino and trip ever since I bought it.

I arrived to O’Hare yesterday with the recommended three hours to spare, made it through security and stuff, and did a few laps around Terminal 5 to get my steps in for the day.

My flight with Aer Lingus with a connection in Dublin was scheduled for 15:50, so around 14:50 I made sure I was in the gate area.

Waited.

Waited.

About a half hour after the scheduled boarding time, they said there was a delay for mechanical issues.

Uh oh.

New flight time was 17:50. I was confident they’d rebook my connecting flight and found a nice secluded area to watch movies and read.

They had said to be back by 17:15, so I was.

About 17:50 they made an announcement that they flight had been further delayed. I went back to my secluded area, then about 18:45 went back for the vouchers which weren’t enough to buy more than a Pepsi or Coca Cola or something…didn’t even get to use them.

At 19:30, they finally said what we all knew, that the flight was cancelled.

Fanfuckingtastic.

It took an hour for them to put the luggage on the luggage return.

Then another two hours waiting for vouchers for the hotel which they ran out of, so I had to book my own hotel which I am supposed to be reimbursed for.

I had been asking for a sign from the universe if I should go on this Camino or not. A cancelled flight (and the rebooked flight was a nightmare flight with companies that make RyanAir look downright POSH) is a pretty big sign.

Feeling so disappointed and like a let down right now.

Also, this is why I get everything refundable.

Going to see what’s up for this autumn for Caminos…sigh.

Destino: Zagreb

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The bus ride from Split to Zagreb was on a modern bus, and it went without incident. The scenery was beautiful, and I entertained myself by watching a few movies. El viaje desde Split a Zagreb era en un autobús moderno, y no había problemas. El paisaje era bonito, y me entretuve con un par de pelis en el iPad.

Zagreb felt more like Prague or a central European city, and I finally found Croatian culture. I stayed in a beautiful guest house. I only had one night in the capital city of Croatia, which has over 1.1 million people living in the metropolitan area. Zagreb me daba la sensación de estar en Praga o otra ciudad de Europa central. Por fin, podía ver la cultura croata. Me alojé en una casa de huéspedes bonita. Solo tenía una noche en la capital de Croacia, una ciudad de más de 1,1 millones de personas.

I saw the main plazas, explored the tunnels and walked up to Upper Town to watch the sun set over the city. I later went to the 80s museum, which I loved. It had an old Pac Man game to play. It was an apartment that had many authentic Balkan items from the decade, and it is a time capsule. Vi las plazas principales, exploré los tuneles, y caminé hasta la zona de arriba para ver la puesta de sol. Luego, fui al museo de los años 80, y me encantó. Tenía un Pac Man antiguo y se lo puede jugar. Es un piso que dispone de muchos artículos auténticos de Yugoslavia de los 80, y es una capsula de tiempo.

The breakfast at the hotel was incredible the next morning, and I had time to go to the tower before my plane back to Spain left. The woman who had the keys was late arriving, which I found quaint, not annoying. It gave me time to sip a cappuccino and people watch. El desayuno de la casa de huéspedes era increíble, y tenía tiempo para subir el torre antes de mi vuelo a Barcelona. La mujer que tenía las llaves al torre llegó tarde, pero no me molestó para nada. Me daba tiempo para tomar un cappuccino y ver a la gente.

Zagreb left a positive impression of Croatia, and if I were to return, I’d focus more on the lesser-known places. Despite being the capital, Zagreb doesn’t get the tourism that the coastal cities do and feels more authentic. I might want to keep it a hidden secret though. Zagreb me dejó con una impresión más positiva de Croacia. Si volviera, enfocaría más en los destinos menos conocidos. A pesar de ser la capital, Zagreb no tiene el turismo que las ciudades de la costa, y por eso, da una sensación más auténtica. Sin embargo, quizás deba quedar un secreto.

I arrived to the airport too early, and then waiting customs in Barcelona took forever. I had a week left in Spain though…Llegué al aeropuerto demasiado pronto, y luego había una cola grandísimo para pasar por aduanas en Barcelona. Pero todavía me quedaba una semana en España.

A continuación..

El próximo camino.

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I’m off on another Camino! 

My original plan, when I impulsively bought the plane ticket back in Feburary, was to do the Camino de Girona and the Camino Catalán from El Port de Selva on the coast of Girona to San Juan de la Peña, where it connects with the Camino Aragonés, which I did last fall. 

However, the lack of affordable lodging along these Caminos meant that I had to change my mind. I thought about doing bits and pieces and busing some of it, then doing the Camino Vasco del Interior, but it felt like I wouldn’t get enough walking time.

The Camino Mozárabe had been on my radar too, and I started feeling it calling me more and more. Originally, I thought I might have problems with finding places to stay, as part of my Camino coincides with el Puente de Mayo, but I found a way to make it work.

My plans are to fly to Barcelona on the 17th, spend a couple of days before catching a bus to Valencia, where I’ll rent a car and drive down to Almería, stopping in a few places in Murcia I haven’t been to (Cartegena, Lorca) along the way. 

On the 24th, I’ll be setting off, although it’ll be a shorter day, and I’ll be catching the bus back to Almería that night since there’s only albergues in Rioja. Due to being at high-risk with Covid and my own social anxiety issues, I’d rather pay a little bit more and have my own room. People can think less of me or whatever, but peace of mind is well worth it.

I scheduled a rest day in Guadix, and I’ll have to bus from Granada to Moclín due to lots of road walking and less affordable lodging, but it means I’ll be able to end the Camino on Baena. In the future, I hope to do the Camino Mozárabe from Málaga to Mérida, and the two Mozárabes merge in Baena.

After that, I’ll catch a train from Córdoba to Zaragoza to Barcelona, and I’ll spend a week in Corfu, which will include day trips to Albania (half hour ferry ride away), Paxos and…METEORA…before heading back to Barcelona and then back to the US. 

Destino: Split

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Instead of a bus, I thought it would be a fun experience to take a ferry from Dubrovnik to Split. That way, I could see some of the islands too, even if I didn’t have time to explore them. The ferry took about 4 hours, and it was a fun experience for the most part. It got a bit old toward the end as the boat filled up between Hvar and Split. En lugar de un autobús, pensaba que sería más divertido coger un barco de Dubrovnik a Split. Por hacer eso, puedo ver algunas de las islas también, aunque no tenía tiempo para explorarlas. El ferry tardó unas 4 horas, y era divertido, aunque me aburrí hacía el final cuando el barco se llenó de personas entre Hvar y Split.

I arrived to the Croatian city of 161, 312 around 9, stopped for an ice cream dinner and went to the apartments I was staying in. It was a nice place for a few nights. Llegué a la ciudad croata de 161.312 sobre las 21, me tomé un helado para cenar, y fui al apartmaneto donde me alojaba. Era un sitio bueno para dormir para unas noches.

The next morning, I got up and explored town a bit, going to the wrong bus station despite all the info I had found online saying it was the correct one. There was no info about the buses at the bus station and the info person was annoyed I dared to ask, making me feel horrible. La próxima mañana, me desperté y exploré la ciudad. Fui a la estación de autobuses equivocada. Internet me dijó mal. No había nada sobre los autobuses en la estación, y la persona en el punto de información se enfadó conmigo por preguntar. Me sentí horrible.

After finding the correct one, I caught the bus to Trogir, which took about an hour. The town of 13,192 had a nice medieval centre, and I went exploring. I visited the Kamerlengo Fortress and had a cappuccino before heading back to Split. They ripped me off at the bus station, convincing me to buy a return ticket that was no longer valid an hour after the bus originally left Split, so I had to buy another one. Después de encontrar la estación correcta, encontré el autobús a Trogir, y tardó sobre una hora. El puebo de 13.192 tenía un centro medieval bonito, y exploré. Visité la fortaleza Kamerlengo y tomé un cappucino antes de volver a Split. La estación de autobuses me timó, porque me dijo comprar un billete de ida y vuelta, pero el de vuelta tenía que completar dentro de una hora (¡y el viaje es una hora!) Tenía que comprar otro.

I had lunch in Split and rested before seeing the sunset from a nearby park. Comí en Split y descansé antes de ir a un parque cercano para ver la puesta del sol.

Sunday I walked out to a beach in the morning before exploring more of the old town, which was beautiful but pretty touristy. I went to the market, which didn’t have a lot being Sunday. After lunch I went to see peacocks and then watched the sunset over Sustipan Park. El domingo, hice un paseo hasta una playa por la mañana antes de explorar más del Casco Viejo, un sitio muy bonito pero muy turistico. Fui al mercado, y mucho estaba cerrado por ser domingo. Después de comer, fui a ver a los pavos reales y luego al Parque Sustipan para ver la puesta de sol.

I was ready to head on to my next destination…Estaba listo para ir al próximo destino…

A continuación…

Destino: Kotor, Montenegro.

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The bus was late, of course, and in Croatia, they charged to put baggage underneath the coach. Get the tourist money any way you can. I was excited though, as I was about to add country #21 to my list, Montenegro. El autobús llegó tarde, desde luego, y en Croacia, cobran para meter el equipaje en el malatero. Hay que ganar la pasta de cualquier manera posible. Aún así, estaba emocionado porque iba a ir al vigésima primer país para mi, Montenegro.

It was an experience. At the Montenegro border, we had to get off the bus, walk through customs, get back on, drive a few metres, and repeat. It went smoothly, of course, but it was just kinda annoying. At least the weather was cooperating. Fue una experencia. En la frontera de Montenegro, hay que bajar el autobús, caminar por las aduanas, subir el autobús, conducir a unos metros, y hacerlo una vez más. Todo iba bien, obvíamente, pero es algo cansino. Por los menos hacía buen tiempo.

The bus drove along the Bay of Kotor with its stunning beauty. It was a long drive, but the views made it worth it. It’s a type of fjord, and the scenery felt more like Alaska or how I imagine Norway to be. The bus finally arrived in the town of 22, 601 residents, and I dropped my stuff off at the hotel and immediately went exploring. El autobús iba por la Bahía de Kotor con su belleza impresionante. Era un viaje largo, pero las vistas valían la pena. Es parecido a un fiordo, y el paisaje me acordaba de Alaska o como imagino Noruega. El autobús llegó al pueblo de 22.601 personas, y dejé mis cosas en el hotel y fui a explorarlo.

After having a cappuccino and some ice cream for a late lunch, I decided to hike the Ladder of Kotor, a hike with many, many switchbacks that went along the old walls of town. I somehow found myself inside the point that requires payment at one point, and luckily, I was never asked for a ticket on my way back down. Después de tomar un cappuccino y un helado, decidí hacer la ruta de Escalera de Kotor, una con muchos zigzags que iba por las murallas antiguas del pueblo. No sé como, pero me encontré dentro de la parte que tiene que pagar para entrar. Tenía suerte y nunca me pidó una entrada por la vuelta.

The cruises leave around 5, and the town empties out, which gave me time to explore the Stari Grad, or Old Town. I went to the supermarket too, as I’m always amazed by how supermarkets are in other countries. Los cruceros salen sobre las 17, y de repente el pueblo estaba vacío. Tenía tiempo para explorar el Stari Grad, o Casco Viejo. También fui al supermercado, porque siempre me gusta ver como son los supermercados de otros países.

I had dinner, slept, and got up for my second day in Montenegro. After breakfast, I found the bus stop to catch the bus to Perast so I could travel to Our Lady of the Rock, a beautiful church on an island in the bay. It was well worth the boat trip, as the church was incredible, and the views were spectacular. Cené, dormí, y me desperté listo para un segundo día en Montenegro. Después de desayunar, encontré la parada de autobús que iba a Perast. Quería ver Nuestra Señora de la Roca, una iglesia preciosa en una isla de la bahía. El viaje de barco valía la pena. La iglesia era increíble, con vistas espectaculares.

The bus felt straight out of the 1950s. It drove well, but it was definitely a time machine. El autobús era una reliquia de los años 1950. Viajó bien, pero era una máquina de tiempo total.

I went back to Kotor for lunch, and the town was packed with cruise tourists. I was going to try hiking somewhere on the other side of town, but the possibility of rain and my inability to find the trailhead meant I went back to the hotel to rest a bit before enjoying the Ladder trail again. Volví a Kotor para comer, y el puebo estaba completo de turistas de los cruceros. Quería hacer una ruta por el otro lado del pueblo, pero había una posibilidad de lluvia, y tampoco pude encontrar el punto de partida de la ruta. Entonces, volví al hotel para descansar antes de hacer la ruta de escalera otra vez.

The next morning, I had to leave this beautiful place. The bus back to Dubrovnik went without incident, and I had lunch at a pizza place near the port, as I was catching the ferry to my next destination…La próxima mañana, tenía que marcharme de este sitio tan bonito. El autobús volvió a Dubrovnik sin incedencia, y comí en una pizzería por el puerto antes de coger el barco a mi próximo destino…

A continuación…

Destino: Dubrovnik.

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I was finally heading to Croatia, and I was filled with excitement. Por fin, estaba yendo a Croacia, y tenía mucha emoción.

However, what I didn’t know was I was embarking on one of the most disappointing holidays of my life. No obstante, lo que no sabía era que estaba embarcando en uno de los viajes más decepcionantes de la vida.

My first stop was the tourist trap Dubrovnik, population 42,615. The plane was a half hour late arriving, and I caught the bus to town without any difficulties. My hotel was at the top of a ton of stairs that I had fun climbing. I was grateful I had just brought my backpack and didn’t have to lug a suitcase around. La primera parada fue el destino turístico Dubrovnik, población 42,615. El vuelo llegó una media hora tarde, y cogí el autobús que iba al centro de la ciudad sin dificultades. Mi hotel estaba a la arriaba de muchas escaleras (300!). Estaba agradecido solo haber llevado mi mochila y no tenía que preocuparme de una maleta grande.

It took a while to get checked in, as despite my informing of the arrival time, the owner was nowhere to be found. When she arrived, she was very friendly though, and the terrace had amazing views. La dueña, aunque le había informado de mi hora de llegada, no estaba y tardó mucho tiempo para hacer el registro. Pero cuando por fin llegó, era muy amable. La terraza tenía vistas precisosas.

I dropped my stuff off and went exploring to find a tourist trap from hell. Dejé la mochila y mi portatil, y fui a explorar una ciudad completamente lleno de turistas.

The city is beautiful, especially the Old Town. However, there is very little to find of authentic Croatian culture as it all seemed to be catered toward tourists and Games of Thrones fan. I am not a fan of the show, and I had no idea it was filmed there. While walking through the streets, every time I passed a restaurant, they tried to get me to come in. La ciudad es preciosa, especialmente el Casco Viejo. Sin embargo, no tiene nada de la cultura croata auténtico que estaba esperando encontrar, como todo fue para ganar el dinero turístico y para grabar la atención de los fans de Juego de Tronos. No me gusta la serie, y no sabía que la rodaron allí. Cuando estaba caminando por la calle, cada vez que pasé un restuarante, los camareros querían que entrara yo.

I meandered the city, which felt like if Malagá was Italian, not Spanish. It was beautiful, but too touristy. Paseaba por la ciudad, y me daba la sensación de ser una versión italiana de Malagá. Bonita, pero demasiados turistas.

I went back to the hotel and overslept the next morning, but I still had time to explore the city walls. I stopped at a café along them (sometimes I’m okay with overpaying if it comes with amazing views, as it did). I had to catch the bus at 11:00 though as I had another destination that I would like a lot better…Volví al hotel, y dormí tarde la próxima mañana. Todavía tenía tiempo para explorar las murallas de la ciudad. Paré en un café en las murallas (a veces no me importa pagar demasiado si tiene vistas impresionantes). Tenía que coger el autobús a las 11 porque tenía otro destino que iba a gustarme más…

A continuación…

Post Camino: Santiago to Barcelona.

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I arrived to the airport a few minutes early and had to kill a bit of time before my car was ready. I had decided to hire a car for the way back to Barcelona. It took a bit to adjust to the car, but I eventually figured it out. Llegué al aeropuerto un poco temprano y tenía que hacer tiempo hasta que el coche estuviera listo. He decedido alquilar un coche para la vuelta a Barcelona. Me costaba un poco acostumbrarme al coche, pero al final lo conseguí.

My first stop was Ribadeo, population 9871, and where I left off my 2017 Camino del Norte, for a quick café con leche, before hitting the road again. I stopped at a roadside restaurant in Asturias, which was pretty good but packed for being a Sunday. La primera parada fue en Ribadeo, población 9871, y donde terminé mi Camino del Norte en 2017, para tomar un café con leche rápidamente. Luego paré en un restuarante de carretera para comer en Astuiras, y estaba rico pero había mucha gente como era domingo.

My Asturian destination was Cangas de Onís, population 6260, home of the famous bridge with the Asturian cross hanging from it. It was pretty packed as it was a sunny Sunday, and it took me a while to find parking. I was quite content to visit one of my favourite places in all of Spain. I had another café con leche before hitting the road as I still had a lot of driving to do. Mi destino asturiano era Cangas de Onís, población 6260, y el pueblo que tiene el puente famoso con la cruz asturiana. Había mucha gente como era un domingo asoleado, y me costaba encontrar estacionamiento. Estaba muy contento visitar uno de mis sitios favoritos en España. Tomé otro café con leche antes de reiniciar el viaje porque aún. me quedaba bastante.

I stopped briefly in San Vicente de la Barquera, population 4030, just to take pictures, before hitting the road to Burgos, population 173, 483. It took me through the back roads to avoid paying any tolls, and I loved it. Hice una parade breve en San Vicente de la Barquera, población 4030, solo para tomar fotos, antes de ir a Burgos, población 173.483. El app Google Maps me llevó por las carreteras secundarias para evitar los peajes, y me encantó.

The hotel in Burgos was nice and on the outskirts of town. It started raining, so I just went to bed early, and I decided to hit the road the next morning instead of walking two kilometres to the city centre in the rain, as I had a long day ahead of me. El hotel en Burgos era bonito y estaba en las afueras de la ciudad. Empezó a llover, y por eso me fui a la cama pronto. La próxima mañana, aún llovía, y decidí salir en lugar de caminar dos kilómetros al centro en la lluvía. Me esperaba un día largo.

It was another day of back roads, and I stopped in a random pueblo for a café con leche, and then again in Tarazona, population 10, 565, and the birthplace of famed Spanish actor Paco Martínez Soría. It was actually a beautiful village, one I wish I had time to explore more. Era otro día de carreteras secundarias. Paré en un pueblo por el camino para tomar un café con leche, y luego en Tarazona, población 10.565 y el nacimiento del actor español importante Paco Martínez Soría. Era un puebo impresionante, y quería explorarlo más pero no tenía tiempo.

I stopped at the Puerto de Venecia shopping centre in Zaragoza to try to find a guide to Croatia, but they were out of the ones I usually get, so I just had a menú del día at an outside restaurant. Hice una parada en el centro comercial Puerto de Venecia en Zaragoza para buscar un guía a Croacia, pero no tenía el que normalmente utilizo, y solo comé un menú del día en un restuarante afuera.

It took another three hours to arrive to Manresa, where my friend was guarding my suitcase for me. The Catalan city of 77, 452 people was a lot more interesting than I had given it credit for. Tardó unos tres horas más para llegar a Manresa, donde mi amiga estaba guardando la maleta para mi. La ciudad catalana de 77.452 personas es mucho más interesante que pensaba.

The next morning was a nightmare. It started off with a great tostada con tomate but went downhill. The parking garage didn’t accept my credit card, then I went to the wrong car rental place to return the car. I arrived with one minute to spare before I was due to return it, but I made it. La siguiente mañana fue una pesadilla total. Empezó bien, con una tostada de tomate rica, pero empeoró después. La maquína del parking no aceptó mi tarjeta, y después fui al negocio de aquiler coches equivocado para devolver el coche. Llegué justo un minuto antes de la hora límite para devolver, pero llegué a tiempo.

I then had to go through security as I was heading to a new country—Croatia. In October 2022, it still hadn’t adopted the Euro, and I also had to go through customs as it wasn’t Schengen Zone then (it is as of 2023). I was off on another adventure…if the flight ever took off! It was an hour late…but I eventually arrived to my 20th country. Tenía que pasar por seguridad otra vez porque estaba yendo a un país nuevo para mí–Croacia. En el octubre de 2022, todavía no había adoptado el Euro, y también tenía que pasar por aduanas porque tampoco pertenecía a la Zona Schengen (ya pertenece en 2023). Me esperaría otra aventura…si el vuelo despagara…salió una hora tarde, pero al final llegue al país #20.

A continuación…

Another Camino?

/ Setmeravelles / 5 Comments

In February, I impulsively purchased a ticket to Spain to do the Camino Catalán before adequately researching it. My plan was to do the Camino de Girona, from the coast at El Port de Selva, through Figueras, Girona and Manresa to Montserrat, where the Camino Catalán begins, and then take the variant that ends at San Juan de la Peña.

As I began to plan, I saw how few affordable accommodations there were, and many of them were already outrageously priced as part of my Camino would coincide with the Puente de Mayo bank holiday in Spain.

So I decided to explore the idea of the Mozárabe and the Olvidado. (I basically want to do all the Caminos), settling on the Mozárabe from Almería to almost Córdoba.

I am a bit anxious about it and am thinking about cancelling the whole thing. Why?

I’m worried about running into impossibly high temperatures in Andalucía over the last week in April and first week of May.

As I need to book private rooms, due to a need to avoid Covid (I’m at high risk for Long Covid, despite being vaccinated. I still mask everywhere). There’s a couple of etapas where that may not be possible, but I can bus to a place where there is accommodation I think. 


I still worry about Covid though seeing as how Spain has now done away with the mask mandate on public transport. (I feel like I’m the only one on the planet who worries about a disease that has such potential to destroy lives.)

Cancelling would also save money. But who knows when I’d be able to do another Camino?

As I’m flying Aer Lingus, which for some reason, doesn’t allow TSA PreCheck, I will also have to face the security of Chicago O’Hare. 

Maybe I’m just overthinking things.

Post Camino, before a return to the US, I have a week in Corfu which will allow me a day trip (long day trip) to Meteora and another to Albania.

Am I making a mistake? Should I go for it?