That quotation is taken from an ingenious, little guide book called:
The Portuguese Way to SANTIAGO de Compostela….My Way.
That description could equally be applied to organising a Camino for 25 people!
Sergio goes on to say, “ You will probably go through some tough times and may even feel the urge to give up but the “Way” will give you the help you need”.
I know he means and though preparations have been plentiful, whilst they have not been” tough”; at times they have been problematic, for example, when Iberia Express, the airline we are using, sends a “ revised” flight schedule, which allows 10 minutes to change flights in Madrid….people are being paid to do this🤬?
That meant 20 plus people having to contact Iberia Express by phone, to change to an earlier flight from Santiago – some of them felt as though they were dealing with the representatives of Alice in Wonderland.
As many feel when they are walking the Camino, it is not just a “simple” route, taking you to Santiago, if not life-changing, but testing at times.
This Blog is a collection of further “ Updates” to our “ Rambleros” and I have enjoyed this” journey” so far – not saying the actual Camino, in June, will feel like a walk in the park, by comparison – but like them I am looking forward to it .
Update V
Give me my scallop-shell of quiet, My staff of faith to walk upon, My scrip of joy, immortal diet, My bottle of Salvation, My gown of glory (hope’s true gage), And then I’ll take my Pilgrimage.” ~ Sir Walter Raleigh, The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage, 1603
IBERIACONECTA
Iberia Flight Changes – click red website link and accept the changes.
Make note of slight time differences.
This link is to a very relevant poster.
MORE ON FOOD

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/feb/04/galicia-seafood-fish-spain-foodie-markets
https://www.facebook.com/spanishforcamino/posts/1870139663020540. More on menus, etc.

TAPAS
There is a saying in Spain that life is what happens between meals. But – lesson five – tapas isn’t a meal. It’s a ritual. In a way, it’s life itself.
Ask 10 Spaniards about the origins of tapas and you’re likely to get 10 different replies. Tapas originated from a government edict that food had to be served with alcohol to stop people getting drunk. Tapas comes from the practice of putting a slice of bread over the top of a wine glass to prevent flies getting in. Tapas comes from the Moorish love of grazing on small morsels. Tapas comes from the 13th-century King Alfonso, an invalid able to consume only small amounts of food.
The one thing everyone does seem to agree on is that the origin of tapas is best discussed over tapas – which proves that Spain, as well as being devoted to its collective stomach, is a country with its priorities in order.
They’re not exactly backing themselves into a corner with the tapas thing, either. From an unadorned plate of jamon Iberico, to chipirones (fried baby squid), the Catalan pan con tomate (tomato-rubbed bread), the vinegar hit of anchoas (anchovies with garlic and parsley) and the ubiquitous deep-fried fun of the croquettas, there is a universe of flavour to explore across the Iberian Peninsula, bursting with history and regionality and just plain old good times.
Good tapas can be hard to find.
True, the point of tapas is not to linger. The modus operandi is to eat something, drink something, and move on to the next joint, which minimises the damage made by a poor decision. But choosing from the staggering number of restaurants and bars can send the most optimistic character into an existential crisis
A nightly hours-long procession of tasting and tippling that whets the appetite for dinner (note: the Spanish generally manage to say this with a straight face).
https://caminoways.com/10-most-delicious-galician-dishes
VEGETARIAN CHOICES
Remember to ask for vegetarian meals as vegetarian food is not common in Spain, the following may assist
English
“ Do you have vegetarian meals as Ido not eat meat or fish”
Spanish
“¿Tienes comidas vegetarianas como yo no como carne o pescado”
Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian Restaurants generally have decent Veggie options and University towns also.
Also, a few good phrases to know are:
“Tienes un menu vegeteriano?” Do you have a vegetarian menu?
‘No como carne, pollo, cerdo o mariscos’. “I do not eat meat, chicken, pork or seafood. “
‘Tienes arroz y frijoles?’ “Do you have rice and beans? “
In Santiago, A Tulla Ruela de Entrerruas, (Several delicious veggie items), off of Rua du Vilar near Tourist Info. Office)
Rest. Cedros, Rua do Vilar 81(?)
In each of us dwells a wanderer, a gypsy, a pilgrim. What matters most on your journey is how deeply you see, how attentively you hear, how richly the encounters are felt in your heart.” ~ Phil Coustineau,

from his book, “The Art of Pilgrimage.”
One of our group was telling me on a recent ramble, how she had “upped her game” – some longer walks and Pilates. This poem is most appropriate- though I hope none of us get too “ solemn” about it.
The Wanderer
She is a solemn wanderer,
A daughter of the road
The crunch of moving gravel
Is like balm upon her soul.
Each rambling, easy footstep,
Within each languid stride,
Keeps the poison thoughts
From taking root inside her mind.
Each footstep is a triumph
That pushes her along
Each gasping breath that fuels her
Is a lyric to her song.
At times she is a vagrant
When there is no place to go
When nothing feels familiar but
The stone that coats the road.
At times she is a traveler
That thirsts for foreign lands
Her mind drifts off to mountain sides,
Or golden sprawling sands.
And most times she’s a dreamer
Thinking of the day
She’ll let her restless, resolute legs
Take her far away.
In all, she is a wanderer,
A daughter of the road
Putting space between her thoughts
Upon the open road.
#sarahspang
This link put me in mind of John and his band of footpath volunteers.
These yellow arrows and waymarks are essential on the Camino.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1503667109754638&id=382356341885726 volunteers who keep the signage up to date.
Finally, thanks to everyone that has forwarded their £ 57.00 and a reminder that it would be really helpful to have all payments in by 28 February.
As the weather improves, look forward to meeting up with you on future Rambles and as ever, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Ultreia is another pilgrim salute, like the more popular ‘Buen Camino!’. While ‘Buen Camino’ literally means ‘have a good journey, a good Camino’, the meaning of ‘Ultreia!’ … It is also believed Medieval pilgrims used to greet each other with ‘Ultreia, Suseia, Santiago’, meaning something like ‘beyond,upwards, Santiago’.
Ultreia, Suseia, Santiago’,
John
Update VI
Thanks to you all for the £ 57.00 transfers.
Payment for the coach transfer and excursion has been made.
Receipt below.

Please ensure you read the last section of this Update and return the
Proforma, as requested
Many say “Buen Camino” but what is “Ultreia”?
These days, “buen camino” is the most frequent pilgrim greeting along the Camino de Santiago in Spain, but some think”ultreïa” is more traditional.
Medieval pilgrim #1: Ultreïa!
Medieval pilgrim #2: Et suseïa!
The usual English translation of “ultreïa” is onward, but that doesn’t seem to get at the heart of it. Keep going and walk further aren’t as elegant, but they show the encouragement that’s an integral part of the word.
Ultreïa (English) – A song we might be lucky enough to hear, en route.
“Every morning we take the Camino,
Every morning we go farther,
Day after day the route calls us,
It’s the voice of [Santiago de] Compostela!
Chorus:
Onward! Onward! And upward!
God assist us!
Way of earth and way of faith,
Ancient road of Europe,
The Milky Way of Charlemagne,
It’s the Chemin of all the Santiago pilgrims!
And over there at the end of the continent,
Santiago waits for us,
His smile always fixed
On the sun that dies at Finisterre.”
So now you have an alternate greeting
“Ultreia”

Souvenir sorted!
This new 2 Euro coin that was recently released,is dedicated to #SantiagodeCompostela #SpanishDoor
More about FOOD on the Camino
Some suggested foods to carry on the camino for lunches and snacks:
• Trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
• Fresh fruit (apples carry well, bananas are good for muscle cramps with their potassium)
• Fresh vegetables (cucumbers and tomatoes travel well)
• Bread: fresh Spanish baguettes are delicious and inexpensive.
• Ham: Spain has so many delicious varieties
• Cheese: also many varieties are available. Ask for a small quantity from the deli (50-100 grams) to avoid wasting extra that you cannot refrigerate.
Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago begins on BBC Two on Friday, 9pm
Thanks to Rosie for reminding me about this new bbc tv series.
Article, below, I copied from “The Observer”. 11th March.
“Faith, friendship and curses as seven celebrity pilgrims trek to Santiago
Three-part TV show to be broadcast as thousands find their spiritual sides on tough Spanish route and new pathways in Britain
The celebrity pilgrims at the beginning of their journey. Neil Morrissey, Ed Byrne, Debbie McGee, Raphael Rowe, JJ Chalmers, Kate Bottley and Heather Small. Photograph by Brigid McFall/BBC
Harriet Sherwood
Religion correspondent
“There were no road-to-Damascus experiences and very little piety. Instead, when seven people in the public eye walked the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route across northern Spain, there were many arguments and much snoring and swearing.
The group – a priest, an atheist and assorted believers and non-believers – discussed the values shaping their lives while retracing the steps of medieval peregrinos. Along the way, they forged friendships and encountered some of the thousands of people who walk the Camino each year, part of a resurgence in pilgrimages.
Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago, which starts on BBC Two on Friday, followed the modern-day pilgrims along part of the 500-mile route from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, almost at the tip of Galicia in Spain. The group was made up of Kate Bottley, Anglican vicar and Gogglebox star; actor Neil Morrissey; M People singer Heather Small; comedian Ed Byrne; performer Debbie McGee; journalist Raphael Rowe, who spent 12 years in prison for a crime he did not commit; and TV presenter JJ Chalmers, who survived a bomb blast serving in Afghanistan.
As they walked, they questioned their own and each other’s beliefs. “It was eye-opening,” said Rowe, a non-believer who described himself as an “ignorantist”. “It made me think differently about myself, about other people, about religion and faith. I learnt more about religion [on the camino] than I ever have in my life.”
His fear that he might “catch religion” proved unfounded, he said. However, by the end of the journey his “trust in people’s honesty and motivations” had been restored.
Small said the experience strengthened her faith, despite an uncomfortable moment when the group stopped at a monastery and the singer was grilled unsympathetically.
“Along the way you meet people who are genuinely interested in who you are. But then we went into the monastery, and the man there was not interested in me per se – what he saw was my colour, only my colour,” she said. “When you’re being treated as ‘other’, you always know.”
Small walked out of the monastery, followed by the rest of the group. Their appalled reaction to the incident “showed me we’d really made a bond”, she said.
Bottley had expected the camino to be a spiritual experience but found it a physical challenge. “I hated it with a passion,” she said. The group carried their own gear and slept in basic pilgrims’ hostels. They walked in extreme heat and driving rain.
“It was the hardest thing physically I have ever done, and I’ve given birth twice. The physical act of putting one foot in front of the other, day in, day out,” said Bottley. She had never sworn so much, she added.
The vicar also felt under pressure to defend and explain her faith. “The religious debate was exhausting. I felt I came out to bat a lot. There were a couple of moments when I feared my theological rigour wasn’t enough to carry the debate.”
Pilgrimage was popular in medieval times, when bands of travellers criss-crossed Europe in search of spiritual enlightenment. For many, it was a holiday and a chance to meet new people and hear their stories. The Canterbury Tales, the epic yarn written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century, described a group of 30 pilgrims walking from London to Thomas Becket’s shrine in Canterbury cathedral, with each telling the others a story along the way.
But in 1538 the English pilgrimage movement ended. Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell moved against the pre-Reformation church, destroying monasteries, abolishing saints’ days, banning relics and smashing Becket’s shrine. Pilgrimages disappeared for more than 300 years.
Now the camino has spearheaded a pilgrimage revival. In 1984 just over 400 people completed the final section of the camino, a 62-mile stretch which entitles pilgrims to a compostela, a certificate written in Latin and issued by the cathedral of St James in Santiago. By 2016 the number had topped 278,000, including 6,000 from the UK.
New pilgrimage routes have opened across the UK. The Old Way, a medieval 220-mile route from Southampton to Canterbury, is being revived by the British Pilgrimage Trust. The 92-mile Two Saints Way from Chester to Lichfield aims to “set the modern pilgrim on a contemporary quest for ancient wisdom”.
In Scotland, a number of pilgrim trails have been developed, including a route in honour of St Magnus in Orkney and the 72-mile Forth to Farne Way, a stunning coastal walk from North Berwick to Lindisfarne.
Many walking these ancient ways are religious; but many more describe themselves as spiritual. A surprising number seek only to escape the pressures of 21st-century life with a simple existence of walking, eating and sleeping.
All members of the group in The Road to Santiago said they were enriched by the experience, in particular the strength of the bond created between them. They have stayed in contact since completing the camino.
“Did anyone have a road-to-Damascus experience? “No,” said Bottley. “But the camino has a way of showing the best of yourself – and the worst of yourself.”
Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago begins on BBC Two on Friday, 9pm
BILBAO Will post a Blog on this trip on ensuitepilgrimblog.wordpress.com
Just returned from a short, city break in Bilbao – the Cathedral is dedicated to St James – photos of signage, etc on Pilgrim route, Via Del Norte, which goes through Bilbao to S de C, mostly along the Roman Via Agrippa.
I walked a section of it a few years ago, from Luarca.



We are staying and having dinner at Santo Apostolo on Wednesday,6th June – This booking has been made by direct contact with the hotel.( very pilgrim friendly; stayed there recently ).
The hotel provides a good value Pilgrim Menu – assorted starters , including empanadas, salad and croquettes, but they need to know the numbers for the main course,which is a choice between :-
“Seafood rice”or “roasted ham”; Both Spanish favourites.
I know we have at least one Vegetarian in our group, so I shall request an option.
If there are other vegetarians amongst you,please indicate, below on the proforma which you all need to copy, paste and return to me ASAP, please, just enter the digit 1, against your choice.
NB EVERYONE SHOULD COMPLETE AND RETURN THIS
Name. ____________________________________
Seafood Rice ___
Roasted Ham___
Vegetarian ___
Here’s to the arrival of Spring, to accompany our Rambles.
Regards and best,
John.
Update VII

“ Miles Away, But Closer Every Day” – with no thanks to Iberia Express!
CHANGE TO FLIGHT DETAILS
Thanks and well done to you all for reacting to the flight change alert. Hopefully, the only glitch we have to overcome ! 😇
Thanks to Rob Halley for making me aware of it.
We shall need to take the 07.00 Airport bus from Praza de Galicia, in S de C @ 07.00. A ten minute walk, on 13 th June.
An 800 metre walk, so suggest we leave San Martin de Pinario no later than 06.40. And for an unhindered departure, check out the night before.
Breakfast after check-in, at the airport?
Medication and First Aid
Caterina has suggested that anyone with any “ condition”, makes her aware,by contacting her on “ccattel@gmail.com”.
This would be totally confidential between you and Caterina.
More on First Aid, in the next update.
Short, evocative video of the Camino.
What it’s really like.
“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more”
-George Gordon Byron
Always walk your own Way!
TIP
Make a photo copy of your passport main page, as ID may be required in some hotels – I have found my “ copy” to be acceptable 99% of the time ) – this means that you have the security of keeping your passport in your own, safe place. Generally , the hotel receptionist will accept just the passport of the the person making the booking i.e me….if not
then we have to go along with however many they request.
DINNERTIME
I am proposing that we book these meals ahead, in our hotels, where applicable. In a couple of places the hotel will be the only feasible venue; in the others,I have checked on their websites and “ reviews” of their provision – they all provide good, Galician Fayre.
A lot of pride is taken in their regional cooking.
I think this would save the bother of having to check out local restaurants, and/or assessing the viability of catering for 25 people.
Not something one wants to do after a day on the Camino.
Plus, the prices are very good value, ranging from €13 – €15.00, which usually includes a starter, main, dessert and drink.
I shall send out a Proforma for meal choices, separately, later this month, as the hotels need to know these, in advance of our arrival.
( Need Hannah’s expertise here! )
If, for whatever reason, anyone would prefer not to be included, please let me know ASAP.
Hopefully, we shall have arrived at our hotels, in plenty of time for recuperation,a walkabout,locally, as Vigo, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padron are all very interesting and totally different places.
When we reach Santiago, I am thinking of a group meal the first night,
in the atmospheric refectory in our hotel.
Second night,suggest going out for “tapas” – you can’t easily do that in groups of 25!
Last night, hopefully an early dinner 🥘.!
LUGGAGE TRANSFER WITH THE CORREOS-SPANISH P.OFFICE
Thanks to Penny, my sister, for organising this.
Great price of € 20.00 each for all transfers.
Bags must be at each hotel reception, by 08.00.
At the foot of this update is an attachment – the Correos luggage label . Plus a copy of mine – ignore “ money in envelope”.
Print it off and have it ready to attach to your case/bag on the morning of the 5th June – Please write our booking ref. on the top.
Booking Ref. VIL050618SAN01x25
Swimming Opportunities en Route.
06/06 Santo Apostolo – 10 minute walk to beach
08/06 Balneario Acuna- Pool and Spa opportunities
09/06 Hotel Scala – Swimming Pool.
Now that most of us have watched,or heard of,” Pilgrimage;The Road to Santiago”, BBC 2,there is still time to send to me your reasons, expectations and hopes for your camino – anonymity guaranteed – Go on, express yourself!
Benefits of Nordic Walking..( or any walking with poles )
Badges and Patches
Pipes being played near Cathedral, where we are staying – hope the weather’s better!
Walking Poles
A study by academics at Northumbria University has shown for the first time that trekking-poles help hikers maintain muscle function while significantly reducing soreness in the days following a hike.
In the study, 37 physically active men and women were split into two groups of equal fitness and asked to hike up and down Snowdon, the highest mountain in England and Wales.
One group was issued with and trained in the use of trekking poles while the other group made the climb unaided. Each group ate the same evening meal on the night before; they ate the same breakfast, carried similar weight in day packs and took the same scheduled rests during both the ascent and descent.
The participants’ heart rates and their personal perceived exertion ratings were recorded during the hike. Then, at the end of the hike, and at 24-, 48- and 72-hour intervals afterwards, muscle damage and function were assessed through a variety of tests.
The results showed that there was significantly less muscle soreness in the group using trekking poles. This group demonstrated a reduced loss of strength and a faster recovery immediately after the trek compared to the control group. Self-rated soreness peaked at 24-hours in both groups but was significantly lower in the trekking-pole group, both at this point and at the 48-hour point. In addition, levels of the enzyme creatine kinase (which indicates muscle damage) were much higher at the 24-hour point in the non-pole group, while the trekking-pole group’s levels were close to the pre-trekking levels. This shows that the muscle damage they were experiencing was negligible.
Pole manufacturers have suggested that trekking poles can reduce forces on lower-limb joints by as much as 25 %. However, the existing research has been restricted to the laboratory or to non-mountainous outdoor settings, such as running tracks, and has only focussed on biomechanical investigations into stress on the ankle, knee and hip. This is the first documented study into the effectiveness of trekking poles in the environments for which they were designed.
“The results present strong evidence that trekking poles reduce, almost to the point of complete disappearance, the extent of muscle damage during a day’s mountain trek,” says Dr Glyn Howatson, who conducted the study.
“Preventing muscle damage and soreness is likely to improve motivation and so keep people enjoying the benefits of exercise for longer. Perhaps even more advantageously, the combined benefits of using trekking poles in reducing load to the lower limbs, increasing stability and reducing muscle damage could also help avoid injury on subsequent days trekking. It is often the reduced reaction time and position sense, associated with damaged muscles that cause the falls and trips that can lead to further injury in mountainous or uneven terrain.
“These findings have particularly strong application for exercisers wishing to engage in consecutive days’ activity”.
Nb This is using TWO poles.
Book Recommendation
This is free on Kindle, for the next couple of days; walked with the author, last year – lovely guy.
“I think I may have missed the boat, for this..”?
Fitness Special—Hike Forever: Age 50-65 – Backpacker
This is a beautiful film
The first 156 Km of the Portuguese Camino, from Porto.
I have walked this and it brought back some great memories.
—————————————————————————————
Less than two months to departure time.
Hope everyone is looking forward to it.
As always, get in touch on any matter, large or small; or
anything I may not have covered.
Ultreia!
Regards and best,
John
Correos Luggage Transfer Label



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