Archives for May 2022

Camino Primitivo Day 2, An aclamación day in Oviedo.

After a long travel day yesterday I slept great last night and woke up fully rested this morning.  As I looked out my hotel window at the day beginning I could not help but wish that I was starting my walk today.  

I had made arrangements to meet my friend Ramon who lives here in Oviedo this morning in the hotel lobby at 10 am.  I was up at 630 so I had some coffee and then showered and went out for a walk, hey what else would I do but go for a walk.  I was able to walk all around the city. Nothing was really open but I had a very nice walk.  

I headed back to the hotel and met up with Ramon.  It is really cool that as you walk the Camino you meet people that become life long friends.  Ramon and I met in 2015 on the Camino Via de la Plata and walked together for about two weeks before I returned home.  Two weeks in camino time is a pretty good amount as you are really spending 24 hrs a day together.  

We walked all around and he showed me all of the sights of Oviedo.  It was really great to have someone who is a local to show me around.  Ramon and I are going to walk together for the next few days until he needs to be home for business.  It will be nice to walk together again.  

As it turned out my friend Dale from Seattle, whom I met on my first Camino was also in Oviedo for the day before continuing on the Norte.  We made plans to have lunch together.  So Ramon and Dale and me had lunch Spanish style.  We ate the local specialty Cachopo which is a beefsteak pounded, then layered with hame and cheese and then another beefsteak pounded out on top, it is then breaded and deep fried.  I have no idea how the spanish people live the second longes of any in the world after this experience but they do.  Oh and to top it off we had fried milk which is like a custard that is fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar in a cream angles, totally decadent.  2 hours later after an amazing meal off we went.  I got my stamp at the cathedral, stopped at the grocery store for some snacks and of course galletas, which are like graham crackers and are eaten for breakfast and dipped in your coffee.  

Tomorrow I walk, if I can after that lunch I ate.  16 miles should help.  

Day 1 The journey begins

Today I started my Camino.  They say that the journey starts from your front door, and mine sure did.  

I flew from Sacramento to Seattle, Then Seattle to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Madrid.  From Madrid I had a 4 almost 5 hour train ride to Oviedo, my starting point.  All of my connections but the train were very tight.

My day started with the crew for my Sacramento to Seattle flight being late because they arrived late in Sacramento the night before.  So we arrived a little late in Seattle where I needed to transfer from one terminal to another one I finally got off the plane.  It was a bit rushed but I am a fast walker and made it.  

Once I arrived in Amsterdam I only had an hour and 10 minutes to make my flight to Madrid.  Note to self that is not enough.  The lines to get through customs at the Amsterdam airport are horrific no matter which direction you are going.  You need to give yourself at least 2 hours for connections in that airport.  I literally ran through the airport only to find a line that was what seemed like 100 yards long.  I simply walked all the way to the front and told the officer that I had a short connection.  Fortunately, my flight was on the list so they let me through to customs in the quick line.  The first guy told me to let them know if I was still in line in 10 minutes.  That was ridiculous so I tried another guy and he let me through, thank goodness. 

My flight to Madrid was delayed due to equipment problems, they ended up switching planes and gates and after and hour delay we finally were on our way to Madrid.  That actually turned out to be fortuitous as a Camino friend from Sacramento, Roxanne Morgan was arriving about the same time.  I needed to go to terminal 4 to catch my train and she arrived at terminal 4.  We had time for a coffee and a chat before we were both on our way.  She is starting the Camino Primativo a few days after me.  

The coolest thing that I learned is that every Renfe train that leaves from terminal 4 goes to Chamartin train station, and your ticket for the train is all you need to get on one.  You simply swipe your ticket / phone and the gates open.  I was able to grab a train and off I went.  My train to Oviedo was on time so I grabbed a bocadillo and off I went.  I arrived in Oviedo about 9 pm after a very long travel day.  Happily my hotel is literally at the train station so I just walked over checked in and my day was done.  

I could have done this more efficiently.  There is a flight from Madrid to Oviedo.  It would have been a better choice.  

Meet up with my Camino friend Ramon who lives here in Oviedo. We met on the Via de la Plata in 2015 and have remained in contact since then.  Also, a friend Dale from Seattle who I met on my first Camino back in 2013 will also be here for the day with his brother.  They are walking the Norté.  We are all having lunch today.  It is a small world indeed.  

Today I am preparing to leave to walk the Camino Primitivo. I plan on walking this route in 12 days. The distance is 312 km. My average day will be 26 km or about 16 miles per day. I depart for Spain on May 17, 2022, from Sacramento to Madrid and then by train to Oviedo my starting point. I will start walking on Friday, May 20th.

Oviedo is in Asturias near the northwest coast of Spain. It is said that in the middle ages the king of Asturias wanted to pay his respects to the tomb of Saint James so he traveled this route, the Primitivo (meaning the first route) to the Cathedral.

I will be walking up and over the Picos de Europa mountains. There will be some climbing but watching so many who are on the route now it seems like it is not too bad. I look forward to seeing new sights and meeting new people.

On a side note, I am able to meet up with a Camino friend who lives in Oviedo. I walked the Via de la Plata with Ramon Lozano in 2015. We became fast friends and have stayed in touch since then. I look forward to seeing him again in a few days. On top of that, my friend Dale from Seattle will also be in Oviedo at the same time as me. He and his friends are walking part of the Frances and then moving to the Norté.