Camino Mosel - Day 4 - Traben-Trarbach

23 km (clocked 23.5 km) and three climbs again today.

A sumptuous breakfast buffet, biggest I've seen here. As usual after crossing the bridge from Bullay, it's uphill straight away, while I try to keep my breakfast from coming out of me after reaching the top of Marienburg. Then it is downhill again and crossing the bridge over to Zell. I like Zell, with lots of eating establishments and local activities. Would be nice to stay here but that would add another 6.5 km to yesterday's distance.

After that it is another steep climb up with a beautiful panoromic view of the hairpin river. The Mosel meander so much that there are just too many hairpin turns. Even if one would to walk along the river (probably not possible for some areas), it would be about 3 times the travel distance. After the view still more climbing. By then (2 climbs) I no longer need to keep the breakfast in as they are mostly gone. 😁

My favorite part is to walk along the forest and the green. Then it is down to Enkirch and almost immediately up again for the third time today. In between I met a German lady walking the other way to Koblenz from today. Either she stays in Traben-Trarbach or at least her car is there. Another Dutch couple also hiking for a few days. There is a Moselsteig hiking trail that shares the camino path here and there. The third climb didn't get me to the top but skirt along the ridge line near the top. Thay only meant many narrow up/down, making walking tougher. Finally a steep down to Traben-Trarbach, which is the smaller part as the town as the bigger part of town is across the bridge. Not sure if where I am now is Traben or Trarbach, probably Traben as it looks older judging from the buildings.

As already researched yesterday, there are only 3 stars hotel and above here on this side. Tried to find guest house but with no luck. Plan B is now the pilgrim lodging run by a Latin school (as in the language) besides the church just off the camino route.

27 euros with breakfast. Turns out I am the only one. Nine beds plus two more in the upper loft and only one person. 😮

It's cold. It's an old building so there is no heating. 😳

There are bedsheets, blanket and towels. Seems like there is no need to bring our own towels or sleeping on German Caminos. If I had known that earlier it would have slice a kg off my carrying oad. 😬

Camino Mosel - Day 3 - Bullay

The longest daily distance I think for this camino at 27 km, I clocked 30 km to the tourist office (also a travel office) but it was closed on Saturday afternoon. A setback to my daily tourist office plan, foiled by this thing called the weekend. 😬

Plan B, looked around and the only other place I can find that doesn't cost an arm is the cake cafe guest house. 10 euros more than yesterday but at least I have a room with an attached bathroom. Plus they have breakfast buffet also available also for the public for 9.90 euro. So as a guest I think I am going enjoy very much the breakfast tomorrow. I am getting spoiled by hearty German breakfast. I am slowly settling into a pattern here, big breakfast, sneak out a sandwich lunch for the walk, and a light meal for dinner. That and lots of desserts. 😆

Cake cafes are everywhere.

Back to the walking. Basically up and along the forest and fields and down to Beilstein before the day's midpoint, with Castle at Beilstein in view. Too bad the route didn't go up and through the castle. Instead it was up again and over a km on the road (not good) before cutting into the trails. The stack of stone piles (a camino tradition) was a surprise prompting me to add one more. Lots of mushroom today, some already burst like in Aliens to spread its spores.

10 km later two up and down to Bullay means three spikes in total today for only two encounters with the river.😕

Have already got used to climbing first thing after breakfast every day (like Camino Norte, the same for coast, the same for river).

Quick check on wiki and found that the Rhineland-Palatinate are mostly Catholic, which explains the many religious statues or motif in this mainly Protestant country.

So nice to be walking among the trees, occasionally with squirrel here and there (to fast for pic), similar to rabbits in Spain. 😁

Camino Mosel - Day 2 - Treis Kardon

Left Alken and cross over the river to Löf. They were harvesting the grapes. I think it is the time now. Picked a couple to eat. That's one good thing walking in autumn. Grape harvest. 😄

As usual leaving the river means up the hill. There is a pilgrim friendly house I've seen on the internet leaving stuff for pilgrims that walked by. As it is autumn, the surprise here is a bottle of snapps with shot glasses. 😮

I poured myself one, a toast to the house offering it (seems no one home) and move on. Thanks.🤗

Once up the hill, another panoramic view of another town across the river. There is a windsock, and in summer one can paraglide here.

Onward and finally saw the Eltz castle from up the hill, one of the main attraction here and also on this camino. It's hidden in the valley. A very fairy tale looking castle (Germany has too many to count) with lots of day tripper visiting. After some food on the hill's vantage point, walked down for coffee at the castle. Though the prices are dear, it's just a nice coffee to enjoy the castle up close.

Met 2 hikers there, but they are only walking for 3 days. I have not met any walkers so far and I don't think I will given the weather, time of the year, etc.

On the way out I made a wrong turn and mostly followed the crowd almost back to their cars parked on top of the other side of the hill. Cost me almost a km and up/down the hill. Found the reason as the split of the path was so close together. 😬

After going down and later another climb, a beautiful sight of Kardon appears. As usual, the last bit is a steep climb down to the town. Found the tourist office and got myself another pension at Treis (town opposite Kardon on the Mosel). It is also the way out tomorrow. Ah, so that's why it is called Kardon Treis. Twin towns across the river. I stopped the tracker at the tourist office. 21.64 km for what would be 19 km (without my mistake). Another 1.2 km cross the bridge and further down to Treis, I can finally relax for the day and have a late lunch after 2 pm. The place is 33 euros including breakfast. My other options based on the internet guide are the youth hostel or monastery (both out of the Camino Mosel path). Nah, I find that my new method to be better, by using the tourist office (since the whole Mosel valley is one big tourist attraction means tourist offices are everywhere). That means I will be lugging my sleeping bag and towel, not utilizing them. Maybe I will have a chance to use it later, but at these pension prices, a week's worth of lodging seems more than alright. Also I don't expect too many camino like albergue here, especially around this time.

Camino Mosel - Day 1 - Alken

Left at 7:30 in the morning from the old city in Koblenz and walked what would be 7.5 km to Stolzenfels, arriving exactly 9:10 am to find the opening at 10 am. So the info I got from the pilgrim assocation here wasn't too accurate. After a quick break decided to continue and get the credencial from Alken tourist office (today's stopping point) instead. Besides, it has started to rain (more like a drizzle), and I see no point hanging around until 10 am.

The good thing about the thicker canopy from the trees here is that I don't get very wet when it's drizzling compared with being in the open. Surprisingly until the end of today's walk I didn't even need to use the poncho. Hope it does not get worse than this the next few days.

The waymarkings is really good (German efficiency). Not pasted anywhere but strategically when you need it. Some arrows are on top of what look like bird feeder (probably not as the hole are too small).

Someone put a statue of a hunter looking on his bino for his prey.

No places to stop until Alken, just self stop when I find park benches for energy bars, banana, nuts....

A steep climb even after Castle Stolzenfels, then taper out and was more manageable until Alken when there is a very steep descent with guiding ropes in some places. Castle on top, vineyard along the steep slopes and the Mosel river below. The white grapes (few small bunches here and there) so I am not sure if the majority were already harvested. I snuck a couple in my mouth (thief!) and they tasted very sweet. Suddenly my mind wandered to a very typical autumn/winter drink.... (hot Glühwein!)

This small town is touristy. At the tourist office I finally got my credencial, 4 euros and self filled so I supposed they don't take statistics on the Jakobsweg (Camino) here. Since I was there I ask the tourist office if there are any albergue or cheap lodgings. She called and got me a pension (apparently many pensions here besides hotels). Phrew.

22 euros with breakfast (8 am), not albergue but darn cheap for a pension... in Germany. The old man of the house Klein showed me quite a big room (shared toilet). But no wifi (internet) though. He looks the type that doesn't even use the internet. 😣.

So today's walk, 24 km door to door. Not a bad distance for the first day. With a Fitbit wearable this time and the app, I am getting way more information than I need .... Besides the distance and track via gps, over 30k steps, 180+ floors climb, my heart rate data, active minutes... etc, if it even means anything.😄

Maybe from the cool wind and/or the wetness, I was hungry but couldn't eat then, so I had a soup instead at the cafe (nice decor)....and coffee (oh how I miss the coffee in Spain, Portugal, Italy)...and also an apple tart (just because it's Germany and everyone around seems to be eating desserts).

Later I would need a hearty dinner. Tomorrow looking good, short distance and looking like more chances of passing through small towns (with cafe?) 🤔 🤞

Camino Mosel - Day 0 - Koblenz

Arrived in Frankfurt and an early train to Koblenz. The train after Mainz starts to move along the Rhine river, also passing Lorelei. The Mosel river from Koblenz is a tributary of the Rhine and this Camino will end in Trier.

I have to wait for till 3 pm for the code for the apartment to get in so unfortunately have to wander around the Koblenz with the backpack. Found the camino marker (apparently one of the two alternate path) of the Camino out of the city. 5 km south of the city at the castle Stolzenfels is the official start point for this Camino (go figure).

There at the castle I was told from 9 am tomorrow I can get my kredenza (credencial) for this Camino. If they are closed then I was told I can get it at the tourist office in Alken, the stopping point for the first day (another 19 km).

Prepaid data sim (checked), some provision from the supermarket to carry for tomorrow (checked). Just waiting for the room, a nice dinner.... and sleep before tomorrow's walk.

Last minute packing

A short Camino (8 days) along the Mosel valley in Germany. Fingers crossed for betting weather than what is forecast. 😬

Camino Portuguese - Day 23 - Santiago de Compostela

13 km. Still a few km of nice walking. Arriving at the cathedral before 11 am after second cup of coffee/cake.

Walked most of the way with Beate (Poland) I met yesterday at Teo.

The new pilgrim office I hate, security check outside and an hour queue before getting my compostela. I will forgo the compostela and also the wait if it wasn't that a few years ago they change the design of the compostela. I may as well collect this new design. This is getting too commercial. The compostela is free but if you want to add the route and total km where you start it is 3 extra euros for another certificate. Forget it.

The outside of the cathedral is very clean after the renovation. Preferred  the dirty look. Also the Portico of Glory is closed for renovation.

I get to say hi to Jimmy (St James) and also for all that asked me to hug his statue for them. Not sure if the botafumeiro (the huge incense ball) will be swinging for the mass later. Already seen it so can skipped that.

Of course things are overpriced here at the destination. As I won't be staying overnight I need to leave my backpack (they don't allow pilgrims to carry their backpack into the cathedral anymore). There seems to be more and more restrictions over the years. It's 2.5 euros for backpack storage. Not that I have a choice as I have a overnight bus to Madrid and don't want to carry the backpack everywhere. It's 1.2 km to the bus station to buy the tickets. That will be an additional 3.6 km (to, back and to again) today.

Oliver did an over 40 km yesterday to Santiago and is there to greet me today. He left on the bus to Finisterre so we said our goodbyes. Both mother and child from Denmark and Germany arrives also today. Aurelius from Brazil too. He celebrates his birthday tomorrow, I apologize I won't be there. You bump into people all the time in Santiago, those you met along the way.

Finally it's 23 days and 650 km? Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Portuguese.

Memories and new families that I  may get to see again in the future.

Time to sign off. Pilgrim mode off.....

Not sure if there will be another Camino soon. If so, the blog will be alive again.

Camino Portuguese - Day 22 - Teo (O Faramello)

23 km today. Cold and cloudy but no rain. All three layers the whole day. Right now at the 13 km mark in a private albergue, 12 euros and you pay for all other drinks and food. The next available spot is either the municipal albergue half km further or expensive hotels at the 6 km mark. The German mom and daughter will be there. I think 6 km is too close as it is practically the suburbs of Santiago. The Danish mom and son came in an hour after me. Meanwhile, while resting having a drink outside Olivier passed. He said he was crying (intense joy) earlier. The Camino can sometimes do that to people. He stayed yesterday at Caldas de Reis and hated the rain, his lodging, the town. The rain yesterday was like in Brittany and I joked that he had come to Spain to get the exact weather as back home. The misty sticky kind of rain that gets in everywhere. He said he had to walk fast ahead of the other walkers, poor guy. He wants to be in Santiago today, that will be past 40 km for him. Maybe it is for the best since he is already in an emotional charged state.
For me the first 10 km to Padrón today was absolutely great. Nobody but me along the route. As long as I stayed between yesterday's and today's horde, I don't see any crowd, and just a pilgrim here and there after Padrón. In Galicia the cemetery are always with the church and stacked like multi-layer bunk beds.
Had some food at a weird establishment before Padrón. Hippie style with pressed coffee the owner was very proud of kimd of crappy for me. He said he sourced it from Brazil when he was travelling there. Just eggs, bread with some salsa type sauce and he wanted 6 euros. Too late back.off.
It was a wise strategic decision yesterday. Doesn't matter anymore tomorrow with just 13 km to go. Half of that distance will still be nice walking at least according to my map.
Padrón which I passed at noon was allegedly the place where the stone ship carrying St. James landed if you believe the legend. How his body was discovered coincidentally 700 years later in Santiago de Compostela right after Spain was overrun by the Moors and he became the inspiration of reconquest seems mighty suspicious. This is one of the disciple of Jesus we are talking about. Still, the historic, religious, cultural, political and military impact cannot be undermined.
Pretty soon this private albergue was packed (at least in my room with 12 beds) and more in the next level. Mainly Germans speaking pilgrims (they seems to know one another), the Danish mom and son William and Elsbeth and an old Dutch couple in the late afternoon. I am going to have an early dinner (just the lady who runs this place cooking) and retire.
So cold the wind and the stone building albergue, the outside temperature barely rises above 12 degrees.

Camino Portuguese - Day 21 - O Cruceiro

27 km. It rained the whole day and even into the early evening. The weather for tomorrow is supposed to be clear.
Didn't take many pictures today, also due to the wet weather. Maybe a typical stone bridge crossing a stream which is typical here in Galicia. With so much rain in Galicia they are well versed in engineering their path and crossing to minimize muddy trails.
Today's stop at Caldas de Reis at 22 km is a bit short, and to beat the crowd I decided to go further. It would be best to add another 8 km but the only place is 5 km at O Cruceiro. The rest are either too far or municipal albergue. At Caldas de Reis I went into a phone shop to get a Spanish SIM as my Portuguese one had been dead for the last 2 days (no roaming?). The Spanish one (1 Gb), 5 euros. Nice to be connected even when walking. Took a long time for the lady to register with my passport. In Portugal they didn't even asked for my identification. Even more important job for the new SIM is to make a call ahead to the hostal 5 km further to make sure they have a room. If not, I would have to stay in Caldas. Yes, they have. My plan had work. This way I will also miss the horde of pilgrims walking the standard stage tomorrow. Even the weather helped today as the rain has delayed most of them to start walking this morning. I had encountered few pilgrims this morning.
The 5 km after Caldas de Reis after 1 pm I only crossed path with only 2 ladies from Germany. They ended up in the same hostal as me in O Cruceiro.
This is the first time in the past 3 weeks that I have my very own room with a bathroom. Such luxury that I reserve for today since Olivier is way ahead, didn't see anyone I met before around me, Josie already said yesterday she will get her own room in Caldas today and to stay off the regular stage the main options are basically pension and hostals. No reason not to pamper oneself so close to the end. 😁
In the evening I chatted with the two ladies before the late dinner at 8 pm (ah, Spain). They are mother and daughter walking the camino. I told them about the Danish son and mother walking and in less than 5 minutes William and Elsbeth appeared. Talk about coincidence. They had ended up in the same hostal! The five of us eating our dinner together.
The Danes are staying tomorrow at Teo and the Germans at Milladoiro a few km ahead and 5 km before Santiago. Earlier when I checked in, I was debating on whether to make the last 36.5 km from here in just one day. Now after the encounter maybe I should take it easy and stay another day in either of the place. I'll decide tomorrow....

Camino Portuguese - Day 20 - Pontevedra

30-31 km. Long day. Problem with sleeping in a municipal albergue is the number of people in the room . It's bound to have a snorer or two, maybe three (above me). At 6:30 am I couldn't take it anymore and started walking before 7 am. That's the cost of not staying at a private albergue with just a few people in the room. Or a solo room for more (that I will reserve for Santiago and/or the day before). It's not that I have a choice at Mos (the municipal.albergue is the only choice there). I should have walked the extra 9 km to Redondela instead. All is not bad though, as by doing so I missed the crowd of pilgrims today walking the last 100 km, first with the early departure then after Redondela only the back markers. Like Camino Frances the last 100 km has many what I called Tourgrims. Those that walk with little or nothing (all their stuff are send to their end of day hotel). Have to pay for such luxuries, but then it is only 5 days' worth.
So bloody cold in the morning (just a few degrees) when I started walking so early around daybreak. Had my hoody on to keep as much heat in as possible. By 11 am it is warm enough to drop both layers and walk with only one layer, but still needing to be indoor at the cafe stop. Spring is late this year. Sigh.
Breakfast 3 km before Redondela at a cafe/private albergue. If I had known I would have walk just 6 km more yeaterday as the two (German and Dutch) at the cafe having their breakfast said that they were the only two. Too late for me.
The walk in the cold daybreak I saw two interesting animals. A cat that pops out from the village vending machine bottom hold suddenly (could be warm in there). A solo rabbit (reminded me of the horde of rabbits after Valencia on the Camino Levante).
After Redondela and mid-point to Pontevedra is the bridge in Arcade. It's the end of one of the five fingers of land in Galicia, one of them being the Cape Finisterre where some pilgrims walk for another three days after Santiago to visit the end of the road/world (before Columbus).
Finally in Pontevedra after 3 pm. Saw Josie from Canada. She booked herself earlier during lunchtime a hotel and I helped here navigate there from my maps.me app. As for myself, I can't see myself booking in advance (also with no cell signal in Spain). I tried the pilgrim hostels/pension from my map overlay. Being late (extra distance today) all the hostels are full except Slow City Hostel (funny name). I got the last bed in their albergue styled room (their private rooms are all taken). 6 beds, 4 russian ladies and an American (here for holiday, but works in Madrid). Funny to be only male in the room. It's not what you think, half of the russian ladies are the type that can pinned you down in a strangle hold in a second.
While looking for dinner bumped into David (Portugal) and Hermione  (or whatever is the equivalent in Lithuanian). Met them first at the albergue in Ponte Lima. They are a couple doing many trips. David is the one well versed in the history in Malacca and Asia. They offered me some of rheir torilla and told me that the municipal albergue is also full. They probably walk another 8 km as there is another municipal albergue there too. It's going to be late for them. As least they are young and more able. Also Olivier showed up. Not sure where he is staying, he got in early as he started from Redondela today. He complained about the hordes of walkers today and will probably do the same tomorrow as he did today (walk fast enough to get ahead of the horde). I won't have the same condition or luck tomorrow as I did today as my pace cannot be fast due to my condition. Maybe I could walk longer than the 22 km stage tomorrow to Caldas de Reis. I still won't be able to avoid them on the road tomorrow but at least I may have a better chance of getting a bed if I go off from the standard stage. We shall see.
The bridge in Pontevedra is relatively new. The ancient one a small excavated section that can be seen before the current bridge. The current bridge has the Santiago claim shell insignia along the side. I will cross it tomorrow.
It's May day (Labor day) today. Day of labor protest here in Europe.
I can even hear the sound of car horns and loudhailers while walking in the woods. Shops are not open as it is a public holiday. Looks like I have to get my Spanish SIM card tomorrow maybe at Caldas de Reis, and not between 2-5 pm. Ah, the restrictive time in Spain.
The hostel has free Nespresso type coffee (the cheaper Nestle variant). And plastic food (Spain has lots of small cheap cakes and bread wrapped up in plastic for breakfast). That should provide me with sufficient fuel tomorrow morning for an early head start (unlike the 6 km today with no coffee and leftover raisins and nuts).
The things you do to have a decent last 100 km walk. I think around here it should be around 60 plus km more?