Category Archives: Uncategorized

15 October 2019 Today is our last day as volunteer Hospitaleras at the albuergue in Ribadiso. As hosts, we enjoyed greeting hundreds of guests from all over the world while staying at this historic albuergue that has been welcoming visitors since 1523. Now it’s time to say goodbye. We’ve gotten used to candlelight breakfasts. ThisContinue reading “Ribadiso: Our Last Day”

14 September 2019 Today it is more than just cold rain, it is a downpour. It rained most of the night and the Rio Iso is rising. The water is moving much faster than before. Most of the pilgrims have stopped walking for the day Dark skies all day long accompanied by rain most ofContinue reading “Ribadiso: Monday Monday”

Ribadiso Albuergue 13 October 2019 Fall is definitely settling in here. The days are getting shorter. It’s dark at 8:00 am and dark at 8:00 pm. It’s windy, cold and rainy. Not a good day for pilgrims to be walking today. Sunday morning is very quiet at Meson Rural. One of my priorities today isContinue reading “Ribadiso: A Cold Rainy Sunday”

Ribadiso, Albuergue 12 October 2019 Happy National Spain Day! Today is a national holiday that WHAT?? Commemorates Christopher Columbus?? I guess we still kind of have remnants of that in the US too but they are trying to call it Indigenous People’s day or something like that. We were a little disturbed with the originsContinue reading “Ribadiso: Fiesta National de Espana 2019”

Ribadiso Albuergue 11 October 2019 It’s Friday morning and we leave next Tuesday. Our time in Ribadiso is running out. This morning we are going to visit the little town of Melide which is about six miles away. We had stayed in Melide three years ago when we walked Camino Frances. Two camino routes meetContinue reading “Ribadiso: A Trip to Melide”

Ribadiso Albuergue 10 October 2019 It’s another beautiful day in Ribadiso. It has been an amazing experience to be staying in this beautiful countryside with a babbling brook flowing under a 6th century Roman bridge that leads to our 16th century accommodations. I feel so fortunate to experience this in addition to having the opportunityContinue reading “Ribadiso: Many Visitors Today”

Ribidiso Albuergue 9 October 2019 It’s Wednesday in Ribadiso! The sun is out and it’s warm compared to yesterday when it rained and was cold. When the sun is shining there is more pilgrim traffic. First Pilgrim to Arrive Today: Bradley from Virginia. He’s familiar with the Midwest because he went to grad school inContinue reading “Ribadiso: Sunshine after a Rainy Day”

Ribadiso Albuergue 8 October 2019 This Tuesday in Arzua is Féria! It happens on the 8th and 22nd of each month. It’s kind of a festival market. Our American Pilgrims on the Camino contact person, Annie who is an American who lives in Santiago, said we should go and experience it because it’s part ofContinue reading “Ribadiso: The Féria Comes to Town”

Ribadiso Albuergue 7 October 2019 It’s a foggy Monday morning. Around 10:00 am, little Chisco, who thinks he’s a herd dog helps farmer Alfonso escort the cows to their pasture. The singing pilgrim stops for a song and then he’s back on the Camino again. At Meson Rural, there are three copper vats that hangContinue reading “Ribadiso: It’s a Small World”

Ribadiso Albuergue 6 October 2019 Sunday is another gentle day at the albuergue. It’s a beautiful sunny morning. It’s going to be very warm. Not sure if this horse rider is a pilgrim or a local. Pilgrim’s riding horses have a different route and they need to stay at places that can accommodate the careContinue reading “Ribadiso: A Magical Stop on Camino Frances”

Ribadiso Albuergue 5 October 2019 • First Pilgrim to Arrive at the Albuergue was from Malaga Spain. Most pilgrims start in Palais de Rey which is 20K (about 18 miles). Those arriving around 1:00 pm are fast walkers or else they leave early in the morning when it is dark. • Pilgrim of the Day:Continue reading “Ribadiso: Country Life is Beautiful”

Ribadiso Albuergue 4 October 2019 First Person to Arrive Today is: Ton Bae Lee from South Korea. His English is very good. It seems like all the pilgrims who arrived at the Albuergue today know Ton Bae. A large group of Spaniards that looked like a soccer team came through and they were all veryContinue reading “Ribadiso — Life is a Long Camino”

Ribadiso Albuergue: 3 October 2019 • First Pilgrim to Arrive Today was from: Belgium • Word of the Day: Queixos That is Galician for cheese which in Spain is usually queso. But not in Galicia … it is pronounced with a lisp … Kay thos. There is a special cheese made in Azura. It isContinue reading “Ribadiso: A Quiet Day at the Albergue”

Pilgrims on parade by foot, bike and horse. Ribadiso Albuergue: 2 October 2019 • First Pilgrim to arrive Today is from: South Korea • Best Quote of the Day: “My feet hurt so bad my butt aches.” Anonymous pilgrim • Word of the Day: Vele, Vele It’s pronounced “bally bally” and usually said very fast.Continue reading “Ribadiso: Pilgrims on Parade”

1 October 2019; Ribadiso Albuergue, Spain “On the Camino there are no strangers, only friends who haven’t met yet” This quote came from an unknown source in Rabinal. Working at the albuergue we have come to realize how true it is. Morning It’s our first day of work at the Albuergue. Our predecessors, Chuck andContinue reading “Ribadiso: Greeting the World”

30 September 2019 Santiago, Spain We were excited about our next adventure as Hospitaleras in Ribidaso. We left the Santa Cristina pension early Monday morning. Normally, we would have walked to the bus station but with Terry’s ankle injury were opting for cabs. We had a very nice cab driver who picked us up nearContinue reading “Next Stop Ribadiso!”

September 29, 2019 It’s a rainy Sunday morning in Finisterre. Our plan is to bus to Santiago, stay overnight there and then bus to Ribadiso. We will be staying in Ribadiso for 15 and working as volunteer Hospitaleras. Our stay in Ribadiso is sponsored by the American Pilgrims on the Camino organization. Basically, we willContinue reading “Back to Santiago”

28 September 2019 Saturday morning in Old Town Santiago … charming but it was very noisy at night. Lots of people at the bar below us, street noise, revelers and more. Terry slept in while I scurried off to the Pilgrim Offiice. I wanted to get my Camino Ingles Compostela which is a document writtenContinue reading “After Camino Ingles: Santiago to Finisterre”

27 September 2019 CAMINO INGLES DAY 9 Feeling a bit apprehensive, I got ready to walk the last 10-15 miles of the Camino into Santiago. Yes, I was spoiled because I always followed where Terry went. Now I had to think for myself and be cognizant of the trail markers especially when entering Santiago. LastContinue reading “Sigüeiro to Santiago”

26 September 2019 CAMINO INGLES DAY 8 There are two days left until we reach Santiago. Obviously, Terry would not be walking the rest of the way. Her walking camino had ended. We talked and she assured me that she would be fine taking a cab to our next hotel reservation and she would ice,Continue reading “A Calle to Sigüeiro”