TOP ROW:

REFUGE PEÑASEITA (ASTURIAS)  *  CHURCH IN LORIANA *  DAWN IN ASTURIAS * JACK ON THE "PALO" * ASTURIAS

SECOND ROW:

HÓRREO IN GALICIA * MONASTERY OF SUSO * PILGRIM SIGN * FUN IN SANTIAGO * CAFÉ LITERARIOS (Santiago)

THIRD ROW:

ARRIVING PILGRIM  * LEÓN * THE RESTING PILGRIM * CATHEDRAL OF SANTIAGO * PILGRIM'S DAILY OUTLOOK

FOURTH ROW:

PEDRO AND GABRIELA * RAQUEL, RECEPTIONIST AT HOSTAL LA SALLE, SANTIAGO * FOUNTAIN * PILGRIM'S OFFICE (CENTRE BACKGROUND) * GALICIAN DELICACIES

FIFTH ROW:

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE CAMINO? FOLLOW ME! (IF YOU CAN) * SANTIAGO WAKES UP * ON THE WAY TO NEGREIRA *

HELLO! (STATUES ON MONTE DO GOZO) * THE REALITIES OF A FARMERS' LIFE (NO CHORIZO ANYMORE FOR ME)

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U P D A T E S

My Top Ten of best restaurants on the Camino de Santiago is:

  1. La Nueva Allandesa - Pola de Allande   

"A very dedicated manager and excellent head chef, with a surprising menu."

2. El Mesón - Castrojeriz ***** ("The moment Castrojeriz rises above the horizon you walk faster"!)

3. San Paio - Lavacolla *** (Good Pilgrim Menu) (see picture above)

5. Baserri - Pamplona (excellent tapas and an interesting menu)

6. El Peregrino - El Burgo Ranero ** (simply good)

7. Alto do Vento - Amés (on road to Negreira at KM 80,230; see photo below) (pretty perfect)

8. José and Roberto Pérez - Portomarín * (Fried eel a speciality, as well as squid)

9. Bulevar - Belorado * (very creative lady chef)

10. El Buen Yantar - Nájera * (very creative lady chef from nearby Azofra)

10 A: Casa Manolo * Santiago de Compostela (see picture) 

Churrasco at Manolo's

*********

   My Top Thirteen of best Hotels/Hostales on the camino:

1- Hostal La Salle - Santiago de Compostela (ALSO ALBERGUE ON TOP FLOOR)

2. Hostal Don Suero - León

3. Pensión Rúa - Arzúa

4. Hostal Santa Cruz - Ponferrada

5. Hostal San Paio - Lavacolla

6. Hotel El Paso Honrado - Hospital de Orbigo

7. Casa David - Triacastela

8. Monasterio Cisterciense - Santo Domingo de la Calzada

9. Hostal Camino de Santiago - Frómista

10. Hostal El Mesón - Castrojeriz

11. Hotel Allandesa - Pola de Allande

12. Hotel Valcarce - Pradela *

13. Hostal Santiago - Carrión de los Condes

  My Top Ten of best refuges (at random order and subject to changes):

1. Albergue La Salle in Santiago de Compostela (open 24 hours)

2. Casa Mari - Torres del Río (Mari)

3. Logroño (José Ignacio)

4. Maribel Roncal - Cisur Menor

5. Hornillos del Camino - Municipal (Manolo)

6. Artieda (Marga) (see picture below)

7. Triacastela (Oribio)

8. Grañon (José Antonio)

9. Calzadilla de la Cueza

10. Pamplona (2 de Mayo) (picture below)

11. Izco

12. Sangüesa (Juan Pedro) (see picture below)

MY TOP FIVE OF BAD REFUGES (SUBJECT TO CHANGES):

1. Burgos ("El Parral" in the park) (They switch on all lights at 7 AM; stoned hospitaleros).

2. San Juan de Villapañada (near Grado) (Drunk hospitalero)

3. Borres (a little bit further down the road.) (A garbage dump)

4. O Cebreiro (hospitalera Patrizia is mentally handicapped; stay away from her!)

My Top Ten of GOOD Coffee shops / Terraces:

1. Bar Plaza - Ventas de Narón (Luis & Carmen) & Café Literarios - Santiago

2. Hotel/Restaurant/Bar "Casa de los Somoza" - just before Melide at km pole 57 (Jesús & Puri) (see picture below)



3. El Poio - Piedrafita (Remedios & Rocío)

3A. Cafetaría Ruiz - Tardajos  *****

4. BAR - Viduedo (Isabel)

5. Xacobeo - Triacastela (Eva)

6. Xoldra - Melide (chico)

7.  On Carretera - Olveroa

8. El Molino - Navarrete

9. O Casqueira - Arzúa

10. Britania - Palas de Rei

Bar Britania

MY TOP EIGHT OF BAD RESTAURANTS !!!!!!!!!!!:

1. LIBERTAD - Villadangos del Páramo (food off; health inspector has fired all kitchen staff)  

(The nearest hospital is in LEON; ring 112)

2. LA HUELLA - Arzúa (they desperately need a waiter/waitress who can serve more than three customers a night;
lots of "ooooohps, sorry for that!")  

3. O MIRALLOS MANUEL - Mirallos (km 97) (they present an awful offal menu: e.g.  a pig's ears' broth)

INGREDIENTS: SEE PHOTO BELOW (EVERY BIT IS EATABLE) (?)

 4. EZEQUIEL- Melide (ugly interior, well ... interior? You mean: open space!)   (Squid, "Pulpo Gallego'' can be eaten everywhere in Galicia).

5. HOTEL CARLOS 96 - Melide (very unfriendly staff, to say the least)   (noisy weddings, you won't sleep)

6. HOTEL TAMARA - Negreira (the bloody pits; they need to enroll at Catering School in Santiago; there is a
bus service every hour between Negreira and SDC; it stops right in front of the College)   

(Lesson one: say "hello" to the customer)

7. HOTEL LA CORTE - Carrión de los Condes (They charge € 9= for a ¨reasonable¨ menu and € 1,75 for a LOUSY black coffee.)    

8. Hostal/Restaurante MELCHIORA - Sangüesa     

Last month a person wrote the word 'BAHAI' on just about every sign
in Galicia. The result was that many pilgrims now put a seven letter f-word in front of this "BAHAI".

24 MAY:

Thank you Mr. Ríos from the Hostal mentioned above. You have been working
here for 40 years and are doing a great job, handing out tickets to pilgrims to receive
a free meal.


Mr Ríos

 

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AZNAR () & RAJOY ()