Sunday - 2 days to go

I was supposed to pack last night, but only got half packed. I should get it finished tonight.

I booked my accommodation in Barcelona and in Torremolinos, as well as the flight from Barcelona to Torry - I got the last room in the Barcelona hotel and the last seat on the flight. Note to self - next time try to be better organised (what are the chances?)

I spoke to Marianne last night. She is at El Real de la Jara, a town on the northern border of Seville (province) and 90 - 100 km north of Seville (city). It is going well :)

Hopefully the pace of this blog will pick up, along with some photos, as the trip itself gets under way. I bought a new camera yesterday so the photos will be crisp and fresh. I was VERY tempted to buy an iPad, having picked one up and used it. It's really really good. But it will have to wait :(

Dia Dos - Guillena to Castilblanco de los Arroyos

I have continued the story of my camino at http://mariannecamino.blogspot.com

This is written for people who want to know some detail.

Started walking early, just before sunrise at 6.45am. Walked through farms, then at a cross roads with factories, stopped for a coffee at a bar in a shed. Full of men on their way to work. I got a coffee in a 7oz glass and at least one of the blokes at the bar followed up his coffee with a full glass of bourbon.


Walked with Yuri, the Italian, most of the way through farms, areas for hunting. Heard a shotgun go off every now and then, bit of a worry. Passed by Spaniards on bikes, great track for mountain biking. Cows, friendly dogs and tractors here and there. Reached Castilblanco at the very civilised time of midday. Time to wash, and have lunch before a big thunderstorm. And I still have jet lag.











For the people who are really interested in the details of the camino see: http://mariannecamino.blogspot.com

Dia Uno - Via de la Plata

Walked out of the hotel about 7.30am and set off across the narrow streets of Sevilla, crossed the bridge to Triana, then past the old expo sight to the next bridge over the other channel of the river. Gypsies camped all along the river, glad to be walking here first thing in the morning and not at night. Lots of yellow arrows to follow, very reassuring as I would hate to get lost in these seedier suburbs of Sevilla. Camas is a bit run down. Made it to Santiponce about 10am, got accosted by an old man who wanted to give me a ride in his car (I think). Went to Italica, Roman ruins where Hadrian (of the Wall), Trajan and Scipio hung out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italica
Saw three pilgrims in the distance as I walked past industrial stuff, biscuit factory, smelt good (will be pig farms soon enough). Probably 50-something Germans by the look of them, and sure enough they were. Found the turn off through the farms, beautiful walk down a long straight road. Sunflower fields will be spectacular in a month or so. Walked into Guillena about 3pm with a Spanish and Italian bloke. Almost everything closed but opened up again about 7pm. Albergue full with mostly solo travellers except for packs of Germans. Spanish is the common language, but people are ending up speaking English with me even if they say they don't speak it much. Maybe attempting Spanish helps them or maybe my accent is so appalling they give up. Found out it was Pentecost on Monday - so much for me being on a religious pilgrimage. Haven't been inside a church yet, not even the Segrada Familia or Giralda in Sevilla.

Sevilla

American lady getting off the airport bus "Where is the Alcatraz?"
Sevilla is gorgeous, walked up to Casa Pilates, an old moorish style house with lots of romanesque sculptures. Found a shop that sold needles almost straight away. Lots of shops doing traditional crafts like leather, swords, costumes for bull fighting. Watched kids playing in the Plaza Alfalfa at 7pm and walked across the bridge to Triana. Need to leave early tomorrow morning but looking forward to coming back to Sevilla.

Tuesday and the shops are open

First stop was the Boqueria market - spectacular. see http://www.boqueria.info/Eng/index.php


Next stop was asking where I might buy a needle - agujar, try saying that in Spanish. Lots of really nice people tried to help me, and directed me to San Antonio market 10 minutes walk away. Will try and get there after the Vodafone shop. The shop is open! Waited about 20 minutes to be told they couldn't sell me a sim card. Tried Movistar, same deal. But told me to go to the 7th floor of El Cortes Ingles (Myer) and I could get one there. Flight to catch in 3 hours, running out of time, got bag and went to 7th floor and sure enough, they sold me a sim card, however it didn't work. Probably not news to anyone, but unlocking a iPhone is bloody difficult. Need connection to iTunes and all sorts of sh*#~t. Gave up and went to the airport.

Why are the shops closed in Barcelona on Monday?

My first task on Monday was going to be tackling the Vodafone shop to try to get a Spanish sim card. Ten oćlock no-one in sight, walked around the block, not the worst block in world to walk around, 10.30 nothing doing, 11am nothing else open. Walked several more blocks to another Vodafone shop. Closed. Gave up and took the metro and fenicular to Montjuic. Montjuic is a castle on a hill overlooking the city, port and was where most of the Olympic events were held, including the spectacular diving platform with the Segrada Familia as the backdrop. Unfortunately it has also been the venue of many executions, most notably the former President of Catalonia in 1941 after he was dobbed in by the nazis in France to Franco. It also features prominently in Carlos Ruiz Zafronś book The Shadow of the Wind. The view is spectacular, but I couldn't help feeling a bit creepy, there was a feeling bad things have happened here. Tried again at the Vodafone shop, but not even open at 8pm. Gave up, but got to see a lot of Barcelona.

Barcelona

Arrived in Barcelona this morning. Totally unprepared, no map, only info from folks who have been here. Got the airport bus into town and walked down Las Ramblas to find my hotel. Teeming with people, seems to be a pet market at the top of las ramblas- you can buy a bird, rabbit, guinea pig or turtle on the street. I spent the afternoon wandering around - Barcelona is a great city to walk around. Loads of boulevards divided into pedestrian, cycle and vehicle areas, narrow streetS with Roman ruins, gaudi, Dali, Picasso, their own gherkin and arc de triumphe. So many mad buildings, the sagrada Familia takes the cake.

Marianne has gone, I need to start thinking about it....

I received a message from Marianne not long ago, she has safely arrived in Barcelona. A couple of days there to rest up, get over jet lag, and have a look around, then off to the Camino.

This means I had better start thinking about exactly what it is I am going to take with me and where I am going to go. Only 10 days to go!!