Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 26 (Day 1 of Part 2)
Date: June 6, 2025 Friday
Where did I begin today?
Orlando, FL
Where will I stay this evening?
Santiago de Compostela (Hotel Praza Quintana)
How far have I come?
5000+ miles by plane
Leaving Madrid
My flight from MCO to Miami was at 1:13pm on June 5, then from Miami to Madrid at 5:05pm for an overnight flight. I didn’t sleep well, only around 2hrs so I watched We Live in Time and Oppenheimer to keep my mind from wandering too much. During my layover in Madrid, I ate a ham baguette and wandered around the huge airport. At 11:50am, they bussed us onto the tarmac and I boarded a small plane to Santiago de Compostela. Luckily my hiking poles, which I packed in a cardboard box and checked, made it alright. I took a 1€ bus from the airport to the center of town then walked 5 minutes to the hotel I was sharing with two other pilgrims in the group who were arriving today. I wanted to avoid any sight of the Cathedral until I finished the Camino.
Cute hotel in the city center
View from our room is the back wall of the Plaza de la Quintana, the Cathedral is just opposite
No one was in our room when I checked in, so I took a nap from 2 to 6pm once the jetlag started to hit me. I met Jill from HI when she returned from her tour of the Cathedral rooftop (something I definitely want to do at the end of my walk). We walked together to Dawn and Dave’s hotel at 7:45pm to meet them for dinner at one of their favorite restaurants. The four of us then walked to O’Sendeiro at 8pm while chatting and getting to know each other. Dawn and Dave told us they have eaten here 7 times since they started leading Camino groups and know the staff quite well. We ate delicious, traditional food including green peppers with salt, octopus, chestnut croquettes, salmon pomegranate and brie salad, aged beef entrecote, and Iberian pork cheeks, with white wine, bread, and local Galician olive oil.
Padrón Peppers that Dave recommended
Salmon, pomegranate, brie salad
I don’t normally like octopus but the Pulpo a la Gallega was very good
Entrecote
After briefly saying hello to some of their friends who were also eating at the restaurant, Jill and I walked back to our hotel at 10:30pm. Londa arrived at the hotel shortly after us, she had walked from the train station. We introduced ourselves some more and Londa told us about her hectic train/bus journey from her sister’s house in France. I showered and got ready for bed, but then my credit card had a sudden fraud alert so called them to cancel it while trying not to disturb my two roommates. Very unfortunate timing since I now only have my debit card (which I planned only to use to get cash) for my entire two-week trip in Spain. Hopefully I won’t need it or run into any trouble since I booked my trains and accommodation in Granada using that card. After that stressful situation, I finally went to bed after midnight but listened to audiobook because I couldn’t sleep. Overall, a mixed start to part 2 of my Camino but I remain optimistic and know I will truly start to enjoy myself once I begin walking again. Tomorrow it will be time to meet the rest of the group.
Image of Saint James on the hotel staircase
Cute reading room in the hotel
