To Spain and Portugal february/march 2026
All of this must come along
Monday, February 2, 2026, our alarm clock wakes us up at 7 a.m.
After breakfast, I drive Dick to the subway so he can pick up the camper. When I am home, I bring everything we need to our livingroom. Usually everything is already there, but since Rita and Hugo came over for dinner yesterday, I couldn’t do that. Dick arrives around 10 am. and while he loads the bikes, connects the gas tanks, and fills up the water, I carry all the clothes and food we need inside. By 12:15, everything is in its place and we’re ready to go. While we were loading, there was some blue sky, but now the sky is gray and cloudy. We’re lucky because there aren’t many delays near Antwerp or Ghent in Belgium. It’s only busy on the Lille ring road, but we leave that traffic behind us too, and just past 4 pm. we arrive in Douai, France. We take the route my Hakuna suggests. It’s set to “car,” which means we have to squeeze our way through the narrow streets of downtown Douai. Fortunately, thanks to Dick’s driving skills, we safely reach the large parking lot in the middle of town. At this time of year, there’s plenty of space, and we park the Frankia. The sun has come out and the sky is blue. We’re lucky to have such a great start to our vacation. We don’t feel like going out anymore, so we settle into the chair and sofa in the camper. Dick writes his daily story in Polarsteps and I write for our website. We read and raise a glass to a good vacation.
Dump and fill with clean water
Tuesday, February 3, after breakfast, we dump our grey and black water and, of course, fill up our freshwater tank at this spot in Douai. After all, you have to take advantage of it when you can get water in the winter. The sky is gray and it’s drizzling. The temperature is around 39 degrees. It starts raining pretty quickly. We have our windshield treated, which helps the water droplets run off better. So we use our windshield wipers significantly less. That’s great for Dick, who hates using them. Fortunately, the sky clears up a bit after we cross the river Seine, and some blue sky appears in the very distance. We have driven a fairly long stage today, 187 miles, but we finally arrive in Lisieux at 2:30 pm.
We climb up to the Hauteville (part of town that is high up the hill) the road leads steeply upward. At the top, we find a large parking lot just above the Basilica of Lisieux. Of course, we have a coffee first, then cover all the windows, and head down to the Basilica through a small park. It turns out we’re on the wrong path and have to walk back.
Basilica in Lisieux
Eventually, we arrive at the approach to the church. This was built between 1929 and 1954. The Pope has granted this church the honorary title of Basilica. This is due to its special significance for the faith. In this case, because it is associated with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Thérèse was born in 1873 and entered the convent at the age of 15. She had a deep and complete trust in God. Her message of simplicity, love, and trust proved to be universal and refreshing.
People felt that prayers, offered through her intercession, were answered. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 and was canonized. Not for any great or impressive deeds, but because she showed that even in the ordinary, in the small things, with great love and complete trust, one can find God. Despite her young age, her life radiated a surprising depth of faith. This made her one of the most beloved saints, and the Basilica became a place of special significance for pilgrims from all over the world.
After wandering around the Basilica and the crypt for a long time and taking lots of photos, we leisurely make our way down to the city. As we’re almost in the center, it starts to rain. It’s dark by now, so we decide to walk back. That doesn’t go very smoothly because now, we have to climb the entire hill again. Since I’m not entirely sure of the right way, we end up taking a detour, but eventually we arrive back at the camper around 7 pm.
The last stretch uphill was all steep, muddy paths, and even though it was only 4 miles, Dick is covered in mud up to his knees.
Insulation on the windshield
Because of the expected low nighttime temperature, we do put the insulation mat in front of the window before we sit down to enjoy a glass of wine, potato gratin, and cordon bleu. It’s a delicious meal. While the temperature was still 50 degrees this afternoon, it’s now dropping rapidly, and it will be only 37 degrees overnight. Insulation is no luxury.
Wednesday, February 4. We’re up at 8 am. It’s cold outside, 3 degrees, and the heater has been running nonstop all night. After breakfast, we empty our waste tanks and fill up with water, since we’ll be spending the coming night in a parking lot with no amenities. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. The weather is lovely.
We drive south on narrow back roads. We pass countless small villages and then cross the wide river Loire. Unfortunately, the sky turns gray and the sun disappears. Just before 3 pm. after driving 196 miles, we arrive in Richelieu. Commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu, this town was designed around 1630 as a perfectly symmetrical city with straight, grid-like streets and a central square right in the middle. Richelieu also had a massive palace built there, but it was demolished during the French Revolution. Only the vast park remains.
Camperplace Richelieu
Our camper is parked along the wall that surrounds it. We have to look carefully to find a spot, but then we spot the entrance to the strip of land along the wall. We’re the only ones there. After parking the camper, we walk into town. It’s dry, gray, and 41 degrees, but not really unpleasant. We walk through one of the city gates into town and wander through the streets that form such a perfect pattern. Of course, we also go inside the church, where we light a candle and thank God for another wonderful trip together.
The town may be timeless and harmoniously designed, but I find it deadly boring. As a result, everything is closed and many buildings stand empty. Only a small supermarket and a bakery are open. When it starts to rain around 5 pm, we walk to another city gate to admire the statue of Cardinal Richelieu. He was not only a cardinal but also a shrewd and ruthless statesman. He ensured that the French king gained ever more central authority and the cardinal became the most powerful man in France after the king himself. In all his actions, he laid the foundation for the later strong France.
This included founding the “Académie Française,” intended to protect the French language. French became the language of power, culture, and diplomacy.
Statue of Richelieu
Meanwhile, it has started raining harder. Dick walks back to the camper, and I quickly grab a baguette from the bakery. Together, we put the insulation mat over the front window and then duck into the camper. There are still a few geocaches in the park next to us, but the weather isn’t suitable for searching for them right now. That will have to wait until next time. We read, watch TV and warm up.
Thursday, February 5, I’m wide awake at 8 am.
It’s 48 degrees and windless. I stay under the warm comforter for a while longer, and then Dick wakes up too. After a lovely hot shower, we have a nice breakfast and then leave Richelieu. We can’t dump or fill up with water here. Unfortunately, the cloud cover is increasing, and soon we’re driving in the rain. We take a back road to Poitiers and from there we mostly follow a four-lane highway south. We stop briefly in Barbezieux to fill up at Leclerc and then get back on the main road. Just before the town of Pissos, the road becomes a toll road, so we have to take a detour.
Bar Tabac Escourse
In Escourse, there’s an old tennis court where we can park. Other than that, there’s nothing else. In a small square, we spot a tiny bar-tabac where we can buy some groceries. Unfortunately, the ground beef is past its prime, so we end up buying roasted chicken breast and a baguette. Eating out is out of the question because the two restaurants are closed. We walk through the small village. Unfortunately, we can’t find the geocache at the lavoir, so we walk back empty-handed. It’s cloudy but still dry. Since the temperature will drop again tonight, we put the insulation mat back down. We end up eating baguette with sausages and bacon, and it tastes great. It rains very hard during the night. Otherwise, it’s quiet and dark.
Pools close to the RV
Friday, February 6, we get up at 7:30 a.m.
It’s dry again, and the thermometer reads 50 degrees. There are large puddles all around us. Unfortunately, the camper is too far from the largest one to see the reflection in it. After we stow away the wet insulation mat, we have breakfast. A message appears on our phone stating that the geocaching event in Burgos, Spain, has been canceled due to family circumstances. So we don’t have to rush and quickly decide to drive only as far as Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain.
Unfortunately, the sky quickly clouds over and it starts to rain. But as we approach Bayonne, the clouds clear and we see blue skies again. The temperature also rises, and the thermometer reads 55 degrees. Though it feels much colder because of the icy wind. It’s very busy in Bayonne and St. Jean de Luz. Suddenly we’ve crossed the border and are driving through Hondarribia in Spain. Here we find a cheap gas station. Diesel costs only € 1.299 a liter and is really cheap. We fill up right away. We drive to St. Sebastian via back roads. Next to me, we see the bay I had to cross by boat, when I walked the Camino del Norte. Then we reach the N1. There are signs everywhere stating that trucks and vehicles weighing over 3,5 tons must pay a toll. Does our camper fall under this category? ChatGPT provides the answer. It applies only to freight traffic and not to campers. In Navarra, the ominous toll signs disappear, and we can breathe a sigh of relief.
Driving to Vitoria-Gasteiz
We’re now driving through the mountains, passing a 1968 feet high pass. In the distance, we see the Pyrenees mountains, but there’s no snow on them. We’ve already paid for the parking in Vitoria. There’s no one there yet. Dick arranges access via the app, and we find our usual spot on the edge. We drink coffee and then go shopping at the big market on the corner. After that, we go looking for some caches in the area; it turns out to be freezing cold. The wind is biting, and it doesn’t feel pleasant outside. So even though there are many geocaches here, we stick to a short loop.
We’re back by 5 pm. and before we go inside, we first secure the insulation mat over the window. It’s really important because the temperature is low. We cook our own meal and it’s quite tasty. Afterward, we read and watch TV. The parking lot is filling up quite a bit after all. It stays dry but cold overnight, only 44 degrees.
Saturday, February 7, 2026, we get up at 8:30 a.m.
The sun has broken through the clouds, and I bask in its rays as I walk to the supermarket to get some bread.
Breakfast in Vitoria
After we’ve enjoyed our fresh baguette, we set off. We get to enjoy the sun for a little while longer, but soon the clouds roll in. At noon, we arrive in Burgos. We can’t park at the shopping center because the market is still in session, so we drive straight to the parking lot between the apartment buildings.
There’s plenty of space, and we choose a spot on the edge. After a nice cup of coffee, we walk into town. It’s cold, so it’s a good thing we’re wearing a hat and gloves in addition to a thick jacket. But it’s nice to head into the center. At one point, I recognize the street. It leads to the albergue located near the cathedral.
Resting Pilgrim
Dick recognizes it too when, a moment later, he sees the statue of the pilgrim tending to his feet. Unfortunately, the bar across the Albergue is still closed, so we walk on, toward the entrance of the cathedral. I have our pilgrim passports with me (yes, Dick is also a member of the Dutch Society of St. James) and as pilgrims we have a 50% discount on the admission price. From the date of the previous stamp in our pilgrim’s passport, we see that we also visited this cathedral on February 4, 2024. But we don’t remember it being this cold back then. A little later, we wander through the impressive cathedral. It’s always fantastic to walk around. The temperature inside the church is reasonable, but in the arcaded walkways surrounding the courtyard, the temperature drops to 37 degrees, despite the fact that the arcades are enclosed with windows. Eventually, we emerge from the church thoroughly frozen. After taking one last photo on the large square in front of the cathedral, we walk to a coffee shop. The drink is hot, but that’s about all there is to say about it. This weak cup of coffee isn’t exactly flavorful. After coffee, we walk back to the camper. We walk a total of 6 miles, which is more than Dick has ever walked in his orthopedic shoes.
Back home, we immediately put the insulation mat over the window and warm up nicely. Unfortunately, we can’t watch TV because the wind is very gusty, so our satellite dish can’t find a signal.
Kebab meal take-away
Since there’s a Turkish restaurant nearby, I walk there in the evening. It smells strongly of frying oil inside. I’m clearly too early to order because everything has to be prepared, but eventually I have two plates of kebab, fries, and salad. The food is decent, but there’s too much sauce on it.
My coat smells of fried food and as it turns out, lingers for at least two weeks. So will I be getting food here again? We read, have a glass of wine, and by 10 pm we go to bed. The heater keeps roaring all night to prevent our water from freezing.
Like almost every day, we get up at 8 a.m. on Sunday, February, 8. It’s 39 degrees and feels freezing cold. It’s a good thing we have a thick insulation mat in front of the windshield. After finding the dump station in the corner of the next parking lot, we fill up on water and empty our black water. Then we leave Burgos.
The road surface is in poor condition, and we certainly notice it. We constantly have to avoid large potholes in the bitumen. Once we’re out of the city, the first patches of blue sky appear, and accompanied by a faint sun, we drive onto the vast Meseta via the Camino de Santiago highway. This vast plateau covers a large part of the Iberian Peninsula and has an average elevation of 2296 feet / 2624 feet. Part of the Camino Francés, which I’ll be walking in April, runs through the Meseta. Unfortunately, we don’t take the back roads. That’s probably because Dick is already going crazy from all the stories I’ve told him about my walk here in August 2022. Fortunately, the autovia ends at some point, and we have no choice but to follow the back roads. This is partly because we stop at a cheap gas station along the way.
Storks on the tower
It’s located near the Hospital de Orbiga. But first we pass through Valverde de la Virgin, where, just as we’ve done countless times before, we stop for a moment. Along the road stands a church where Storks have made their nests on every slightly flat part of the towers. They clatter away to their hearts’ content. We’ve already taken countless photos at this spot, yet Dick can’t escape the fact that we (I) are once again snapping away to our hearts’ content. Luckily for Dick, it’s very cold outside, so we don’t feel like standing out there for long, and soon we’re on our way again. I can continue pointing out the hostels along this Camino to Dick.
The navigation system flawlessly guides us to the cheap gas station. Not only do we fill up for € 1.30 a liter, but we also find a bulb here that turns out to fit, so we have two working headlights again. Then we order coffee with a cheese sandwich, we’ve earned it. Satisfied, we hit the road again a little later and arrive in Astorga not long after. Unfortunately, the parking lot between the apartment buildings in the center of Astorga is closed. Sewer work is underway. So we drive back to the arena where we can park.
Cathedral and Gaudi’s palace
While Dick changes our propane bottle, it’s empty, I take a short walk to the center. Gaudí’s palace is closed, as always, and the streets are empty.
Only around the bars and restaurants is it bustling with people coming and going, as is the case everywhere in Spain. Entire families go out for a big Sunday afternoon meal. After taking a quick look at the Albergue which is also deserted I stroll back at my own pace.
Of course, I climb the steps to the “Celda de las Emparedadas” the cell of the walled-in women. In the Middle Ages, some women voluntarily had themselves locked up in such a small cell to lead a life of prayer and penance. The entrance was bricked up, leaving only a small barred window open, one facing the street for food and usually one facing the church so that Mass could be followed. Above the window, a Latin text is engraved, it means:
“Remember my fate, for yours will be the same, for me it was yesterday, for you it is today.”
It is a reminder that life is short and fleeting, and it suits the women who voluntarily spent their lives there. The recluse thus spoke silently through this stone.
Since the sun is still shining nicely, I hang my coats outside. They still smell like frying oil. Hopefully the sun will work its magic and the smell will disappear. They can air out nicely until dusk. As soon as we attach the insulation mat to the window, I bring them back inside. Unfortunately, the frying smell hasn’t gone away yet. In the evening, we enjoy a nice plate of spaghetti and read in our warm camper. Outside, the temperature isn’t higher than 3 degrees.
On the road to Zamora
On Monday, February 9, 2026, we don’t get up until 8:20 a.m.
The world around us is gray, we’re shrouded in fog. It’s actually not a miracle, since Astorga is located at an elevation of 2775 feet. We have a leisurely breakfast and then drive to our next destination, Zamora, just 82 miles to the south. Fortunately, the rain has stopped, and after we’ve made our way out of the fog, we even see a few breaks in the clouds and some blue sky.
Washing clothes in the Lavanderia
In Zamora, we gather all our laundry, including the bedding, and walk to the nearby laundromat. It’s busy, and I have to wait for a second machine to become available so we can wash all our laundry.
Dick walks back to the camper to do some chores. Meanwhile, I keep an eye on the laundry and try to learn some Spanish from my Buen Camino booklet. Once the laundry is loaded into the dryer and has just started the second cycle (I dry on medium heat, which is why I need two cycles), Dick comes walking back. We wait together, then fold the laundry and put it in the bags. We cover them with plastic bags. Dick brought these because, for a change, it has started raining again. Once the beds are made again at home and all the laundry is neatly put away in the closets, I walk over to the nearby supermarket to get some water and juice. I’m feeling the symptoms of an oncoming bladder infection and need to drink extra fluids. Since it’s still raining, neither of us feels like going out again in the late afternoon, so we’re staying inside. Of course, we’re watching the Winter Olympics, the speed skating successes of Femke Kok and Jutta Leerdam. What a spectacle.
Right after getting up on February 10, 2026 we catch a glimpse of the sun for a minute, but immediately afterward the sky clouds over and all we see is a gray sky. You can tell we’re much further West because it’s still dark outside at 8 am. It’s dry for a moment, but as we go to dump the waste and fill up with water, it starts raining again. The temperature, on the other hand, is nice, 57 degrees. After the cold in the north, it’s a pleasant temperature. We drive through Zamora in the pouring rain. The river is swollen, and the southern bank is partially flooded.
Soon we’re on the Autovia Ruta de la Plata, and I can show Dick the little roads I walked two years ago. Large sections of the Plata route run alongside this highway. Meanwhile, it keeps raining, sometimes harder, sometimes a bit lighter. We make good progress and I spot the bridge over the river Tagus where I walked.
In this part of Spain there’s really been a lot of rain lately. Small streams have turned into wild, rushing mountain streams, and the grasslands are largely flooded. I’m reminded of my first day of hiking with Netta on the Plata, in April 2024, when it also rained so much and we had to make our way through the muddy meadows. With every step, the mud patch under our feet grew.
We climb higher and higher into the mountains and drive through the fog. After another descent, we arrive in Cáceres around 1:30 p.m. The RV site turns out to be fenced off (for security reasons). We won’t be able to spend the night here. The nearby parking lot isn’t an option for us either, since it’s full of passenger cars.
The Pilgrim points the way
A little further down the road, we look around to see where we can go and decide to drive on to Trujillo. About 31 miles away. A good choice, because there’s plenty of space there, and we can park the camper near an arena again. It’s already 3 pm when we head out for a bit. It’s raining, but we’re used to that by now. Near a carved pilgrim, pointing the way to Guadalupe, we find a geocache. Although there’s a Leclerc supermarket not far from us, we decide to see if we can eat at one of the little restaurants.
After the owner glances at his watch it’s 3:30 pm. he decides to let us in anyway. A little later, we enjoy a delicious menu del día: spaghetti, lomo with fries, and ice cream for dessert. The meal does us good, and we enjoy it.
Narrow streets in Trujillo
Finally, we leave the dining room and walk back to the camper. Since it’s raining a little less, I decide to take a quick stroll into town. It’s desolate out there, though all the shops are open. It’s striking that all the shop windows are fogged up on the inside from the moisture. They don’t have double-paned windows here. After taking a quick look around the Plaza Mayor, where large fences are being put up (for a festival?) I walk back to the camper. I don’t feel like climbing up to the castle in the rain, which has gotten heavier in the meantime.
At home, we’re relaxing, watching TV, and drinking coffee. I can’t remember ever having such bad weather in Spain at this time of year.
When we wake up on Wednesday, February 11, it’s dry. A break from the recent downpours.
We have a leisurely breakfast and then go to dump our grey and black water and fill up with fresh water. It never ceases to amaze us that water is available everywhere in Spain. It’s never turned off. That’s quite different in France and certainly in Germany.
Eventually, our tanks are empty and full, and we’re ready to leave. Since we drove on to Trujillo yesterday, we only have 53 miles left to our destination, Guadalupe. It’s practically not raining, but we soon find ourselves driving through a thick blanket of clouds. We’re climbing higher and higher into the mountains. It’s not cold.
The temperature hovers around 57 degrees, and mist droplets darken the windows. All around us is the typical rolling landscape of Extremadura. Full of oak trees, olive trees, and the occasional grapevine. Cows, sheep, and goats roam everywhere. We follow our GPS and eventually reach Guadalupe. We follow Dick’s GPS, which is, after all, calibrated for our heavier vehicle. Unfortunately, it doesn’t know the way very well, because we end up in the narrow square in front of the monastery. In front of us, the narrow road is blocked by two parked trucks, and behind us, we see nothing but parked cars. Fortunately, the trucks start moving, and we can drive into the narrow street.
Of course, two cars are coming toward us, but as we pull over to the side, we manage to let them pass, and after a winding descent, we arrive at a parking lot where water is gushing out of the street drains like a river. We stop for a moment to catch our breath and figure out where the RV site is now. A police car pulls up next to us, it’s been following us since the town square. When I get out, the officer says that we are probably lost. I say yes, firmly. The officer then gestures that we can park there. I look confused, so he repeats his “further on” gesture and says we need to turn left there. But where is “there”? I can’t figure it out, say thank to the officer, and we drive off. We don’t see anywhere we can turn left, so we drive back down the mountain road. At a roundabout, we turn and drive back up. Surely we must be able to park somewhere? Then it turns out that, on the outskirts of town, there’s a parking lot surrounded by high fences. To drive in, we have to cross a river with at least 5 inch of water. But then we’ve got a parking spot for the night. After we’ve parked the camper and have some coffee, we head outside. It’s raining pretty hard by now, so we look for an umbrella. After half the camper gets soaked by a waterfall coming from the roof, we find one. It has a small problem though. Just like the chocolate powder we left behind in the camper last November was eaten despite a plastic lid, this umbrella has been gnawed on by mice.
Lot’s of water on the parking place
The water is too deep for our shoes
There are holes everywhere, and the edge is worn to shreds.
But hey, better something than nothing, so we decide to take it with us on our hike up anyway. We try to get out of the parking lot without getting wet, but it’s a futile effort.
The flow of water from above is heavy, the current reaches that of a raging stream, and the depth of the water even floods my high hiking boots, so I continue our hike with my shoes soaked.
Dick doesn’t complain about anything, but that’s just not in his nature. I have no doubt that water has also seeped into his shoes. Fortunately, after wading for about 149 feet, we can climb up to dry ground and no longer have to wade through the river.
There’s no one outside, though it’s only 12:30 pm, so it’s not siesta time yet. Still, all the shops and restaurants are closed, and there’s not a soul in sight. A lone passing motorist looks at us with pity. We’re now quickly approaching the center where we nearly got stuck a moment ago, and we head toward the church. The monastery is now closed, it doesn’t open again until 3:30 pm. so we can’t visit it. Inside the church is “Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe,” the Black Madonna. It likely dates back to the 12th century.
According to tradition, it was created by the evangelist Luke, brought to Spain via Pope Gregory, and, after being hidden for a long time during the Moorish period, was rediscovered in the 14th century by a shepherd near the Guadalupe River. Christopher Columbus gave thanks there after his first voyage.
Lunch by the fireplace
After walking through the quiet, empty church, we head back outside. It’s still raining, so we seek shelter in a restaurant on the square. We’re able to eat there and find a table next to a fireplace where logs are burning. It feels cozy. The food isn’t anything special, but it’s tasty, and we have a glass of wine with it. After another delicious cup of coffee, we walk back through the rain. Once again, we wade through the river, which is now 6 inch deep, and can finally take off our soaking-wet jackets and shoes. A cup of water pours out of my shoes. Dick’s socks have already absorbed all the water from his shoes.
It keeps raining, so we stay inside. The camper soon fills with steam from all our wet gear, which we’ve laid out and hung up everywhere to dry as best we can. It rains all evening.
On Thursday, February 12, we don’t wake up until 8:20 am. The sun is shining and the sky is blue.
What a surprise after the past few days of gray and dreary weather. We have breakfast and then leave. The river, which partially flows across the parking lot, is slightly less furious than yesterday afternoon, but still so deep and wide that if you try to walk out of the parking lot, you sink up to your ankles in the flowing water.
View of Guadalupe
Dick stops a little further down to give me a chance to take one last panoramic photo of Guadalupe.
The monastery stands out against the blue sky. With beautiful weather, we drive further south. The first part is still along narrow mountain roads, but at some point we rejoin the Ruta de la Plata highway.
Around 12:30 pm. we arrive in Zafra. I walked here two years ago, but nothing, and I mean nothing, looks familiar to me here. After parking the camper in a lot on the edge of downtown, we walk into town. On our way to the Plaza Grande, we pass the Convento de Santa Clara. It’s 1:45 pm. and the museum closes at 2 pm, but we’re allowed to go inside for a quick look. Besides a monastery cell that’s quite small, we see a few paintings and end up in the church before heading out again to find our way through the narrow streets to some beautiful squares. All the little shops, which were just open a moment ago, are now closing, and it’s becoming quiet on the streets.
Restaurant “La Tertulia”
Zafra is also known as “Sevilla La Chica” because of its elegant squares and arcades. A short while later, we arrive at the two beautiful squares with their many arcades. On Plaza de Chica, we find the restaurant “La Tertulia.” Inside, it’s dead quiet, but we can eat there, so we order a burger and a glass of wine.The burger features super-tender meat and comes with a slice of goat cheese. We enjoy the meal, though it’s quite a lot. It’s worth coming back here.
With full stomachs, we stroll back through the town, which is now completely deserted.
We stop by the supermarket across the street to pick up some food and drinks, then go back to watch TV. I also sit down at my laptop again to write my story. I’m actually a bit behind.
Friday, February 13, 2026 is stormy.
There’s a bit of drizzle, but at 50 degrees, it’s not cold. I slept poorly last night. In my dreams, we were stuck everywhere because of Carnival, and the first thing I do after we shower is check what the Carnival situation is like at our destination today, Cádiz. It turns out that Cádiz has one of the most important and well-known Carnivals in Spain. Always attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors. The official opening is Thursday, February 12, and through February 22, there will be parties and parades all over the city. Things really get going in the city center then. And guess where our parking spot is, right in the middle of the city center.
We realize there’s absolutely no point in trying to find a spot in Cádiz today, so we decide over breakfast to change our destination. It’s a shame, but it’s a sensible thing to do. We cancel Cádiz, Tarifa, and Seville from our itinerary and drive straight to Vila Real de San Antonio, just across the border in Portugal.
After breakfast and dumping and filling up with water (yes, this facility is available here too), we set off. A little further on is a cheap gas station, so after a quick fill-up, we hit the road. The first stretch heads south, toward Seville. After about 31 miles, we turn off, into the mountains.
We expect a wide road, but it turns out to be a fairly narrow road that winds through the mountains. We climb higher into the mountains and then cross a bridge right through a reservoir. We approach the “Minas de Riotinto” mining area and arrive at one of the most impressive open-pit mines in the world. It was once the largest open-pit mine in the world. The most famous pit is the Corta Atalaya, which is 3937 feet long, 2952 feet wide, and 1148 feet deep. Minerals have been mined in this area for thousands of years: copper and silver in particular. These minerals were used by the Romans for coins and weapons. The terraces in the open-pit mine plunge hundreds of feet deep into the earth and resemble an amphitheater. Even NASA has conducted research here because the conditions resemble what is expected on Mars.
To us, it feels like a lunar landscape. I would have loved to stop here, but unfortunately that’s not an option on this narrow and busy road, so we have to keep going. I’m definitely adding this to my list to visit again later, perhaps in the summer.
Refilling propane gas
Just before 1 pm. we arrive at the border in Ayamonte. There’s a gas station here where we can have our empty propane tanks refilled. This is important. Because of the cold nighttime temperatures, especially at the start of our trip, the heater has been running overtime at night. So we’ve used a lot of propane.
We chat with the woman filling the bottles (which, by the way, is prohibited everywhere in Spain and France) and leave fifteen minutes later with our bottles full again. Then we drive to the Autovia.
We cross the river and have our license plate registered at the Portuguese border. We link it to our credit card so that, should we unexpectedly end up on a toll road, we won’t get a fine but a bill. Immediately after this registration, we leave the highway again and drive to the Portuguese town on the other side of the river: Vila Real de San Antonio. Fortunately, the parking lot by the river which had been evacuated on February 10, due to bad weather caused by storms, is open again. After paying a tax of 50 cents per person, we drive into the crowded lot. We are now at the start of the Algarve, and you can tell because people from all over Europe are spending the winter here. Campers are parked row after row. We manage to park our camper right next to a small restaurant with a view of the fast-flowing river. Once the camper is parked, I immediately walk to the restaurant to ask if we can eat there. We can, but it’s a seafood restaurant, and aside from fish and octopus, nothing else is on the menu. It’s not really our thing. So a little later, we walk into town. It’s not very crowded. However, the entire town is filled with statues of women. They’re made of rings, which is quite unique, and Dick takes photos of the whole series.
Chinese Bazaar
Unfortunately, Dick doesn’t want to go into the big Chinese bazaar, so I walk in alone to see if they have any colorful T-shirts. They had them in the summer. Now there are only gray and white ones, so we don’t need to look any further here. In the big square, we chat with a couple from Limburg and then ask at the restaurant if we can still get a meal. It’s already 3:30 pm. and dinner time is well past, so it’s not possible, and we walk further down the shopping street where everything is closed.
Eventually, we pass a restaurant whose kitchen is open all day. We order a meal there and enjoy a glass of wine. For dessert, we can’t resist the cheesecake, and after a good cup of coffee, we walk back. The meal was delicious.
Once home, Dick watches the Winter Olympics, and I walk to the supermarket. That’s a bit tricky because my phone refuses to connect to the internet. There’s an “E” on my screen, a sign that you’re in a basement and have no reception. Only now do I realize how often I check my phone. Luckily, I can still send and receive messages. Eventually, I make it to the store and buy some juice. By the time I’m back home, it’s starting to get dark. We read a bit, watch TV, and I don’t stay up too late. It’s only 8:30 pm, but in Spain it’s already 9:30 pm, so I declare it bedtime. Dick comes in a little later, he’s just sticking to Portuguese time. We sleep deeply after the night before, which was so restless due to the heavy storm in Zafra.
The time difference works in our favor because it’s 7:45 am. when we get up (already 8:45 am. in Spain). It’s Valentine’s Day, my mother passed away 28 years ago. We have breakfast and then drive to the dump. We’re early and can take our time filling up with water and dumping. Just as we’re almost done, people start coming out from all corners of the site carrying toilets or jerry cans. Luckily, we beat them to it.
Driving through a nice landscape
But it turns out that people here stay longer than a day. After I pay, the gate opens, and we leave. Soon we’re driving north under a bright blue sky. The road takes us right through the heart of Portugal. We drive through a beautiful mountainous area with a few fast-flowing rivers here and there. At one point, there are miles of tall, double fences. The reason for them becomes clear quickly. It’s a crossing point for lynxes.
Then we arrive in Mertola. The name sounded familiar, and now the town does too as we approach the castle on the hill, we drive past the parking lot where you can spend the night. The steep streets wind upward, and the roundabouts feature beautiful statues. Unfortunately, we pass through quickly and continue on our way. Not much later, we arrive in Castro Verde. There’s a parking lot by the Lidl where you can spend the night. It’s technically for Lidl customers, but we’ll just go in and do some shopping anyway. The advantage of this spot is that there’s also a small building with washing machines and dryers.
Since we arrived early, there’s plenty of space to park the camper. By late afternoon, all six spots are taken. After coffee, I gather up all the laundry. The laundry process takes some time because we have to wait for available washers and dryers, but by 3:15 pm. everything is clean and dry, and I can make our beds. In the meantime, Dick has vacuumed the camper (he does it much better than I can, much more thoroughly), so we can enjoy our clean living space. I take a quick walk to the Intermarché across the street, and after consulting with Dick, I buy a lasagna dish. A good choice, because around 7 pm. we put it in the oven, and an hour later we’re enjoying a delicious lasagna. It’s more than enough.
In the evening, we watch the Olympics. The short trackers make exciting television, and we enjoy it. It’s not until 10:30 pm. Portuguese time that I crawl into bed. Dick a little later.
After a peaceful and dead-silent night, we don’t wake up until 8:30 am. On Sunday, February 15. The sun is still shining nicely, but clouds are rolling in, and by the time we leave around 10:30 am, the blue sky has disappeared behind a thick blanket of clouds. Since we’re only allowed to stay at the Lidl for 24 hours, we drive to a large square 400 meters away and park the camper there.
Pata Negra on the roundabout
We walk to the roundabout where the Pata Negra (Iberian pigs) are grazing. Based on their number and gender, we can calculate the final coordinates of the cache. The cache turns out to be 1.5 miles away.
Maybe something to walk to this afternoon. First, we’ll take a look around town. We climb up through the deserted, narrow streets and stroll leisurely toward the Real Basilica. As we approach it, we hear people talking. Mass is still in full swing. So we keep walking and find a bar where we order coffee. We’re ready for it. After a quick trip to the restroom, we walk on and look for the little restaurant where we ate last year. But we can’t find it, so when we get back to our square, we climb back up.
It’s cold but the food is OK
There’s now a menu posted outside the building where we hesitated earlier. We’ve found our restaurant. We go inside and pick out a table.
There are only four tables, so it’s not that hard, and we order food. Last time we were here, it was the middle of summer, the sun was shining brightly and it was warm, so we found a spot in the courtyard. It might be warmer there now than inside, but there are no tables. The dining room has no heating anywhere, and since it’s also quite cold outside, the dining room feels like a freezer. Most people at the tables, which are now all occupied, are keeping their coats on.
There’s only one cook, so we have to wait quite a while, but that’s okay. Aside from the temperature, it’s a nice place to be, and we’re expecting good food. We aren’t disappointed. Dick’s Bistecca looks especially good. It tastes great, too. My burgers are a bit overcooked, but they’re still tasty. All in all, a meal worth repeating.
The Basilica is completely tiled
We did eat a bit too much, though, so when we step outside, we walk back up to the Basilica, which stands at the highest point of the town. The church service has ended by now, and we can take our time exploring the church. The interior is completely tiled, which gives it a unique look. Dick even notices the altar changing color from yellow to blue. Unfortunately, I miss that spectacle. We stroll back at a leisurely pace. Mealtime has long since passed; it’s three pm and outside on the street, it’s even more deserted than usual. When we get back to the camper, we decide to drive back to the Lidl and park the camper there for the night. There’s only one other (Dutch) camper there, so that’s no problem. Dick stays inside, but I walk over to the final coordinates of the geocache we calculated at the Pata Negra. Luckily I have a GPS, because my iPhone is still not working. Ever since we crossed the border into Portugal, I’ve been without internet and thus without signal or data. Nothing works on my phone anymore.
I run into a highway. There are countless tall fences, and the only option is to wade through a small tunnel that leads to farmland and is full of water. No solution. So I have to go back to the town.
After wandering around a bit, I finally find the right way out of town and, a little later, the geocache, hidden next to a small lake. On my way back to the camper, I also pass by an Earthcache, and after answering the questions there, I’m back by 5:15 pm. The Lidl store is open, so I pick up a few groceries. It’s only fair since we are parked in their lot.
Administration is required
I spend the rest of the evening updating my report and watching the Olympics with Dick. It’s dead quiet during the night. Still, I sleep poorly. All night long, I’m hunting and flying, finding countless items in dried-up lakes, throwing away valuable things, and saving old junk to proudly show Dick (fortunately I’m dreaming).
At 7 am. on Monday, February 16, I’m wide awake. Dick’s eyes are already open too, so we might as well get up. It’s still very dark outside, but by the time we sit down for breakfast, dawn is breaking. Unfortunately, it’s heavily overcast, so we don’t see the sun. After we’ve doing our dishes, we set off. We’ll take care of the dump tomorrow in Évora. Since we’re leaving early and only have to drive 78 miles, we arrive in Évora just after 10 am.
The drive took us through a hilly landscape where fruit trees, olive trees, and vineyards alternated. A few campers are just leaving, so we can park our camper in this busy municipal parking lot. The sun is shining, the sky is blue with a few white clouds. Of course, we have coffee.
Around 11 am. we walk into town. That means a lot of uphill walking, which is certainly not easy for Dick, since the streets and sidewalks are made of uneven small stones and it’s quite a bumpy ride. At a large square, we take a peek inside the church, but Mass is about to begin, so we settle for just a quick glance. You’re allowed to take photos inside, but you have to pay 50 cents. There are signs everywhere in the church and in the porticos indicating this.
Temple of Diana
We leave the church and make our way up through the charming little streets. There are lots of people out and about, and the outdoor cafes are packed. Everyone is enjoying the sun. Still, we don’t really find it warm at 54 degrees. Our goal is the Temple of Diana atop the hill, the highest point in the city. It means climbing and climbing and climbing through incredibly narrow, steep, and winding streets. After we’ve looked at the temple, well the ruins that remain of it, we slowly walk back down through yet more streets filled with tourist shops where cork products really do dominate.
Shop with cork products
It’s fun to hold a large piece of bark from a cork tree. It really feels like cork. After asking a police officer for directions to yet another square (where the Capelli dos Ossos is located), we skip this bone chapel this time. We’ve already visited it twice, and even though it’s quite impressive, we have other priorities now. We check out several restaurants.
It’s now 1 pm. and the outdoor patios, as well as the tables inside, are filling up quickly. At Craft, a burger restaurant, we find an empty table and order a burger that tastes absolutely delicious. Better than the one I had yesterday, which was way too well-done. After the meal, we take a short walk to look for some geocaches. By 4 pm. we’re back at the camper. We’ve walked nearly 4 miles. Unfortunately, the sky has turned gloomy and gray.
I still take a quick walk to a Chinese bazaar. Even though I almost never buy anything, I still love browsing around there. By 5:30 pm, I’m back home, where I can do my paperwork and log the geocaches we found. It was a fun day. And it was wonderful to arrive so early that we were actually able to wander around here all day.
In the evening, like every night, we watch the Games and enjoy all the winter sports. By 9:30 pm, my eyes are closing.
Tuesday, February 17, we’re up at 7:30 am. It’s 54 degrees and unfortunately cloudy. Fortunately, the sky seems to be clearing up a bit. Of course, we dump and fill up with clean water before we leave. Then we head north through the countryside along rolling hills. At first, we’re on fairly wide roads, but about 19 miles before Fatima, we turn inland. The route indicated by Dick’s Hakuna is closed, so we have no choice but to follow the route indicated by my Hakuna. It isn’t calibrated for the length, width, and height of our camper.
And we soon find that out: the road gets narrower and narrower and eventually leads through a small village with very narrow streets. Local residents watch to see if we’ll manage to get through the narrow streets. Just as it widens a bit and I can catch my breath again, we run into a funeral procession at a walking pace, the coffin is followed by half the village, and we follow. Just when I think we’re done, we arrive in another village where, of course, a car is parked right in a bend. I don’t think we’ll ever get past it, but luckily Dick manages to do so. Then, finally, we’re back on a somewhat wider road and arrive at the Dinosaur Natural Monument.
The road to a geocache
Dino trails
Unfortunately, the parking lot barrier is closed. I misread the opening hours. In the winter, the park where the dinosaurs’ footprints are located, is closed on weekdays. We look for another spot along the road to park the camper for a bit and then walk a short distance parallel to the Natural Monument to look for a geocache. It’s a large one, and we need that for a challenge. After some climbing over rocky terrain, however, we find the cache. Fortunately, this one also contains dinosaur footprints. Back at the camper, we only have to drive another 7 miles before arriving at the Cathedral of Fatima. The feast days for this shrine are mainly on Tuesdays in May, June, July, and August, so it’s still quiet now and we can easily park our camper.
After having a cup of coffee, we walk to the church, cross the vast square, visit the new church with its countless seats, and head to a few geocaches located just outside the church square. Unfortunately, we can’t open one cache, even though the lock code turns out to be correct after checking with fellow geocachers. We’ll try that one again next time. Then we pass the bar where we were last summer with our friend from Brasil, Danielle, who arrived in Fatima after walking the Camino from Lisbon. You can also eat there, we order something and are soon enjoying an excellent meal.
Burning candles in Fatima
With our bellies full, we walk back in the late afternoon. We do stop briefly at the candle-burning area, though. So many candles are being lit that a large fire has started in the container where you place them. The candle doesn’t even have time to burn down; it melts immediately. The smell of candle wax is overpowering here.
We take our candle home, we’ll light it there. When we get back to the camper, I walk over to Aldi to get some juice. I also buy a fluorescent neckie. It weighs nothing but gives off light thanks to the reflective stripes. This is coming with me on my Camino. I often walk along the road in the dark, so I want to have something with me that reflects well and makes me more visible.
Evening at the RV parking
It remains quiet in the parking lot. Only the sound of the church bells ringing out beautifully reminds us that we’re in Fatima. I don’t have to cook anymore, so we just have some coffee, along with some soda and water.
After a good night’s sleep in this dead-quiet parking lot, we’re woken up at 7 am. on Wednesday morning, February 18, 2026 by the church bells. I love waking up this way. A little while later, we get up, shower, and have breakfast.
There’s a water tap in the parking lot, but no place to dump the gray water, so after breakfast and washing our dishes, we leave at 8:20 am. The sky is gray, and a cold wind is blowing. It’s no warmer than 50 degrees. Soon we find ourselves on a major highway, it turns out to be a toll road. It’s a good thing we linked our license plate to our credit card at the border. We follow this highway for 50 miles, leaving the narrow village roads behind us. This means we make much better time.
Consequences of severe weather
Just like yesterday, we see the aftermath of the bad weather that ravaged this region two weeks ago along the road. Trees are lying everywhere. Some have snapped like matchsticks. In Fatima, too, a few trees had fallen victim to the storm and toppled over, sometimes damaging fences. We regularly have drizzle and rain, but as we approach Aveiro, the sun fortunately comes out. There’s plenty of space in the parking lot, and we choose the first spot as close as possible to the station. It’s strange that it’s so quiet here. Normally, you can’t find a spot in Aveiro and you have to be lucky to park.
After a cup of coffee, of course, we walk to the other side of the station. As soon as we get there, it starts to rain. Too bad, but we keep walking. The rain isn’t really heavy yet. It picks up, though, when we’re standing on one of the bridges over the canal, looking for a geocache. It’s supposed to be among the ribbons attached to the bridge. But no matter how hard we and a Belgian couple search, we can’t find the cache. We walk around the town a bit more, but eventually the rain and wind get so intense that we’ve had enough and head back toward the station. Just before it, there’s a pastry shop where we can eat and find a free table. The turkey with lettuce and fries tastes great. We’ve gotten used to eating in the afternoon by now, and we’re quite happy with that.
Sheltering from the rain
We are, however, soaking wet when we arrive, and when we leave after the delicious meal, we see that puddles of water have formed behind our chairs, where we’d hung our coats.
Back at the camper, I change my jacket and walk over to the supermarket next to the parking lot. I also take a quick look inside two Chinese bazaars. I buy a jar opener there. The one I have at home is bent out of shape and keeps slipping whenever I try to open a jar. Hopefully this one is better. Dick clearly disagrees when I show him my purchase: “It’s junk and won’t work.” We’ll see. The sun is now shining brightly, and we bask in the evening light; it’s 5 pm.
After I finish writing my story, I’m going to relax and watch some TV. Our coats are hanging in the shower to dry further. They can’t really withstand this much rain, and we’re a bit wet. After coffee, I decide to walk over to Continente to pick up some Oikos yogurt. It’s on sale, and we both love that yogurt. We go to bed around 10pm. It’s still nice to be parked next to a big train station.
Empty toilet cassette
Thursday, February 19, we don’t get up until 7:30 am. It’s a bit gray, but we also see some blue peeking through. After washing up, we drive to the dump where we fill up on water and then really hit the road. First through the endless string of villages. We aren’t making much progress, but the road is fun to drive because there’s so much to see.
The gray clouds regularly drop a few drops of rain, but it’s dry again in no time. Just before Porto, we’re back on a major highway, driving over the massive Douro River and seeing Porto’s famous bridges right beside us. The sun is shining brightly, and we enjoy the view of Porto in the sunshine. Just outside Porto, the road looks familiar. When I pull up the Camino app, it turns out we’re now driving along the route I walked in October 2025. How nice! Once again, I talk Dick’s ears off, telling him what it was like to walk here. Dick says nothing but at one point he points out the Camino arrows along the path I walked. They are everywhere.
After another stretch of highway, which lets us make good time, we drive the final stretch through the villages that are strung together like a ribbon.
And then we arrive in Ponte de Lima. The app indicates that there is only space for RVs up to 22 feet, but that turns out to be incorrect, and we’re able to park the RV in a spacious lot where there’s only one British RV. Immediately after we’ve covered everything up, we walk to the old Roman bridge. We first pass by the albergue, where we naturally take a photo.
The army leader crosses the river Lima
Upon reaching the bridge, we reflect on the legend of the Lima River. The Roman soldiers refused to cross this river. They believed it to be the mythical Lethe, the river of the underworld. The army commander then crossed the river first and called each soldier by name to follow him. After that, the soldiers crossed as well. The statue of the Roman commander commemorates this event. Because the river has burst its banks, the army commander stands in the water on his rearing horse. By walking across a patch of quicksand and a flooded grassy field, we’re able to take a close-up photo. It’s funny that the infantry is still standing on the other side.
Then it’s time to cross the Roman bridge. On the other side, we wander a bit through the old narrow streets of the city center. I am so grateful that we are both here and that I can now show Dick where I walked.
Time and again, I feel the urge to show him the different paths. At 2 pm, we pass a small restaurant called “Pica Pau,” which means “woodpecker,” and we go inside. Even though there’s no one else there, we’re able to eat. The meal is excellent. The meat is tender and flavorful, and we really enjoy our meal. After dinner, we walk around for a bit and then head back to the albergue. Since I want to check out another church, I walk back again. I try to take a photo of the Roman army, but it’s too deep in the water.
The credential is stamped
Next to the albergue, there’s a spot to get my credentials stamped. It involves quite a ceremony: the bell is rung, the hat is put on, and the walking stick is grabbed, and then I get a stamp. I thank the man and walk back to the camper in the lovely warm sunshine. The trees here are already in bloom, spring is coming. This is a place to return to. I have a special connection with Ponte de Lima. Also, for the first time in days, I have 4G on my phone again instead of “E”. Finally, I can use my phone again.
Friday, February 20, we’re both wide awake at 7:10 am. It’s a hive of activity on the cobblestone road next to us. Cars are driving back and forth, where to? After breakfast and washing the dishes, we set off along the same cobblestone road and drive north. That’s really nice because I regularly recognize stretches of road where I’ve walked. In the distance, we see deep valleys filled with clouds, but there’s also some sun.
In Valence, we cross the border into Spain. A little further on is the bridge I crossed. It won’t be long now before we reach Padron.
We have to search a bit for the RV spot, but after a few turns through narrow streets, we arrive at the parking lot next to the Camino. After having some coffee, we walk into town. Unfortunately, the church is closed, and we can’t find a few geocaches either. After wandering through the narrow streets of the town center, we find a restaurant not far from our parking spot. There’s a menu del día. We go inside and order the menu. First, croquettes, then meat with fries. It tastes good. We also get a small carafe of wine with it. After the meal we walk back. Then I head out again. The convent on the hill is closed, but when I push against the church door, it turns out to be open. After a quick glance inside the dark church, I see the pastor waiting, the church is still closed. So I leave again. On my way back I pick up some bottles of water at the supermarket. Around 5 pm, I head out again. I want to see the anchor post in the church.
Anchor pole in the church
Milepost direction Santiago
Now the church is open and lit, and finally, under the altar, I see the anchor post. It is a stone mooring post on which, according to legend, the boat carrying the body of the Apostle Santiago is said to have run aground.
I’m allowed to look at it up close, take photos, and thank God that I get to see all of this. Finally, after taking many more photos, I leave the church.
I pop into a Chinese bazaar for a moment, and then I’m back home. In the evening, we have some yogurt and watch the final speed skating event. It’s so exciting. We don’t go to bed until after midnight. We forgot the isolation on the window, it still gets chilly at night.
When we get up at 9 am on Saturday, February 21, it’s only 46 degrees outside. But the sun is shining and the sky is blue. The weather is lovely. After we’ve dumped, we leave this pleasant spot in the city center. We drive to Santiago along sunny roads. Long stretches of the road look very familiar to me. A road that was still under construction in October 2025 is now finished. There are beautiful new sidewalks everywhere. After 45 minutes, we’re in Santiago, where there’s plenty of space. After we’ve had coffee, Dick starts cleaning the table (he has to take it partly apart) and I walk to Monte Gozo.
Pilgrims monument at Monte Gozo
There’s a pilgrim monument there. It’s located slightly off the pilgrimage route, so I’ve never seen it before. It’s a good workout because I have to climb a lot, it’s not called “Monte do Gozo” for nothing. On the mountain, I find the St. Marcos Chapel, where I get a stamp in my credential, and then I start looking for the monument. First, I pass some beautiful bronze doors, and then, in the distance, I see the beautiful monument.
A Korean woman takes pictures of me at the monument. It’s even more beautiful because the sky is steel blue and the sun is shining. Then I call Dick to tell him I’m walking back.
Santiago moves Tita
We agree to meet in the square in front of the cathedral. Just before three pm, I arrive at the gate leading to the cathedral square. A bagpiper plays his music here all year round. I get emotional and a moment later fall into Dick’s arms, crying. As if I’d just walked the Camino and not only 8 miles. Santiago never ceases to move me. Together we walk to the little street where the office is located where you can get the “Compostella,” an official church document and proof that you’ve completed a pilgrimage.
The little eatery where I want to eat, Canadu, is closed, but across the street is a restaurant that is open. The dining room is full, but there’s still an empty table in the bar where we can sit. We order a meal of the day, and it tastes delicious. Around four pm. we walk back. Of course, we take a look inside the cathedral, where I naturally embrace the statue of Santiago. It never fails to move me. Then we stroll leisurely back to the bus stop. It’s still 63 degrees and the sun is shining brightly. We have to wait 20 minutes, but then the bus arrives and we ride back to the parking lot. In the camper, I update my story, and then we watch TV. It’s the last day of the Olympics. The parking lot isn’t very busy.
The RV is being washed
On Sunday, February 22, we don’t get up until 8:30. I wake up from a deep sleep. Dick is already awake, as always. There’s fog outside, but blue skies soon appear. It’s only 37 degrees and feels freezing cold, partly because of the wind.
After breakfast and doing the dishes, we empty the tanks, fill up with water, and hit the road. In Cee, we pull off the road to wash the camper. Santi, the owner of the camper site in Fisterra, showed us this wash spot years ago. We have to wait a bit, though. It’s so busy that there’s even a passenger car parked in the camper wash area.
Once that car is finally done, we can start cleaning, spraying soap first, later the high-pressure sprayer with shampoo. The dirt is dripping off the camper, and you can see it looking better. After an hour, the camper looks presentable again, and we can continue our drive. Santi isn’t there yet when we arrive in Fisterra, so we park the camper in the spot across from the office and drink some coffee. The temperature has risen, the sun is shining, the wind has died down, and we can even sit outside. It’s 59 degrees.
Santi welcomes us
Once we’ve finished our coffee, Santi arrives, and we greet him. He’s put on his orange shirt especially for the occasion.
In the afternoon, I walk over to the Chinese bazar to look around, don’t buy anything, and walk back. When I’m at the post office, Dick comes walking up, and together we head toward the harbor.
It turns out only one restaurant is open there: Maruxia. Even the kebab place is closed.
It’s very crowded in the restaurant, and all the tables are taken. Luckily, a group of drinkers is just leaving, and we can sit down at the table that’s opened up.
For our appetizer, we order tomato with mozzarella, for the main course, meat and fries.
Dick has a solomillo, and it turns out to be incredibly tender, you can really see him enjoying it.
Lunch in restaurant Maruxia
The red wine tastes great, too. We’ve actually eaten too much, so we take a stroll through the town. We both love staying here. Of course, I show Dick the albergue where I stayed in October. I had taken the bus to Fisterra back then, which meant I wasn’t allowed to stay at the municipal albergue.
By 5 pm, we’re back at the camper. Our faces are glowing from the warm sun. We’re so lucky with the weather. We don’t do much else. I do, however, give some stroopwafels (Dutch cookies) to Santi. In the evening, we watch the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic. By 10:30 pm my eyes are closing. I sleep deeply.
On Monday, February 23, we don’t get up until 8:30 am. Although the sun is shining, there are thin clouds hanging along the mountains on the other side of the bay. After breakfast, I walk over to Victor, my regular barber. He was supposed to open at 10 am, but unfortunately, there’s a note on the door saying the shop doesn’t open until noon. So I walk back, empty-handed. We have coffee together.
Victor and his mother in Fisterra
Around 11:30am. I walk back to the center. The barbershop is still closed, but I can wait comfortably in the sun on the steps. It’s just warm. And then a surprised exclamation. Victor and his mother arrive, and they both greet me warmly. I can get my hair cut right away, which is nice, and after washing my hair, the scissors are put to work. Finally, my long hair is gone.
Apparently, Victor thinks it’s a shame to cut my hair very short, so it stays, in my opinion, too long. But that’s just the way it is. Meanwhile, Victor unleashes an unstoppable torrent of Spanish on me. I don’t understand everything, but luckily I catch enough to respond. Eventually, I say goodbye and tell him I’ll be back early May after I’ve walked the Camino Francés. Of course, we take photos. When I’m back, Dick and I walk to the harbor together. Many restaurants are still closed, but our “Maruxia” is open. Once again, we find the last table and order food. It tastes exquisite again.
Visiting Steffen Pfeiffer
On the way back, we pop into Steffen Pfeiffer’s place. In the past this journalist collected water from many countries to draw the world’s attention to the shortage of it. That’s how he also came to visit the previous pope. He’s a captivating storyteller, and it’s always a pleasure to listen to him. Eventually, we continue our walk. Outside, we sit in the sunshine for a while and pet the donkeys grazing in the pasture next to us. Only when the sun has disappeared behind the mountains we go inside.
Tuesday, February 24, the weather looks quite different. It’s cloudy, gray, and 50 degrees. Dick wakes me up at 8 am. because there’s a lot to do today. After breakfast, we walk to the lavanderia. Dick will do the dishes later.
There’s already a washing machine in use, so I can only wash part of our laundry. We have two large laundry bags full. While Dick does the dishes and vacuums, I oversee the laundry process. It takes quite a while, but by noon everything is clean, dry, and put away. The beds are also freshly made.
We drink a coffee and then Dick sends me on my way to the Cabo Finisterra. (the end of the world). Every time we’re here, I walk to that iconic spot where the endless ocean stretches to nowhere. And I love it, especially when it’s stormy, like it is now. The wind does mean I don’t walk along the edge designated for pedestrians but stick to the road instead. At least there’s a guardrail between me and the abyss now. Even at the tip of the cape, the wind gusts are so strong that I don’t really dare to climb onto the rocks.
View at the Atlantic Ocean
Luckily, I just manage to snap a photo at the cross near Apostle Santiago. After half an hour of enjoying the view, I walk back. I call Dick, and he will leave the house in the meantime, so we’ll meet up again at the harbor. There, we’ll have dinner at Maruxia once more. For now, the last time, because tomorrow we’re leaving again.
After we return to the camper following a delicious meal, I decide to take a quick look at the cliff where the remains of a hermitage are located. There’s also a geocache there that I hadn’t been able to find earlier. It involves a fairly steep climb up slopes that lead higher and higher through the forest.
View through a window closet the geocache
Eventually, I reach the ruins and large boulders. Right after that, I find the geocache. After taking a few more photos, I walk back to the town along the ocean. It offers stunning views of the ocean, and I’m really enjoying myself. It’s so beautiful. That said, this hike is tough on my muscles. There’s a lot of downhill walking. Eventually, I’m down at a bay where I find another geocache, and then it’s the last stretch back to the camper. It’s almost 7 pm. so I won’t make it to the pilgrim mass anymore. That will have to wait until the next time I’m here.
After I’ve told Dick all about my day, I write down my experiences. I feel really happy. When I see Santi walking to his little office, I go over to pay him. I’d rather pay in person than put the money in the mailbox. Because of the strong wind that’s still blowing, we can’t get the satellite dish to work, so we watch TV on the laptop. My eyes close again before Dick’s do.
Wednesday, February 25, we don’t get up until 8:30 am. I wake up from a deep sleep. Dick is, as always, already awake. It’s cloudy and gray again, though the rain has stopped. After breakfast and washing the dishes, we leave our favorite spot, Fisterra, and drive to another favorite, Santiago. It’s only a 58 miles drive, so we arrive as early as 11 am. After the usual coffee, we walk to the center. It’s dry and not really cold.
Of course, we visit the little churches we come across along the way. At one of them, we get a stamp in our credential. We stroll through the narrow streets of the old town and also pass my Albergue “The Last Stamp.” It won’t open its doors until tomorrow.
Booklets at Casa Ivar
Casa Ivar turns out to still be open, so we go inside. Ivar himself isn’t there, but his employee is, and we buy a comprehensive guide of the “Camino Frances.”
That way, Dick can follow me better on my trip later this year.
Eventually, we also walk to the little street where our favorite restaurants are. Canadu is still closed, but the restaurant across the street is open again. Last Saturday, the food there was good, and we enjoy the menu once more.
Lunch at “Girl with the Pearl”
We also joke with the waitress who bears a certain resemblance to the “Girl with a Pearl.” We show her the photo of this famous painting by the famous painter Johannes Vermeer. Her colleagues joke about it. After we’ve had a delicious meal, we naturally check in at the pilgrims office to see how many pilgrims arrived. At 4 pm only 58 pilgrims are registrated. Then we walk back to the camper, where we arrive after a total of 4 miles.
To cover a few extra miles, I walk to a Chinese bazaar, a short stretch along the Camino Inglés. The store is being liquidated, and it shows, the shop is uninspiring, and I quickly leave. In the evening, we have ice cream that I pick up at the gas station across the street. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite measure up to a magnum. Of course, we watch TV too. Our satellite dish is working again, the storm has died down.
On Thursday, February 26, it’s foggy when we get up at 8 am. After taking care of our daily chores, showering, eating breakfast, doing the dishes, emptying the tank, and filling up with water, we leave our parking spot and head north. Slowly, the fog clears. When we arrive in A Coruña, the sun is shining, though there are still some clouds. But the temperature is rising, and by the afternoon it’s at least 59 degrees. After our usual coffee, we walk toward the boulevard.
Museum Muncyt in A Coruña
But first, we look for a geocache at MUNCYT, the museum of science and technology. The cache is inside a locker. When we hear that we can visit the museum for free, we go inside. We spend some time looking around this nine-story building. There are many inventions on display that have been made over the centuries, and we focus especially on those from our own lifetime. We frequently let out a sigh of recognition.
It’s shocking to see how much has changed in our lives so far. You just feel old.
We also visit the cockpit of a Boeing and look around the newly opened exhibition on Humboldt, the Spanish explorer who, among other things, mapped ocean currents. We find it a fun and educational museum.
Boulevard in A Coruña
Once we’re back outside, we walk to the boulevard. The temperature is around 63 degrees. People are swimming in the sea, and it’s lovely to walk around here. After searching for and finding a few caches, we look for a place to eat. We walk into a restaurant and order the set menu. Either the food is really bad or I ordered the wrong thing, but it doesn’t taste good, everything is sweet. After the meal, we walk back. Just before we reach the camper, we split up. I walk past a Chinese bazaar for a bit, and Dick heads back home. I also pop into a large Carrefour to pick up some drinks. Eventually, I’m home too. Late in the afternoon, I head out again to get some tonic, but in the end, we’re sitting together in the camper, enjoying the bright sunshine and the lovely weather.
On Friday, February 27, the weather looks completely different. It’s gloomy and gray, and 55 degrees. Since it’s also raining, interspersed with drizzle, we decide not to stay another day but to adjust our travel plans. We leave at 10 am. and a little later we’re driving on the main road to Lugo.
We only have to drive 68 miles, so we arrive in Lugo at 11:45 am. We take the wrong turn up the hill, but after turning around, we find the right exit and are able to park the camper in the large parking lot just below the city. While we’re drinking coffee, the rain stops, and we walk into the city. That means a steep climb through a park. Our first stop is a sports store. When we arrive, it turns out the store no longer exists, so we walk to another sports store.
I need a new rain cover for my backpack, and this sports store has them. Unfortunately, they don’t have a yellow one, but they do have a red one, so I buy that. We thank the staff and continue our walk through Lugo.
City gate in Lugo
This walled city is still a special place to explore. By the time we walk through one of the city gates, it’s 2 pm and first we head to the Hiper Froiz next to the city wall. There we order the menu del dia. After we’ve eaten a delicious, meal, but too much, we walk back to the old town. Of course, I want to show Dick the albergue. After that, we look for a geocache in the city wall. With some climbing and a little help from Dick, we manage to find it. We then walk along the city wall to take some photos.
Cathedral in Lugo
At the cathedral we leave the wall and walk inside. With our credentials, we get a 50% discount and pay 5 euros instead of 10. Inside, we’re not allowed to take photos, but I sneak one anyway. The cathedral is quite impressive and has a magnificent painting above the main altar. After touring the church and looking around the courtyard, we check out the exhibition in the church’s gallery. It’s impressive, and I’m glad we took the time to look around. After 4 miles walking, we’re back. By the river, far below us, we see the Roman soldier I passed when I crossed that river early morning when walking along the Camino Primitivo. Of course, I want to go take a look there.
Dick has had enough walking, so I head down the hill on my own. Along the way, I find another geocache with a stunning view of the Minho River. When I get back, the sun is still shining brightly. Later, we watch it set beautifully. We reflect on a wonderful day in Lugo.
On the last day of the month, we get up at 8:15 a.m. The sky is already blue and the sun is shining. It’s windless and 41 degrees. When we want to dump after breakfast and washing the dishes, we have to wait a moment. A French woman is ahead of us. Her hose is tangled, and it takes some time before she leaves. In the meantime, I empty our black water since there are two dumping stations. Eventually, we’re also full of clean water, and a little later we drive along a major road with enormous viaducts. We take a back road. It’s slow going but fun, and it takes us through small villages.
Castillo de Ponferrada
In Ponferrada, the parking lot next to the albergue is crowded. Luckily, there’s still enough space to park. Soon we’re walking into town, following a geocache. This takes us past all five bridges in the city. Of course, we pass the “Castillo de Ponferrada,” which has dominated the town since 1282. It looks like a Disney castle and is beautiful to behold. It was once the seat of the Knights Templar. These knights improved the old fortress that stood here to defend the road to Santiago. When we finally reach the very last bridge, far outside the city center, we can’t find the geocache.
We walk back to the city center in the lovely sunshine. The river must have been at a high level. Large sections of the walking path are cordoned off, and part of the path has been washed away. Back in the city center, we manage to find a spot on a terrace to eat, even though it’s already three pm. We choose a table in the sun where it’s nice to sit. It does get a bit cooler when the clouds take over for a while, but it’s all the more pleasant when the sun comes out in full force again. Around 4:00 pm, we walk back to the camper. I walk on to the bazaar and the market to get some juice and am back a little later. By now, it’s almost 6:00 pm. An hour later, we install our insolation. Tonight, the temperature will drop to freezing.
The news is dominated by the war in Iran. Israel and the U.S. have bombed the country. We watch TV, our faces are glowing and don’t go to bed very late.
Still snow on the mountain tops
Sunday, March 1, 2026 we get up at 8 am. The sun is already shining in a blue sky. Another lovely day ahead. After we’ve emptied the tanks and filled up with fresh water using a watering can, we set off. It’s Sunday, so the roads are quiet, and since we don’t have far to go, we stop again in Hospital de Orbigo to refuel. We also have a coffee and a cheese sandwich. Around 11 am we leave to drive the last few kilometers to León, where we arrive at 11:30 am.
There are quite a few RVs in the parking lot, but there’s plenty of space. Once we’re parked, I walk over to the payment machine. There are no instructions on how much to pay, and inserting coins doesn’t work, but I eventually manage to pay with my credit card. The daily pass costs 2 euros.
After we’ve had our coffee, as always, we walk to the city center. I enjoy walking here with Dick now. When we arrive at the cathedral, the church bells are ringing.
Diorama in Ponferrada
As soon as they stop after a while, music comes out of the speakers. It’s coming from a building belonging to one of the brotherhoods of Semana Santa. We walk over there and after each of us pays 1 euro, we’re allowed to view a beautiful diorama depicting the life and suffering of Christ. It’s exquisitely crafted and a marvel to behold. We thank the people who organized this and walk back outside.
The cathedral is now closed. We won’t be able to go back in until 4 pm. So we wander through the crowded, narrow streets of León, where small bars jostle side by side. In the larger squares and open spaces, there are tables set out in the sun, but there isn’t a single free spot anywhere. It’s very, very busy. Eventually, we do find a small restaurant in one of the narrow streets of the old town where we can sit inside, and we order a plato (dish). The food is delicious, and we enjoy the meal. By the time we finish eating, it’s now 3 pm the place is packed.
So it’s a good thing we had dinner earlier. We walk around a bit more, check out a building that was clearly designed by Gaudí, and stroll back along an old city wall. Just before we reach the camper, we find another cache in a hedge surrounding a small park. It’s now 4:30 pm. The sun is still shining brightly, and it’s 53 degrees. I’m going to write our story on the computer again and Dick is going to watch the ice skating. Henk and my sister Hannah are in Cervinia, Italy. They’re having slightly less nice weather and lots of clouds. Hopefully that will change over the course of the week. Later, we’ll secure our insulation mat over the window again because low temperatures are expected here tonight as well. Still, it doesn’t get as cold as we think because the temperature doesn’t drop below 42 degrees at night. But despite that, the heater comes on. We notice it right away in the bathroom, where the heater is on when we get up at 8 am. That’s very pleasant. After breakfast, we empty the tanks and fill up with water using the watering can.
On the road to Oviedo
Then we head off to Oviedo. There are lots of clouds, but the sun peeks through now and then. We follow the N 630, which partly follows the route of the Camino el Salvadore. That’s still on my list.
Of course, I’m tracking the route of this Camino on my “Buen Camino App.” We climb and climb further into the mountains, and I’m enjoying it. Unfortunately, we realize too late that we’ve reached the summit, and we can’t stop there anymore. It’s a shame, because this is where Asturias begins. Then it’s time to descend.
Very steep 17% and 15% slopes follow, one after another, and just when we think it’s getting a little easier, 13% and 10% slopes appear. We stop briefly at a cove to let the brakes cool down. It’s cloudy, stormy, and the temperature isn’t higher than 46 degrees, so the brakes cool down just fine.
Steeps downhill to Oviedo
I step outside for a moment to take photos of the mountains around us. Every now and then, I spot a snow-capped peak in the distance. What a spectacular landscape. It is scary to walk outside, though, because the wind is blowing me away and I’m afraid of being blown into the abyss. I’m back in the camper in a flash. We continue our descent. It seems endless. We drop from 4265 feet to 656 feet. This Camino also runs through this landscape, so it’s a really tough one. Still, it remains on my list, but it’s definitely something for the summer. Finally, with our brakes squealing, we reach the bottom and head for the RV park. It turns out there’s one empty spot, but that’s all we need, and we park our Frankia.
A little later, I see two more spots open up, but they’re quickly taken again. This is clearly a popular camper spot. As soon as the camper is parked, we walk to the roundabout where the bus to the city center departs, C2 to the city and C1 back, or maybe the other way around. We each pay € 1,20 and can sit for quite a while. The distance to downtown is 3 miles.
Statues in Oviedo
We get off at a small park and look for where we can get back on. It also seems possible on the long shopping street we drove through earlier. We immediately see various images that, taken together, paint a unique picture of the city.
Then we walk through the streets toward the cathedral. Finally, I get to see it. In May 2025, that didn’t work out because I missed my bus in Paris. I did manage to arrange two other buses so I still made it to Oviedo, but not until 8 pm and by then the cathedral was closed. I wouldn’t have been able to go anyway because I had to rush to get to my hostel on time. Now we can see the church, but not the inside. It’s 1:30 pm and the church is closing. They have siesta there, too. So, we wander through the narrow streets of the old town. Of course, I show Dick my Green Hostel, it’s right near another square. We check out another beautiful square where the market is just wrapping up and then find Restaurant El Antiguo where we can eat. We have a great meal there and enjoy the food and the wine. Yes, that too. Wine is included with every meal, so we’re drinking a bit more on this vacation than we normally do. After the meal, we wander around for a while, and then it’s 4 pm and we can finally go inside the cathedral. Of course, we have our credentials with us so we pay half the admission price and look around inside.
Cloister corridors
Next to the church, we also see the cloisters, and a few flights of stairs up is a museum that we walk through as well.
It’s a pity that photography isn’t allowed anywhere, there’s also a lot of supervision. There are people everywhere, and especially cameras, so sneaking photos doesn’t really work either. After looking around everywhere, we walk back outside and look for a few more geocaches in the park. It’s funny that at the edge of the park, today’s date is visible, spelled out in grass. We walk back to the bus stop, our C1 bus is just pulling away, but five minutes later another one stops, so we’re still home before 6 pm. We change into our comfy clothes, settle onto the couch, watch TV, and reflect on a wonderful day.
Going to the laundromat
Since there’s a well-maintained laundromat across from the parking lot, we decide to stay the next day, March 3-rd, as well. After breakfast, with delicious fresh baguettes I picked up at the shop around the corner, we haul everything over to the other side of the street.
There, I start the laundry, and Dick cleans the camper and vacuums everything. The washing and drying process takes the entire morning, but by 12:30 pm everything is put away and the beds are made.
A little later, we walk back to the bus stop, where our bus arrives shortly after. 3 Miles down the road, we get off at the large bus station. Of course, I have to show Dick this too, because this is where the Alsa bus brought me in May 2025 when I started my Camino Primitivo. From here, we walk through the pleasantly bustling streets of Oviedo.
Where would this be?
We take a photo by the “Oviedo” letters and look at a monumental basilica that is unfortunately closed.
Eventually, we find ourselves back at the cathedral and walk through all sorts of narrow streets toward the hostel. Unfortunately, our restaurant turns out to be closed, so we keep walking, past the cathedral again, and then spot a bar that’s pretty busy. They serve food there, and we’re given a table in the dining room. We choose the menu, for the first course, salad with pineapple and mango. It tastes exquisite and is worth eating more often. Next, Cachopo, a kind of cordon bleu and an Asturian dish. That tastes great too. We can add this little restaurant to our list of favorites. After the meal, we take a short walk, answer the questions for an Earthcache in the park, and notice that the grass letters now display today’s date. The city worker watering the grass says they update the date every day. It’s a lot of work, but also fun.
When we get home, Dick has had enough, but I walk over to two caches in the neighborhood. When I pass a lovely Chinese bazaar on the way, I naturally have to browse around for a bit. There’s a gorgeous belt bag, not that I really need one, but it’s wine-red and looks fantastic. After discussing it with Dick, I buy the bag.
By the time I’m back home, it’s already getting dark. Today was the first time we walked without jackets. Summer is in the air, and it seems the cold has been pushed aside. In the evening, we don’t stay up too late.
Gardena fittings for water
On Wednesday, March 4, we get up at 8 am. as usual. The supermarket is still closed, but the nearby bakery is open, so we enjoy breakfast with a fresh baguette. After doing the dishes, we empty the waste tank and fill up with water. The water connection is in the ground but has a Gardena fitting, so we can easily connect our hose to it. Very convenient.
At 9:30 am. we leave this pleasant parking lot nestled between tall apartment buildings, which is conveniently close to the bus stop heading to the city center. We’re soon on the main road, driving toward Santander. Somewhere along the way, Dick gets an alert. The warning tone is the same as the one we have at home. It turns out there’s a massive fire raging, and we see a firefighting helicopter dumping water on the blaze burning in an industrial area. Fortunately, we pass it quickly. We don’t make it to Santander. Experience has taught us that you can almost never find a spot there.
So we turn off earlier toward Puente San Miguel. There’s a large parking lot next to the railroad tracks where we can park. It’s pretty busy because there are already six RVs there. The caravan that was there six months ago is still here. After enjoying a nice cup of coffee, Dick goes to log our geocaches, and I take a leisurely walk to Torrelavega, a neighboring town with a large Decathlon, irresistible to me. It turns out to be a shorter walk than I thought, because after 3.5 miles I’m back.
Summers trousers for Tita
I did, though, find a nice pair of summer pants that fit perfectly and that I’m really happy with. I also popped into a flea market and found some Coca-Cola glasses. How nice. Dick likes to drink from them, but I’ve broken all his glasses. Now he can drink from a Coca-Cola glass again. At 4 pm I sit down at my laptop to update my story again. It’s 70 degrees. All the windows and doors are open, and for the first time in months, I’ve been walking around in just a T-shirt. That promises something for the upcoming Camino if it’s already this warm now, in early March. It seems as though, with the start of March, the temperature dial has been turned up. Tonight we’re going to eat at the café around the corner. We’ve eaten there before, and it wasn’t bad.
We regularly hear trains passing by, their horns blaring. I personally really like that and especially this little train. It took me across a wide river early one morning when I was walking the Camino del Norte. It was only a short ride, just across the bridge over the river, but it meant I didn’t have to walk 9.4 miles.
At 6 pm. we walk to the bar. It’s crowded with card players and spectators; they take up half the place. Luckily, there’s a small table in the corner by the window where we can sit. I don’t look closely at the menu because after I’ve ordered, I see there are many more dishes listed on the back of the card. Oh well, the burger will probably be good too. And indeed, it looks fantastic but is also very large.
We eat it and it does make me gain weight. The coffee afterward is also delicious, and with a sense of satisfaction, we slowly walk back to the camper.
It has gotten busier, and there are now more than 12 campers. However, there is plenty of space in this large parking lot. I do realize that this isn’t the best spot to watch the solar eclipse in August. It won’t occur until the evening, and because the sun is low in the sky, it requires a slightly better viewing point facing northwest.
Because the wind has picked up, it’s not possible to watch TV in the evening. Our satellite dish is rattling, but thanks to the alternative method of watching, via the laptop, we manage to catch a few programs after all.
Well known place at the Camino del Norte
We probably stayed up too late, because on Thursday, March 5, 2026, we don’t wake up until 8:30 am. We shower, have breakfast, empty the tanks and fill up with fresh water, as we do every day, and then set off. We’re on the highway in no time. We regularly pass places along the Camino del Norte that are familiar to me. Once again, after arriving in the Basque Country, we see signs everywhere stating that vehicles weighing more than 3.500 kg must pay a fee. We still don’t know if this applies to us, so we just keep going. Just past Bilbao, we leave the highway and drive into the mountains on the N240. Signs on this road also constantly indicate that heavier vehicles must pay. But we don’t see any other routes, so we keep driving.
We climb higher and higher into the mountains and are regularly treated to stunning views. At an elevation of 2132 feet, we reach the pass and begin our descent. Fortunately, the slopes are less steep than the ones we climbed. Then we arrive in Vitoria. Dick has already checked us in, but the payment apparently didn’t go through, so he checks in again, and a few moments later we’re able to drive in.
Eroski in Vitoria-Gazteig
There’s no one else in this parking lot yet, so we park the Frankia in its usual spot.
After coffee, we walk to the Eroski supermarket on the corner of the parking lot and wander around inside. It’s a beautiful supermarket, even Dick wants to come inside. In the afternoon, I walk past a few geocaches and also go to another supermarket. There, I actually find my floor cleaner. I’ve been looking for this the whole vacation. I also buy some Napolitanas, chocolate-filled pastries that I eat for breakfast on the Camino and that stay fresh for ages. Now at least I have breakfast for the first few days.
Since at some point it stops being just a few raindrops and really starts pouring, I stop looking for caches and walk back. We stay inside for the rest of the evening. The weather isn’t really pleasant anymore. The rain keeps falling.
Friday, March 6, we wake up at 7:15 am. The sky is gray but dry, and it’s 50 degrees. At breakfast, Dick cooks an egg (he fries one for himself), and after we’ve filled up and emptied our tanks, we set off.
The mountains are shrouded in mist. Just before Pamplona, we fill up at a cheap gas station. But we are startled to find that the price has gone up by 25 cents a liter.
These are the consequences of the war that Israel and the U.S. have started against Iran. If we are to believe the TV, the price of diesel, gasoline, and gas will rise even further. With a full tank, we drive into the mountains toward Roncesvalles.
On the road to Roncesvalles
We know this road very well. Every time we leave Spain, we take this route. Fortunately, there isn’t much traffic, so we can drive through the two small towns with their very narrow streets without a scratch. In Roncesvalles, everything is shrouded in mist. We see a few pilgrims walking along the road, but there aren’t many. The chapel at the top of the mountain is completely obscured, and we descend the steep mountain slopes by feel. Just past noon, we arrive in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and park the camper in the parking lot on the edge of the town center.
Pilgrims office in St. Jean Pied de Port
After coffee, we first exchange our French propane bottle. Once that’s done, we walk into town. The pilgrims sports shop where I bought all my gear is open, and we take a quick look around. However, I don’t need anything, so this time I leave the store empty-handed. Of course, we also stop by the pilgrim’s office. The Route Napoleon opens on April 1 (subject to change, of course, if a lot of snow has just fallen), so I’ll be able to take this route over the mountain pass.
Lighting a candle in the church
We continue our walk, light a candle in the church to give thanks for our trip and ask for a safe continuation of our journey. Then we slowly walk back.
I decide to walk over to the other side of town to check out the Lidl. It turns out to be a good move because I find a nice day backpack, which I buy (after consulting with Dick, of course). When I get back around 5 pm, we have a glass of wine. We eat spaghetti and salad with mango chunks. It tastes good.
Fresh baguette with the breakfast
Saturday, March 7, we’re up at 8 am. It’s still cloudy, but there are some clear patches. After showering, I walk to the Carrefour to get a fresh baguette. Then we wash the dishes, empty the tanks, fill up with water, and hit the road. We revised our itinerary a bit yesterday and are driving to Barbezieux today. It’s quite a drive, but it brings us closer on our way home. Our journey takes us north along narrow roads for a long time. The gas stations along the way are now showing prices of 2 euros per liter for diesel. Good thing we’re on our way back.
After Dax, we arrive on a four-lane highway, briefly interrupted by a tollway, where we exit, but a few kilometers further on, we’re back on the highway. It’s fairly quiet everywhere. Only at the bridge over the Dordogne are there roadworks, so we’re stuck in traffic for 12 minutes. But after crossing the river, we can keep going. We fill up with expensive diesel, even at Leclerc in Barbezieux, and then pull into the parking lot next to the supermarket.
RV parking Leclerck in Barbezieux
The weather is pretty nice; the sun is shining and the thermometer reads 61 degrees.
While Dick cleans our dirty windows, I walk into town to look for a few geocaches. I can’t resist browsing through the little bookcase located in a small square with benches. What a nice spot to have a little bookcase. I find a nice little book to brush up on my French and then walk back to the camper.
We eat yesterday’s leftovers, along with some baguette and pâté. I try a non-alcoholic red wine. It doesn’t taste good, it’s very sour, but I also think it’s a shame to throw it away. So I finish the bottle as if it were a soda. After doing the dishes, we watch TV and go to bed early.
Sunday, March 8, we don’t get up until 8:30 am. We really sleep deep. The sun is already shining in the sky. It promises to be a beautiful day. We empty our toilet and set off.
The diesel a little further down the road turns out to be 5 cents cheaper than what we paid yesterday at Leclerc, a pity.
The road is quiet, and we’re making good miles. After Poitiers, we’re only on back roads, but we’re still able to get along. Before 1pm we park the camper next to the wall of Richelieu Park. There’s no one else around, and we can park where we want. It doesn’t really matter where, since we’re parked parallel to a long wall.
Bamboo trees in Richelieu park
Dick is going to log some geocaches and watch some skating again.
He says he’s walked enough for now, so I go for a stroll in the park where all the geocaches are hidden. There are beautiful bamboo groves. I love the walk and find all but one of the geocaches. Since it’s still early when I get back, I take a quick walk through Richelieu, which was so uniquely designed by Cardinal Richelieu. By now I’m walking in my T-shirt because it’s gotten really warm. At some point I’ve had enough of the deserted little town and walk back. In the camper are all the doors and windows open. We eat a simple meal, toast with pâté, salami, and a meal salad. This salad is significantly smaller than we remember. The lettuce and meat are barely there, while the amount of pasta has doubled. Not really worth buying again. I drink the white version of a non-alcoholic wine with it. This is more drinkable than the red counterpart but still not really tasty. It’s more like cider.
In the evening and at night, it’s very dark. Apparently, this is one of those French towns where all the streetlights go out. When I wake up briefly during the night, I can see a stunning starry sky.
On Monday, March 9, Dick wakes me up at 8 am. I don’t understand how he’s always awake even though he goes to bed later in the evening. After breakfast, we leave. There’s no place to fill up on water or dump. We cover most of the distance on back roads, but traffic is light and we make good progress. It drizzles a bit now and then, but for the most part we make it to Pontorson without getting wet.
RV parking in Pontorson
When we arrive in Pontorson and park the Frankia, we see dark clouds looming over it. Still, we decide to go for a short bike ride. It’ll probably stay dry. We’re in for a surprise, though. After less than a mile of cycling, it starts to drizzle, and a moment later it’s raining. Then, luckily, it stops again. We even see a ray of sunshine.
When we’ve gone a bit further and find a cache, it starts to spatter, drizzle, and then seriously rain. We have to deal with it.
Geocaching in the rain
We’re wet and getting wetter by the minute.
Still, we look for a few more geocaches. But after 5 miles, we’re back at the camper, soaking wet. And outside? It’s dried up there, the sun’s even peeking through for a moment. Dick isn’t going out anymore, but I still want to take a quick look around the Action. This shop is located next to the Carrefour. It’s lovely to wander around there. Then I head home too. We have ground beef stuffed with Monchou cheese and fried potatoes with green beans.
The rain hasn’t come back. When I want to throw something away at 8 pm, it is a challenge in itself. There are no trash cans anywhere and it turns out to be pitch black outside. The store is closed and all the lights are off. I have a hard time finding my way.
I almost fall over a concrete curb in the parking lot but eventually manage to stuff my trash bag into the gas station’s trash can. I can only find my way back because the camper is lit up in the distance, the hatches aren’t closed yet. Next time, I’d better bring a headlamp.
The Redoutable first french nuclear submarine
Tuesday, March 10, we’re up again at 8 am. Since we’re parked in front of the supermarket, I buy a fresh baguette, and later we enjoy this crispy treat. After breakfast, we set off. The weather is gray but dry. By noon, we’re in Cherbourg. In the large parking lot next to the harbor area, is just one spot left where we can park the Frankia. Since many campers are stored here, there’s usually not much space.
After drinking our coffee, we walk to the harbor. We check to see if the nuclear submarine “La Redoutable” is still there, and we also look for a geocache that we only find because I happen to look up the trees.
Of course, we also take a quick walk to the large shopping mall further down the harbor. I hope we can find a new pair of house pants for Dick. Unfortunately, the store that sold them is gone. It’s striking how many stores have disappeared. Possibly due to high costs or maybe we shop to much online.
After having another cup of coffee at home, I walk to Aldi, the Coca-Cola is on sale here. Once I’m back home, I write at my laptop again to update my story. Every day I write in our camper diary, but I’ll also have to type it on the computer if we want to publish the story on our website.
Catch of the day
It’s almost 6 pm and the sun has come out, so it’s time to close the windows and head to our regular Thai restaurant. We’ve earned it. On the way, we walk past the harbor where a fishing boat is just unloading its catch. Besides crabs, it consists mostly of scallops.
When we arrive at the Thai restaurant, there’s a note on the door saying they’re closed for vacation until March 12-th.
Evening in Cherbourg
When we walk to the other Thai restaurant in one of the narrow streets in the old town, it turns out to be closed as well, and since it’s quite cold, we walk to a little restaurant by the harbor where we’ve eaten before. We have a nice meal and walk back to the camper in the evening. Wednesday, March 11, we get up at 7:15 am. We’re woken up by Dick’s phone beeping constantly, as if one message after another is coming in. But that turns out not to be the case, so he has a phantom phone. After breakfast, we fill up on water.
That takes quite a time because the water tap doesn’t exactly flow freely, so we just stand there and wait. Finally, the water meter jumps to 100% and we can leave. The black and grey water tanks have been empty and clean for ages. We stop to fill up at a cheap gas station. We have to do it in two times because the maximum amount is 100 euros, and with prices at € 1,999 per liter, we need to spend more than that. But eventually, the tank is completely full, and we’re on our way. We take the main road to Caen, and after that, we follow smaller roads, but they’re quiet. Only in Rouen is it busy. Because we switch from Hakuna (GPS) and follow my hakuna, we take a wrong turn and have to make a detour, but eventually we’re back on the right road.
The Beauvais Cathedrale
Today we have to cover 221 miles, so we don’t arrive in Beauvais until 2:43 pm. The actual parking lot is still closed, but the large grassy field next to it is completely empty, so we can pick a spot there. Only a few trucks are parked there. The circus that has its base here in the winter is probably on tour. After having a coffee, we walk to the cathedral. It’s quite cold, but luckily we’re walking between the houses, so the cold isn’t too bad. The sun is shining, and there’s plenty of blue sky. Inside the cathedral, we walk around and look at the various chapels draped around the central nave. The answers to a geocache are to be found here, but we don’t find them all.
It’s very dark inside; part of the cathedral is under renovation. Eventually, we’ve thoroughly admired all the chapels and walk back outside. We make our way through the city center, back to the camper. Thanks to the cache owner, I finally get the right answers so I can search for the cache at the end of the afternoon. It means I walk a bit longer. Together, we also walk to the big supermarket across the street. We buy lasagna; even cold, it looks delicious. The taste is also excellent.
It remains quiet on our little spot, and we sleep soundly.
Thursday, March 12, it’s only 43 degrees. The nighttime temperatures are plummeting. After breakfast, we leave and soon find ourselves in the hilly landscape of Northern France. We only have to drive 139 miles, so by 12:45 pm we arrive in Vouziers. We park on a sloping lot next to the cemetery. There is only one other camper from Temse, Belgium which leaves later.
Cleaning several things
While Dick cleans several things inside the camper and then outside the windows because they are so dirty you can’t see through them, I walk to a couple of geocaches. One leads me to a German war cemetery.
This place comes to life when, among the many crosses, I discover a photo of a soldier in uniform. Truly a snapshot of a bygone era. This is, after all, a site commemorating World War I (1914–1918).
Crosses at the WW-1 cemetery 1914-1918
I also take a short walk to the other side of town, where there’s an Action and an Aldi, and look around for a bit. Then I walk back. I’ve now had my daily walk.
After watching a beautiful sunset I walk to a nearby restaurant where I order a kebab platter. It’s very tasty but also a lot of meat, so we have two containers left over for another meal. At night, it’s pitch black outside. Here too, the streetlights are turned off at 11 pm.
Friday, March 13, is gray and gloomy. A cold wind is blowing, and it’s 50 degrees. After breakfast, we empty the waste tanks and then drive to Schengen in Luxembourg. Not only to fill up on gas, fuel is significantly cheaper here than in the surrounding countries, but also because we need coffee beans, which is cheaper here as well. After filling up the tank and loading the coffee beans, we drive the last stretch to Mettlach in Germany, where we park the camper at 12:15 pm. After coffee, we walk to the center to pay for our parking.
We could do it via an app, but we prefer to walk into town and pay at the tourist office. After chatting with the lady who recognizes us, I walk on to the shops on the hill while Dick walks back home through the beautiful Villeroy & Boch park. Unfortunately, it starts to rain, so by the time I have to walk back, I’m soaked to the bone. My rain jacket isn’t quite as rain-resistant as I’d hoped. At the Netto next door, I spot a promotion for Lindor chocolate and immediately buy the entire 1 kilo supply.
Having a beer in the Abtei Brau
After we’ve both dried off, Dick got a bit of the rain on him too, we head over to the Abtei Brau around 6:30 pm. There’s plenty of room, and we take our usual spot. The food is absolutely delicious. Just for the food we come back here regularly.
On Saturday, March 14, we dump our black and gray water, but we can’t fill up with fresh water. The water is still shut off. In that regard, we were really spoiled in France and Spain, where water was available everywhere. But we’re on our way home, still have 40% water left, and only one day and night to go. That should be enough. After a delicious breakfast with fresh rolls, we leave the rather busy parking lot, there are 8 RVs, and drive along the dead-quiet road by the river Saar to Trier. It gets a bit busier there, but we also get onto wider roads. We climb higher and higher; we’re now in the Eifel, and above 1640 feet, it starts to snow. Admittedly, it’s wet snow that doesn’t stick, but the fields and trees around us are covered in white. The temperature drops to 32 degrees. It’s still winter here. Fortunately, we quickly descend again, leaving the snow-covered trees and slopes behind us.
After passing Liège, Belgium, we arrive in Turnhout. There’s a parking lot in the center, and sure enough, we find a spot where we can park the Frankia. That’s nice, because now we can take a look around here too. Soon we’re strolling through this Belgian town.
Romanian Orthodox Church
A freezing wind is blowing, but it’s dry, and we wander through the narrow streets. Thanks to a geocache, we come upon a large church. It turns out to be a Romanian Orthodox church, and alongside Christian statues, including those of the pilgrim St. Roch and St. Anthony, we see icons everywhere. The Bibles are written in a language unfamiliar to us.
The priest of this church
Thanks to a priest in his Orthodox vestments, we learn a bit more about this faith. To us, it looks like a blend of two religions. We continue wandering through the streets. Since we’re searching for a few geocaches, we don’t look around in the many little shops. I’ll definitely want to come back here to check them out. Half-frozen, we’re back at the camper by late afternoon. Just before it really starts to rain. We planned our walk well. At 6:30 pm I pick up some Turkish food. It tastes pretty good, but I thought it was better in Vouziers. Once again, it’s difficult to get rid of our waste because there are no trash cans in sight. Eventually, I find one at the bus stop.
Sunday, March 15, we wake up at 7:15 am. and get up. We still have enough water to shower and wash up, and then we leave.
The sun is rising over the large parking lot as we depart. We drive mainly west so we can fill up in Brecht. It saves us 20 cents per liter if we fill up in Belgium. The weather is beautiful, there’s no wind, the sun is shining, and the sky is blue. We see a hot air balloon floating on the horizon. At 10:10 am. we’re back home. Dick’s hakuna says we’re not allowed to have a motorhome here, heavier than 3.500 kg.
On the way to the storage facility
We start unloading right away. Then the inside and outside need to be cleaned. It’s badly needed with all the dirt from the past few weeks. But by 3 pm we’re done and Dick can take the Frankia to the storage facility. Meanwhile, I haul all the stuff out of the living room and find a place for it.
At 5 pm. I can pick Dick up again at the metro station. We eat the remaining sandwiches from Mettlach with meatballs. It tastes great. It’s a bit of a letdown to be cooking for ourselves again. Our normal life is starting up again.
Not for very long for me though, In two weeks I’m leaving for Spain again to start my Camino.
In total, we drove 4490 miles km, cycled only 5 miles in the pouring rain, and walked 170 miles. For me, it was a reliving of all the Caminos I’ve walked. For Dick, who had to listen to all my memories for the umpteenth time, I think it was a bit less enjoyable.
Still, I hope he also enjoyed our travels.
