The Azores Airlines strike I didn't know about Funny thing. I was checking in for my Boston-Lisbon flight on Azores Airlines and available seats were so plentiful it looked like airline options on Christmas day. But this -- in August?
So, I read more carefully and THIS pops up. It's wild - everyone is striking - cabin crew, border control, air traffic controllers (well, OK, that was an earlier strike). Not good, SATA. I'm still not sure if the Passport Control strike has been averted, since we have a layover at the Ponta Delagada, Azores. The US Azores Airlines office only know about the outcome of their strike. SATA Strike from 23rd to 26th August cancelled The National Union of Cabin Crew has cancelled their strike. Group SATA informs all passengers who made changes or cancellations in the past days can now change their trip at no extra charge. Please contact your original sales channel. BUT, is this solved? Border Control Officials Strike Notice: Due to the notice of strike action by the Border Control Officials at all Portuguese airports, SATA advises its passengers who are taking intercontinental or non-Schengen flights on the 24th and 25th August to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to avoid possible delays in flights. We thank you for understanding. ....AND BELOW THAT, EARLIER POSTS.... SATA Strike Notice: Following a pre warning, made by the National Union of Cabin Crew for potential strike action from the 23rd to 26th of August, Azores Airlines and SATA Air Açores would like to inform all its passengers that might have a flight on these dates that they may change their trip at no extra cost, by contacting our Contact Centre. Minimum Flight Services for 23, 24, 25 and 26 of August are: Group SATA is making all efforts possible to minimize any inconvenience that may occur from this situation. We thank you for your understanding. Get those feet prepped! I've been working on my blister taping. Here's my favorite site:
BLISTER TAPING https://www.blisterprevention.com.au/blister-blog/taping-for-blister-prevention/ Stops 14, 15, 16, 17 Ourense to S de C (Via Sanabres, Spain) These are topographical maps from the Italian "Bruno". After reaching Verin, a branch of the Portuguese Via de la Plata, he took off on another segment of the Via de la Plata which continues in Ourense as the Via Sanabres where I will pick it up. He often walked farther than I will, so I am counting more stops per map.  I found this wonderful Mary on the last leg of the Camino Frances. It was the loveliest story of my walk: a statue who didn't didn't want to come inside. All Victoria's photos of this day are an otherworldly blue as you see in the profile picture. She's one of many statues found in the water. I am writing now about two Mary statues pulled out of the Mekong riverbed. Too lazy to do anything but copy and paste this very good overview of the church and story: "Across the Rio Seco, is the 13th-century late-Romanesque Igrexa de Santa María (some sources say Gothic with some Romanesque features and call it one of the best examples of Galician Romanesque transition). It has a lovely carved Romanesque tympanum above the main door with a relief of Virgin and Child flanked by angels swinging censers. However, the church was rebuilt in the 18th century and given a wood roof. Supporting the roof are a variety of interesting Romanesque corbels, including one very obvious phallus. The Iglesia de Santa María was built to house a statue of the Virgin. Villagers following a lovely smell and a glowing light supposedly found the statue at a local fountain. For several days, they placed the Virgin on their church altar but by the next morning it would return to the fountain. Eventually, the villagers decided to honor the Virgin by carving a tympanum and dedicating the church to her. At that point, the statue remained calmly on the altar and is still in the church. The Casa de la Enfermería, an old pilgrim hospital, is just opposite the church. The hospital was founded in the 12th century. A document dated 1172 says that it belonged to the Monastery of Sobrado (near Arzúa). However, by the 15th century, it was a property of the wealthy Ulloa family, whose coat of arms is still preserved on the façade. In recent times, it has served as a hay barn. Just after Leboreiro, we crossed the humpbacked 14th-century Puente María Magdalena (Magdalena Bridge) over the Río Seco [dry river] into the hamlet ofDisicabo (Disecabo or Desicabo)." Credit to this Camino blogger: http://madillcamino2014.blogspot.com/2015/10/placeholder-sunday-september-21-2014.html Walking with Victoria in Mt Madonna last Saturday, 10 km.  PACKING LIST (might be a few changes)
24 SL Deuter backpack and rain cover Shoes:
(repacked most things in plastic bags, used smallest travel item) Small sunscreen, lip balm, tiny brush, small antibacterial For the shower - shampoo/ lite bar, piece of luffa, camping towel, plastic razor Baking soda/cornstarch deodorant, Thai tooth powder, toothbrush, floss, toilet paper and dark doggie bag for "leave no trace" (there are no public toilets in Spain) First aid - prescription med, ibuprofen (2 after every day of walking), imodium, magnesium spray,3 bandaids, antibacterial, bleeding powder, Laundry - piece of Fels Naptha, safety pins in a small bag Credit card, debit, passport, credential, Euros in hidden pouch Misc: small black bag, headlight, padlock, cellphone and charger, pen and notebook, Food/supplements Ginseng, kelp, trail nuts, spork, I was in far better shape when I was preparing for the Camino Frances. Fear is a tremendous incentive. I have been planning all year -- first the Via Podiensis in France, then Wales, then the Aragones/Primitivo, and finally the Portuguese. I had various buddies who, for many good reasons, choose other paths. One begins any venture by checking in at the watering hole of all the caminos, the Camino Forum, where I (mistakenly) set up two accounts: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/ The decision: The Caminho Portuguese Interior (CPI), which is not the "Central" Porto-Tui-SdeC, nor the popular seaside "Coastal." CPI travels 400 km over the hot interior mountains, through the "Duoro" wine region into Spain, connecting up with the Via de la Plata via Ourense. Aurelio Simoes has offered invaluable assistance with weather, lodging, local information, bus and train schedules. I cannot credit him enough. Once I decided on the CPI, there was much investigation, guided primarily by Caminho angel Aurelio Simoes. I have translated various accounts in Portuguese (Brazilian and Portuguese), Italian, and French, some from Wikilocs, many from Aurelio. Best are Brazilian peregrino extraordinaire Oswaldo Buzzo. His 14 day walk on the CPI may be a record. I used Chrome to translate each day of his diary to English. https://sites.google.com/a/oswaldobuzzo.com.br/oswaldo/Home/cam-portugues-interior And the notes of Italian, "Bruno" https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4c3cjiHPWM-M195THIwQk92dkk/view https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/shared-with-me Other sources: The Camino Portuguese Interior site www.cpisantiago.pt/ URCamino http://www.urcamino.com/camino-portugues-interior/route WIPortugal www.wiportugal.org/en/WalkSantiagoInterior.html Where to sleep in Portugal https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15YjQVotp9btlbTUx6YDMgFpHcm3__9msYMJ_nHKOe2E/edit#gid=0 Here's a general itinerary of "Grace the Pilgrim." I am guided by the Portugal segment, but am projecting a different set of stops in Spain. 1, Viseu - Almargem, 16 km 2, Almargem - Ribolhos 25 km 3, Ribolhos - mizio/penude/Lamego 32 km (+5 km taxi) 4, Lamego - Peso do Regua - 12.5 km steep 5, PdeRegua - Bertelo - 15 km steep 6, Bertelo - Vila Real - 12 km steep 7, Vila Real - Parada de Aguiar - 27 km easy walk 8, Aguilar - Vidago - 23 km 9, Vidago - Chaves - 18 km 10, Chaves - Verin 29 km. (SPANISH BORDER) 11, Verin - Xinzo de Linia - 35 km 12, XinzodL - Allariz - 21 km 13, Allariz - Ourense - 24 km 14, Ourense - Castro Dozon - 38 km 15, Castro Dozon - Bandiera 36 km 16, Bandiera - SdeC - 34 km You can't have too many maps. There is no book for this caminho.   |
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