06/06/2026
I am back in Santiago after a short junt to A Coruna. Not well planned, but what I needed accept to be ripped off by the place I booked. This was a Dump with a Capital "D." A whole apartment for myself, and it was disgusting. But there was nothing else under $200 for one night. I was planning on doing the English Camino from A Coruña to Santiago, a four day hike. That went out the window very quickly. All the Albergues between the two were booked except for the $200 an night ones. I tried every which way to get back to Santiago without breaking the bank. But nothing but returning to Santiago. Here, every Albergue and Hotel were booked. I ended up on Monte D Goaz, which I first encountered in 2012. Lisa and I came upon it prior to entering Santiago on our Camino. The albergues (hostels) at Monte do Gozo in Santiago de Compostela were created in 1993. They were built as part of a massive "Holiday City" (Ciudad de Vacaciones) complex developed by the regional government for that year's Holy Year (Xacobeo 93). From the first mentions in the Codex Calixtinus, in the 12th century, Monte do Gozo has always been recognised by pilgrims as a place of huge emotional and spiritual value. Indeed, this hill, which is 380 meters tall, is the first spot on the “Camino Francés” (French Route) where the towers of the Cathedral can be seen. So it was only nine years old when we were there. Several years later, I ended up staying there for the night. At that time, they did not take bank cards, and I was 3 euros short for the night's stay. A youth group leader was my problem, and the kids all pitched in to pay for my night. I'll post some pictures and a reel on Instagram tomorrow. I've decided to spend two nights up here. It has changed since I was here last. The complex consisted of over 50 buildings, of which it seems the top 25 have been sold off. There is a restaurant and bar here, so pretty self-sufficient considering we are 5 kms outside of town. Here I am on my fourth Sangria, well, I had to have one with dinner. The bar has had lines almost out the door since I settled in, since it is the only place with internet. I'm thinking that since the town is booked, this place will fill up tonight. Looking forward to Kevin and Rebecca being here on the 13th for our little Camino. It is a one hour walk to the Cathedral from here. The Camino has given me quite a few stories over the years. After all, it has been 13 years since I've been on some part of The Way. Sleep well!
