No comments about All Malaga and the Costa Del Sol (Collection All Spain, 6).

1 comments about The Rough Guide to Pyrenees & andorra Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map).

1. This map needs to be updated. Major highways and freeways were missing. The place where we had the most trouble was trying to get around and through Pamplona. Major highways that had to have been started prior to the publication of this map were not included.

4 comments about Buen Camino Hiking the Camino de Santiago.

1. I got started on this book and couldn't put it down, so read it cover to cover the day I got it. This day by day journal of the authors' hike across Spain's Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail is a treat for armchair travelers and a resource for those about to take the same journey. For those of us who have walked this trail, this book will bring back a lot of familiar memories.
   
   The book makes a good start with a readable Camino map. The trail goes mainly from east to west. In contrast to most maps, they have placed west at the top, making all the placenames easy to read.
   
   The authors are hikers and this shows in their short but excellent forward on training and equipment. Low pack weight, quick drying, washable clothing and foot care are some of the highlights.
   
   In the body of the book, each chapter covers a day on the trail. They soon get into the simplified priorities of the Camino: Food, shelter, companions. Just some phrases from some of the chapters: "body sprawled across the trail", "a little scary at first, but no problem", "tired, wet, muddy", "bread, chorizo, cheese, Ruffles potato chips", "greatest shower in the world", "ankle deep mud, soaking wet", "a couple of beers", "tomorrow is a shorter day", "we met up again in a bar", "today was one of those days", "Santiago", "in the pouring rain", "hugging each other and crying".
   
   This is one of the few Camino journals where the authors stay mostly in small hotels, rather than the overcrowded refugios. There are some tips for this mode of travel, such as call ahead if you want to be sure of a place to stay.
   
   For me, the photos are the strong point of this book. They tell the story well, and the composition is excellent. In the first printing of this book, which is the one I have, the photo print quality was poor. In the current printing, it has improved.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone with a taste for adventure, but particularly for those thinking of going, or who have gone on the same pilgrimage.



2. Jim and Eleanor Clem's "Buen Camino" is an engaging first-hand account of their walk along the Spanish pilgrimage route the Camino. The book's journal style details the day-to-day experiences of the couple as they hike the 500 mile path across northern Spain. From their starting point at St. Jean de Pont to the final destination of Santiago reached 38 days later, each chapter describes individual stages of the route. Picturesque photos accompany the text and visually depict their observations about the landscape, towns, and buildings seen, which gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect when walking the Camino. A map showing the Clem's course, pictures of their Compostelas, or certificates of completion, and a list of recommended guidebooks also are included.
   
   They share practical advice and information about essential hiking gear, developing a walking routine, and arranging accommodations. Valuable tips such as stuffing newspapers in wet boots to dry them out from rain provide insight into the challenges faced while being a pilgrim. Interesting notes about Spanish customs (in Spain bells ring at least once every hour) and food found in towns on the route (common restaurant fare includes meat, French fries, and ice cream) are sprinkled throughout the book.
   
   Jim and Eleanor also express the significance of the Camino to them -- that undertaking the walk brings "simple but rewarding successes" and that "the Camino is a break from the complications of modern-day life". Focus on the moment and let the journey unfold. The down-to-earth recording of their story would be a helpful reference for anyone planning to trek the Camino. So walk along with the Clems as they follow the yellow arrow markers and discover why the Camino is a "great adventure and the trip of a lifetime"!



3. A dull recitation of daily meals, hotels etc., this book reduces the Camino to middle America suburban mediocrity.



4. Great book! Easy to read and highly informative. The simple narrative style with ample description made me feel like I was on the trail with them, hiking side by side.
   
   I also really enjoyed the consistent structure of the chapters. Although there were definitely different adventures along the way, you knew that the author would cover the same important points in each chapter for those who are truly interested in what it's like to live on the trail day after day - such as weather conditions, accommodations, food, people, etc. The photos at the end of each chapter are also excellent and are a nice visual recap to the accompanying chapter.
   
   While I only had mild interest in hiking the Camino before I read this book, I definitely now have significant interest in making this a future adventure for my spouse and me.

No comments about Through the Spanish Pyrenees: The Gr11 Trail, A Long Distance Footpath 'La Senda' (Cicerone Guide).

No comments about Northern Spain: 10 Circular Walks Around the Picos De Europa (Black Bee Walking Guides).

No comments about Picos de Europa: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes): Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes).

No comments about Lisbon - What the Tourist Should See.

No comments about Lonely Planet Barcelona (Lonely Planet. (Spanish Guides)).

No comments about Castle in Spain.

5 comments about Pamplona: Running the Bulls, Bars and Barrios in Fiesta de San Fermin.

1. The best book ever written about Sanfermines, the festival of San Fermin known to many as the running of the bulls. This truly is a guide to Fiesta. No other work published will better educate and prepare you for this event. A well written must for all who plan on attending and immersing themselves in the spirit of Fiesta.
   
   Held each year in Pamplona, Spain in July, Sanfermines is much more than the daily spectacle of the encierros or "the running of the bulls" early each morning and much more than the corrida de toros in the Plaza de Toros late each afternoon. The fiesta is a celebration of family and life in Navarra.
   
   Fiesta belongs to the Navarrans, and has for centuries; however the gracious citizens of Iruña (Basque for Pamplona) have opened their arms to the people of the world, inviting all to participate in what has often been described as one of the most exhilarating experiences on planet earth.
   
   Of course you should read Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises", however if you buy only one book before heading to Sanfermines, it should be Ray Mouton's "Pamplona: Running the Bulls, Bars and Barrios in Fiesta de San Fermin."



2. I truely enjoyed this book. Someday I will get there and also live the legend of this city that Ernest made popular- though it was doing just fine without him.
   
   Good writing takes you to a place you have not been before and Ray Mouton does it with this book.



3. This book is an excellent account of what exactly happens during the Festival of San Fermin at Pamplona. It is a first hand guide of the day by day events of the festival including the historical figures of bullfighting. A must read for those planning to go to Pamplona someday or those with the curiosity of the event.



4. Whilst unavoidably orientated to North American aficionados this is a brilliant book which goes behind the scenes to tell the story of why thousands are drawn back to Pamplona from all corners of the world for 9 days in July. Beautifully presented and written Ray Mouton has done the Festival proud. This publication renders Michener's section in "Iberia" obsolete and brings Pamplona to the contemporary world giving those of Generation Y who are the future long term serious runners a narrative that lives and breathes the Fiesta.



5. Don't even think about going to Pamplona without reading this first!
   
   Ray Mouton's Pamplona: Running the bulls bars and barrios of Sanfermin is the ultimate and undisputable guide to enjoying the best party on the planet.
   From where to eat, what to drink and how to run, this amazing read, details everything a novice and a veteran Sanferminner should and must know!
   
   Mouton explains the deep traditions and reasons for the Encierro, or, running of the bulls. Why it exists, and why people by the millions continue to flock to the most amazing experience in the world.
   
   The book recounts several experiences and stories surrounding this wondrous event, and covers in detail absolutely everything including the running, the Corridas (bull fights), the parades, the ceremonies and all the festivities that make up Sanfermin.
   
   At the core of the book is Mouton's passion for the event.
   Readers will be mesmerized by the description of beauty and sometimes horror that fills every page and will feel as though they are in the heart of the festival itself, even though they remain in the comfort of their reading chair.
   
   Anyone even entertaining the slightest thought as too participating in this life-changing experience must read this book.
   
   I read it twice before participating in my first Sanfermin, and I can honestly say that it made my trip not only perfect, but incredible and amazing!
   I ran with the bulls several times, I ate the most amazing meals, drank the most delicious drinks and met the most interesting and fabulous people all thanks to Mouton's book.
   His advice and stories made my experience far more incredible because I arrived in Pamplona knowing exactly what to expect and knew what I needed to do to make the experience perfect!
   
   So sit back and let the amazing descriptions of Mouton wash over you like a warm comforting bath.
   I defy you not to go to Pamplona after reading this book!