Ruta de la Plata

[Rosina Lila]

Oi Fernando,
The Silver Route commences in Sevilla and it is 200 kms. longer than the
French Way. The information that appears on the pilgrim's credential shows
that there are 29 towns between Sevilla and Astorga with albergues, and they
all are within walking distance of one another, except for the section
between Valdelacasa and Salamanca which is 58 kms. and between Benavente and
la Baneza which is 43 kms.
There is a pedestrian street in Sevilla, calle Sierpes; about the middle of
it there is a religious book store; the store has a section on Santiago with
maps and all types on information on the Ruta de la Plata.  The books are in
Spanish but, from what I've seen, this presents no impediment to a Brazilian
, (the reverse, though, does not appear to be true). Close to the Cathedral
in Sevilla, on the avenue leading to a huge fountain, there is a rather large
information center where you can also obtain all sorts of information on the
Silver Route.
Salamanca is one of the oldest and more famous university cities in Europe;
it is very beautiful, and Gallego, (quasi-Portuguese), is widely spoken there.
I know a couple of pilgrims who walked the Silver Route and they just loved
it. They found it to be quite different from the French route in landscape,
customs, architecture, and even food, and did not at all mind the extra 200
kms.
Bom Caminho,
Rosina