[Gocamino] first timer questions

[Grant Spangler]

I would recommend the 08:00 train out of Madrid. I also recommend making an 
account with RENFE and reserving your seat in advance. You need an email 
account which will be accessible in Spain, and a credit card.

Your att.net email may or may not work in Europe. I recommend hotmail or 
yahoo, the number one and two emails thoughout the Continent. My native ISPs 
have been problematic or unavailable, but hotmail has never failed me. A 
hotmail account can be free or give 'em 20 bucks a year, your choice. I've 
had other travel friends who've had problems getting into their servers as 
well. Once I moved to hotmail, my communications became smooth and 
dependable.

To make reservations for Madrid-Leon, go to this URL:
http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/index.jsp?page=hjhir130.jsp&O=MADRI&D=15100&AF

MADRID-CHAMARTIN departing 08:00; LEON arriving 11:50. Price E 30.50 
Tourist, 40.50 First Class. Specify smoking or non-smoking when making the 
reserva.

A noon arrival will let you see the city, and get a start on your Camino the 
next day. There are a couple of albergues and a host of inexpensive hostales 
to stay in. The 'main' albergue is a series of tents in a park on the way 
out of town. I generally stay in a hostal near the casco antiguo, where the 
architecture, food, wine, music and culture resides. There are great tapas 
bars to wander through on your Leonese walkabout. Check out the pedestrian 
streets near the Catedral. Enjoy the city, then have a fabulous Camino!

Ultreya!

Grant

Grant Spangler
GASpangler at hotmail.com
http://groups.msn.com/ElCaminoSantiago
http://community.webshots.com/user/ElCaminoSantiago