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Category: Travel
We’ve arrived in O Pedrouzo. Tomorrow we’ll walk the final 19 km into Santiago. Today we self-medicated along the trail with ibuprofen and chocolate, making frequent stops to rest achy feet…
Welcome to Galicia! Saw this on a store front. So true!! Very fragrant and lots of brown squishy stuff…
Monday morning Mary and I set off in the dark for the descent from O Cebreiro to Triacastela. Tristan needed to opt for a taxi again. Even Mary was wearing her sandals since her big toe was too swollen for her hiking shoes. We did have a good day though. Here’s a few photos…
I haven’t had good enough internet to upload photos for a few days. We’re still here; still walking. On Sunday we made it to O Cebreiro, albeit by taxi. Tristan and Mary have been having some foot issues and the extreme uphill and unfavorable weather forecast led us to take a taxi. It…
We had just a beautiful atmosphere at the Cruz de Ferro yesterday morning. The sunrise was brilliant and the pilgrims respectful. A few km from the cross we encountered a very unique hostel and hospitaleiro Tomás. We stopped to play with his kitten Carbonita. Tristan offered to have Carbonita join our pilgrimage but it…
Our visit to Astorga was lovely. Mary and I took the bus to cut short what would have been a 31km day, but Tristan walked the whole way. Our hostess Patrícia and her son Gabriel at the hostel Só por Hoje (“Just for today”) were lovely and welcoming. We had a lively pilgrim dinner…
On our way from Villar de Mazarife to Astorga, Wednesday. We’re headed for those mountains…
We left later than we should have after a sleepless night. It turns out that having a hostel window that overlooks the main thoroughfare in old León makes for a noisy night. I also accidentally gave the baggage transport company that is handling Mary’s suitcase transfer the wrong pick up address. Whoops! That…
The pilgrims have safely arrived in León, Spain…
Today is Memorial Day. Yesterday during “Zoom” church we viewed a moving video tribute to friends and family of church members who lost their lives in service to out country. It was striking to read about the deaths of uncles, nephews and fathers of people I know. I don’t know of…
Well the unthinkable has happened and we are all living the Coronavirus nightmare. The Camino in Spain is shutdown as Spain fights its battle against infection and death. I’ve been monitoring the official pilgrim channels and blogs and it is hard to imagine how exactly the trails will be re-opened to pilgrims. They…
To bring or not to bring a sleeping bag. This is an important and personal question for any pilgrim looking to minimize the weight of their pack. The quick answer depends entirely on the season you plan to walk. If you are walking in winter, spring, or even in May, I would definitely recommend a…
Research and preparation for your Camino de Santiago will go a long way to making your trek more enjoyable and stress free once you’re on your way. I’ve put together a few points of opinion and advice for the 4 most important gear choice below…
Briefly, legend (as of the 12th century) has it that St. James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, went to northwest Spain to preach and convert people to Christianity. Returning to Palestine, he was taken prisoner and decapitated by Herod Agrippa in AD 44. His disciples stole the body and took him…
I just needed to share these two photo essays. I especially love Drew Robinson’s amazing photography, but also how he shares his Camino so well through those photos. The images over the Pyrenees are just as I remember and he captures the immensity of the sky all along the trail…
Three films and books to inspire your Camino journey…
“I don’t like either the word [hike] or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not ‘hike!’ Do you know the origin of that word saunter? It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land…
Monday Rich and I flew up to Cairns in the north of Queensland but before we left we had a couple of fun days in Melbourne. Last Saturday was the end of the Chinese New Year so we wandered the streets of Chinatown which were packed with people lining up at their favorite Chinese restaurants…
On Thursday morning we set off on an adventure to the coast. The Great Ocean road is a fabulous coastal route that was hand-built (picks, shovels and horse-drawn carts) by soldiers returned from World War I…
Monday Rich and I took a paid tour to the upper Yarra Valley for two fabulous attractions – the Healesville Sanctuary and winery tours. We started off with a first-class guided tour of Australian marsupials and other unique animals and birds…
Wow! I’ve been in Melbourne for almost a week now and what a packed week that has been…