I hit the wall a week ago. The ready-to-go-home wall, that is. I was walking on the Camino Francés, on the stage from Villafranca del Bierzo to Trabadelo, and my feet had started hurting in new and unexpected ways. I really shouldn’t have been surprised, as I had knowingly broken one of my top training …
It’s no secret: I am a big fan of the Spanish-Basque city of Pamplona. I think I can even call it a long-term relationship. Pamplona and I go waaaay back. I started my first pilgrimage on the Camino Francés in Pamplona, on September 13, 2005. Then over the past nearly 20 years I have visited …
Today I want to share with you a cold, hard truth about the Camino de Santiago: No matter how much you plan and prepare for a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, your journey will be a full-on mystery tour. I don’t think anyone really knows what the Camino is, at least not past the …
You’ve probably heard it all when it comes to training for the Camino. Train before you leave home. Train on all different kinds of terrain. Build up your walking time and distances gradually. Be sure to break in your boots. Train with you Camino backpack loaded up to its full weight. And make sure it …
I admit it, I have a thing for socks. But 14 pairs?!?!? Who does that? You might quickly guess that I am not going to keep all 14 pairs – at least I don’t think I will. I will be doing some test-driving, and I stocked up because a) there was a sale, and b) …
I am missing the Camino this week and longing for some delicious, affordable pizza, so I thought I would share my four favorite places for pizza on the Camino Francés. Eating on the Camino can become a bit routine, with toast for breakfast, mid-morning slices of tortilla española, the midday menú del día, and the …
You gotta hear this story. I mean, no kidding, this is one of those stories that comes out of nowhere and makes your jaw drop. Then it makes your heart open up. And finally, it makes you cry tears of joy + disbelief + OHMYGAWWWWD! This is Camino magic. (We’ll get to that in a …
Early in my Camino podcasting career I did an episode on Sleeping on the Camino. I talked about all the different types of accommodation options on the Camino, what they are like, and about how much they cost. In other episodes I have shared my belief that where you sleep doesn’t determine if you are …
It felt like a gamble, but the price was right and truth be told, there weren’t many (any) other options in the area. So, I booked a room at the truck stop hostal. The name was nice enough, “El Chocolatero”, which I translated in my head as The Chocolate. As in, you had me at …
The debate rages on: do you need to know how to speak Spanish to walk the Camino? Yes. No. At least some? I am going to vote for yes, although I will drop the word “need” and replace it with “it’s a really good idea and it will vastly add to your overall experience.” (No …
