Spain is love served on a plate. – Anonymous Blame it on Anthony Bourdain. When Robie and I saw a rerun of CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown during a trip to Mykonos last December, it set the course for what we would do after the Camino. At the time we knew we were heading to … More In search of free tapas
Santiago is not the end of the Camino, but the beginning. – Paulo Coelho Though the Camino ends in Santiago de Compostela, the things we learn on the journey shouldn’t stop there. On the Camino – as in life – there are a few lessons to live by. Keep it simple, stupid. Life’s complicated enough. … More Lessons from the Camino
Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time. – Steven Wright For many the Camino ends in Finisterre, a three-day hike west of Santiago where views of the boundless North Atlantic give the cape its name as the End of the World. But the rightful terminus is in Santiago de Compostela. So why … More Santiago de Compostela
Every hike feels like discovery. – Anonymous Traversing the Camino del Norte means crossing four distinct regions of northern Spain each with its own history, personality and cuisine. Basque Country (País Vasco) Beginning at the French border, the Camino del Norte starts in Basque Country where Spanish is the second language on signs and menus … More Four regions of the Camino del Norte
Anybody can make history; only a great man can write it. – Oscar Wilde You’re standing inside a church in a city that was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Ostrogoth Kingdom and the Byzantine Empire. Today, this little-known town has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites featuring the best Byzantine art outside … More Where are you now?
I think everybody has their own way of looking at their lives as some kind of pilgrimage. – Eric Clapton Mondoñedo cathedral at daybreak Three weeks ago I finished walking 514 miles from the border of France to Santiago de Compostela. It was quite the journey. While I still haven’t wrapped my head around the … More 15 Things to know about the Camino del Norte
Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way – the best way to take everyday cooking to a higher level. – Jose Andres In a post about budgeting for long-term travel in retirement, Robie and I mentioned how having a few items in the pantry along with a rolodex of quick and easy recipes helps us … More Lunchtime Poll: What’s your best go-to meal in a snap?
The Balkans are a region that produces more history than it can consume. – Winston Churchill For three decades Albania was the most isolated country in the world. While the nation has come a long way in a short amount of time, progress is slow and superstitions remain. After seven months in the country, Robie … More Stranger Things: Albania
If you’re in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you’re still in a bad mood, go for another walk. – Hippocrates As my sister and I make our way across northern Spain here’s a description of the countryside from a scouting trip Robie and I made to the region a few years … More Riding the rails beside the Camino del Norte
How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese? – French President Charles de Gaulle It’s no secret Robie and I love cheese. While we’ve learned to make queso with gouda and pinched pennies to splurge on American cheddar in Europe, we really miss the shelves of French bries and bleus, rows … More Top 10: Cheeses
Reid & Robie 