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
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
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 ago. … More Riding the rails beside the Camino del Norte
Everyone’s destination is the same; only the paths are different. – Sushmita Sen Hendaye, France – Saturday, June 11, 1983 A woman’s voice pierced the early morning fog crying, “Bordeaux?” in a high-pitched shriek. Nothing about the morning had gone right. Awakened as the train pulled into the station, our trio scrambled to gather bags … More The longest 500 hundred yards
Autumn is a second spring where every leaf becomes a flower. – Albert Camus Timing is everything, and that’s especially true for travel. When prices plummeted in the wake of 9/11, Robie and I snagged a great deal on a cruise up the Nile. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, we wandered around Prague … More Is there an off-season on the Camino?
It’s your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. – Anonymous I didn’t know much about the Camino de Santiago before attending school at the University of Salamanca. To prepare for the semester in Spain, I read Michener’s tome Iberia, a book that details … More A chance encounter on the Camino
Every step is a destination. – Anonymous I promised my sister that on Ikaria I’d begin training for the Camino. But with the journey still ten months away, how in shape did I want to get? Besides, on a mountainous island everything Robie and I did involved a hike. Buying groceries meant a trek to … More Training for the Camino
Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. –Winston Churchill I apparently hadn’t thought things through. Because when I asked my sister to walk the Camino de Santiago with me, the reactions I got were, well… bizarre. First, Cheryl didn’t respond to my invitation. Instead, she left the question hanging out … More It’ll be grand! *
