What I Wish I Knew Before I Retired
Our one-and-a-half days in Bilbao were exactly what we needed before the long flight home. Although my mind would not shut down (even when it was supposed to be in sleep mode) my legs instantly became heavy. I was extremely glad to have that first half day to humour the parts of my body that… Continue reading Days 9 & 10 – Bilbao: A Change of Pace
Although we repeatedly told ourselves that we had no set goal as to where we would end up on the trail – that may have been true for the day-to-day – but we did secretly have an ultimate goal to arrive in Najera for our finish. Now with only 30 K to go, and relatively… Continue reading Day 8 — Los Arcos to Najera (29.6K): A Change of Plans
It is said that the ‘Camino provides’, and that it gives each individual the lesson(s) that h/she needs. Although I have begun to chill a bit (well...at least for me), patience is still a virtue to which I can only aspire. Seven kilometers outside of Los Arcos, we reached a small town, Sansol (population: 108).… Continue reading Day 7 – Los Arcos to Logrono (28.2 K): Eugene Levy, the Sandwich Maker
(with apologies to Persian philosopher/poet, Omar Khayyam) The Camino Frances is rich with intriguing surprises and delights. Today’s route was an exceptional example. Just outside of Estella, we reached the renowned Camino Wine Fountain, Fuente del Vino. It was built in 1991 and belongs to the Bodegas Irache winery. The adjoining monastery is said to… Continue reading Day 6 – Lorca to Los Arcos (29.5 K): A Loaf of Bread, A Jug of Wine, and Thou
I must confess, my pen and paper notes started to become a bit sloppy at this time. Our days (although each unique) began to blur together. I do remember starting this day by climbing 200 meters over two kilometers and then descending 300 meters over the next four-and-a-half. Although there was a cool photo op… Continue reading Day 5 – Zariquiegui to Lorca (27.1 K): Building Community
Because we had pushed on past Roncesvalles, we were not on the typical path of ‘stages’ for the Camino Frances. That meant we stayed in smaller towns most nights--which worked perfectly for us. The downside was that during the hottest part of the day we were walking sections of the trail that were much better… Continue reading Day 4 – Larrasoana to Zariquiegui (25.7 K): We Should have Listened to the Bartender!
Somebody lied. Or else I honestly was not paying enough attention. I had (repeatedly) heard that Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles was the most difficult part of the entire Camino Frances and after that, the path was much easier. Visions of flat, smooth trails danced through my mind. For me, that conception could not have been more… Continue reading Day 3 – Espinal to Larrasoana (30 K): Somebody Lied!
When we left Orrison early in the morning with a planned 18 kilometers ahead of us, I felt like a true pilgrim, a great explorer…I knew that I was about to take part in an incredible quest. Walking through orchards, past quaint country houses, looking up to the mountain meadows, knowing that I was in… Continue reading Day 2 – Orrison to Espinal (24.3 K): Getting the Hang of It!
Being the research nerd that I am, I spent countless hours reading a multitude of details about the Camino Frances and watching YouTube videos of the trail. (I know, in a previous post I said I wouldn't over-research, but you already knew that I wouldn't be able to stop myself, didn't you?) I had repeatedly… Continue reading Day 1 – Orisson, France (8 K): Should We Stay or Should We Go?
My husband and I recently walked 200 kilometers of the Camino Trail, in eight days, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Najera, Spain. Although I originally had lofty notions of blogging daily ‘live from the trail’, creating an iMovie, or iMovie trailer, these plans were quickly dashed. Without my computer or iPad, and with infrequent WiFi… Continue reading Day 0 – Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: Greetings from The Camino Frances!
Retirement Reflections 