Our first glimpse from Monte do Gozo of the Santiago Cathedral in the city below brought tears. I found a beautiful spot to leave the Galician farmer’s walnuts where they will have a stunning view of the city in the distance. Five more kilometers to go and the pilgrims are…

Our little group of pilgrims ranges in age from 42-years-old to 80. We have bonded quickly because of our common experience. We no longer need to ask someone to pass the coffee pot in the morning. Instead, we reach for it, pour a cup for our neighbor, break bread in…

One pilgrim I passed today on my way through the town of Arzúa had a small gourd tied to his pack with a green shoelace. Another pilgrim had a ribbon with seven silver beads wrapped around the neck of a water bottle, and still another carried a tiny pair of…

Today was another scorching hot day. It was already in the low 70’s when we stepped onto the trail in Melide, and only got hotter with each mile. Combined with 10 miles of continuous steep hills it made Jon and I question whether we have it in us to walk…

We are 5 days into our 9-day pilgrimage and we have settled into a comfortable groove. We’re up early each morning and are on the Camino when the air is still cool and the fog hangs low over the trail. My body is refreshed, and a single cup of café…

We started our day by climbing up out of the town of Gonzar to the top of a ridge. For miles in every direction we could see the deep green Galician countryside, the valleys covered in layers of early morning mist. At every turn the vista would change, opening up…

My husband sweats. A lot. Jon doesn’t perspire, he drips sweat from his head that runs down his back and soaks his shirt. Beads of water form on his arms and legs and pour from him like a river. He stayed cool in the 86-degree heat and humidity and replenished…

The Camino is full of stories. Not only for those who walk to Santiago, but for the people who live along the Camino. The ten-mile path from Sarria to Ferreiros cuts through tiny villages, pastures, backyards, gardens and a hay barn. It wanders along the edge of a creek and…

I made friends with my boots today. I’ve never had an exclusive relationship with my hiking footwear, and if truth be told, I’ve been a frequent buyer of hiking boots at Zappos and REI during the last 6 months while preparing for the Camino. I currently own an assortment of…

After two long days of planes, trains, busses and automobiles, Jon and I arrived in León, Spain—the midway point on the Camino de Santiago. Pilgrims of all ages walk through the center of town guided by brass scallop shells imbedded in cobblestone streets or etched in sandstone on the sides…

Bucket lists aren’t my thing. I would rather look forward to something purely for the joy it gives me in doing so. When it arrives—whatever it might be—I try to embrace it wholeheartedly and with a sense of wonder. In looking ahead to a certain birthday this year where I…

If you are anything like me, the end of August can feel like the downhill slope on a rollercoaster. Without looking at the calendar I feel Labor Day looming ahead, signaling the start of school and a change of pace, and for me, the days become more structured and less spontaneous….