Okay, don’t blame me for this new addition to the Camino Playlist. This one was all Eric’s fault. And once it starts, it will get stuck in your head for HOURS. However, when I was slogging through the French mud, in the middle of a downpour that wouldn’t end, I learned that making up our own dirtierContinue reading “Camino Playlist: The Marching Song”
Author Archives: beth jusino
The Mountaintop
Our second day of walking: We were only a few kilometers from where we started, but I could already see a difference in the land around us. The farm dirt was no longer black with volcanic rock, but had softened to a deep brown. The trees were thicker. But the one thing that did notContinue reading “The Mountaintop”
The Camino Paths (A Photo Tour)
People have been curious about the trails of the Camino. Were we walking on paved roads? Narrow dirt paths? Lots of rock, or fairly smooth? The answer is really “all of the above.” If you didn’t like the trail, all you had to do was keep walking for a couple of hours, and chances areContinue reading “The Camino Paths (A Photo Tour)”
In the face of tragedy
Last night, as I sat waiting for news, for updates, for people to hit that “I’m safe” button on Facebook, I posted this to a Facebook group of Via Podiensis (Le Puy to St. Jean) pilgrims: Seven months ago, I did not personally know anyone who lived in Paris. I had never even been to France. LastContinue reading “In the face of tragedy”
Camino Playlist: My Theme Song
So last week I introduced you to the Camino’s official anthem. Today I want to add my own personal anthem to the playlist. Because if you’re going to walk 1600 kilometers with your husband (who is also your best friend and generally favorite person, even on the bad days), there’s no way that this doesn’tContinue reading “Camino Playlist: My Theme Song”
Books to Guide Your Camino
Want to know more about the nuts-and-bolts of the Camino, or are you packing for your own pilgrimage? Here are the practical guides that got us there and back again. (I’ll tackle the never-ending stack of pilgrim memoirs in a later post.) Before You Go: Camino de Santiago: Practical Preparation and Background Don’t let theContinue reading “Books to Guide Your Camino”
The Train to Le Puy
I climbed to the upper level of the local train from Lyon to Le Puy, my backpack strapped securely over my shoulders, a bag of sandwiches clutched in my hand, and Eric just a few steps behind me. The car was almost deserted as I settled into a forward-facing seat, feeling rather proud of myself. So far,Continue reading “The Train to Le Puy”
The Camino Theme Song
Did you know that the Camino de Santiago has a theme song? We were ten days into our trip, staying in a former monastery in Conques and sharing dinner with about fifty pilgrims from all over the world (the most we ever saw together in France) when the gite volunteers pulled out an easel, a flipContinue reading “The Camino Theme Song”
Ode to a Travel Pillow
If you spend any time at all in the pilgrim discussion boards and Facebook groups, you’ll discover that many of those who have walked the Camino have very strong feelings about how much everyone else’s backpack weighs. My pack was 6.4 pounds WITH WATER. Yeah? Well, I shaved off the handle of my toothbrush, wore onlyContinue reading “Ode to a Travel Pillow”
The Origins of the Camino
To understand the modern experience of what we now call the Camino de Santiago, it helps to start at the beginning and see where it came from and why it matters. After all, this was never meant to be a recreational hiking trail. I’m not much of an ancient historian, but here’s my understanding ofContinue reading “The Origins of the Camino”
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