The photos last week caught my attention. The chapel, covered in snow. The lone pilgrim, covered in a poncho but soldiering on. I knew this place, and the people who guarded pilgrims along this stretch of road. Although when I’d passed by, the sky was grey and full of rain, not snow. From Walking toContinue reading “The Abbey”
Category Archives: Camino Frances
The Ugly American
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about a story that will be in Walking to the End of the World. Linda, my developmental editor who was generally right about everything, expressed some concern about keeping this anecdote in the final book. She worried that it would make me seem too critical and would turn readersContinue reading “The Ugly American”
The Surprising Story Behind the Sculpture on Alto del Perdón
Twelve kilometers after Pamplona, past the fields of grasses splashed with red poppies (or the fields of dry dirt, depending on the time of year), the crumbling monasteries, and the towering hay bales, and up a steep set of switchbacks, the Camino Frances arrives at Alto de Perdón, the Mount of Forgiveness. I’ve stoodContinue reading “The Surprising Story Behind the Sculpture on Alto del Perdón”
My Camino Miracle
Happy 2018! I’m so excited to finally be able to say “my book releases this year.” To celebrate, I want to share one of the most meaningful memories of my Camino journey. It happened on the infamous Day I Walked Over the Pyrenees. As soon as we crossed the Nive River, the road started toContinue reading “My Camino Miracle”
The Monastery of Light
Laurel and I stopped for the night in Azofra, a tiny town between Logroño and Burgos. The town’s major claim to Camino fame is that the municipal albergue has two-person cubicles AND a fountain in the courtyard where pilgrims can soak tired feet. When we arrived, our new friend, John, mentioned that Azofra offered anotherContinue reading “The Monastery of Light”
The Road Will Humble You
“Remain humble on this road, or the road will humble you.” – Kevin Codd, To the Field of Stars I’m back! I have a lot to say about my 13-day trip to Spain and the Camino Frances, but let’s start with the elephant in the room: The plan was to walk for 10 days, fromContinue reading “The Road Will Humble You”
My Summer Camino Packing List
“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go…” Well, almost packed. I’ve been working intently on The Book all month (that’s a mild way of saying I’ve been up until 2 or 3 every night for at least two weeks), but yesterday I finally let it go, sending it off to a group ofContinue reading “My Summer Camino Packing List”
The Old Couple in Burgos
The first time I went to Burgos (I can say “first” now, since I’m officially planning the second trip), we arrived early in the day and had all afternoon to poke around. I loved the city, with its broad plazas and crooked streets. And mostly, I loved the modern, realistic statues scattered in the unexpectedContinue reading “The Old Couple in Burgos”
“No Problem!” On the Generosity of Camino Strangers (and a Wild Ride to Logroño)
One of the best parts about planning this summer’s mini-Camino is that it gives me the chance to go back and walk the 40 kilometers of “missing link” in my last Camino, between Viana and Najera. There are lots of reasons why a Camino pilgrim might decide to skip ahead on the trail via bus,Continue reading ““No Problem!” On the Generosity of Camino Strangers (and a Wild Ride to Logroño)”
It’s official! Camino 2.0: My Surprise Return to Spain
A few days after Eric and I started walking from Le Puy, with 10 weeks of walking still ahead of us, we were already talking about how to come back and do more of this. After all, “the Camino” isn’t a single trail, but a web of paths that criss-cross Europe, branching back as farContinue reading “It’s official! Camino 2.0: My Surprise Return to Spain”
camino times two 