Our plan was to visit the Walkway Over the Hudson – one of New York State’s newest State Parks. The old railroad bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland had been turned into a pedestrian walkway and had become quite the tourist attraction. Sr. Peggy had driven up from the Bronx to see…
Month: June 2012
Being on an Ancient Pilgrimage in the Digital Age
After walking 12 miles, Philipp and I were relieved to arrive at the albergue in Tosantos, Spain. We were greeted by Dani, a volunteer serving as the welcoming committee, chef, and housekeeper that week. We left our packs in the hall and followed Dani into the living room. Click here to read more.
The Way: The Movie vs. The Pilgrimage
When a friend e-mailed me last September to tell me a movie was coming out about the Camino I was a little alarmed — would the Camino become overrun with Americans? I liked that most of the people I told about the Camino back in the United States had never heard of it. It felt…
Hidden Benefit of a Late Start
I am due to arrive in Santiago on Saturday — a full three days ahead of schedule. I’m eager to get to my destination, but more excited about my early arrival because it means I can spend two nights at Casa do Raposito — a place of reflection for pilgrims who have just finished their…
Lessons Learned Along the Camino
“Whenever I have a big decision to make, I go for a walk. Then, I go to sleep. When I wake up, the answer is always there.” Mona, a wise woman from South Africa I’ve been walking with the last few days, told me this today. It reminded me of evenings I’ve called my mother…
Camino: By The Numbers
78: Age of the oldest pilgrim I’ve met (from France, walking with his daughter – they do two weeks of the Camino each year. Have also met a 73 year-old South Korean woman travelling alone, a 74 year-old Italian man with his son, and an American who will turn 70 on Sunday and is doing…
A Camino Q&A
I realize I have yet to write a post about the ins and outs of the Camino, so here’s a little Q& A for you all. What is the Camino? A pilgrimage route through Northern Spain. How long is it? The route I chose, the Camino Francés, is 480 miles from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to…
The Things I Never Dreamed Of
When I took my first writing class at the John C. Campbell Folk School, I never had the intention of becoming a published writer. I just wanted to write down some of my family stories. And take a week doing so at a beautiful place in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Four years later…
A Down Day
Walking the Camino, like walking any other path in life,can sometimes have its “down” days. Today was one of those days. I just didn’t feel like walking anymore. I opened my pedometer to see I’d only walked 200 steps since last I checked it. The route was descending steeply and full of rocks. It took not…
Learning to Walk
“The book says it’s good to walk with two walking sticks – better for your balance than just one.” My mother sat in the chair in the corner of my bedroom reading my Camino guidebook. As she read, I tried to organize my pack. “I’ve only ever used one, but I guess I’ll bring both…
RenaissanceRebecca 