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…
Tag: camino
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…
Sights and Sounds
I was just two miles from my destination for the day but needed a rest. My left foot felt every rock despite the thick soled hiking shoes I was wearing. My body asked gently for a break, then it pleaded, and I gave in. I tossed my walking sticks to the ground. I dropped my…
My Day-by-Day Spiritual Journey
At the parish hostel I stayed at in Tosantos (population: 20) we all went up to the third floor chapel after our shared meal. The hospitalerios (a volunteer who runs the hostel) led us in a prayer service that included readings, blessings, songs, and prayer in French, German, English, Spanish, and Italian (representative of the…
Unloading My Fears, Lightening My Pack
“Don’t let your fears load your pack,” Rick said to me on our third day on the Camino. He’d read this advice on a Camino Forum, but admitted he didn’t follow it close enough. As we walked along, he decided to heed this advice and let go of his bedbug spray. Years ago the hostels…
Everyone Walks Their Own Camino
Rémy and I placed our orders for paella at a cafe on the square in Pamplona. It had been a long day walking the Camino and we still had a few more kilometers to go. Our packs sat on the ground next to our table. As we sat sipping our beer, I saw Antoine walking…
Packing List: Hiking Shoes, Sunscreen, Rocks?
Rocks are not the first things I’d think to bring on a 480-mile pilgrimage walk across northern Spain. Hiking shoes, dry-wicking shirts, sunscreen: yes. But rocks? Though not shown on any packing list, I would wager that many of my fellow pilgrims along the route to Santiago de Compostela (a journey popularly known as the…
This Pilgrim´s Path
Note: This post was originally written by Rebecca Gallo and published on bustedhalo.com. Why would a woman with serious doubts about her Catholic faith embark on a 480-mile pilgrimagetrail across northern Spain? Maybe I’ll know by the time I finish. For now, the answer to that question is this: I just know it’s something I’m…
And She’s Off…Again
While most of you are sleeping soundly tonight, I’ll be 30,000 feet in the air trying to do the same. At 10pm, I leave JFK and head to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. From there, it’s a bit an adventure to get to my starting point for the Camino: St. Jean Pied-de-Port. Thursday, May…
RenaissanceRebecca 