Author: Thom

It’s three in the afternoon, and the weather has taken a turn for the hot. Fortunately, this snack bar in the middle of nowhere was able to take care of all of our refreshment needs. Francine’s at the bar, and Tara and Smith are to her right. Places like this can be a life saver out on Camino! Date: 20 […]

I believe this is the first photo I have of Francine actually walking the Camino. We are somewhere on the long plain leading up to Astorga, and the building up ahead is a pilgrim rest area – complete with snacks! The rich red soil you see, particularly on the road, would become the bane of our existence when we returned […]

I rarely post landscape photos, mostly because I’m not great at taking them. Nevertheless, I hope this image gets across the sheer beauty of the Spanish Meseta – the great fields of green and the endless sky of blue above. On the horizon, you can see the Cantabrian Mountains that we’ll be crossing through on our Camino Primitivo in May. […]

Remember yesterday when I mentioned that we prevailed upon a couple taking a nearby photo to shoot the first photo I have of Francine and I together on Camino? Well, here they are: Smith and Tara from Indiana, just starting out their Camino like Francine. We would spend much of the day with them and walk on and off together […]

Somewhere near the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias, we came upon this odd bit of pilgrim art. We prevailed upon a couple taking a nearby photo to shoot this, the first photo I have of Francine and I together on Camino. Later, on our 2016 Camino, we would take a “couple selfie” every day. More on that other couple tomorrow. […]

We stopped for lunch in the parroquial albergue in the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias. There’s a lovely tree-shaded courtyard, where here we see Francine, probably singing. Coca cola with lunch! Date: 20 April 2013Place: Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León → Hospital de Órbigo (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)

Once more proving the adage that the smallest towns have the longest names, the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias boasts a population of 150 on a good day. Much of the building work in town is either red brick or adobe. Date: 20 April 2013Place: entering Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León → Hospital […]

In 2013, something like 80% of the folks on Camino walked. Another 18% or so were on bicycle. That last two percent? Well, here are some of those folks now. And they are, can I just say, absolutely adorable. Date: 20 April 2013Place: between Villares de Órbigo and Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: León […]

The next village after Hospital de Órbigo is Villares de Órbigo, the name of which literally means something like “little town near the Órbigo”. While there are pieces of public art all along the Camino, this one is something else. It’s not religious, it’s not pilgrim-related, and it seems quite out of place in this tiny courtyard buried in the […]