Walking the Camino de Santiago
One year from today, Easter Sunday, 27 March 2016, Francine and I intend to board an airplane and set out on our second Camino. Because next year is a leap-year, that’s 366 days from today. Yesterday, I celebrated the tenth anniversary of my Baptism. A year from today, Easter will fall on exactly the same day that it did back […]
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A couple of months back, Francine and I took a short hike that absolutely winded us. Wiped us out. Clearly, we’re out of shape. So we’ve started our 2016 Camino training much the way we did for 2013: we’re beginning with loops around Snake Lake. There’s a flat loop of trail around the lake, and a fairly steep hill-climb with […]
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It’s a truism that one doesn’t need a map to walk the Camino. After all, there’s a yellow arrow painted or printed or engraved somewhere every twenty yards or so. If you haven’t seen one in a while, you’ve probably wandered off the right path. Having said that, I like maps. I especially like maps that represent terrain, distances, and […]
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In theory, each pilgrim who completes the Camino de Santiago is a member of the Archconfraternity of Saint James the Apostle. Originally founded in 1499, the aims of the Archcontraternity are: Promote honour of St. James the Apostle and encourage Christian pilgrimage to his Tomb. Ensure that pilgrims are welcomed and looked after on their pilgrimage along the different ways […]
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There’s a countdown app on my phone, silently counting down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until we leave for our second Camino. In this new year, we have a lot to do to get ready. Last week we tried out my new backpack bodypack, an Aarn. It was absolutely brilliant. Even fully laden, it was so light you could […]
» Read moreFrancine and I have been noodling about what our second Camino – our first full Camino together – will look like. First off, we’re going to take it slow. Our initial thought is to fly out of Seattle on Easter Sunday 2016 and in to Barcelona. From there, we’ll catch a Ryan Air flight to Lourdes and spend a day […]
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The way that can be walked is not the eternal Way. (Lao Tsu) Santiago de Compostela Feast of Saints Philip and James That last day was busy. After breakfast, we caught a taxi to the bus station to secure our tickets for Madrid. We spent some hours in and around the Cathedral. Then a little shopping. Confession, and then noon […]
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(from my journal) Santiago de Compostela 02 May 2013 Praise God, at about 3pm we arrived in Santiago de Compostela. On the way into the city, we kept running into people we knew – people who had shared some portion of the walk with us – probably a dozen reunions before we even reached the Cathedral. Entering the plaza in […]
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(from my journal) O Pedrouzo Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker The pilgrimage is nearly done. God willing, tomorrow we will be in Santiago! Today was an easy walk of 20km. We left Arzúa late, after visiting the lovely church there. It was crawling with cleaning ladies and the same little old church ladies you find in every parish. One […]
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(from my journal) Arzúa (a.k.a. “Cheesetown”) 30 April 2013 Today, a long, long walk. Francine was a champion – just exploding out of the gate, and again at the end of the day. By way of contrast, a strained muscle slowed me to a crawl at the end of the day. Beautiful forested rainy Galicia! Just magical. Lunched on pulpo […]
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