September 27 – October 8th

I have fallen terribly behind on my blog! You would think that when your primary responsibility every day is simply to walk, there would be endless hours to reflect, write, and share this incredible experience. Truth be told, it has been quite the opposite. Since Laura joined me in León, we have walked an average of 13 to 17 miles a day, without a single rest day, determined to arrive in Santiago de Compostela on October 9.

And somewhere along the way, our little Camino family or "Camily," as everyone calls it on the camino has grown into something really special. When I was walking solo, I met so many incredible people who are part of this bigger group. But since Laura arrived, the social side of the Camino has taken on an entirely new life.

We start our mornings early, sometimes before sunrise, headlamps on, walking through quiet villages as the world begins to wake up. After hours of walking, we arrive in our next town, tired, hungry, and ready for lunch. Finding a restaurant that is actually open is sometimes a challenge in itself. Spanish siesta hours seem to change with every village! But eventually we find somewhere, usually a little café in the main square. And then it begins. Someone we know walks by we wave them over. Another familiar face appears, then another. Our table gets bigger and bigger. Lunch at 2 p.m. becomes a glass of wine at 3pm, more stories, more laughter, and suddenly it is 8 p.m. and time for dinner!

Other days, we head to our hotel, where there is laundry to do, bags to organize, luggage transportation to arrange for the following day, and a new town to explore. We try to visit the churches, the sites of these quaint villages, attend pilgrim Mass, or join a pilgrim dinner. Before we know it, it's 9:30 at night- A FULL day.

A lot of people stays in albergues, where the curfew is often 10 p.m.I choose to stay in hotels with quite the gamut of accommodations , but quite frankly, the curfew sounds pretty appealing by that hour to wake up and do it all again.

From León to the Mountains

Leaving León with Laura felt like beginning a second chapter of my Camino. We had enjoyed two wonderful days in this beautiful city, which happened to be celebrating a medieval festival. Music filled streets, went to 3 concerts, tons of people gathered in the plazas, and a lot of time wandered in the area of Barrio Húmedo enjoying tapas and the festive atmosphere. But it was time to get walking again.

The landscape began to change as we made our way toward Astorga and Rabanal del Camino. There were long stretches through small villages, cafés that seemed to appear just when we needed them, and familiar pilgrims we continued to encounter. Some mornings brought sunshine, others rain -quite a long stretch of cold and rain , most days we needed to wear our poncho and rain pants all the time. Definitely a different experience that then the heat in the first part and I was ill prepared so happily found a store to help fill in the gaps of what I was missing for gear .

Along the way, we stopped at a wonderful little café where we met Michael and Fiona from Australia, a painter and a costume designer. Later, we found ourselves in a quirky cowboy bar in another village. These are the unexpected little stops that make each day so interesting. By the time we reached Rabanal, I had walked approximately 345 miles since leaving Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.I could hardly believe it. And ahead of us was one of the days I had been anticipating most Cruz de Ferro. In addition we could not find a hotel so we had to sleep in a hostel . We had a room with 6 roommates in bunk beds and a community bathroom We went out to roam this small magical town ( think it was my favorite ) and came back and the owner of the alburgue said she had a cancellation for a room with 2 bunks beds and if we paid 20 Euros it would be ours only. It was the best early Christmas gift!!!

Cruz de Ferro — Leaving Something Behind

Cruz de Ferro is one of the most symbolic places along the Camino. Pilgrims have traditionally carried stones from home to this iron cross, leaving them behind as a symbol of burdens, prayers, memories, or things they are ready to release.I hadn't brought a stone from home, so I found one along the Camino. For me, this moment was about leaving things I had carried for too long and no longer wanted to take into the next chapter of my life. The climb into the Montes de León was breathtaking. The weather was wet, the mountains were dramatic, and the descent toward Molinaseca was actually very hard but I had been looking forward to this moment for weeks. There is something incredibly powerful about the simplicity of placing a stone on a pile that represents the hopes, losses, and prayers of countless pilgrims before you. I left my stone and gladly a lot behind!! Laura left a button of john , her brother who lost his life in 9/11 and a dear friend who had an accident and died recently. We hugged, we cried and took many pictures and continued walking.

Through El Bierzo and Into Galicia

The next several days brought some of the most beautiful landscapes of the entire Camino. We walked through vineyards, mountain villages, and charming towns that seemed untouched by time. In Cacabelos, Laura and I enjoyed what I called a "big girl lunch" in a lovely garden restaurant .After so many days of walking and quick café stops, it felt wonderful to sit and enjoy a proper meal. We made our way to Villafranca del Bierzo. We stayed in a hotel right on Plaza Mayor, and I remember thinking how wonderful it was to be in such a beautiful little town surrounded completely by a castle. One of my favorite memories was breakfast near the famous clock tower. It was perhaps the best breakfast of the Camino. What really stayed with me was a small church we visited along the way. A local couple warmly greeted us at the entrance and proudly stamped our pilgrim passports. We purchased little leather-style covers for our passports, another small keepsake of the journey. Inside, the caretaker turned on the lights, illuminating a beautiful rounded ceiling with a depiction of the Last Supper and the words "Buen Camino."It was magical. These are the moments I have come to love most. The unexpected discoveries that are never part of the day's plan. As we continued toward Galicia, the scenery changed again. The mountains became greener, the villages more rural, and the landscape increasingly beautiful.

Fonfría - A Night to Remember

By the time we reached Fonfría, we were deep in the beautiful Galician countryside, actually a farm town that literally was known for making cheese. We stayed in a private residence across from a church, with many cows outside our window. That evening, we attended one of the most memorable pilgrim dinners I have had on the trip. Imagine one long, curved table filled with 70 people from all over the world. We were served traditional Galician soup, delicious beef, wine, and dessert. Sitting beside me was Jim from Utah, a group from Durango, Colorado, for a week of walking and Stephano form Italy. The stories flowed as freely as the red wine. Then the music sponatously began and the waitresses started dancing to traditional Galician music while serving desert, and before long, myself and others joined them. There I was, in a tiny village in northern Spain, dancing with people I had only just met, I know that is not shocking to most who know me BUT so much fun. It was one of those wonderfully spontaneous evenings that perfectly captures the magic of the Camino and if that was not fun enough we all walked out and the the entire sky was illuminated pink , like nothing I had ever seen, another beautiful night.

Sarria — The Camino Has Changed, and So Have We

Arriving in Sarria marked a dramatic change in the Camino, and almost everyone who has been walking from Saint-Jean or other distant starting points agrees. It was quite a jolt! The peaceful, reflective journey we had experienced for weeks suddenly felt very different. The crowds grew enormously. There was more noise, more trash, more commercialization, and what sometimes felt like one tourist trap after another. It has oddly been a difficult adjustment. We had spent weeks walking through quiet villages, enjoying the sounds of nature, and experiencing a simplicity that is hard to describe and suddenly, that peacefulness felt interrupted. I have mixed emotions about it. On one hand, I am genuinely happy that so many people are choosing to experience the Camino, even if they are walking only the final stretch from Sarria to Santiago. Everyone has their own reasons for being here, and I respect that. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't frustrated by the crowds, the noise, the litter, and the commercialization of something that had felt so sacred and peaceful for weeks.

The good news is that the "Camily." all feels the same and trying to encourage each other not to let it ruin all the good we have gotten out of it, laugh about some of the craziness, vent our frustrations, and remind each other of the extraordinary journey we have already experienced. On top of this something else is happening at the same time.There is a palpable melancholy among many of us, including me. We are all beginning to realize that this journey of 31 days, is almost over and it is hitting everyone differently. Many are genuinely sad. Sad to leave the simplicity of this life, the friendships, the routines, and the incredible sense of community that has developed along the way. I understand those feelings completely. But interestingly, I am not sad. What I feel instead is an immense sense of happiness, gratitude, and pride. I am almost at the finish line of something I never truly believed I could accomplish. I never, ever, ever imagined I could do something like this and it has definitely been harder than I ever anticipated. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, this journey has challenged me in ways I could never have predicted. Exhausting days, difficult climbs, aching feet (and happily, ZERO blisters!), unpredictable weather, and moments when I wondered how I would possibly find the energy to get up and do it all again the next morning . I don't feel sadness that it is ending. I feel extraordinary gratitude that I had the opportunity, the health, the determination, and the courage to do it. I came here knowing I was entering a new chapter of my life, but I had no idea just how much this journey would show me about myself.

Tomorrow, Santiago

Tomorrow I will walk into Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Camino. When I began this journey on September 8, I had no idea what the next month would bring. Truth be told, I arrived in Spain on one wheel! I had just dropped Blake off at college, moved out of Hopkinton, and moved into Boston only three days earlier. It was A LOT.

Most people thought the timing was a little crazy, and perhaps it was. But I was determined not to cancel. Deep down, I believed the Camino was exactly what I needed to begin this next chapter of my life — space to think, a challenge, and the opportunity to do something entirely for myself.

I spent my first 17 days walking solo, but tomorrow I will arrive in Santiago with Laura and a "Camily" of incredible people who have made this journey even more extraordinary. For many who I will walk into Santiago with tomorrow will be bittersweet. For me, it will be a celebration of every early morning, every difficult climb, every mile I wasn't sure I could finish, and the unexpected friendships and memories that will stay with me forever. Sometimes we have to do something we never thought possible to discover just how much we are capable of. I am finishing this journey stronger, lighter, happier, and more confident than when I started. I am immensely grateful for this experience and for the kindness, encouragement, and love from everyone I've met along the way and those cheering me on from afar, you have all been part of this journey in ways you may never fully realize.

I started this Camino believing I was walking toward Santiago but what deep down what I discovered along the way was just how much I was walking toward myself and what a beautiful journey it has been.

Buen Camino. ❤️

“ Rest Day “

After 17 days of walking, I arrived in the incredible city of León for my “ rest days “ , which is something often spoken and common to do while walking the Camino but varies in meaning to pilgrims. In my opinion a “rest day” on the Camino doesn't necessarily mean staying in bed with your feet up. It means you aren't putting on your backpack before sunrise and walking 15 or 20 miles to the next village. Instead, you wander a city, do laundry, take care of your feet, find good food, sleep a little later, and give your body a chance to catch up with everything you've asked it to do.

And León was an incredible place to stop not only to see the fabulous city but to finally meet up with Laura who flew over to walk the 2nd part with me . The hug and excitement when picking her up at Leon train station was all I looked forward to, so excited for us to have time together and this experience together. We happened to arrive during an annual medieval festival, and the entire city seemed to have transformed. The streets surrounding the old city were filled with vendors, performers, costumes, music and people. Walking through it felt like stepping onto a movie set.

Cheers our first drink to toast our long awaited adventure

We both were particularly looking forward to visiting the Cathedral of León which we had read so much about. I must admit have walked into a lot of churches and cathedrals on this Camino, but this one is extraordinary. It is famous for its enormous collection of medieval stained glass, and when the sunlight pours through it, the entire interior seems to change color. You don't simply look at the stained glass you almost feel surrounded by it.

Then there was the food. We spent an evening wandering through Barrio Húmedo, León's famous tapas district. One of the traditions here is that when you order a drink, the bar you are in give you a complimentary tapa and each place has its own specialty. So naturally, the only reasonable thing to do is move from bar to bar, order a drink, see what arrives with it, and repeat. It may be one of my favorite Spanish traditions yet.

And then the music …Friday night we listened to Galician music, and Saturday there were bagpipes filling the streets followed by an amazing Scottish group that playe din the Mayor Square on a huge stage that was set up full of locals enjoying and dancing ,that played the fiddle guitar like I had never heard , it was remarkable , . I had no idea before this trip how important Celtic musical traditions are in northern Spain, particularly Galicia and Asturias. The Spanish bagpipe is called the gaita, and hearing that unmistakable sound echo through the old stone streets was incredible.

At one point there was even a Scottish group performing in the Plaza Mayor. Scotland and northern Spain, bagpipes and medieval streets, pilgrims and locals all mixed together it was one of those wonderfully unexpected Camino moments.

After two days of León, though, it was time to start walking again.

Part Two of my Camino. And, even better, Laura's first day. We left León before sunrise, heading west while the city was still sleeping. Almost immediately, the Camino started doing what the Camino does putting people in our path.

We met a group of cyclists from Miami who stopped because they were curious about our walk. We compared adventures for a while ours on foot, theirs on bikes and then continued in opposite rhythms down the same road. Later, we stopped for lunch in Chozas de Abajo, population approximately 87 people. Yes, 87.There we met Alice and Jim from California. Somehow we discovered that Alice had grown up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and had recently bought land there to build a house. Suddenly, in a tiny village in Spain, we spent the next twenty minutes talking about the Berkshires.

I will never get tired of moments like that.

Along today's walk we also passed something I had never seen before little chimneys seemingly growing straight out of the hillsides. Beneath them are traditional underground bodegas-cueva, cave wine cellars dug into the earth. The ground naturally keeps them cool, making them perfect for storing wine and food, while the little chimneys provide ventilation.

From the Camino, they almost look like tiny hobbit houses hidden underneath the hills. Tonight we are staying in Villadangos del Páramo, which, I have to admit, is not going on my list of favorite Camino villages.

In addition I have seen a lot of things out here on the Camino since I started but today I saw 2 pilgrims walking with 3 dogs and a donkey…it is safe to say I did not stop and chat with them.

At about 7:00 we went looking for dinner and somehow found ourselves in the familiar Camino predicament of realizing there might not actually be any dinner. There were only 3 restaurants At one, a woman immediately told Laura and me that she had no food. We left and tried to find somewhere else, couldn't, and eventually went back hoping we could at least find a snack. Then pizzas started appearing for other people. We asked again. No. We wondered whether it was simply a language problem. Then Mary, a pilgrim from Forest Hills, New York (who lived 1 block from where Laura did for years, ordered and was served. We were completely baffled. I even asked another pilgrim to speak to the woman in Spanish for us, just to make sure we weren't misunderstanding. Still no food. So we ordered drinks and resigned ourselves to eating whatever provisions we had left in our daypacks for dinner. And then, somehow, after asking one more time...There was one pizza. Maybe she found one. Maybe she didn't like us. We will probably never know.

But in true Camino fashion, the evening turned around completely when I spotted Barbara from the Netherlands, whom I hadn't seen in quite a while. Suddenly what had started as a frustrating hunt for dinner became this wonderful reunion and such a fun evening together.

That may be one of the biggest lessons of this journey: don't decide too quickly what kind of day you're having. The Camino has a way of changing the story.

After two days of resting, exploring, eating tapas and listening to bagpipes in León, my shoes are back on, Laura is here me, and we're heading into a completely different landscape for the next few day rain is coming and the mountains.. Part Two has officially begun.

Let the adventure continue.

Buen Camino.

Fields to City

September 24th

I woke up this morning in Los Templarios, literally in the middle of a field, in complete darkness. When I went to leave, I discovered that the hallway connecting my room to the main part of the hotel was locked. Apparently they really did not want anyone wandering around before 7:00 a.m., so I had to find my way out through the emergency exit. I waited until 7:00 for my café con leche and then started walking in the dark. The sunrise was spectacular.

sunrise

But I noticed something I hadn’t seen before. For the past 16 days, the sun has risen on my left as I walked. Today, it was on my right. It completely changed the light, the shadows, and the way the landscape looked. Even more beautiful was that while the sun was rising behind me, the colors in the sky in front of me were just as vibrant. I took way too many pictures that honestly just don’t justify how pretty it is,

Early in the morning I met Regina, who actually saved me from going the wrong way in the dark . Regina is originally from South Korea. This is her third Camino, and she also leads Korean groups here. She grew up in Argentina, speaks fluent Spanish, and has two children, 26 and 22. Her son is studying to become a priest which I learned is a ten-year commitment. We walked and talked for a while, another one of those fascinating conversations that seems to happen so naturally out here.

Sahagún was also a huge milestone, everyone has been talking about it for the last few days , it is the official halfway point of the Camino Francés. You can actually receive a halfway certificate there. I tried twice to find the municipal office and somehow couldn’t find it. With such a long walking day for me, longets yet ( 20 miles ) , I finally decided I couldn’t waste the steps searching anymore. That’s okay I’ll get the certificate that really matters to me when I reach Santiago.

On my way out I met Meghan from Nashville sitting beside the Camino path on the way out of the city. Meghan has a small plate on a stool small basket with a sign that said pink prayer /blue blessing with folded up pieces of paper . She was stopping people and suggested to take one. I stopped and talked to her , it is her 6th Camino .I chose blue. When I opened it I got the chills it was one of my absolute favorites, the blessing of Saint Patrick : “May the road rise up to meet you…”Of all the blessings I could have picked. Nothing seems to happen by mistake out here. I tucked it away and will treasure it.

meghan from nashville

Somewhere along the way I crossed into the province of León. I stopped and talked with Arthur from California and another pilgrim from Austria, dont remember his name , Eventually I walked ahead of them because I wanted to spend as much of today alone as possible. Laura arrives tomorrow, and I’m so excited to see her, but I also knew this would be one of my last full days of walking completely by myself for a while. I wanted the quiet. Then I came to a fork in the Camino, had never happened to me - I have just been following the arrows. Two yellow arrows. Two different routes. I needed to eventually reach a village with a train to León, so I chose left. And I am so glad I did as suddenly I was walking beside cornfields and underneath this incredible tunnel of trees. After hundreds of miles of open fields, vineyards, dusty paths and endless sky, it felt like the first truly shaded tree-lined path I had walked on the entire Camino. The branches stretched across the trail above me as if someone had planted them thousands of years ago knowing that someday pilgrims would need this exact stretch of shade, it was awesome to have some very needed shade in the heat.

Twenty miles later, I finally reached the tiny village of El Burgo Ranero where I hoped to find the train station. I asked a local man where it was, and instead of simply pointing, he started walking me toward it.We rounded a corner by one of the only restaurants in town.And there stood Alice. Alice is from Italy, and we started the Camino together on sept 8th!! I hadn’t seen her in about ten days. The second we saw each other, we hugged like two people who had been friends for ten years instead of people who had met a little over two weeks ago. It was such an unexpected reunion.She was staying there in an alburgue , we had a beer and than I said goodbye and found the train station. After 20 miles on foot, I was on a train to León.

Leon……OMG such an incredible city and am staying in a beautiful old monastery/church hotel, with a room appropriately named “September.” The city is alive with some annual medieval festival that started today , people everywhere, food, music and energy. What a contrast from where my day began — alone in the dark, in the middle of a field. That may be one of many things I love about the Camino .

You can start a day having absolutely no idea what is ahead of you. You make a left turn instead of a right. You meet someone you never expected to see again. A stranger walks you toward a train station. You pick one tiny folded blessing out of a basket. You walk through a tunnel of trees that feels like it was waiting for you.And somehow, by the end of the day, it all feels connected.

Halfway...and soo excited Laura ( my best childhood friend of 48 years ) arrives to walk the 2nd part with me to the end. We will stay in Leon for 2 days , my body needs a rest and start her Camino and my 2nd part on the road to Santiago .

Buen Camino. 

Frómista to Carrión de los Condes | The Days You Can’t Plan

Sept 23rd

The day started a little differently than planned. I was supposed to meet Beth at a local bakery at 7:00 a.m. to start our walk from Frómista to Carrión de los Condes. Instead, at 7:25, I woke up to my phone buzzing and vibrating. I had completely forgotten to set my alarm. My hotel happened to be right next to the train tracks, and somehow the trains must have lulled me to sleep because it was the best night’s sleep I’ve had since arriving in Spain.

I texted Beth, told her to go ahead, and decided I wasn’t going to stress about it. I took my time, showered and went downstairs for breakfast with my hair still wet. The woman who ran the hotel took one look at me and, in very animated Spanish, insisted I go back upstairs and blow-dry my hair because it was chilly outside, so I did .And I’m glad I did, because minutes after finally leaving the hotel, I met Graham and Fiona from the UK

We ended up walking nearly 16 miles together, stopping only twice for bathroom breaks and talking the entire way, they were absolutely hysterical. Fiona, like me, loves stopping in the churches in every little village, so we made our way from church to church and eventually stopped for an Aquarius basically Spain’s version of a bottled electrolyte drink.

I also picked up a few new English expressions along the way. At one point I asked Fiona if she has a tissue because my nose was running. A few minutes later she needed one too and said, “I don’t want to be a Copycat Katie…” I asked her to repeat herself and said it is a very common term in UK, I wrote it my ongoing notes on my phone of things I want to remember .

Fiona & I

Somewhere along those miles, Fiona said something about the Camino that stayed with me. For her, doing the Camino was about reaching this rare intersection where she has good health, time and finances all come together at the same time to have the ability to do this walk. It struck me because that really is what it takes to be here. And none of those things should ever be taken for granted. Fiona then wen to share with me she was the head of a primary school for years , explained a lot about her as at each stop she made sure I had all my belongings before heading out back to walk . She shared while walking with me she retired from that job and then stumbled onto a role as a healthcare consultant at a hospital where she had been taking her mom who had age-related macular degeneration . She loved her role but quit before coming here as he mother had passed recently and she and graham were using the money she received from selling her house to pay for this trip in honor of her mom, it was beautiful , everyone has a reason for being here and I love hearing the inspirations as it is not for the faint of the heart.

Graham & I

About three miles outside Carrión, I asked where they were staying. It turned out we were all staying in a beautiful old monastery that had been converted into a hotel. We laughed when we arrived in town and pulled up Google Maps. I said, “There can’t possibly be more than one monastery hotel in this tiny village.” Turns out there are.Eventually we found the right one, but our rooms weren’t ready, which turned into another one of those unplanned Camino moments that ends up being better than anything you could have organized.

My hotel - Hotel Real Monastero de San Zoilo -

We ran into other pilgrims we had each met at different points along the Way- Christina and Mike from Toronto, and Carmel and Georgia, a mother and daughter from New Zealand. Soon we were all sitting outside in the shade with a beautiful breeze, sharing pastries, potatoes, ham and cheese, and of course our beer of the day to exchange stories of all of our walks and there was lot of laughter .While talking we all said we saw signs walking in for a Pilgrim Concert that evening in town. Our feet were all hurting, so naturally our first thought was: taxi, and as it turns out there are no taxis in Carrion. So we agreed to meet in the lobby and walk the mile and a half back into town together.

While I was waiting in the lobby for all ( was early as I had overslept earlier so did not want to be that person ) , the woman at the front desk told me in Spanish there was something I should see. She buzzed open a huge door behind the reception desk, and I walked through it, down into the old monastery and into a private chapel. I couldn’t believe it to be honest it was vast and beautiful. So, of course, when the others arrived I told them, “We may be late for the concert, but you have to see this.” We all walked back inside together and just stood there taking it in. I keep saying, “This may be one of the most beautiful churches I’ve seen,” and somehow another one keeps appearing.

We eventually walked into town for the concert at Santa María del Camino, where the church was filled with familiar faces pilgrims I had seen throughout the day and at different points along the Camino. For about 45 minutes, we listened to organ, flute and voices fill the church, not a normal occurrence for me but I really enjoyed it

The written program explained that the concert was a gift to the pilgrims a way for the people of Carrión to honor those who have been passing through their village on this pilgrimage for centuries. They recognize what it takes time and effort to step away from your life and make the time to walk this road. Afterward, we walked back to the monastery and had one of the nicest dinners I’ve had since arriving in Spain, upstairs in the monastery restaurant with a glass of wine.

And when the day was finally over, I went back to my room, sat quietly for a while, and looked out my window at the monastery tower illuminated against the night sky. The day had started with me oversleeping and missing the person I was supposed to walk with and because of that, I met Graham and Fiona.

I laughed a lot. I met more pilgrims. I discovered a hidden church. I listened to music in a centuries-old church. I shared dinner and wine in a monastery.

Another reminder that some of the best parts of the Camino happen when the plan doesn’t.

Buen Camino

A “ short “ day

September 20 | Hontanas to Castrojeriz

Every day on the Camino continues to bring something I don’t plan, and today was no exception. Most people who walk the entire Camino commonly take a rest day about once a week. I don’t have the luxury right now to do that because I’m pressed for time to arrive in León by September 25 to meet Laura, so I have to keep moving and do some longer days and the next day try to make my milage shorter.

My walk was only about 6 miles, so left a little later . Sun was coming up and there were a few groups of people before and behind me but to be honest I was in such a pretty part of the walk that I enjoyed it so much No cars. No noise. Just the sun rising, the birds, an incredible blue sky , the trail and a few pilgrims. It was a true definition of peace and a beautiful way to start the day. The landscape today was once again so different. Wide open fields , more endless miles of sunflower fields and all I think about is how incredible this walk must be when they were in bloom.

About half way into the walk, I came upon the ruins of the 12th-century Convent of San Antón, once a hospital and sanctuary for pilgrims . It is an albergue where you can stay with no electricity if you want for a nominal fee, but it could by far been one of the most beautiful structure I have seen yet. I left rocks in honor of Philip and Betsy , a very special spot and walked a mile for them

I stopped and had coffee there to soak it all in and met Alan from Atlanta. Alan had been walking the Camino but decided he might be able to cover more ground by bicycle. Somehow, he managed to find a bike to rent for a few days, which apparently isn’t always easy to do along the Camino as it books months in advance. I have learned while talking to people there seems to be a rivalry between the walkers and the bikers out here. I think both are awesome. You’re out here. You’re moving forward. You’re doing the Camino your way. Alan was great but we exchanged pictures we took on Whatsapp but while talking to Alan it gave me an idea.

I need to be in León by the 25th which means base don my milage I will need to skip a town along the walk ( essentially miss a day of walking ) . My original plan was to take a taxi 20 miles to make up time. But after meeting Alan, I started thinking…Why take a taxi 20 miles when I could ride a bike 40?This is what the Camino keeps doing to me. One random conversation over coffee and suddenly I have a completely different plan.

THEN , about a mile into my walk after I had another one of those crazy Camino moments happened. Literally on on the side of the trail was a man sitting in a folding chair in a field with professional photography equipment. Of course I stopped. His name was Luca, a photographer from Italy. He had been on the Camino months earlier and became so taken with this particular spot that he decided to stay close by for a few months . Now he rides his bike out every day with his professional photography equipment to this particular spot and photographs pilgrims as they pass and plans on publishing a book. He has set up an “ office “ with ride-along luggage for his bike and a cardboard box, two computers, an insane camera, two flashes and a silk-ish sheet as a backdrop . He asks only for whatever donation they would like to give, and his dream is to eventually turn the photographs into a book. Seriously, I cannot make this stuff up!!!

He asked if I wanted my picture and of course I said yes……minutes later I was having a full professional photo shoot in the middle of a field on the Meseta which is supposed to be the boring part of the walk in my hiking clothes.

Luca was legit !! He took about 30 photos and then walked me to his “ office “ to download and show me . We went thru them one by one and he asked me which ones I liked , he made edits and then airdropped them to me. I obviously gave him a donation. When I looked at them, I actually got a little emotional as he captured exactly the essence of how I feel here. Happy. Peaceful. Grateful.

Today also came with a completely unexpected Camino treat. My hotel was a brand new and by far it was the most deluxe accommodation I’ve had on this entire trip. After all these days of walking, I was able to get reflexology and then swim 3 times in a stunning pool !! It honestly felt like I had won the lottery and my feet were VERY happy too :)

Apparently, the village I was staying in is considered one of the prettiest villages in Spain, which made the whole experience even more special.

Today was only six miles. But somehow, it was a very full day.

Buen Camino.

218 Miles

Big day for me, today I crossed into the 200 mile marker, in fact 218 miles to be exact ( but who is counting ) since my start in St Jean-Pied-de-Port and almost to the halfway point !!

One foot in front of another , 14 villages, 14 hotels, so many awesome people and a ton of sun screen .

My feet are definitely feeing it but still loving everything about this adventure !!

Buen Camino

Day 11 — September 19

Burgos to Hontanas | 19.5 Miles

Today was one of those Camino days that felt like several days wrapped into one. I knew I had a long day ahead of me, almost 20 miles, so I left Burgos at 7:15 while it was still dark. I absolutely loved Burgos. Every bit of the city was stunning , river running thru it , a huge bustling square near the cathedral , the CATHERDRAL , the restaurants, the shopping, the people. It is definitely a city I want to return to because there is so much more I would love to see and experience.

But I had a similar feeling like when I was in Logronos. As much as I love a city, being a “pilgrim” in a city just feels odd, despite seeing others I knew along the way. For the past several days, my world has become incredibly simple. I wake up, put on my hiking clothes, lace up my shoes, grab my poles and backpack, and walk. Then suddenly I was in Burgos, surrounded by stores and restaurants and music and people dressed beautifully.

I bought a pair of jeans and a sweater and for a few hours, I went from “Pilgrim Allison” to me. Shopping from store to store, almost immediately falling back into a version of my normal life. I love shopping. I love cities. I loved the energy of Burgos..I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but something felt different. Maybe that is part of what this journey is doing to me.

Early this morning I walked out of Burgos with a couple who spoke little English but took my picture at this cool statue , Carmen was her name. As I thanked her I laughed , as this morning when I woke up I had just gotten a picture from my new friend Carmen in Charlestown and was so happy she sent me , nothing happens by mistake

Getting out of Burgos was a little tricky, hard to find the yellow arrows. Carmen and her husband became my “ guide “ through the twists and turns of the city, and at one point I deviated from them and they pulled me back on the path . Definitely something comforted about the buddy system out here. I don’t necessarily need to be walking with someonee, sometimes just seeing another backpack in the distance lets me know I’m heading in the right direction.

Eventually the city disappeared behind me and I entered a new phase of the camino that people talk about called the Meseta. The landscape changed dramatically. Wide-open spaces.Long stretches of trail. Fields in every direction. And a lot of time twists and turns on the path with absolutely no one in sight . On the blogs and in some books it is not uncommon to taxi ahead in this part, I decided to stick it out . It was beautiful and peaceful, but I have to admit that there were also moments when being completely alone out there made me a little nervous.

I walked along John from New Zealand leaving the city . John commented on how much he liked Burgos as well, but also how wonderful it was to see Spanish families out together on a Friday night, dressed up and enjoying one another. I had noticed the same thing, but I loved that he put it into words for me.There is something about Spanish culture that really resonates with me. People seem to slow down. They spend time together. They enjoy their meals and their families. They seem to take the time to smell the roses.

John also went on to tell me he was an artist and a controlled remote viewer , their are only 1500 in teh world and they help find missing people. WHO KNEW ?? I had so many questions and in no time a few miles had gone by.

About 2 km before the 2nd village , Rabe I heard “ Allison “ , it was anne from Ireland . I had met her two days before , she is with a group of 8 ladies from Ireland, but today she was walking by herself herself as her group gets up later and she likes the morning energy so walks and waits for the group in whatever village . Anne was awesome , she walks FAST so I picked up my pace and decided to stop with her for coffee.

In our short walk she told me she had a “roundy” birthday this year .I had absolutely no idea what she meant. Then I realized she was talking about turning 50 or 60.I loved it. Forget milestone birthdays. From now on, I’m calling them roundy birthdays. Anne then told me she also retired this year from being a teacher for 35 years on a Monday and Wedensay she had a heartattack with a full blockage. She mentioned she had no health conditions , a runner and now is better a year later and is grateful to be able to be out here walking. Another humbling moment

On the way out of Rabé, I noticed a beautiful little church so walked in .Inside was a nun who energetically welcomed every pilgrim who walked through the door. She stamped our pilgrim passports, but she did so much more than that, she talked to every single person who came into that church. She spoke only Spanish, and fortunately there was a woman in front of me who was translating into English what the nun was saying I stood there listening and actually video taped her 3 minutes message to the woman in front of me as well as the few of in line

It was beyond beautiful. There was something about the way she looked at people. She wasn’t rushing anyone through. She wasn’t simply stamping passports and moving on to the next pilgrim. She was connecting with every person who stood in front of her and putting a medialin on a thin blue pieces of string Then it was my turn.She spoke to me and then placed the medialiin on me And then she hugged me.Not a quick hug, a meaningful hig

There are moments on this Camino that are difficult to explain because nothing particularly grand happens, yet somehow you know immediately that you will remember them forever.Standing in that tiny church in Rabé, being embraced by a nun whose language I couldn’t even speak, was one of those moments.I believe you dont nee dto be catholic to have that be meaning , she spoke about how she sees the hearts of people who walk in in their eyes , we al have hearts.

It was there that I gave my intentions for Patrick and Nancy.

When I left the church, I walked in silence for a long time. I kept thinking about the beauty of what had just happened. You didn’t need to be Catholic to feel the sincerity and love of this woman. She welcomed and respected every person who walked through that door, no matter where they came from, what they looked like, their size, their shape or the color of their skin. None of it mattered. Everyone received the same warmth, the same attention and the same love- a simple reminder of how we should treat one another. After words I walked in silence, thinking about it. It was such a simple moment, but it had a pretty profound impact on me.

Today I also walked a mile for Bob, in honor of good health

When I reached th enext village of Hornillos del Camino, I stopped at this really cute private albergue Camino Del Sol with only seven rooms to see if they happened to have a room available and met the owner Melina. She is Greek, and she and her husband had just become the new owners on September 1st. Her husband came from this village, and after the two of them walked the Camino last year, they decided this could be a wonderful lifestyle for them. She was so gracious.I asked her for iced tea, and it became really important to her that I liked it. I sat there, ate my apple and enjoyed the break before continuing on.

While in the garden I met a couple from New Zealand, and we started talking about the woman at the church in Rabé. They had experienced the blesisng and nun too. They said if you were ever going to imagine what it might feel like to have someone welcoming you into heaven, she would be about as close as you could get. That made me smile because clearly I wasn’t the only person who had felt something special in that little church.

I also met two wonderful women from Cincinnati. Once again, another Camino stop turned into conversations with complete strangers who somehow don’t feel like strangers for very long.And then it was time to leave Hornillos.I still had 6.5 miles to Hontanas., those were 6.5 long miles.

It was afternoon by then, and I realized something very clearly today: I am a morning hiker. My energy is different. My mindset is different. Everything just feels better and moving forward, that’s a practice I want to continue on this walk .

As I continued across the Meseta, there were long stretches when I was completely alone.No pilgrim in front of me and No pilgrim behind me. Just me and huge white wind turbines as far as the eye could see in all directions. At one point a yellow police van came by, and strangely, just seeing it made me feel better.

Eventually, finally, Hontanas appeared. One really cool things I had read about Hontanas is that you almost don’t see it coming. You walk for miles across this enormous open landscape, and then suddenly you look down and the village is tucked into the valley. Hontanas is amazing. It’s tiny. Essentially one road with just a handful of hostels and a few resturants and a beautiful church

I lit a candle for Will and Richie at the church in this beautiful area where they had bible sin multiple languages and hheld them in my thoughts and prayers.

Tonight I went to a pilgrim dinner of 20 people and at my table I randomly sat with two German men, brothers . Somehow during our conversation we discovered that their mother’s name was REUTER. what are the chances …Another one of those funny little Camino connections.

Tonight, after over19 miles on my feet, I sat in tiny village in Spain and watched the sun set, I couldn’t help thinking about the contrast of the past 24 hours and no matter where we are it is important to See people . Respect people . Love people.

What a beautiful day.

9/17 -Beth & A Smoothie

Today was a days out here that just felt good from beginning to end.

I met Beth at 7:15 this morning, still dark to walk together today. We met last night at Mass and the pilgrim blessing when I noticed she was wearing a Michigan State sweatshirt. Of course, I had to go up and ask her about it. It turns out her son is also at MSU and a second-year medical student at Michigan State. How funny is that? We both have boys in East Lansing, found out both nurses and somehow we meet each other in Spain on the Camino.

Today we walked 15 miles from Belorado to San Juan de Ortega, and literally never stopped talking. We covered just about every topic imaginable, kept an awesome pace, and before I knew it, the miles had flown by.

We knew today would have some pretty hilly terrain and had been warned that there wouldn't be many places to stop for food or water along the way. About five miles into the walk, we found a small café and stopped for breakfast and coffee. There we met an incredible couple from Sheridan, Wyoming, Corey and Judy. Corey is a surgeon and Judy is a nurse.

The scenery changed yet again today. We walked along winding roads through tiny villages, alongside the highway, past more but even larger sunflower fields and eventually up into the forest. The ground turned to red clay as we climbed higher, and the smell of the pine trees was so vibrant .Definitely hilly, but honestly having someone to talk with made the climbing easier And then, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, appeared a small sign “ Dr Coffee “ A man had pulled up in a van and created this little Camino oasis with hot coffee, bananas, water, and beautifully painted Camino shells. Of course, we stopped for coffee. Even in the middle of a forest in Spain, the Camino knows when you need caffeine.

As we continued through the woods, we started noticing arrows made out of rocks along the trail instead of the traditional painted yellow arrows. Another little reminder that there are so many different ways the Camino points you forward.

Eventually, we walked into the tiny village of San Juan de Ortega, very happy to have arrived. The village is home to a beautiful church and monastery, with the tomb of San Juan de Ortega and centuries-old scenes depicting legends from his life, including his shipwreck and the story of the white bees. Then came today's accommodation adventure. I had booked an albergue. Not exactly high on my list of preferred Camino experiences, but I was determined to be open-minded. I checked in and was assigned bed number 2. I walked upstairs bed number2 was approximately one inch away from bed number 1. No curtain. No divider. Just me and a complete stranger practically sharing a bed with 21 roommates in one room I stood there for a minute and thought, Nope.

I walked back downstairs and found a hotel about 19 miles away, called a cab, and off I went. So much for trying , but just hot happening But actually one of my favorite moments of the day happened just before all of that. For miles, Beth and I had been talking about how surprisingly difficult it has been to eat well on the Camino. We're walking so many miles every day, yet finding healthy, filling food isn't always easy. At some point we started talking about how much we both love smoothies in the morning and missed them. Then we walked into tiny San Juan de Ortega( population 600 ) And there, outside one of the smallest little restaurants, was a sign: SMOOTHIES. We just looked at each other and laughed. Of course there were smoothies. So instead of excited to have a cold beer after a long walk , we both had delicious smoothies with real fruit , another Camino moment.

Buen Camino.

September 16 — Santo Domingo to Belorado

What a day. I left Santo Domingo this morning and headed toward Belorado, a 14.5-mile walk that seemed to have a little bit of everything. The morning started with a light drizzle, which meant pulling out my rain gear for the first time. The irony is that I have two ponchos, and somehow managed to leave both of them in the bag being transported to my next hotel. Thankfully, I had my raincoat, rain pants and pack cover. I just kept laughing at myself.

Later in the afternoon, the rain came down pretty hard for about an hour. I was definitely the only pilgrim who didn't have one of those really cool Camino ponchos that covers your head and backpack while leaving your arms free for your poles. Apparently, I missed that memo and another Camino lesson learned.

The landscape changed again today. I walked past enormous fields of sunflowers, all brown now with their heads hanging toward the ground. I can only imagine what these fields look like in full bloom, buf oddly found something pretty about seeing them at the end of their season, maybe it was the abundance of them as far as the eye could see.

At one point, I walked alongside a highway completely under construction. No cars, just an unfinished road stretching ahead of me. It made me think about all the roads we take in life before we know exactly where they're leading.

Today I officially crossed from La Rioja into Castilla y León and passed through five small villages along the way. I stopped in several churches, each completely different from the last. At Iglesia de San Juan, I saw a main altar surrounded by six substantial side altars, something I hadn't seen before.

I also walked a mile for Art for strength, healing and the reminder that people are walking beside him.

After arriving in Belorado, I went to the pilgrim Mass. It was in Spanish but after mass the priest did a beautiful pilgrim blessing in the chapel . Standing there with people from all over the world reminded me again that everyone is walking this road for a different reason. Some are carrying grief, some are searching for something, and some are carrying the names and intentions of people they love. I'm realizing these miles aren't really mine alone anymore.

And then came the surprise of the day. I'm sleeping in an igloo. Yes, an igloo. Apparently, I have officially become a glamping pilgrim. There's a heated pool area and three roosters outside of my igloo. So here I am, sitting in my igloo after 14.5 miles, thinking about this bizarre and wonderful day.

My Igloo Room

Rain. Sunflowers. Five villages. Churches. An unfinished road. A mile for Art. A pilgrim blessing. And an igloo.

You really couldn't make this stuff up, it’s aweosme !!

Buen Camino.

Nájera → Santo Domingo de la Calzada | ~13 miles .

I started this morning in Nájera, which I have to admit was probably not my favorite village since starting the Camino. Everything seemed to operate on its own schedule. Breakfast was supposed to start at 7:00, but 7:00 came and went, and eventually breakfast appeared around 7:30. Apparently even time is somewhat negotiable on the Camino. Another lesson in adaptability.

But almost immediately after leaving Nájera, the entire day changed. I walked out into what may have been one of the most beautiful mornings I’ve experienced yet.

The sky was an unbelievable blue. The path wound through endless vineyards, surrounded by mountains and ridges, with the morning sun rising behind me. It is September, so the grape harvest is underway, and every once in a while a tractor would pass carrying freshly harvested grapes .About 2½ miles in, I realized I hadn’t put on any music. I could hear birds chirping, the occasional tractor in the vineyards, and the shuffle of pilgrims’ feet along the path. There were quite a few people walking this morning, but somehow it still felt incredibly peaceful.

The sun was at my back and I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I had this circular thought going around in my mind on how lucky I felt to have the time and space to be doing this walk !

As I walked with the sunrising I started to think about a question I often ask people: Do you prefer sunrise or sunset? I’ve never really been able to answer it myself because I love them both. But this morning, walking through the vineyards as the sun came up, I started thinking about why. There is something about sunrise that feels completely different. It’s a fresh day. It almost feels as though a blanket of newness has been laid over everything. The light comes up and suddenly you can see everything and in todays case it illuminated the vineyards, the mountains, and the path. Everything looked bright and clear, actually almost fake .

A sunset is beautiful in another way. The light becomes softer and the day begins to disappear. You can’t quite see everything anymore. Maybe that’s why I love them both. A sunset asks you to let go of the day that was. A sunrise gives you the opportunity to see everything again in a new light and this morning, I could see everything.

A meaningful part of this Camino has been carrying the names and intentions of people with me. Today, I walked a mile for Kathy, who recently lost her life to cancer. There are moments on this journey when leaving a small stone seems like such a simple gesture. But somehow, out here, it doesn’t feel small at all. A stone left behind and a mile walked with intention and a life remembered while I keep walking .

Additionally I am learning about the Camino is that the landscape each day is so different .The morning had been lush and green vineyards everywhere, mountains in the distance, and that incredible blue sky. Suddenly, it wasn’t the vineyards gave way to huge expanses of dry, straw-colored fields. The trail became dusty. The sun became hotter. And the hills seemed to keep coming. At times, I honestly felt like I was walking through a desert, it was 92 degrees

At one point I was climbing what felt like an enormous hill and decided I needed reinforcement. So I called my friend Stephanie who lives in Germany on side and we FaceTimed and she talked me right up that hill !! So needed and appreciated and felt as close as we did when we both were in Hopkinton . When I reached the top, there was this wonderful little park in the shade. It had such beautiful vista, an incredible breeze, and these cement lounge chairs I had never seen anywhere and at that moment might as well have been at the Four Seasons. I grabbed one, took my shoes off, stretched out, and the cool cement felt like AC, I literally said out out loud how happy I was . I stayed there for quite a while. I’m learning on the Camino: sometimes the greatest luxuries are incredibly simple. Cold cement. Shade. A breeze. Taking your shoes off.

Eventually, I put my shoes back on and kept going. About two miles later, I walked into a small village and discovered something I definitely wasn’t expecting to find along the Camino: A golf course and a country club. Even better, they had a sign to pilgims walking to welocme them to come in and eat. So naturally, I stopped. Of all the places I imagined eating lunch while walking across Spain, a golf course was definitely not on the list.

But there I was—a pilgrim covered in dust, carrying walking poles, having lunch at a country club in the middle of the Camino. You really can’t make this stuff up. After lunch, it was time to keep moving. The afternoon was hot and hilly, and I continued through open fields and much agricultural land toward Santo Domingo de la Calzada and walked along Paul I had met the night before from CT who had awful blisters and needed to go really slow so walked up the post lunch hill in the stiffiling heat at a slow pace learning more about him and his family .

At one point I passed another Camino marker:565 kilometers to Santiago.There is something about seeing those numbers that is both encouraging and slightly terrifying.I’ve already come so far but there is still so much road ahead.

Santo Domingo

Eventually, hot, dusty and very ready to stop walking, I arrived in Santo Domingo de la Calzada and landed at my accommodation which was so fun and unique, a hotel that was once a 12th-century pilgrim hospital.I love thinking about that. For hundreds of years, pilgrims have been arriving in this town tired, hungry and needing a place to rest and today I became one of them. Although I’m fairly certain the 12th-century pilgrims were not greeted with quite the same amenities. My first priority after arriving was a very cold beer. I sat down, took a sip, and almost immediately received a text from camino friends to meet for dinner at Las Caballeros , a Michelin restaurant in the village. I had not eaten particularly well over the previous 24 hours, so the idea of a good restaurant and dinner sounded incredible.

I had brought exactly one black dress with me for six weeks on the Camino and at the time, that seemed perfectly reasonable given that I could only bring limited clothes in my pack, until tonight. Suddenly, my Camino wardrobe felt a little limited. So after resting my feet, I wandered into town looking for an alternative to my one black dress. That very thing is becoming one of my favorite things about this adventure, I never really know what the day is going to bring, so I need to figure it out as it comes Maybe that’s why this morning’s thought stayed with me all day, I don’t need to know exactly what’s around the next corner nor need to figure out the entire road ahead. I just need to walk where my feet are.

Buen Camino

PS - Please send me your intentions by text or email me if you would like me to walk a mile for someone , it has been so meaningful to me along the way .

Sept 11th

September 11 — Pamplona to Obanos

That central AC did wonders. I started walking early because I wanted to begin September 11th with Mass, something I have traditionally done for the past 24 years. I couldn’t find a service that morning, so instead I went to the cathedral to say a prayer, it was beautiful

September 11th has always felt heavy to me. My life, and the lives of so many people I know, changed forever that day. But this year felt different. I wasn’t in the United States, and here it seemed like an ordinary day. I didn’t hear anyone mention the anniversary. So I decided to remember it in my own way.

Every time I passed an open church, I went inside and lit a candle for the people I knew who lost their lives that day, and for all those I never knew whose lives were changed forever.

Once again, the Camino trail landscapes drastically changed in one day. I started in a city, walked through a huge university leaving the city , crossed and walked along a highway, and suddenly found myself back in farm country, climbing hills with spectacular views in every direction. It was a beautiful day to walk quietly.

This year, instead of focusing only on the sadness, I focused on gratitude. I walked several miles for special people whose names and intentions I’m carrying with me on this journey. At one of the highest points of the day, I reached Alto del Perdón, by far one of the most beautiful vistas I’ve seen yet.The famous iron sculpture of pilgrims stands along the ridge, surrounded by wind turbines stretching as far as the eye can see. Etched into the monument is the beautiful phrase about this being the place “where the path of the wind crosses that of the stars.”

I had another little moment of Camino magic. As I was leaving, I looked down and saw a credit card on the ground.I went from person to person asking if anyone had lost it. No luck. I decided to carry it with me and contact the credit card company when I had service.

About three-quarters of a mile later, I ran into a couple I had spoken with earlier. They had just heard about an Australian woman who had lost her card. She had stopped walking and was sitting along the Camino asking everyone who passed if they had found it. Her entire trip was tied to that card, and she desperately didn’t want to cancel it.Then another man walking by overheard us. He happened to be Australian too. Without hesitation, he said, “I’ll walk it back to her.”And off he went with her credit card nearly a mile uphill to find a woman he had never met. That moment stayed with me. The kindness along this path is next level. Strangers look out for strangers. It’s palpable .And on September 11th, of all days, that struck me.

Twenty-five years ago, in the midst of unimaginable tragedy, I also witnessed extraordinary acts of compassion and strangers helping strangers in NYC that lasted well beyond the 11th Today, thousands of miles away on a trail across Spain, I saw a much smaller example of that same human instinct: Take care of each other.

Maybe that was what I needed to remember today not only how fragile life can be, but how much goodness there still is in people. And then, after all that reflection, the Camino brought me right back to reality.

I had walked from Pamplona to Obanos, a tiny village of only about 800 people. By the time I arrived, I was hot, hungry, tired and apparently completely incapable of finding my B&B on google maps in the last 350 meters away. I stopped two women walking their dogs and asked for help. Somehow, between the three of us, we managed to walk in a complete circle twice and still couldn’t find it , we had to call .My feet were on fire by this point.

Eventually, I found Maria’s house, a B&B I was staying at. Maria greeted me warmly and was a gracious host, but she did not speak one word of English. This did not stop her from speaking Spanish to me a mile a minute as if I understood every word. I smiled, nodded, and hoped I wasn’t agreeing to anything too important.

I was starving and quickly learned that Obanos has exactly one restaurant, which didn’t start serving food until 8:30 p.m., and one little supermarket that was supposed to reopen after siesta at 5:00.It finally opened at 6:15.

Another Camino lesson: I need to do a much better job provisioning my day pack. It was hot, I hadn’t eaten enough, and I could definitely feel my energy dropping. Maria’s B&B had a beautiful view and a pool, which felt like absolute heaven on my sore feet. No blisters yet, knock on wood but they are definitely starting to feel the miles.

Maria brought me to my room and discovered my room had no air conditioning. Okay, no problem. There was a fan, soon to realize the fan was broken. So there I was in a village of 800 people, hungry, exhausted, unable to speak to my host, with no AC and a broken fan.

In addition to the Camino having magic, it definitely has a sense of humor.

There was only one other couple staying at the B&B, and because apparently the day wasn’t random enough, they were Americans whose last name was Murphy. Maria seemed genuinely confused when she discovered we weren’t related through Google translate Two American Murphy’s showing up at the same tiny B&B in a Spanish village of 800 people and not being related apparently made absolutely no sense to her. And somehow, despite being hot, hungry, lost and exhausted, I loved Obonos.

Four days. 54 miles down. No blisters. Lots of lessons. Moving right along.

Day 4 -Pampolna!!!!

Day 4: Pamplona!!!

After Wednesday’s little hotel blunder, I was so grateful to get a private room from a last-minute cancellation at an albergue that also offered an official pilgrim dinner.

Almost everyone staying there seemed to be 40+, and very few were carrying their own bags—which made me feel much better about my Donkey Express decision! (It’s the service that transports your bag to your next stop.)

The pilgrim dinner was awesome. Everyone staying at the albergue is walking the Camino, and we all sat together at long tables while the owners served dinner. You meet new people, exchange stories about the day’s walk, talk about plans for tomorrow, and quickly realize everyone has a slightly different way of doing their Camino. The food and wine were delicious and, most importantly, I finally got a full night’s sleep.

Most pilgrims start walking around 7:30 or 8:00 to beat the afternoon heat. I didn’t start until about 9:30. The jet lag had clearly caught up with me, but I discovered an upside to leaving late: for long stretches, there was no one ahead of me and no one behind me and strangely, I loved it.

I’ve loved meeting and walking with so many incredible people, but I realized I was running on fumes. I had sold my house, moved, hopped on a plane to Europe, and walked 37 miles over mountains all within about five days. I needed quiet. I needed to stop talking for a while, walk by myself, and just take everything in.

But the Camino has a funny way of giving you both solitude and connection. At my first coffee stop, I ran into Diana from Arizona and Patricia from Brazil, two women I had met the day before. They immediately taught me another important Camino lesson: whenever you stop, take off your shoes and socks and air out your feet!I had thought just the opposite.Apparently, it helps prevent blisters, and at this point I’ll take every piece of blister advice I can get.

We walked together for a while, but they were moving slower because of some backpack issues, so eventually I continued on alone. The scenery kept changing from a factory town where the Camino literally wound through a huge industrial area, to beautiful paths along rivers, and eventually into the city of Pamplona.

Just as I reached the outskirts of th ewalled part of the city , I saw Diana and Patricia again. We walked together toward the entrance of the old walled city, climbed what felt like the steepest hill yet (it wasn’t), crossed an actual moat—yes, a moat!—and literally started cheering when we made it inside.It was so fun.

Something also happened that I wasn’t expecting. For 4 days, walking with hiking poles, dusty shoes, a backpack and a Camino shell hanging from it had felt completely normal. Everyone around me looked pretty much the same. Then suddenly I was walking through this beautiful, cosmopolitan city looking very much like a” pilgrim”. I became incredibly aware of myself. I felt like people were staring at me .For probably the first time in my life, I felt a little out of place walking through a city. That was definitely a new one for me.

My hotel was close to the entrance, while Diana and Patricia needed to find beds at a municipal albergue, so we exchanged WhatsApp numbers and promised to meet later.

Then I checked into what felt like the best hotel in the world for one very important reason: CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING. For the first time since arriving, I had real AC. Heaven. As I was cooling off and regrouping, my WhatsApp started buzzing. A group I had walked with the day before was meeting for a pintxos ( a form of tapas ) crawl. Then the Swiss couple I had met invited me to dinner to a restaurant they researched I literally started laughing out loud in my hotel by myself .I came here solo, yet somehow on day 4 I had different camino friend groups inviting me out in a city where I had known absolutely no one just a few days earlier.

This is one of the things I had read about the Camino that made me less worried about traveling alone. the theory goes You can come here alone, but you are very rarely lonely.

And Pamplona! What a beautiful, cosmopolitan city. I completely understand why “pilgrims” take a rest day here. I wished I could, but because I delayed my trip, I’m on a bit of a time crunch and need to keep moving. Pamplona has definitely been added to my list of places to return to although probably not in July for the running of the bulls.

That evening, as I walked toward the square, a small band was playing in this gazebo in the center of the square and hundreds of people were dancing. It looked like a giant flash mob, except it wasn’t organized at all. It was simply people having fun. Of course, I tried to join in. Between my burning quads and being about six seconds behind everyone trying to figure out the moves, I decided I was probably better off watching.

And honestly, watching people have that much fun was awesome

Learning How to Be a Pilgrim

Two days into the Camino, and I am already learning there is a difference between walking the Camino and knowing how to be a pilgrim. Apparently, I have a lot to learn. For those of you who may not know , the Camino is called a pilgrimage because for centuries people have walked its routes to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela for spiritual reflection, faith, or personal meaning and those who make the journey are known as “pilgrims”, and not ones that came over on the mayflower

I officially started yesterday in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, heading toward Roncesvalles one of the toughest stages of the Camino Francés, climbing up and over the Pyrenees. It should have been about 15–16 miles. It wasn't.

Lesson #1: Pay attention to the little yellow arrows.

I was walking and talking with new Camino friends, Jen from California and Marti from Virginia, when we somehow walked 1.4 miles in the wrong direction which meant 1.4 miles back because we missed a yellow arrow which are the mile markers. Nothing like adding almost three bonus miles to one of the hardest days!

I also discovered that the three Camino apps I carefully downloaded weren't much help without a signal. Another lesson learned, and one I was very grateful not to learn while alone.

The climb was hard mostly uphill but got lucky with fog covering much of the Pyrenees and keeping it cool. Somewhere along the first miles, I began learning the rhythm of the Camino.

People are here from all over the world, of every age, walking for countless different reasons. You pass someone and quietly say, "Buen Camino." Someone may start walking beside you and suddenly you're sharing your life stories. You might walk together for five minutes or five miles. If someone stops for water, a picture or to tie a shoe, you just keep walking. No formal goodbye. Somehow, you usually find each other again.

In one day, I met people from Romania, Korea, Ireland, Belgium, Australia, Italy, Brazil and across the U.S. Complete strangers in the morning became friends quickly enough that hours later we were sitting around a table having dinner together. Already one of my favorite things about the Camino.

Lesson #2: The advice that works for someone else's Camino may not work for yours.

I was repeatedly told not to book accommodations ahead, just walk and find something when you arrive. Apparently, September didn't get that memo.

It's one of the busiest times of year, and these villages are tiny. When I arrived in Roncesvalles, almost everything was full. My remaining option was an albergue with roughly 60 people sleeping in one room.

That's when I discovered something else about myself: I am apparently a pilgrim who needs a private room, a bathroom and a hot shower and I'm completely okay with that.

Today I topped yesterday's accommodation mistake by booking what I thought was a hotel 3.6 miles from my destination. It was 20 miles away.

After taxis, cancellations and tracking down the backpack I had already shipped ahead, I finally found a room closer to the trail I will start again in the morning NOT ideal .Tonight I met a wonderful Swiss couple, and she shared her entire Camino spreadsheet with me towns, accommodations, everything. Two days in, and I'm getting smarter. But none of those lessons are what I'll remember most about the start of my Camino walk

Because yesterday, I experienced what people call Camino magic. Near the top of the Pyrenees, I walked out of thick fog and suddenly found myself above the clouds. The valley below had disappeared beneath a sea of white. It was breathtaking. Off the trail, I noticed a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the valley and walked over to take a picture. An older man approached and began spreading ashes beneath the statue. He was visibly heartbroken. I didn't know him, and he didn't speak English. But some things don't need translation. I put my hand on his shoulder and then hugged him. He cried. Through a few words and gestures, I understood they were his wife's ashes. He handed me his phone and asked me to photograph him with his hand beside her ashes beneath the Virgin Mary. It was one of the most intimate moments I have ever unexpectedly been part of. I almost felt I shouldn't be there, yet at the same time felt incredibly privileged that I was. Eventually, he walked away. About 20 minutes later, I continued too. I assumed I would never see him again.

Hours later, because I couldn't find a room in Roncesvalles, I called a taxi to take me to a hotel four miles away. The taxi pulled up with one passenger already inside. It was him. Of all the people on that mountain, all the taxis, hotels and villages, somehow our paths crossed again. His name was Miguel. This time we had Google Translate. Miguel told me his wife, Manuela, had died two months ago. They had been married for 46 years. I thanked him for allowing me to be part of such an intimate moment. He thanked me for being there and the hug and told me how hard it has been since she passed 2 months earlier I don't know why our paths crossed twice that day. Maybe there doesn't need to be a reason.

But sitting in that taxi with Miguel, after witnessing him carry his wife to that beautiful place above the clouds, I knew one thing: I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I came to the Camino during a time of enormous transition in my own life, thinking I would walk hundreds of miles and somehow figure a few things out along the way. Two days in, I'm realizing the Camino may have other plans. Maybe being a pilgrim isn't about getting every turn right, having the perfect app, booking the right hotel or knowing exactly where you're going.

Maybe it's simply about paying attention to the arrows, to the people walking beside you, to the people who somehow cross your path again, and to the moments that ask you to stop and simply be present.

Buen Camino.

And tonight, especially, Buen Camino to Miguel and Manuela.

Libre…

Today I arrived after two planes and what was supposed to be a train, I found a very kind taxi driver who offered to drive me instead to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the start of the camino Frances!

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this part of France. I stepped off the plane in Biarritz to palm trees (who knew?!) and learned that this region is a popular beach destination off the Bay of Bayonne. Within minutes, though, we were winding through the beautiful Basque countryside alongside a river, surrounded by mountains with small villages of the traditional white houses with red shutters and roofs. Just stunning. My driver kept asking if I was okay. I was definitely tired from traveling, but mostly I was sitting there in awe thinking, I can’t believe I’m actually here.

Then, just before we reached Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, I looked up and saw enormous letters etched into the side of a mountain: LIBRE Of course, I immediately asked what it meant and had her pull over so I could take a picture.

Libre = Free.

She told me the letters had only recently been created there. And for some reason, at that moment, I felt a sense of calm I hadn’t felt in weeks. Free. It felt like a pretty incredible word to see as I arrived to begin this crazy journey.

Soon after, we drove into the tiny, charming, walled town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and there were pilgrims EVERYWHERE. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I jumped out of the taxi, asked my driver to take my picture to show my kids I’m here!After two planes—and what was supposed to be a train—I found a very kind taxi driver who offered to drive me instead to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. And just like that, I finally made it to the “start line” of the Camino Francés.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this part of France. I stepped off the plane in Biarritz to palm trees (who knew?!) and learned that this region is a popular beach destination. Within minutes, though, we were winding through the beautiful Basque countryside alongside a river, surrounded by mountains and the traditional white houses with red shutters and roofs. Just stunning.

My driver kept asking if I was okay. I was definitely tired from traveling, but mostly I was sitting there in awe thinking, I can’t believe I’m actually here.

Then, just before we reached Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, I looked up and saw enormous letters stretched across the side of a mountain:

LIBRE

Of course, I immediately asked what it meant and had her pull over so I could take a picture.

Libre = Free.She told me the letters had only recently been put there. And for some reason, at that moment, I felt a sense of calm I hadn’t felt in weeks. Free. It felt like a pretty incredible word to see as I arrived to begin this crazy journey.

Soon after, we drove into the tiny, charming, walled town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and there were pilgrims EVERYWHERE. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I jumped out of the taxi, asked my driver to take my picture, and thought: I’m here!

People have asked if I’m traveling with a group or if an agency has booked everything for me. The answer is no.

Originally, I had hired an agency to plan my accommodations. But the more I researched and talked to people who had walked the Camino, the more I heard the same advice: part of the experience is letting go of being so programmed and finding your own Way. Yes, just like the Martin Sheen movie The Way. (If you haven’t seen it, watch it—it’s how my family first learned about the Camino.)

So…I canceled the agency. My plan was to arrive each day, find a place to stay, and trust that I would figure it out. Well, the Camino decided to test that philosophy about 15 minutes after I arrived. My first stop was the Pilgrim Office to get my pilgrim passport and scallop shell—the symbol carried by pilgrims walking to Santiago. The gentleman at the desk casually mentioned that it had been unusually busy and there were basically no rooms left in town. Okay then.I walked from hotel to hotel with my backpacks.No. No. No. And another no.Finally, I walked into an albergue—a pilgrim hostel—and they had one of their last beds available.A top bunk in a six-person room.YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY.

So much for private hotels!

I was shown to my room and met my “roommate,” Dan from Scotland. Between my exhaustion, his Scottish accent, and my general state of being flustered, I understood approximately zero of what he said.So naturally, I responded, “Oh! I LOVE Scottish people! I met so many great Scottish people at the World Cup in Boston!” And then I quickly left the room.

I spent the next few hours wandering around this beautiful little town, meeting pilgrims from all over the world and carb-loading in the town square with a cold beer, cheese, and bread.

So on Day 1, before I’ve walked a single mile, the Camino has already given me my first lesson:You can make all the plans you want…and sometimes you just have to pivot. Tonight, I’m booking the next few nights because apparently I’m willing to surrender control…but maybe not ALL of it.

Hopefully, four hours of sleep in the last 24 will finally defeat the jet lag because tomorrow morning the real journey begins—with what is considered one of the hardest days of the Camino: crossing the Pyrenees.

Here we go.

Buen Camino. ❤️

PS..If you have not already sent me your intention if you want me to walk a mile for someone, please send along to me

Why the Camino …..

Many have asked me to share my Camino journey, so I decided this little blog would be the easiest way to bring everyone along with me. I’ll share some of the miles, pictures, miles I walk in honor of others , people I meet, stories from the road, and whatever else unfolds along the way. And before I even take my first step, thank you. So many have loved, encouraged, helped, and supported me through everything it took to get to this moment. I feel incredibly lucky to have you cheering me .

Sooooo.. why the Camino? For years, my best friend and I have talked about the day we would both become empty nesters . It always seemed so far away. We talked about how we should celebrate it, travel somewhere amazing, plan a big adventure, do something completely different. We came up with plenty of ideas, but nothing ever felt quite right. Then I remembered the Camino.  My dad had walked the Camino years ago, and one day I started looking into it. The more I read, the more I thought, this is it. Walking nearly 500 miles across Spain somehow checked so many boxes for what I wanted at this point in my life: adventure, challenge, simplicity, time to think, new people, new places and maybe most importantly, space. After almost 27 years of “ momming” raising my 3 kids at home , I am officially an empty nester . And in what feels like the blink of an eye, in the last two weeks I have dropped Blake off at college, sold our house of 24 years, moved to Boston and now I'm heading to Spain. That's a lot of change all at once.I don't look at the Camino as a way to figure out exactly what comes next. I'm actually looking forward to not having to figure everything out for a while. For the next 500 miles, life gets pretty simple.Wake up. Put on my shoes. Carry what I need on my back. Walk. Eat. Meet people. Think. Pray. Laugh. Notice what's around me. Sleep. And then get up and do it again. I'm excited about the physical challenge, but I think I'm even more excited about the space and the opportunity to slow everything down after 27 years of life moving incredibly fast.I have no idea what I'll find along the way or even exactly what I'm looking for. And for once, I'm completely okay with that. I just know it's time to start walking.

Thanks for coming along for the journey.Buen Camino. ❤️