I was honored when Laurie, of The Camino Provides, asked me to write about what “the Camino provides” meant to me. In all honesty, I put this task off for a long time. I didn’t believe that I could actually put pen to paper and articulate how much the Camino provided me. But, when I sat down…
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Onward
After a week long trip with my brother and his girlfriend to Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada, I’m finally back in Barcelona. Today is my last day in this vibrant city I call home, and it feels rather strange to be leaving. However, life only moves in one direction, and that’s forward. It’s certainly time to…
Read MoreGuest Post: The Pauline Travel Experience by Jessica C.
I am currently showing my brother and his girlfriend, Jessica, around Spain, and Jess, being the talented writer that she is, wrote a guest blog post about what it’s like to travel with me. I’m very flattered by post and grateful to Jessica for putting up with my tempo and travel dictatorship, I didn’t even…
Read MoreSevilla and Bull
Here I am in Seville, marveling at the Moor influenced architecture, hopping from one tapas bar to the next and touring the city by horse drawn carriage, with a glass of white wine in my hand. My adventure seems to be never ending, which is a good thing, of course, because the idea of leaving…
Read MoreNot Ours to Keep
I’ve made a lot of close friends on the Camino, which called for some hard goodbyes. It all seemed rather unfair, to be blessed with wonderful new friends, yet have to part with them after only a few weeks, fulling knowing some of us may never see each other again. But, truth is, that’s life…
Read MoreConversations with Strangers: Anna from Holland
About Her: Anna is 60 years old and a total badass. She walked 2,432 kilometers to get to Santiago de Compostela. That’s 1,511.1 miles. She started in Holland and it only took about four months. Oh, and she didn’t get any blisters. I asked why she did the Camino, and her answer was refreshingly simple.…
Read MoreDay 18: The End of the Camino
I walked 250 miles, about 400 kilometers, on the Camino Francés in 17 days. The Way of Saint James is something people do for many reasons. Some people do it to give thanks to God, some people do it for sport. Some people go with broken hearts, grieving the loss of a loved one or…
Read MoreDay 16: Freefalling
My days on the Camino are filled with stories. That’s really what I do all day, I walk and I listen. I’ve listened to people grieve for the loved ones they have lost, teach me songs in French, tell me folktales from their home countries. I learn new things every day and, of course, I…
Read MoreDay 15: Inhale, Exhale
Today I’m sitting in the mountains, drinking tea with schnapps, watching the rain over the green landscape. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to reflect on the last three days in. I think I have learned more about myself recently than I thought possible. I found peace on day 13, hiking in the mountains…
Read MoreDay 12: My Spanish Mother
My roommate in Barcelona is from Ponferrada, in the north of Spain, so when I told her that I was going to do the Camino, she made it clear that a stop at her parents’ house was mandatory. I arrived Wednesday morning, hungry, tired, soaked by the rain and with a few ugly infections on…
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