Pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela in Spain
Maybe we mentioned this before, but Mikey is one of the youngest pilgrims by far on this particular Camino. Now, to be fair, 1) it is prior to Summer break, so most students are still finishing coursework; 2) the Via de la Plata is the longest Camino in Spain, so most young employed persons would …
Continue reading "Camino Day 15: Aldea de Canto to Casar de Cáceres"
As we had additional ground to cover today (Mikey figures that we'll be caught up in two days), we were the first out of the albergue this morning and began once again before daylight. Not that there was any chance of getting lost in the dark on the only way out of town, but seeing …
As often happens when we stay in a hotel room with a noon check out time, Mikey rationalized the morning away with hitting snooze and taking a really long shower. Then, it was a leisurely breakfast followed by a trip to the market and post office. Wow - you'd think he didn't have 36km to …
Thanks, Fitbit, for letting us know how absurdly long our dear pilgrim slept last night. 10 hours...Mikey, that should be a sin! As such, we decided to go to the basilica, but - guess what - it wasn't open. Ha! Well, let's give you a brief primer on the Basilica of Mérida just in case …
Thankful for a good night's sleep, we got up at 5:15 am and took a long, hot shower. Now, if you've never done the Camino de Santiago before, this probably doesn't seem like a big deal. However, since pilgrims carry all their gear in a backpack, absolutely no one showers in the morning - otherwise, …
Continue reading "Camino Day 12: Villafranca de los Barros to Mérida"
Zafra turned out to be quite a nice town. Our "discovery" of a castle and the eccentric owner of that restaurant made for a fun time. The nuns (even though Mikey has a morbid, albeit totally unsubstantiated, fear of such orders) had offered a very relaxing experience and the hospitalero even shook Mikey's hand and …
Continue reading "Camino Day 11: Zafra to Villafranca de los Barros"
It rained the entire evening yesterday and all last night, so we cautiously left the convent and decided to go back to the church for a better picture of the tower before heading off into the open countryside. After snapping this image of the bell tower, we walked to a nearby cafe and sat outside …
Last night was a little bizarre. We stayed in an albergue (as usual) but were alone in a dorm room that could house 18 pilgrims! Apparently, no one else showed up and it just worked out that way - but, we did catch Mikey sniffing himself a few times just to make sure. After such …
Continue reading "Camino Day 9: Monesterio to Fuente de Cantos"
As Mikey's bed was located right next to the open kitchen, when a grumpy Italian man started rutting about making his breakfast at 6 am, there was little use in many protestations. However, the final straw was when he turned on the kitchen lights at 6:10 - clearly breaking the 10 pm to 7 am …
Continue reading "Camino Day 8: Almadén de la Plata to Monesterio"
Luckily, Mikey asked for and paid the check when ordering the final course at dinner last night. We downed the coffee and quickly hobbled across the street to the Albergue. Our French friend was waiting to close the gates behind us. Hearing the gates lock behind us as we climbed the stairs, Mikey started humming …
Continue reading "Camino Day 7: Castil Blanco de los Arroyos to Almadén de la Plata"
The first night in an albergue is always interesting. One identifies the snorers (and vows to avoid them for the rest of the trip), figures out group dynamics insofar as leaders/followers go, and (through trial and much error) decides with whom one should converse and whom to avoid. Personally, we met a Dutch father and …
Continue reading "Camino Day 6: Guillena to Castil Blanco de los Arroyos"
While we did get to bed at a reasonable 10 pm last night (all four roommates came staggering in at 3:45 am), there was no time for laundry. Ergo, 8 am found Mikey loading the washer with practically every article of clothing he has and shivering in an undershirt and running shorts for the next …
As everything had closed so early yesterday, we got up around 7 am in order to see as much as possible today. Mikey has a new favorite breakfast spot in Sevilla. In addition to his coffee and OJ, he had smoked salmon, cream cheese, caramelized red onion, and spinach on a fresh baguette (2.50€!). Then …
We woke up this morning following a long night's sleep. Mikey is rather sunburned and hobbling now due to a blister on his right Achilles' heal and another dime sized one in the middle of his sole. The washing machine in the apartment was great, but his socks were still a bit damp this morning …
Perhaps we’ve said it before, but what a difference a day makes! We woke up this morning to clear skies and great weather in which to walk. Still, Mikey wanted to enjoy our luxury apartment digs for a little while longer - well, that and his shoes were still rather wet. We finally left Las …
Continue reading "Camino Day 4: Las Cabezas de San Juan to Utrera (and Beyond!)"
It seemed like this storm front would be sticking with us for a bit, so Mikey was in no hurry to leave at first light. Instead, a leisurely mid-morning coffee and fresh juice finally urged us on from the hotel/restaurant where the gusts of wind almost literally flung Mikey flailing in his poncho into the …
Continue reading "Camino Day 3: El Cuervo to Las Cabezas de San Juan"
The torrential rain actually woke us up at 6 am this morning as Mikey had left the window open overnight. Looking out, we decided to sleep a bit more in hopes of waiting it out. It’s one thing to encounter rain while hiking (and we have gear for this), but beginning one’s day in a …
Continue reading "Camino Day 2: Jerez de la Frontera to El Cuervo"
Today we said goodbye to Cadiz and officially began the Camino. Although hoping for an earlier departure, the rain that began last night continued until almost 9 am this morning. Once it cleared, Mikey wanted to get a few last pictures of the city. Above is the Plaza of St. John of God with City …
We woke up to a very overcast morning. While not yet raining, it seemed that almost every local was carrying an umbrella - finally, a test to see who actually lives here! This looked like a nice plaza on which to have a quiet morning coffee. What you don’t see, however, are the self-styled ”Los …
This will hopefully be a shorter post since we spent most of the day traveling to Cadiz, a peninsula on the southern Atlantic coast of Spain. Mikey has been here before (albeit almost 20 years ago) and vowed to one day return. Let’s just say that it was a most surreal afternoon spent wandering through …
Location, location, LOCATION! Last night got a bit rowdy at times, but Mikey finally got to try out his earplugs. They worked so well that he slept through both of his alarms. Still, it was nice to wake naturally at 7 am and start the day at a slower pace. Pans can perhaps be best …
Greetings from Madrid - once again! Although the flight was slightly more jovial than last year’s return from Madrid (insert a rowdy Spanish youth soccer team in place of a cabin full of slumbering Mormon missionaries), we arrived this morning to a most drizzly Saturdy in the capital. As such, there exist fewer outdoor pictures …
Mikey on The Way 