Travel stories
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Pretty towns and sweeping beaches in Cantabria
From Santander I headed west into Cantabria. I travelled by bus except for the last day. I very happily walked, and it was my favourite day of all. Santillana del Mar is a pretty little medieval town. Despite it’s name (del Mar) it is not on the sea. The first building I encountered was a convent. If a convent gate is open I always like to peak in. Why? To see if there are nuns cookies for sale. Sure enough I was rewarded with a tempting assortment of baked goods displayed on glass shelves. I debated the options with the help of a couple from Prague who came off the…
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La Bahía Santander
When I say I am going back to Spain it’s sometimes met with this response: “Don’t you want to go somewhere else?” Well, yes. Yet I am drawn back to Spain. There are 17 comunidades autónomas (similar to provinces) and each offers up its own traditions, landscape, climate, food, drink, and in some cases its own language. For me, returning is a nice combination of familiar Spanish traditions I happily anticipate (like vermut and fresh squeezed orange juice) and new customs to discover. Each trip I pick somewhere new to visit. On this latest trip I headed north. If you trace your way on a map from Madrid directly north,…
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Pilgrim statues on the Camino
Besides the yellow arrows and scallop shells connecting the days on the Camino, another familiar feature dotting the Way are pilgrim statues. These statues pop up all along the Camino. You may find one as you enter a village or take a pause in a plaza. They may greet you high atop a summit or next to a water fountain as you fill your bottle. I stopped to admire these works when I happened upon them. Some were whimsical, crafted from metal or reclaimed objects (such as those above from Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Sahagún). The bronze cast sculptures (such as those below) were particularly expressive. It was easy…
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A drinking fountain with personality
On a recent hot humid day, overheated from walking a few blocks in my neighborhood, an image popped into my head. Not of a water sprinkler to jump through, which would have been most welcome, but of a water fountain. A fountain I encountered in Paris. Or rather a fountain that encountered me. It got my attention before I even noticed it. This is the delightful side of Paris. Of beautiful things. Elegant things. Window displays that make your mouth water. And drinking fountains disguised in pretty designs. Functional and good looking. I was in Paris on a stifling hot day last September before heading to Saint Jean Pied de…
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Unpacking Camino lessons
I was hiking the Bruce Trail and was quickly reminded of my days on the Camino de Santiago. Scallop shells and yellow arrows were simply replaced by painted white trail blazes on the trees. If you go more than 20 meters without seeing one, you’re off track. I welcomed the familiar Camino feeling as I walked the familiar landscape of the Niagara Escarpment. Follow the markers, breath in nature, one step after another. My Camino experiences merge in many ways with life at home. I may have unloaded my backpack but the gifts offered up on this ancient pilgrimage need not end on the trail. Whether it’s walking in nature,…
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Granada anytime
“Have you been to Granada before?” I was asked this question several times. It’s true I had visited Granada in 1992, but it was so long ago I always hesitated with my response, as if there was a statute of limitations on my memories. I have some recollection of my host but not of the city itself. It felt easier and more realistic to provide the same response as my husband who was travelling with me: “No, first time.” On arrival, the train station certainly didn’t feel familiar. Nor did any of the plazas or streets. I could see the Alhambra from many stunning viewpoints, but had I truly seen…
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Camino de Santiago: Arrived at Santiago de Compostela
There is a lovely fluidity to days on the Camino. This was the case right up to my last walking day. O’Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela – 20.1 km I met new people (Irish and Italian), hopscotched along to the same café breaks as my Japanese friend (as if there was a homing device in our bracelets) and the gathering of pilgrim friends in Plaza del Obradoiro was absolutely delightful as we discovered connections between us that we did not realize. But of course, we were all connected. I had a smile on my face all day. Thrilled, happy, and grateful to have arrived at Santiago de Compostela.
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Camino de Santiago: Final days in Galicia
Take a step on the way and you are immersed in a stream of pilgrims heading westward. You meet the people you’re meant to meet. I met some more ‘philosophical’ pilgrims in these stages compelling me to ponder the meaning of a lost journal, a chance encounter, or asking questions like “what is your favourite Camino saying?” The first one that comes to mind is “The true way begins when the Camino ends.” A close second is “the Camino provides.” In these final days I felt lucky the Camino provided me with new pilgrim friends and a delightfully cosy albergue nestled in the woods. Palas de Rei to Melide –…
