Category: Uncategorized
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Spiritual Encounter
There are times in life when you experience something that reaffirms a belief. Today, I had a moment just like that, one that connected me to my faith. It was an unexpected moment but very much needed on this long walking day. We were just outside of São João da Madeira. We had stopped for…
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Morning Ritual
One of the most repetitive actions we do on each stage of the Camino is departing one town/city. It is a ritual that requires preparation, mindfulness and knowledge of what’s ahead for the day. This ritual is something that brings us a sense of structure which is so important for us to be mentally prepared…
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Beauty is Everywhere
One of the reasons why I love walking the Camino is discovering what it has to offer. With these discoveries, one learns to appreciate the beauty of things that to others may be unattractive or meaningless. The ironic thing about that is that neither is wrong. Here are some, not all, of the offerings Jim…
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Faith
Several years ago, someone asked me if I had faith and I said yes. I was raised Catholic but have not practiced Catholicism for a very long time or attended church services, other than on the Camino. However, I’ve always believed in a higher power. I pray for others, my family and when I need…
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Goodbye Lisbon
For the past few days, we have been exploring Lisbon, Portugal as it is the beginning of our Camino tomorrow. It is a hilly, coastal city that has much to offer on history, art and food. The language is similar to Spanish but definitely different enough to make it a challenge for me to understand…
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The Camino – Part 2
Two years ago, Jim and I walked our first Camino de Santiago. It was an experience which impacted us both in different ways but left us hungry for more. So when our friends Hilary and Graham reached out about joining them on another Camino, we enthusiastically said yes! Fast forward to today, we will be…
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Reunion in New Zealand
On October 12th of this year, we celebrated our one year of completing the Camino De Santiago. It’s still hard to believe it’s been a year already. The Camino was an experience like no other, so much so we’re planning on doing another one next year. This time from Lisbon, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela.…
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Reflection: Intuitive or Learned?
It’s hard to believe that we returned back home from the Camino just two months ago today. Life certainly has been busy upon our return and sometimes the Camino seems like it was a lifetime ago. However, each time I get asked, “How was your trip?” it all comes flooding back. Images…stories…emotions. I even have…
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Paris: Then, Now and More
The last time I visited Paris for more than one day was in 1983. That first visit is a blur to me, parts of memories are there but not quite fully formed. I went with Ann, two young 23 year olds on our own traveling internationally. The world was ours to explore. Although I don’t…
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The Last Day
The night before, we had decided to leave O’Pedrouzo very early. We wanted to make sure we would have enough time to get our completion documents and go to the cathedral for the noon mass. At 5:15 AM we left our the last pensión, B&B Arca. Manuel, our host, had put together a small bag…
And Here We Go... 