à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Adventure
Road Trip as American Camino: Finding “Finisterre”
Finisterre means “the end of the earth”. This town in Galicia, perched on a rocky outcropping, overlooks a seemingly eternal ocean. To explorers, it must have seemed like the end of terra firma, and it marked the terminus of my pilgrimage along El Camino de Santiago in Spain. At the Finisterre lighthouse, pilgrims burn a personal item from … Continue reading
The Perils of Travel (and Food) Snobbery
Comparison is the thief of joy. – Theodore Roosevelt As a fairly well-traveled person with an educated palate, I once took pride in having sampled authentic cuisine in dozens of places around the world. Too much pride, at times. Having tasted what I thought was “the best” or “the truest”, I couldn’t comprehend how many Americans enjoyed meals that … Continue reading
Road Trip as American Camino: The Upside of Uncertainty
The question I posed at the end of Road Trip as American Camino (Part I), was: Could I find the essence of Europe’s Camino on the iconic American road trip, or was that simply a foolish proposition? To enter into uncertainty creates the possibility of surprise. Whether that’s perceived as an upside or a downside depends on … Continue reading
Texting to Enlightenment? Spiritual Practice on the Go
Not to fear, I don’t text while driving, cycling, or walking for that matter. But after getting an iPhone after years of resisting (and recoiling from texting), I began exploring its possibilities. On my road trip, texting comes in handy when visiting friends in different cities and confirming last minute logistics. At times, texting was more reliable than e-mail, when my phone’s wireless … Continue reading
Feldenkrais and the Coleman Camp Stove
During my last minute road trip, I booked lodging in Polebridge, MT, on the edge of Glacier National Park, less than 24 hours in advance. That I found a funkily furnished ger, a round tent-like structure created in Mongolia, with a real bed, a private compost toilet and an outdoor shower on short notice, thrilled me. I could enjoy the … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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