à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Travel
The Green Tea Miracle
Last night, I literally hobbled into the albergue in Ledigos, a tiny farming village. There was a better place to stay a few kilometers away, but I couldn´t go any further. Plus, the weather was starting to change. The hospitalero, with jet black hair and a thick rural accent, checked me in. “Your name?” he … Continue reading
Limping Along, Together
At this moment, I´m somewhere in the middle of Spain’s meseta, a vast area of gently rolling farmland, in varied shades of yellow, gold, green and brown. Compared to the first and final thirds of the Camino, it is relatively flat. For some, the lack of ups and downs is boring, a section worth skipping … Continue reading
Famous Last Words
Shortly after writing my previous post (A Tourist Demands. A Pilgrim Appreciates), I resumed the Camino after taking a day´s rest at a hostal in Burgos. I bought some warmer clothes, a fleece vest and a hooded top. And I enjoyed a room of my own: a double bed (rather than a bunk bed). A … Continue reading
The Perils of Not Listening
Walking along an earthen track towards St. Juan de Ortega, I noticed a large blonde man whose full backpack tilted severely to the left. Thinking it might strain a muscle, I mentioned it to him as I approached. “Yes, you´re the second person who has told me this,” he said, smiling, as if our concern … Continue reading
Who is Setting the Pace?
I’ve asked myself this question many times since starting the Camino, actually, before I even began. To plan the trip, I consulted a guidebook and Internet forums about how long it takes to complete. Depending on whom you ask, the trek from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela can take anywhere from … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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