LP and VQT

 Posted by VQT We usually stay a night in Madrid on our way home.  This year we are staying one night at both the beginning and ending of our Camino.  We think this is either our 3rd or 4th time at the same hotel near the airport.  In prior years we ate at a vegetarian cafe only 1/4 of a mile from the hotel - this time the cafe was not open - they close on Sundays.  Because “our” cafe was closed we ventured out further to a green square surrounded by restaurants and a cacophony of bird sounds.   Photo of a monk parakeet.  Our first bird of this Camino.  Noisy little creatures.  Photo: Quick Google search info. These parakeets are considered an invasive pest.  Photo: Two monk parakeets on the ground.   Photo of a large nest    Great way to start this Camino   Invasive or not I delighted in seeing them.  Long night of travel and now after eating we will rest and get some sleep. Tomorrow we go back to the airport an...

 Posted by LP Photo - LP and VQT checking a piece of luggage at the Delta desk - in fact it is a beautifully crafted box containing only our hiking poles and a pocket/pen knife (obviously not allowed in hand luggage) - thanks to GJA for excellent work with cardboard and tape 💚

 Posted by VQT Photo: VQT and LP in front of a portrait of Maynard Jackson.  Easiest airport check in ever!   Both of us are TSA pre checked but that line wasn’t open   The regular check in line had 1 person in front of us.  Took maybe 2 minutes to get through all the screening    Many of you that have faithfully followed us on our Camino walks might recognize our clothes.  Yep - same exact clothes we’ve worn for all 4 previous Caminos. I do have a slight fear that my clothes might disintegrate somewhere totally remote.  But, that’s a risk I am willing to take because I have not be able to find any other clothing that functions as well as these.   Flight departs at 9:55 pm.  

 Post by LP If you are reading this, we thank you - it means you are one of the many family and friends interested enough in our trip, our faithful supporters, to pay attention to our photos and ramblings - you are, therefore, much appreciated 💚 Can you bloody believe it?…..we are off on another Camino - I have had a “series of unfortunate events” these past 6 months that have threatened my capacity to take on the rigors of long distance walking, but with the help of several doctors and physical therapists, the encouragement of family and friends, here I am with just a little bit of a limp and (mostly) ready for another Camino adventure :) The photo is of the covers of our guide books - the first section of the trip is the Camino Portuguese, 175 miles from Porto to Santiago de Compostela, the second is a further 75 miles from Santiago to Finisterre via Muxia and the Costa du Morte - what you cannot see in the photo is the sections of the guide books of routes we are not taking, th...

  Photo from 2025. Camino stretching off into the distance   Posted by VQT There’s a Latin expression for the benefits of taking a walk.   Solvitur ambulando  “It is solved by walking”.   This remedy (attributed to Diogenes the Cynic and St Augustine) is one that all true pilgrims know, and in many respects serious walkers (and hikers) are the modern embodiment of medieval pilgrims. So we set off once again to test this maxim.  Either we haven’t solved our problem(s) or we are acquiring new problems?   A few more “by the numbers” 2022 Camino Francais from St Jean Pied de Port 500 miles 2023 Camino Portuguese and Finisterre  250 miles 2024 Camino Norte (part) and Camino Primitivo 300 miles  2025 Camino Francais from Pamplona 460 miles 2026 Camino Portuguese and Muxia and Finisterre 250 miles (estimated) That my friends is a total of 1,760 miles.  Let’s solve some problems by walking…

Photo of my Camino refrigerator magnets.     Posted by VQT Last year in one of my final posts I stated, “we have no plans for another Camino”.  We being LP and VQT.   On August 22nd we will fly to Madrid then take another flight to Porto to walk our 5th Camino de Santiago.  Good thing we have the option of changing our minds! This year we will start in Porto and walk mainly the Coastal Path but we will be taking a variant route known as The Spiritual Way for a few days. We’ll arrive in Santiago de Compostela after 13 days of walking.  After taking a rest day in Santiago we will then walk for 6 days to Muxia and Finisterre (known as Lands End or the Edge of the World) on the western coast of Spain.  A 1.5 hour bus ride will take us back to Santiago.  Over the past 4 years we have posted a “by the numbers” look at our walk.  After completing this year’s walk we will have stayed at 148 hotels (some hotels we stay at multiple nights).  And w...