• MilesnSmileswiththeQuinns
  • MilesnSmileswiththeQuinns

Walka'bout thru Spain & Italy

Backpacking our way, step by step, to our best version Read more
  • Trip start
    June 20, 2024
  • We finaly landed in Barcelona

    June 22, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    After 24 hrs of traveling, a 5 hr delay on our 2nd flight due to lightning and thunderstorms ⛈️, missing our train to Pamplona, it all ended lovely. Barcelona is a beautiful town. When u surrender to the notion that most things in life are out of our control, it's a humble, freeing experience that I'm grateful for. We have ground to makeup tomorrow, and another long day of traveling, but we will make it to France to start our Camino hike on Sunday.Read more

  • St. Jean Pied de Port

    June 22, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    This is the town where we will begin our hike tomorrow. It was another long day of traveling with a few more challenges, but Juan the taxi driver saved us big and all ended great. He taught me so much about the country's government and its struggles. He loves the Salvadorian President Bukele and has much respect for what he's done.Read more

  • Part 2 of St. Jean

    June 22, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Here we are at the Pilgrimage office. Margret from Boston is here volunteering and helped us get our Pilgrim passport. It will be stamped from all the locations we will visit along the 500+ mile walkabout. Did u see how much my pack weighed? The church of Norte-Dame du Bout du Pont was lovely, and we left a lite candle that was dedicated to our loved ones who are in heavenRead more

  • Day 1 of the Camino

    June 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 13 °C

    Hi... what a 1st day. A total of 15.5 miles in 8 hrs. We both did very well. At times, the coldness made our hands so numb that it hurt to hold our hiking poles, but we pushed through. I mentioned in our video that the photos and videos would be in black and white, but I was able to fix it, so now u can see its beauty. Also, don't mind the mistake on today's date, lol. We met a lot of wonderful people of all ages. Youngest was 15 hiking with his dad and Mr. Hans from Holland is doing the Camino on his bike, and he is 73. He is the big cheese of all the volunteers at the hostel and tried to recruit us for next year. Dinner was soso. But Han's private tour of the Albergue was amazing. The blue shell is how the trail is marked and how we know where to go. The photo with a rock memorial is where people offer the trail a rock or personal items so that we or loved one may be remembered. We left the hot pink rock right on the top left corner. Buen CaminoRead more

  • Part 2 of Day 1 of the Camino

    June 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 13 °C

    This is how we ended our day. Was still raining, so I didn't get many photos, but maybe tomorrow morning I can show you its beauty

  • Day 2 of the Camino

    June 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Hi Everyone,
    We walked 15.3 miles for 7 hours to a town called Zubiri, which stands for bridge town. The bridge in the photo is from the 12th century. Not crazy hard day but challenging. Trying to find our trail legs and our flow. A few more days, and it will be muscle memory. The aches after a long walk are not joke. Its funny watching people walking around town walking funny, including us. For dinner, we split a yummy burger and patatas aka flat fries. The major challenge right now is lack of sleep for me. As u can see in the videos, especially the morning one that the bags under my eyes are full force. I have not adjusted to the time change. William seems to be adjusting a little better. It's currently 9pm and the sun is about 1 hr away from setting. It's lovely. Buen Camino (that's what we say to each other on trail while walking the Camino)Read more

  • Part 2 of Day 2

    June 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Clear skies today,
    no rain. The scenery along the Camino was gorginie 😍 2 cows giving a horse a lick bath was interesting especially because u could tell the horse was loving it. We are running into the same pelegrinos that started their Camino journey yesterday with us. Our conversations are getting more in-depth and we know more details of their reasons for doing this pilgrimage . Today, we met a 16yr old boy hiking with his grandpa from Mexico, a 22 yr old Son walking with his dad since May and they started walking in Geneva... Kim and Lourdes are walking by themselves. Us humans are capable of anything as long as we get out of our own way in our heads. I almost hit 50k in steps yesterday 💪 new goal for me to reachRead more

  • Day 3 of the Camino

    June 25, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    We walked 15 miles today to arrive in the city of Pamplona. The sun was out, and the heat was our big challenge aside from a few tight muscles. The hike itself was mostly level with a few hard but small inclines. The countryside was breathtaking with wheat fields and poppy's. It's amazing that in 3 days we have walked 50 miles. Our bodies are amazing and what they are capable of doing. We're feeling 💪 stronger each day and getting our trails legs without much resistance.Read more

  • Day 4 To Puenta La Reina

    June 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We had our 1st 20 mile day! We only had planned on 15, but that's how it goes when you are spontaneous. The heat got up to 91 on our last 5 miles, and it was harder to deal with than the 20 miles. When we made the summit, we all were elated to have done it before noon before the heat. I was able to leave another rock at a rock memorial on the mountain for our passed loved ones. Our is the tiny purple one. Did you see it? We continue to meet wonderful people. The countryside is beautiful 😍Read more

  • Part 3 of Day 4

    June 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    WARNING... the video you're about to watch may hurt your ears. I'm still pinching myself that im in Spain walking the Camino to Santiago. Bonnie Taylor's song is one of my favs and I had to bust out the mic 🎤 . Not ever expecting walking into an albergue to buy a chilled coke and listening to an American song. Here are some pics of beautiful 12th century churches we visited. And did I mention that im in love with Baguettes 🥰Read more

  • Day 5 to Estella

    June 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We walked 15 miles today. That seems to be our average. The hike itself was hard but the heat 🥵 sucks the life out of you. Seems our tolerance can't go past 90 degrees. Beginning at 6am helps beat the sun. Our detour to use the community pools was on point. We could tell our bodies were thankful to refresh in water. Found a street name San Salvador which is the capital of El Salvador and I was born there ❤️Read more

  • Part 2 of Day 5

    June 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The highlight of the day was William jumping off a bridge with the locals. I bought tasty watermelon from a lady having a fruit stand along our walk from her home. Interacting and having connections with the people of Spain is so lovely. They are very kind and always saying halo... aka hello 👋Read more

  • Part 2 of day 6

    June 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We had to say goodbye 👋 to many camino family members, which is sad. You would think that after 6 days you aren't close but it's the complete opposite. We exchanged #s and I know I will hear from them in the future. I rallied a few to take a group picture 📸 we have shared a beautiful experience, and our Camino family will keep growing over the next few weeks. Ending our day in a cold pool is spoiling us but the body sure is grateful for the plunge. Dinner was shared with mostly French people and some from BarcelonaRead more

  • Day 6 to Torro Del Rio

    June 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    22 miles for today! Over 100 miles walked in 6 days! I still can't believe it. This is our most miles in one day EVER. We knew it was going to be a long day, so we sent our backpacks ahead to our albergue, and that helped tremendously. William is nursing some real pain in his knees, but he's trooping along. We walked along more wheat fields, but we were also in wine country.Read more

  • Part 3 of Day 6

    June 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Here are some photos of the churches we saw today. Not all because there are so many. Came across a cute tea set with a homemade table and chairs out on the sidewalk that I thought was endearing. Look at what gas cost in Northern Spain 🇪🇸Read more

  • Day 7 to Logornio

    June 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    What a lovely day to walk 15 miles. We expected rain, but all we got were overcast skies with a few raindrops. It seemed today the men walked together, and the woman followed in the back. It was a nice change. A few days I found just 1 sunflower all by itself, and I shared the photo. Today, I found 1 rose bush surrounded by grape vines. Itd interesting how life can feel like that sunflower or rose bush.... Came thru 3 little towns before reaching Lorgonio. The 10 miles a day I was averaging at home are definitely paying off.Read more

  • Part 2 of Day 7

    June 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    When we stop in little towns, we take breaks to rest up and get some yummy food. William started the day off by trying a chocolate donut while I had a caffe con leche and croissant. The barista Maddie was from El Segundo which is next to where I went to high school in Hawthorne. Small world. She prayed for us on our journey. She is volunteering for a mission out here for the summer. Our Camino family keeps growing, and we continue to be more enlightened for meeting and getting to know all these beautiful soulsRead more