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Camino Francés
  • Traci Pedersen
  • Traci Pedersen

Camino Francés

Ein 46-Tage Abenteuer von Traci Weiterlesen
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  • Traci PedersenCamino FrancésReisender
    Amazing León cathedral
    The flying buttresses that make all of the stained glass possible.Amazing architectureHave you ever checked out just by putting your items in a bin?Crazy modern world!Organ concert at the cathedral with the two Catherines.There's a free concert at the cathedral on Friday evenings. Lucky us!With St. Catherine from Virginia and Catherine the Great from Scotland.Early morning with León's faithful.Fiesta Nacional de España, or National Day of Spain parades.If you're looking for Lucky Charms or Reese's peanut butter cups, here's your store. 😂

    Days 28-29: Rest days in León

    11. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌙 64 °F

    Having a couple of rest days in León gave me the opportunity to get some things done. I’ve been looking for gaiters in the bigger towns, but I’ve had no luck. I have to stop every hour or so to get pebbles out of my shoes, which is super annoying. I was so happy to find Altra gaiters that are made for my shoes. I also found some Merino wool leggings at a Decathlon, which I need on the chilly nights and mornings. The Ziploc bag I’ve been carrying my toiletries in has ripped to shreds, so I also found a nice little toiletry bag. Just those things made the stop in León a success, but I also got to visit the cathedral and attend an organ concert one evening. Add to that a morning at a nice little spa with a wonderful sports massage, and I would say it was a great rest. But after two days, I was ready to get back on the trail again, so I decided to walk tomorrow and the next day, then I will take the bus back to León to meet Amy. I’m going to try walking with my regular backpack to see how I do. If it’s not too much, I’ll plan to carry it the rest of the way, which will give us a little more freedom in deciding how far we want to walk each day.
    This weekend is a holiday in Spain, so everything will be closed, which makes it a good time to be walking. They are celebrating the Fiesta Nacional de España, or National Day of Spain, which commemorates Christopher Columbus and the Spanish legacy around the world. It’s a huge celebration, and let me tell you, the Spanish people know how to throw a party!    Weiterlesen

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    Look at that!
    Bodegas in the village of Chozas de Abajo.Happy to find a cafe bar open early on this holiday!3Frog invasion! This is one of the craziest things I've ever seen!Another beautiful mural on the Camino.Paco drove up with his bread delivery truck at a cafe where I was taking a little break.It's like a bakery on wheels. 🥯🍞🥖🥐The jousting field at Hospital del Orbigo.Hospital del Orbigo, SpainAlbergue Verde, where I am staying tonight.How wonderful to have a yoga session here!Yoga cat!Our delicious communal dinner was prepared by volunteers. Guests donate what they wish.

    Day 30: León to Hospital de Orbigo…

    12. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    …via taxi to Chozas de Abejo about 15 km outside of León, where I started the 20 km walk to Hospital de Orbigo. Today’s walk was really nice, not too cold in the morning and not too hot in the afternoon. My blisters are much better, not painful although not completely healed yet. And my gaiters worked GREAT! Not a single pebble in my shoes! All in all, a good walking day.
    I’m staying in an albergue with 18 bunk beds tonight. Cost €17, with dinner, breakfast, and yoga by donativo, which means you pay what you wish. I usually prefer a private room, but I’d heard good things about this place so here I am. One of the volunteers led a fantastic yoga class tonight, which my body loved! I wish all the albergues had a yoga space. I definitely haven’t been stretching enough, and my body feels it. We’ll see if the yoga pays off tomorrow. 🧘😊
    I’ve got a fairly short 16 km walk to Astorga tomorrow, then I’ll bus back to León to meet Amy, who arrives tomorrow night. How wonderful it will be to see her! ❤️    Weiterlesen

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    I don't know if Paula or Cesar lives in this house......but one of them left the other a message on the road. 🥰1A "donativo" (donation) rest and snack stop about 6 km before Astorga.Astorga in the background, still about 4 km away.A cute little bodega...looks like a hobbit house.Look who I ran into a few km before Astorga! Catherine the Great!Spying the Astorga Cathedral in the distance.Welcome signs on the edge of Astorga.Astorga Cathedral and Gaudi's Bishop's Palace.

    Day 31: Hospital de Orbigo to Astorga

    13. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    I didn’t wake up until 7:15 this morning, which is a miracle in an albergue dorm room! Usually someone is up before 6 AM, and they’re not always very quiet. 😒 I was awake for a couple of hours in the middle of the night (several snorers), so I figured as soon as I fell back asleep, someone else would wake me up in the early morning. Luckily, that didn’t happen. This is the latest I’ve ever seen people sleep in an albergue. Hallelujah!
    I still got an early start and stopped in a couple of little villages for second breakfast and first lunch. 😋About 4 km from Astorga, I caught up with Catherine the Great. 😮 I wasn’t sure if I would see her again, so it was a nice surprise to find her at a nice little café, where I had a delicious Spanish tortilla and cerveza y limon. We enjoyed walking the last few kilometers into Astorga together, then said our goodbyes once again.
    Since today is a national holiday in Spain, not much was open in Astorga, but I was able to walk through the old town on my way to the bus station. I got the bus back to León (€6, 50 minutes), and found the apartment I rented for the next two nights. Amy gets in at 10:30 PM and I’m going to meet her at the train station. I’m so looking forward to seeing her and starting our walk together!    Weiterlesen

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    Day 32: Amy is in León!

    14. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    Amy is here! We had a few errands to do, like mailing Amy’s bag ahead to Santiago, but mostly we were tourists today. Our favorite place should be no surprise: the León Cathedral. Amy was as blown away as I was by the stained glass there. We ate some good food and enjoyed catching up with each other. Tomorrow morning we take the bus back to Astorga and start walking from there. We’re ready to go!Weiterlesen

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    A couple of pilgrims on the Camino
    Lovely garden plots below the old city walls in Astorga.I think I have everything I need in my backpack! 😂Super cool VR experience at the cathedral showing the history of Astorga.16th C altar by Gaspar Becerra, Spain's Michelangelo.Using my zoom lens to see all the amazing details high up in the Astorga Cathedral .Gaudi's Bishop's Palace"Beauty is the splendor of truth." ~Antoni GaudiAt the entrance of Santa Catalina de Somoza, our town for tonight.A cool artist we met at her workshop in Santa Catalina.Our albergue, La Boheme.2La Boheme is a "donativo" albergue, where you pay what you wish.Our dorm room up the rickety stairs.Fruits from the garden.We had a delicious dinner of couscous and curried chickpeas.Jesse is a family medicine doc from Colorado and Carolina just took the NY Bar Exam. Cool younguns!

    Day 33: Astorga to SantaCatalinadeSamoza

    15. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

    I am so happy we planned a short walk for today (10 km) so we could spend the morning in Astorga. What an amazing city! We took the 8 AM train from León, then found a hotel that let us store our backpacks while we explored the city. Astorga was originally a Roman city (Augustus Astorga) and we saw some of the old Roman ruins that have been excavated. Astorga has an impressive cathedral, not only because it is on the Camino, but also because it was the seat of the Astorga diocese since the 3rd century. Gaudi actually built the palace for the bishop beside the cathedral, although it is a museum now. We only had a few hours in Astorga, and we definitely made the most of it.
    We walked to the small village of Santa Catalina de Somoza in the heat of the afternoon, but still it was a nice walk. I did accuse Amy of putting rocks in my backpack, because it sure felt heavy. 🤣 I’m still not sure if I’ll keep carrying everything or if I’ll send a bag ahead, but for now I’m doing it. 👍
    Our albergue “La Boheme” is a donativo, meaning you aren’t charged a rate, you pay what you wish. The owner, David, does everything himself, including cooking our dinner and washing our clothes. He’s a pretty phenomenal host! There are about 15 pilgrims staying here from all over the world…Brazil, Hong Kong, Korea, Italy, Belgium, Spain, and one other guy from the US. We had a nice communal dinner and met some cool people.
    All in all, I would say it was a great first day on the Camino for Amy. 😊    Weiterlesen

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    Not much sleep last night, but still a fun experience to stay in this albergue. 🥱Donativo box for our albergue donation this morning.Santa Catalina de Somoza's chapel.1On the trail before sunrise.🌅Our walk was uphill for about 9 miles today.1Another silly pasta fasta sticker. Haven't seen one for awhile.Look at that elevation gain!Our albergue for tonight, Monte Irago, €33 each w/ dinner for private twin room. No snorers tonight!Photo credit to Amy. 🌸🌼Happy Spanish cow.Yummy dinner with fellow pilgrims from around the world.

    Day 34: Santa Catalina to Foncebadón

    16. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    After a night of not much sleep (except for the snorers, who slept great 🫩), we were ready to go early this morning. Even though we only got a few hours of sleep, we agreed that La Boheme was a pretty cool place. The owner, David, has been building the place for almost 10 years, and he runs it single-handedly. I was pretty impressed with his operation and appreciated his generosity.
    Our 16 km walk was really nice today. We started before the sun rose and enjoyed the glorious sky as it changed colors with the rising sun. We walked the first few kilometers near the road, then the trail veered off through the forest for most of the morning. We had a steady incline for about 10-12 kilometers, and tonight we are at 4500 feet in elevation. We are in a little mountain village tonight in a nice albergue with a private room and shared bathroom. After last night, we feel like we’re at the Ritz. 🤣 We had another really good communal dinner tonight with our table mates from England, France, Korea, Germany, and Denmark.
    Tomorrow morning we will walk to the Cruz de Ferro, or iron cross, the highest point on the Camino Francés at almost 5000 feet. For hundreds of years, pilgrims have brought a stone from their home or elsewhere to leave at this sacred spot, symbolizing the laying down of burdens, a special prayer or intention, or whatever is on their heart. I’ve brought an agate from Unga, near Sand Point, and will leave it at the iron cross tomorrow.    Weiterlesen

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    Placing my stone at the Cruz de Ferro.My stone from Unga.Starting the long hike down.El Acebo. Happy to get to this little mountain village for a short break from downhill walking.I met Noeme from Germany in Sahagun. She's 19 and on her gap year. A beautiful soul. ☺️Crazy, huh?!1Amy can't pass an animal without giving it a little love. 🫏❤️I stop in every church along the Camino to say a prayer, always thankful for my blessingsJust another beautiful village along the Camino.Molinaseca, Spain, our beautiful town for the night.We met Tim at the church. He walked in 2016, then sold everything and moved to Spain for the Camino.Soaking my tired feet in the river. It was ice cold and so refreshing!Our new feline friendThe lady at the restaurant gave me grapes right off their vines. Sweet and delicious!Molinaseca is a Pueblos Bonitos de España, or beautiful town of Spain. For real!Molinaseca is truly a beautiful town of Spain!Casa San Nicolas, our hostal. We hit the jackpot with this place!Jose Luis and Mara prepared a wonderful Brazilian meal for us. Such kind and beautiful hosts!Capriaña toast and welcome by José Luis.

    Day 35: Foncebadón to Molinaseca, 20 km

    17. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Today was pretty amazing from beginning to end, although the walk was quite challenging. We started our walk just as dawn was breaking and had an easy walk to the Cruz de Ferro, or Iron Cross. I didn’t really know what to expect, so I was surprised at how emotional I felt seeing all the stones that have been left by pilgrims over the years, tokens representing their burdens, hopes, dreams, or prayers. It was really a beautiful moment for me. I’ve been thinking a lot about my blessings on this Camino, including my wonderful husband and daughters, and now our beautiful granddaughter, Evelyn. I think part of the reason I’m on this Camino is to learn how to let go of my fears and worries, and trust that we all will be okay, even in life’s challenging and difficult times. It’s the peace we all seek, and I’m so grateful I’ve had the good health, resources, and time to be here on this journey.

    The trail is all downhill from the Cruz de Ferro, so my legs were pretty tired by the time we got to Molinaseca. We are in a beautiful town tonight (quite literally, because it’s officially a “pueblos bonitos de España”) and we ended up in one of the best hostals I’ve stayed in, Casa Nicolas. The owners are from Brazil, and they made us a delicious traditional Brazilian stew with all the trimmings for dinner. José Luis took time to explain a little about the history of the dishes, and also how he and his wife came to be in Spain. They were also pilgrims, and they wanted to do something that would allow them to spend more time together. 🥰 What a special experience to share an evening with them and the other pilgrims staying here. I’m going to bed tonight with a grateful heart and a full tummy! 😀    Weiterlesen

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    The Sil River with the castle up above.
    Inside Ponferrada's old city walls.Another cool sculpture in one of the squares here.1Our apartment was the white building right below the church.We witnessed a wedding proposal inside the castle.A real band of gypsies. That's what they told us!1

    Day 36: Molinaseca to Ponferrada

    18. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    We had such a short walk (8 km), that today was basically a rest day, which we didn’t mind at all after our big downhill hike yesterday. This gave us lots of time to explore the castle city of Ponferrada, do laundry, and do some travel planning. We rented a two bedroom apartment in Ponferrada, which felt like a luxury to have so much room. We ran in to a young German pilgrim, Noeme, who I first met almost two weeks ago in Sahagun. She’s been staying in dorm rooms in albergues, so we invited her to stay with us since we have such a big place. She’s a delightful young lady, 19 years old, on her gap year after high school. After she finishes the Camino, she’s planning to go to Kenya to do some volunteer work.
    Ponferrada is our last city (67,000 people) before we get to Santiago. It is dominated by a huge castle that was built by the Knight’s Templar in the 1200’s to protect pilgrims going to Santiago. The castle sits right above the Sil River, and while the position offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, it’s clear to see that everything was about defense. Walking around the old castle walls offered us a glimpse of what life might have been like back in the Middle Ages.
    We had a pretty relaxing day and made a nice dinner of mixed salad with meat, cheese, olives, and bread, which we enjoyed on our rooftop last night. We have a long walk tomorrow and plan to get started early, so it was nice to have a rest day.    Weiterlesen

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    I will be thinking about this hot chocolate for the rest of my life.
    Sunday mass in rural Spain.Under 200. Woohoo!!!Beautiful walk today, even in the steady rain.Our sweet Noeme caught up with us and joined us for lunch in Cacabelos.I was soaking wet, but still thought the countryside was beautiful.Happy to enter the village of Villafranca del Bierzo, our stop after 24 km.New friends Robert and David from San Francisco who we met at the Parador tonight.3FaceTime with my girls ❤️❤️❤️

    Day 37: Ponferrada-Villafranca d. Bierzo

    19. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Today’s walk was WET and long (24.2 km), but the rain kept me focused and the walk was actually not bad. In fact, it was a really nice walk, mostly flat with just a few hills, and much of it through farms and vineyards.
    Our host from a few nights ago, Jose Luís, recommended that we stop for lunch at Moncloa de San Lazaro in Cacabelos. He’s a foodie so I was looking forward to stopping here, and I wasn’t disappointed! Noeme joined us and we all ordered things to share. The food was delicious, but my favorite was the hot chocolate for dessert. It was more like a hot chocolate pudding, and I was in heaven. It was like a taste of chocolate pudding from my childhood, but made with the finest chocolate and fresh cream. I’m still thinking about it and wondering how I can make it at home. 😋
    We’re staying at a nice hotel tonight, the Parador de Villafranca del Bierzo. We enjoyed the spa pool and sauna, which is just what our bodies needed after a long walk in the rain.
    All in all, it was a good day in spite of the rain.    Weiterlesen

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    Crossing one of the bridges in Villafranca.
    Villafranca del Bierzo's old town.School time. 😀I love these old towns in Spain!Ran in to Carolina, who we met 5 days ago at La Boheme.Time for 2nd coffee in this little village with only one cafe open.Chestnut forest 🌰I stopped to help collect chest nuts 😀More happy Spanish cows.If you can pick it up, it's yours. 🤣A very cute albergue where we stopped for lunch today.All homemade vegetarian food. Delicious!I first met Ingunn from Norway almost a month ago! Very surprised to see her again!Our B&B for tonight in Los Herrerias. 😀View from the B&B's back porch.

    Day 38: Villafranca to Las Herrerias

    20. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Our morning started with a wonderful breakfast at the Parador in Villafranca, then we were on the trail around 8:30 am. We really didn’t see much of Villafranca yesterday because it was so rainy, so it was nice to walk through the beautiful old town this morning.
    It was misty all day and we felt like we were walking in the clouds, but it didn’t rain so we were pretty happy about that. We spent much of today walking along a river, which was lovely. The Wise Pilgrim app said we would be walking on the valley floor, but it was really a steady uphill climb the entire 20 km. We were both feeling pretty tired when we got here. We’re in a nice B&B in an incredible setting, with the mountains all around us, a river running through the valley, and nearby fields dotted with cows and sheep. It’s idyllic.
    One really cool thing that happened today was running in to a girl I met almost one month ago, way back in Navarra or La Rioja. She told me she thought she had met me before, but I just couldn’t remember meeting her. After talking for a few minutes and learning she’s from Norway, I remembered meeting her with Phillip from Boston, who I last saw in León. I love the connections pilgrims make along the Camino!
    Tomorrow morning, we meet Victor at 9 am to start our horse ride up to O Cebreiro. It’s supposed to rain by late morning, so fingers crossed we don’t get soaked on our horse ride. 🐴🤞⛅️    Weiterlesen

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    So we did this today! Took horses up the mountain to O Cebreiro.
    1A couple of caballeros right here! 🤣1Bonnie knew where to go!Absolutely stunning, even in the rain.Bonnie Girl took good care of me today.Our horse man VictorWe crossed over to the region of Galicia today.Bagpiper welcoming pilgrims to Galicia.The village of O CebreiroAncient traditional houses called pallozas, a Celtic design found in this part of Galicia.Inside a palloza, which housed people and animals.Our casa for tonight, Casa Anton.Mars, a gifted massage therapist, came to our room and we both got wonderful massages. ☺️Church of Santa Maria of O CebreiroInside the Church of Santa MariaThe Pilgrim's PrayerOur friend Carolina reading the blessing in Portuguese.1After the Pilgrim's mass we ran into Noeme who also arrived in O Cebreiro today.

    Day 39: Las Herreias to O Cebreiro

    21. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    My word for today is FUN! Amy and I might be the only pilgrims on the trail to O Cebreiro who would describe today that way because it was wet and chilly all day and the walk looked tough, but we rode horses up the mountain and loved it!! My pictures don’t really show how beautiful it was, and I’m sure I would have been blown away on a sunny day, but I still thought the views were stunning. My bum and legs were feeling pretty sore by the time we got to the top, so when I saw a card for a massage therapist at our casa rural, I knew what might make this day even better. 😀 Lucky for us, Mars was available so Amy and I both had great massages this afternoon. Mars is a pilgrim who has done five Caminos, and I would call her a Camino angel. 😇
    We attended the Pilgrim’s mass this evening, which was partly in English,. At the end, all of the pilgrims went up to the front and different pilgrims read a passage about love in all the languages represented tonight, including Portuguese, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and English. It was a very special reminder of how so many different people and cultures come together to walk the Camino, and how we are all different but the same. The pilgrim’s mass was the icing on the cake of a great day. Oh, and we also ran in to our young German friend, Noeme, and Carolina, who we met Amy’s first day on the Camino. It’s always fun to see pilgrims you’ve met along the way!
    The forecast for the next couple of days calls for lots of rain, but we plan to carry on, heading down the mountain slowly and carefully in the rain tomorrow.    Weiterlesen

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    Saying hello to the pilgrim at Alto de San Roque, who greets pilgrims at 1270 meters (4166 feet).
    Wet and windy at the start of our walk today!We were up in the mountains most of the day.One of our snack stops today for a pear and yummy local cheese with honey, and an Aquarius to drink.We walked on very good trails today that didn't get slippery even with all the rain.We are in farm country!Such a pretty walk today, even in the bad weather.Under 140 km to Santiago!!Amy the tree hugger 🪾🌳❤️Made through the wind and rain to Triacastela, 20 km today.Shoes need a good wash every couple of days!

    Day 40: O Cebreiro to Triacastela

    22. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    The word for today is WINDY. I live in the home of the winds, but I can tell you that the Aleutian Islands ain’t got nothing on the mountains in Galicia when it comes to strong winds. There’s a big pilgrim statue on the walk out of O Cebreiro that depicts a pilgrim fighting the strong winds, so this area is famous for this kind of weather. Despite the windy and sometimes rainy weather, we still had a good 20 km walk today. We’re starting to run in to a lot of the same people at our stops, and it’s always nice to meet new pilgrims. I think people are starting to see the end in sight, which is exciting. Tomorrow will be my longest walk yet at 26-27 km, but it’s not supposed to rain so I’m feeling good about it. 👍Weiterlesen

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    We stopped at this cool Donativo rest stop for 2nd breakfast. 😋Lovely to run in to Noeme from Germany and Ingunn from Norway today.A local farmer introducing his cows to some pilgrims. 😀We couldn't decide which route to take either, but glad we picked this one too. 😂More happy Spanish cows.Mural of the priest who painted the yellow arrows and revitalized the Camino in the 70's.Santa Marina Church in SarriaSarriaAnother Eat Pasta Run Fasta sticker. Hadn't seen one for a while.San Lorenzo Chapel from our hotel balcony.

    Day 41: Triacastela to Sarria

    23. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌙 48 °F

    It was rainy and stormy all night, but the rain stopped by the time we started walking around 8;30 this morning. Our walk started with a steep climb, which was unexpected because I thought we were going down hill today. After climbing for a few kilometers, we finally started the downhill, thank goodness! The morning was damp, but by afternoon the sun was out, so all in all, it was a great walking day.
    We are in Sarria, which is where lots of pilgrims start the Camino, so there are tons of albergues. We’re in a nice little hotel run by the friendliest lady, Marcella, who has walked seven Caminos. We met up with our Camino friends Noeme and Ingunn for dinner. So happy to keep running in to them!
    We’ve only got 114 km to go, which will take us the next 5 days. It’s hard to believe how close I am to Santiago now! I’m ready to get there. It’s been a long walk!    Weiterlesen

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    Fall in Galicia 🍁
    Crossing the old Roman bridge out of Sarria.After all the clouds and rain the last few days, it was so nice to see the sun this morning. 🌞The trail is much busier out of Sarria, as many people start their Camino here.Fun to see pilgrims of all ages on the trail!Apples galore!Ate a lot of apples today. 😊Only 100 km to go. Woohoo!Some tricky parts on the trail going in to Portomarin.Steep steps to the entrance of Portomarin.Our pensione for tonight, Pensione Mar.Amy and I are both loving the Padron peppers here. Eating them almost every day!The Iglesia of San Juan, built in the 12th C. and moved to this spot in the 1960'sA couple of pilgrims on their way to Santiago.

    Day 42: Sarria to Portomarin, 22 km

    24. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    The day started off chilly, around 44 degrees, but soon the glorious sun was shining and we warmed up pretty quickly. It was so nice to walk in the sunshine after the last few days of rainy, windy, cloudy, stormy weather.
    There were lots of pilgrims on the trail out of Sarria this morning, many of them on their first day. Sarria is a popular starting point for a lot of people because it’s only about 114 km from Santiago and it can be walked in 4-5 days. A pilgrim has to walk at least 100 km to receive the Compostela, so starting from Sarria makes sense. A lot of pilgrims complain about how crowded the trail can get, but I was happy to see so many people walking their Camino.
    Our walk was really beautiful today, mostly through forests and farms. However, some of the farms were so stinky we had to put a cloth to our nose to breathe! Think stinky fishing gear, then multiply it! 😂
    We are in Portomarin, Spain tonight. It’s called the ‘newest old town in Spain’ because it had to be moved to higher ground after a dam was built in the 1950’s. The church and some other buildings were moved brick by brick to the new town site high above the river. Almost all of the buildings are painted white, making this a very unique looking town.
    We’ve got a couple of long walking days ahead of us, including a 24+ km walk tomorrow. It looks like we will have lots of up and down walking the rest of the Camino, but nothing as steep as earlier, so hopefully I won’t struggle too much these last 4 days!    Weiterlesen

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    A couple of pilgrims in Portomarin.
    This lady was doing the coolest wax stamps on the trail.I chose a shellIron Age ruins at Castromayor, inhabited since the 4th C. BC.We met Richard, who is blind, walking with his friend and guide, Tom. Pretty inspiring pilgrims.Galician Horreo for storing corn.67 km to go!! I can hardly believe it.Church at Palas de ReiMarcello pouring wax for my stamp,My favorite stamp so far.Dinner with fellow pilgrims from Bulgaria and Spain at Marcello's albergue tonight.Beautiful sunset colors tonight 🥰

    Day 43: Portomarin to Palas de Rei

    25. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    The word for today is perseverance. We started early, on the road a little after 8:00, and we got to our albergue around 4:30. We stopped about 8 km in for breakfast, then again about 19 km in for lunch. Other than that, we walked all day, a little over 24 km, or about 15 miles. It was a long walking day! Most of the walk was through small towns, farms, and forests similar to yesterday, so it was really a nice walk. The weather was supposed to be dry, but it was misty a good part of the morning. We put rain gear on and off several times today!
    I’m too tired to write much more, but I captioned pics with some highlights for today. Only 67 km to Santiago. I can hardly believe it!    Weiterlesen

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  • Traci PedersenCamino FrancésReisender
    Beautiful hiking day today.
    Rural Galiciaan village in a snapshot 😀We passed Richard (who is blind) and Tom again today. Such inspiring pilgrims!Our breakfast stop 12 km in today.Melide is a town famous for its octopus. It was a hard pass for me!I tried octopus in King Cove once, and that was more than enough times for me!We passed the local farmers market in Melide. Still looking for roasted chestnuts!Can you imagine when this old cart was last used?This Romanesque church is from the 11th century, with 14th century frescoes.Lady of the Snow statue from the 16th C.Fall decorations in Galicia.Cool fungi. 🍄‍🟫Another sticker sighting.Such a welcoming spirit for pilgrims here.We met Larabee from Morocco today. He taught us a few Arabic phrases we can use in Marrakech. 😀The bee whisperer 🐝Can you believe it ???!!!Beautiful trail and views into Ribadiso today.Amy chatting with a pilgrim from Edinburgh.Crossing the old medieval bridge into Ribadiso da Baixo this afternoon.Our pension for tonight.

    Day 44: Palas deRei to Ribadiso Da Baixo

    26. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Today’s walk was long, but beautiful, 26 km (16 miles). It was about 40° and overcast when we started, but the sun soon burned through the clouds and left us with a beautiful day. Thank goodness, because we had a long walk today. Sixteen miles is the most I’ve walked in a day, and although my heels, ankles, and legs were tired and achy, it really wasn’t harder than any other day. But ask me again in the morning, because I may not be able to get out of bed.😂
    We are in a nice Pension tonight, and we had a great dinner across the street. It’s 9 PM and I can barely keep my eyes open so I’m signing off early again. I really can’t believe I will be in Santiago day after tomorrow. I’ve loved this Camino, but I’m ready to finish. I miss Dean and home, and it’s time to wrap this thing up. 😀    Weiterlesen

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  • Traci PedersenCamino FrancésReisender
    There was actually frost on the ground when we started our walk this morning! Brrr!
    Walking in to ArzuaOur trail buddies Tom and Richard.Frickin' Gorda y Carlos have left their mark for 100's of km. I bet they already broke up! 😂Beautiful trails today.Almost there!We now do a thorough bedbug check every day, down to the bare mattresses. Helps us sleep better!1Happy Camino Eve to us!🍾

    Day 45: Ribadiso to A Rua, 21 km

    27. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    We started our walk around 8:00 this morning and it was chilly, around 40°, but we had some pretty steep hills leaving Ribadiso so we warmed up quickly. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so I was in my shorts by the afternoon. There’s about a 25° temperature difference from morning to afternoon here, so layers are essential.
    My word for the day is HAPPY, because I felt so much joy walking today, knowing how close I am to Santiago. I feel so much gratitude for being able to do this Camino. I’m grateful to my husband, who has shown nothing but support and encouragement for me on this journey. And I’m so grateful I have the health, time, and resources to do something like this. I’ve definitely had challenging days: My legs, ankles, and heels hurt daily, I got a few blisters, I felt lonely sometimes, and I even got eaten up by bedbugs one night, but even with those challenges, it’s all been worth it. I was going to say that I wouldn’t change a thing, but I would change staying in a place with bedbugs! 😆 It happens, and after heating everything I had to the point of melting the buttons off my shirt and melting my backpack zipper pulls together, no little critters are traveling with me so everything is fine. Amy never got a bite on her, thank goodness. She is highly allergic to bug bites and probably would have ended up in the hospital!
    I loved starting this Camino with Grace and ending it with Amy, and I’m grateful for all the encouragement from my friends and family. Walking 500 miles across Spain is not something I ever thought I would do, yet here I am about to finish the last 12 miles into Santiago tomorrow. 🎉
    I’m looking forward to reuniting with some of my Camino friends in Santiago, many of whom I met the first few days of my Camino. The weather forecast is a little iffy, but rain or shine, we will arrive tomorrow.
    Happy Camino Eve to us!    Weiterlesen

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  • Traci PedersenCamino FrancésReisender
    We left early today to try to beat the rain into Santiago. We booked it today! 21 km in about 4 hrs.
    Beautiful morning in the eucalyptus forest.Our Camino friend Andrew from Australia🇦🇺10.00 km marker!First glimpse of the Santiago Cathedral spires from Monte de Gozo, or Mt. Joy.Mt. JoyTouching the pilgrim's feet, which I've done with the statues throughout my journey.Entering Santiago 👏Getting closer!Ingunn and Noeme met us and walked us to the cathedral. Such a wonderful journey we've shared!1With our Alaska flags at the cathedral.Getting my Compostela from sweet Deidre from Ireland. She made me cry!Pilgrim celebration night!My credentials and Compostela for the Camino Francés ❤️

    Day 46: A Rua to Santiago de Compostela!

    28. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Santiago arrival day. Oh happy day!
    I’ll probably come back and write more later, but for now here are some pics from our last day of walking and arriving in Santiago. I’m feeling very happy. ❤️

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  • Traci PedersenCamino FrancésReisender
    Rainy arrival day, but still beautiful and inspiring.
    Our hotel just below the cathedral. Amazing location!Stopped to say hello to the shadow pilgrim.Beautiful Santiago Cathedral on our last night.We met Kallen in O Cebreiro, and shared this beautiful, emotional moment as she entered the square.So happy to meet up with my Camino friends (the two Catherines) from early on!! Amazing ladies!Marisa from New Jersey and Ingunn from Norway on the rooftop tour.Amy with Damian from Ireland (lives in Paris) and Marisa from NJ.Still trying to find the best hot chocolate in Spain. It's a tough job, but I'll do it.The EU is serious about their tobacco warnings, but I don't think it matters to all the smokers hereWe were so lucky to see the butofumiero swing at the noon pilgrim's mass on Wednesday.The altar at Santiago Cathedral.Feeling proud, grateful, tired, happy/sad it's over. I'll be processing this one for a while. 😊

    Santiago de Compostela

    30. Oktober 2025 in Spanien ⋅ 🌬 59 °F

    We made the most of our 1 1/2 days in Santiago de Compostela. Santiago is a beautiful, historic city, so just walking around looking at the old town is a wonderful way to spend the day. We spent both evenings celebrating with Camino friends, feeling all the feels. 😊 I was able to see Catherine the Great from Edinburgh and St. Kathryn from Virginia, who I hadn’t seen since Astorga and León. I really didn’t fully understand what people meant by a “Camino family” but I understand it better after walking the Camino Francés. I’ve met some beautiful and inspiring people!
    I started this Camino on September 13th. Not counting my rest days, I walked for 40 days, which is a pretty cool number to land on. A 40-day journey has significance in different religious and cultural traditions, and is commonly seen as a period of focused spiritual or personal growth. I’ll be processing this journey for a while, but for now I can say that I’m pretty proud to have walked 800 km in 40 days.

    It ends up that I gave myself more time than I needed to finish this camino, so we’ve found ourselves with a few days to kill. We thought about walking on to Finisterre, but the weather in Galicia has been pretty wet and cold. We are headed back to winter 🥶 in Alaska and Chicago, so we are looking for sunshine. That’s how we ended up on a plane to Marrakesh, Morocco. It’s the cherry on top 🍒 of this awesome adventure! We’ll be in Marrakesh for 4 days, then back to Madrid for a couple of days before heading home to the States next week. 🌎🌍🌏✈️🇲🇦🇪🇸🇺🇸    Weiterlesen

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    Ende der Reise
    28. Oktober 2025
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