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Camino Francés
  • Elizabeth Henderson
  • andrea stark

Camino Francés

Lifelong friends, Andrea and Elizabeth, are headed to Spain to walk/hike a portion of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Join us on our adventure! Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 6, 2022
    Camino Francés
    The notorious Bad Lands hike
    Turning 21Camping across America (1991)We have always been so fashionableMonterey, CAHiking with our gal, JuleyEpcot 2022The legit Mary PoppinsLongboat Key, Florida 🔥

    The backstory

    September 6, 1983 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    Andrea and Elizabeth met as 7th graders in Portland, Maine, and bonded over their teenage angst and their love of spontaneously breaking into song lyrics while showing no apparent sign of musical talent. Their friendship has held steady and they have gone on countless adventures together in the past 40 years, including the Ábaco Islands, Morocco, Buenos Aires, Pilgrim Lodge, WDW, Arizona, and an epic three week cross-country road-trip after college graduations, traveling from Maine to CA, camping along the way. Our mothers were a nervous wreck.

    One night in 2012, give or take, there was a special screening of a documentary, followed by a discussion with the director, held at the Nickelodeon Theater in the Old Port in Portland. Andrea and Elizabeth attended. The documentary followed real current day pilgrims walking on the ancient pilgrimage path that runs through three European countries called the Camino De Santiago. They were transfixed. They needed to do this. But with housefuls of husband+kids and professions and pandemics and the like, planning was shelved until this Fall ….

    This October, Andrea and Elizabeth will walk a portion of the Camino Francés in Spain, traveling 72+ miles from Sarria to Santiago on foot over a six day span. While pursuing only a portion of the full 500-mile path, this will be a wonderful introduction to Camino travel.

    Thank you for joining in this new adventure with us! We will post a daily update with a few highlight photos each day that we are walking. Stay tuned!

    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    Camino de Santiago
    The gear!Weather looking super! A but of rain, but we are prepared.1One of us got a tad carried away with backpack patches 😂Buen Camino!

    So … what is the Camino?

    October 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.

    In 2021, 178,912 pilgrims checked in at the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago de Compostela. Many more would have walked other sections of the Camino, increasing that number.

    The pilgrims that year were 50% male/50% female. Prior to the pandemic, females had taken the majority, often being solo travelers, but that number has decreased since 2020 back to an even split.

    93% walked/hiked the Camino
    6% rode a bicycle
    <1% rode a horse
    <1% used a wheelchair

    More than half (58%) of the pilgrims are between 30-60 years old;
    26% are younger than 30
    16% are older than 60

    The majority of pilgrims are from Spain, with the USA, Portugal, Italy, France and Germany adding a small fraction to the final numbers, as well as citizens of countless other countries.

    We are starting our journey in Sarria and we won’t be alone … this is the most popular starting point along The Way. Let’s get the party started! 🌎🎒

    Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    2

    Let the adventure begin!

    October 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    We are at Logan in Boston, waiting to board our flight to Madrid, arriving early Friday morning. Buen Camino!

  • Camino Francés
    Not just another pretty face 😂
    1Royal Palace1Tiny little eggs!5Madrid botanical garden1Practicing for the Camino 😅

    Madrid

    October 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    We arrived in Madrid at 5:30am and made our way to the hotel for a power nap. We then walked all over Madrid to see the sights. It’s a wonderful city and the weather has been perfect … low 70’s. This is a city of people who greatly appreciate food and wine which leads to countless delicious options. We are headed out soon for evening tapas and sangria. Jet lag has us a little woozy, but we have had a great day regardless.Read more

  • Camino Francés
    1Sarria
    All aboard!Just like the Downeaster!Before naptimeOur simple but wonderful hotelView from hotel roomWalk-about in SarriaSidewalkSidewalkSignsWhere we start the Camino tomorrowSalud!

    Arrival in Sarria

    October 8, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    We left our wonderful Madrid hotel and headed to the train station for our afternoon 4-hour trip to Sarria. It was a great train ride which included naps, reading and chocolate. We arrived in the town of Sarria (pop 13,500) around 5pm and we streamed off the train with approx 50 other peregrinos. Our hotel for the night is directly across from the train station so we had little to walk with our now somewhat embarrassingly large bags. 😂When we start tomorrow on the Camino, our duffles will be transferred to our next hotel 13 miles away. We will carry day packs with necessities.

    We are both feeling a wide range of emotions. Excitement, nervousness, fear of the unknown. I think both of us will feel more assured after we’ve completed our first day. We will check in again after our 6-8 hours on The Way tomorrow. Next stop: Portomarin

    Buen Camino!
    Elizabeth and Andrea    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    1Here we go!
    Sunrise over the Sarria buildings as we hit the trailBeginning the CaminoGorgeous scenery all along the WayNot too many peregrinos, we always were around others, but never crowdedAncient churchOur lunch spotGoat cheese, carmelized onions and local honey - YUM!1He finished the Camino and needs a restCross memorial2Elizabeth added a memorial to her mom ♥️1We made it!Nothing like ending the day with some steep stairsPortomarin

    Day one Camino - 15 miles

    October 9, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    After a hearty breakfast of ham, cheese and lemon cake we hit the trail. We weren’t sure what to expect on our first day- 15 miles is a lot! We started off with an incline and after Elizabeth got out her poles we were movin’! There was a steady stream of people of all ages speaking many different languages ahead and behind us. A lot more people than on our New England hikes! Everyone was friendly and we said “buen Camino” as we left them in the dust! 😉 The landscape was very diverse from sprawling hills to field and farms to rocks and rivers. We saw cows, lambs, horses, chickens, dogs and cats. Having so much to take in helped the time and miles pass and we were soon more than half way. There are many little bars along the way and we stopped a couple of times to refill our water and empty other things! We had a delicious lunch of Spanish tortilla and a goat cheese and honey sandwich- 😋 Our final leg was a steep decline and then a steep incline up stairs and windy roads to our hotel. We put our feet up- literally on the wall to stretch out and rested for a while. We are both amazed at how quickly the 15 miles went by! Tomorrow is another 15. We’ll see if that sense of awe and wonder carries us through the next trek through the rain forecast for tomorrow. ☔️🥾

    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    Starting our longest mileage day
    Hello, Portomarin!Top of yesterday's steep stairs ... down we go!Strike a poseMooGorgeous scenery along The WayDid we mention it rained?! 🤪3Rain, you can't stop us!Walking The WayChurch mausoleumArtsy tree photo by prof photographer, Andrea StarkThis dog surprised Elizabeth as he randomly ran byBeacause an ice cream bar always tastes better with gloves on!At the wonderful inn, all cleaned up and warm againBeautiful view at our innElizabeth keeping her distanceGorgeous view at our farmhouse inn1Dinner 🤪1

    Day two Camino: 17 miles 🔥

    October 10, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 50 °F

    We started today bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to conquer the day! Soon after we started though we were hit with a pretty steep hill, pouring rain and high winds. But not to worry- we had the gear!! We threw on our raincoats, rain pants and even rain cover for our backpacks! We continued throughout the day walking with a steady stream of other pilgrims. We stopped for lunch- bacon and cheese sandwich- and then for ice cream of course! As the miles passed our feet definitely were feeling it! The newness and wonder wore off pretty quickly! By mile 14 we were pretty done but we dug deep and knocked out the final 3! We arrived at our hotel- a 218 year old farm house with beautiful grounds and a delicious meal. We are definitely beat and glad for our “short” day of 9 miles tomorrow!

    A and E    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    2
    Impressive stride, Andrea!12Another day, another hill2Bridge to Melide1Entering MelideArriving at our hotel1Our wonderful roomOur new friends from Tel Aviv1

    Day three Camino: 9 miles

    October 11, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    After a pretty terrible night’s sleep - we could hear the person in the next room snoring all night! - we got up a little later and had a nice breakfast of freshly squeezed orange juice, yogurt, toast and eggs. We were driven to the trailhead and started day 3 from Palas de Reí. Knowing it was “only” 9 miles made us a little more energetic, but we were tired! We walked through several small towns/hamlets, passing old churches, and walking under a canopy of trees. We ran into some more cute dogs and cats and and saw/smelled many more cows. We chatted with people from Iceland, Bueno Aires, Barcelona, Romania, Canada & Chicago. We joined two sisters from Tel Aviv for dinner this evening and had a wonderful time talking. It’s incredible the diverse group of people doing this experience. All different ages, abilities, ethnicities, and languages. Some are fit and have all the expensive gear, while others are in their matching workout outfit, full makeup, sneakers and a tiny bag. We all are headed to the same place - Santiago de la Compestella. Some people started from the beginning and this is day 30+, while others like us will do a 6-day journey and come back a few more times to do the rest. We finished the day with 9 miles completed and a total of 11 miles after we explored our latest stop, the town of Melide.
    CAMINO Q&A: Send us your questions in the comments below and we will make a video to answer them on Wednesday! 🥾🎒🌎
    Buen Camino!
    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    Leaving Melide
    Old town area, MelideNice cold water!Melide Town HallFarmlandSome do the Camino on bicycles (even E-bikes are allowed)4Others ride the Camino!Entering Arzua1Tired but happyOur inn for the night3Outside our room - wardrobe closet, baby crib and our bedroom door 😳46

    Day four Camino: 11 miles

    October 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Today we walked from Melide to Azrua - about 11 miles. We went through many small towns, again passing farms, fields, and churches. The landscape and surroundings are constantly changing which makes the walk very interesting and not so arduous. We were feeling it more today; Andrea with a small blister on her toe and Elizabeth with some achey knees. We are starting to recognize people on the Camino who have been walking to the same towns as us and we chit chat as we walk or when we stop for a coffee or snack. We have an evening ritual of our Spanish wine (Andrea) and Sangria (Elizabeth) that we look forward to! Tonight we are staying in an amazing 17th century, refurbished manor in the countryside. Hopefully it’s not haunted! 👻 Enjoy our photos and videos, including “Camino Q&A”!
    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    Camino version of a beer garden 🍻
    Elizabeth setting the pace 😅Beautiful countrysideOur friend, Chicago Tom1The road less takenNow we've seen everythingOur wonderful friends from Tel AvivLots and lots of corn grown hereMorning cafe stopMy feet are doing miraculous thingsFixer-upperAnother 12.5 miles in the books!Dinner with Camino friends 💛1Still consistently have the biggest bags 🫢🧳

    Day Five Camino: 12.5 miles

    October 13, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Luckily the baby in the creepy crib outside our room only cried once last night! 😱😂 We left our palatial manor house around 9:30am and headed to A Rua. We passed several people we recognized from the week and then saw our Israeli sister friends. We walked the rest of the way with them, stopping for lunch but the place was so crowded they ran out of food! The Camino is more crowded now because several of the routes come together in Arzua. Luckily we had packed some ham and cheese from breakfast and some ribs from the night before— of course!! So we had our own little lunch. It was overcast all day and a little drizzly at times which was nice and cool for walking. The Camino was pretty flat today and we walked about 12 1/2 miles. We are staying at a cute hotel in the small town of A Rua and had a delicious dinner and interesting conversation with our new friends from Tel Aviv. Tomorrow is our last walking day. We cannot believe how fast this has gone. We thought the walking would seem long, difficult and endless but it really was very peaceful- even the hills! We talked, pondered life, met new people, and viewed the beautiful countryside. It will be hard to see it end but it will also feel great that we did it!

    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    Our Camino friends 💛
    Leaving in the dark 🔦Forest wonderlandLine to get a stamp on the Camino "passport"Almost there!Andrea, lunging her way across Spain 😂MemorialElizabeth's mom ♥️Dog jumped up on the wall!Lunch tastes very good after walkingAndrea's amazing saladElizabeth's delicious sandwichSooo close!These markers kept us on the right track ♥️

    Day 6 Camino: 16 miles

    October 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Our last day of walking! We got up early to try and catch the sunrise and left the inn around 8 with our headlights on. We walked with our Israeli friends and met several people we knew along the route. It was bitter sweet- knowing we have walked so far and that it would soon be over. We savored the day, stopping for lots of photos, drinks, and food. It did start drizzling but not bad. There were a lot more people walking with us as everyone made their way to the Cathedral or Santiago; the traditional end of the Camino. We entered the city of Santiago de Compostela, a large city with a lot of hustle and bustle, traffic and noise. But as we made our way to the Cathedral the streets narrowed and wound their way around like a maze lined with stores, inns, and restaurants. There were many other pilgrims heading in our direction and our excitement grew as we made our way through the streets and alleys.
    To be continued …..

    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

  • Camino Francés
    The Peregrinos streaming into SantiagoSuch an accomplishment!The official Credencial (name written in Latin)Such wonderful local marketsThat was far 🫠Friends forever 🥾🎒🌎

    Buen Camino! Mileage total: 80.5 miles

    October 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    We arrived at the Cathedral in the late afternoon to a sea of people and a buzz of excitement! People were cheering and screaming when they saw people they knew from the trail, taking lots of pictures, and just sitting and taking in the moment. Some of the people had been walking for 40 days or more, starting from the south of France or another Camino. Our 6 days of walking
    seemed minor compared to that, but it meant so much to us. We were filled with joy, relief, and sadness as we embraced each other and our newfound friends. The immense and intricate Cathedral served as an appropriate backdrop. We later went to the Pilgrim’s Mass inside and the altar was startlingly beautiful with gold angels holding up a golden chalice. We had a special treat when 8 priests swung the largest catholic incense burner in the world back and forth in front of the altar, something they only do on Friday nights and holidays (see video). We topped the amazing day with a delicious dinner at a Michelin bib restaurant. Throughout the trip we would always say “this is my Camino” or “this is your Camino”. Camino means way or path. This journey really hit home that everyone truly has their own Camino that they are walking!

    Thanks to all our family and friends for supporting us through this amazing journey and we really appreciated your enthusiastic comments and questions! We highly recommend walking the Camino Francés. With a fire burning in your heart, anything is possible! Buen Camino! ♥️
    Andrea and Elizabeth    Read more

    Trip end
    October 16, 2022
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