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David and Sean’s Camino
  • David and Sean's Camino

David and Sean’s Camino

David and Sean will fly to Paris, France on June 2, 2023 to begin their Camino de Santiago adventure--a walking trek of approximately 500 miles. Read more
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  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Second Breakfast

    June 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Second breakfast is a hobbit concept—one that I am very much in favor of!

    Most days Sean and I will try to get on the road before 7am. If we can, we’ll grab coffee, OJ, and a croissant before heading out. Then, 5 miles or so down the road, we will grab “second breakfast”—frequently a repeat of the first, although Sean will sometimes get some sort of sandwich.

    Today we couldn’t find a place to get first breakfast, so we were well on the road before “second” breakfast became available. We enjoyed it while the storm passed.

    Late morning we stopped for another snack (second breakfast or early lunch?). Whatever it was, it was fortunate we stopped. Because we then climbed the world’s longest hill, not getting lunch until 3pm! After that long slog that pizza (picture posted elsewhere) sure tasted good!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Aranda del Duero

    June 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    First pics are where we had dinner last night and first breakfast this morning—The Alchemist (named after the book)!

    Got close to Burgos walking, then went the rest of the way into the city by bus, then taxi to here, where I should be able to get dialysis tomorrow morning. (They keep throwing new hurdles in the way. Very frustrating.). I think Sean got more sleep in the taxi than he has in several of the albergues! Hopefully a better sleep tonight, as we are in a hotel close by the dialysis clinic.

    Thunderstorms almost daily. Thank God we haven’t been caught out in the open during any of them.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    A Lot of Quit…

    June 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    For those giving me credit for this grand adventure, I would like to play my cards face up and tell you: there is a lot of quit in me. Not just for the Camino, but for most things.

    I have been blessed in my life to have people close to me (my father, my wife, and now Sean) who have a lot of endurance in them. And when partnered with them and/or encouraged by them I am able to go much further than I would have on my own.

    In that way, Sean continues to be a blessing on the Camino. In my heart I must quit many times each day (particularly on long hills!). So far, I have been able to keep going at least one more time than I have quit!

    This last week my body has been steadily getting weaker. We’ll see how tomorrow’s dialysis changes things. Hopefully for the better because we have a string of likely dialysis appointments, fairly frequent, from now through July 7.

    Please pray that all of these dialysis appointments work out! Thank you.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Progress

    June 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Sitting in dialysis in Aranda del Duero, and taking stock of our progress so far.

    Converting kilometers to miles, the Camino is roughly 484.3 miles long, point-to-point with no deviations (including second breakfast!). So far, we have covered 177.5 of those miles, but subtracting a taxi ride and a bus ride—and not counting deviations for dialysis—we have walked 141.3 miles.

    No wonder some of those hills seemed impossibly long!

    Again, my Fitbit is giving us credit for many more miles, some of which is accurate (dialysis diversions, going out of the way for a meal, et cetera), but most of which is simply too much credit for my baby steps when traversing uneven and/or loose terrain (especially on ascents and descents).

    That puts us at 36% of the entire Camino Frances (St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago Compostel) or just over one-third of the way.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler
    1

    Dialysis in Aranda de Duero

    June 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Dialysis went without a hitch. Thank you God! (Not a well-run facility but they got fluid off and that’s the important thing.)

    Not much in the way of pictures—dinner last night at a Domino’s-like place (looks like it will be the same tonight) and leftovers in bed to make a joke for Mom/Nancy.

    After dialysis we took a bus back to Burgos then hunted and pecked our way back onto the Camino. We settled for a hotel on the outskirts of town as it seemed unlikely we could make the next waypoint at a decent time, and no guarantee of a room once there.

    We’ll try to do better with pictures tomorrow.

    Thank you all for your prayers for dialysis today! They were answered and we are on schedule.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Screwed Up, Better Attitude

    June 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Long story short, I apologized to Sean this morning and asked his forgiveness for grumbling and complaining. He forgave me.

    And that set the stage for a remarkable day.

    I discovered that I had screwed up the schedule, missing a stage I guess. So we walked not knowing where we might end the day. We ended up cutting it short at lunchtime, with “only” 13 miles under our belts. We are in the village of Hornillos del Camino and have signed up for our first community dinner (salad, paella, dessert, and wine)! Looking forward to dinner with other pilgrims! Of course, Sean won’t eat the salad but I’m afraid he might demand my paella for his salad! Lol! (We DO love the paella!)

    The walk this morning was wonderful: not too hot, not too steep of a climb, sure footing, and wonderful conversation. Perfecto! Here’s a couple of pics from today, then I’m off to explore the church.

    (Sean’s eating beef stew and I’ve got spaghetti bolognese. That was lunch today in Hornillos del Camino.)    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Community Dinner

    June 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Last night Sean and I were blessed to participate in our first community dinner on the Camino. What a great experience!

    There were 21 people at the table, many languages and cultures, many different Camino experiences, and many, many stories!

    The food was good (mixed salad, bread, paella, wine or water, and rice pudding. The fellowship was good-er!

    The paella was cooked in a GIANT pan over a special burner, obviously large enough to accommodate 21 people (with many people having seconds or even thirds!).

    Hopefully you can spot Sean, down the table on the right. What a great time!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler
    1

    Aaron Sorkin Would be Proud

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Sean made a new friend yesterday. Brandon is about the same age, a middle school science teacher from Houston, TX, and was VERY excited to find someone his age walking the Camino, staying at the same albergue, and enjoying the same community dinner.

    They talked throughout dinner, then Brandon joined us as we walked this morning. I went on ahead (a first!) and Sean and Brandon proceeded to engage in the longest walk-and-talk in cinematic history! Easily two hours plus! They talked anime, video games, swords, bows and arrows, and much more.

    I was excited for Sean to have someone to walk the Camino with, for however long, besides me. We stopped and got second breakfast together, then wandered an ancient ruins together—which will be an entirely separate blog as it deserves its own.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    San Anton

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Between Hornillos del Camino (our stay last night) and Castrojeriz (our stay tonight) we were blessed to visit the ruins of San Anton once a major stopping point for pilgrims on the Camino.

    There is now a small albergue there—but without running water!

    We purchased some cold drinks, sat in the shade, chatted at length with a couple from Brazil (a blessed time!), and then wandered around the ruins taking pictures and imagining what it would have been like in earlier, busier times.

    A magnificent ruins! As Brandon observed, we seldom se ruins like this in the US, in part because our history is so much shorter and in part because we tear down the old and replace it with something new.

    I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed our visit there!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Things We’ve Gotten Used To…

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    …waking up early, 6ish, and eating a light breakfast of juice, toast, and coffee

    …walking 5-10 miles, then grabbing “second breakfast”

    …sleeping in bunk beds (Sean frequently gets stuck on top!), with multiple people in a room, both male and female

    …bacon that doesn’t look or taste anything like back home

    …taking off our shoes and leaving them in a “mud room” before entering the albergue proper

    …a quick snack lunch, often a bocadillo (sandwich) of chorizo or ham and cheese

    …late dinners, often 7pm or later

    …making our own beds with disposable fitted sheets and pillow cases, then throwing them away in the morning    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Festival of St. John, part 1

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Tonight is a HUGE festival here in Castojeriz, the Festival of St. John. Evidently there will be fireworks at 11:45 and the locals will party until 6am!

    We’ve checked into an albergue on the outskirts of town, hoping to avoid some of the noise and get some sleep, but also intending to walk into town and experience some of a true Spanish festival.

    I went into town early (4ish) and absolutely nothing was happening. No evidence of the festivities to come. Presumably everyone is enjoying siesta while they can. Temperature is expected to be 90 degrees, so very understandable.

    Had hoped to find a round, outdoor table cloth as a souvenir for Nancy and I, but nothing so far. Not certain what to expect as part of festival. Foods? Drinks? Trinkets?

    Sean and I have a phone call home scheduled, then we’re going to attend 7pm mass with Brandon, then dinner, then festival! Should be an educational evening!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Walking…

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    I’ve posted a great number of photos and videos of the absolutely stunning scenery here on the Camino. But I thought it was time to “come clean.” Posted here is a video of what I often see while walking: the rocks directly in my path!

    You frequently have to watch your step on the Camino, and I found out at dinner last night that it’s not just me, it’s a common experience. It’s particularly important on loose terrain or when ascending or descending. In fact, we all experience neck and/or back strain from walking in this position and have to relieve it every now and then.

    So, so see the views that we are showing you, you have to stop and take a look around every now and then.

    By the way, the phrase “stop and smell the roses” really applies here on the Camino: the Spanish people seem to LOVE their rose gardens and they are everywhere and very well tended. Very beautiful!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    A Different Evening

    June 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Last evening was different than expected.

    Nancy accidentally initiated our phone call almost a full hour early, waking Sean from his nap. Great phone call, just a bit early.

    Mass was entirely in Spanish, but no pilgrim blessing which is often part of mass on the Camino.

    Walked a long way for dinner with Brandon, then Maria and Lucas (our Brazilian friends from San Anton) walked in and we became a table for five. Several of us (including Sean and I) enjoyed garlic soup for the first time. A delightful, spontaneous “community dinner,” as Sean observed.

    Saw very little of the festival. It was still getting started when we realized we might get locked out of our albergue! We didn’t (thank you, God!) and didn’t even hear partying or fireworks during the night.

    Dinner was the highlight. Sean said that he never expected to have a two-hour dinner and enjoy it! But we sure did!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Guns. Who Knew.

    June 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    I mentioned in a separate post that our dinner last night was both unexpected and delightful. That’s probably an understatement!

    It was SO good to see Maria and Lucas again and a real blessing that they joined us (for all concerned).

    Maria was curious and asked Brandon—since he is from Texas—if it’s true that everyone there has guns! So, guns and gun control became a topic for much of dinner!

    It turns out that Lucas shoots competitively and owns several guns (much more restricted in Brazil), so he and Sean were able to talk about permits and the process, paint ball, and much more.

    We talked about many other things as well (weather included!), so it was definitely an evening that Sean could actively participate in, which was awesome. I hope to never forget that time together!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Thank You God…

    June 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    …for Nancy and Sean and my doctor and all the support that I have received on this Camino.

    …for sure footing and EASY ascents and descents.

    …for the endless variety of purple flowers along the Camino!

    …for the friends we have made along the Camino (especially the Colemans, Brandon, Maria, and Lucas!)

    …for good health and NO blisters.

    …for those following our adventure, their encouragement, and their interaction.

    …and thank you God for countless answers to prayer!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Sean’s post!

    June 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    While David is doing the write-up, Sean gets ALL the credit. This morning we decided to hike up to the Castillo (castle) that you might have noticed in yesterday’s pictures, but I couldn’t make it to the top. (Partly the mountain goat trail, partly my lungs the day before dialysis.)

    Sean got some amazing pictures and videos! Enjoy.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Leon

    June 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    We were informed this morning that there was no train station in the next village over, contrary to what my internet research had indicated. So, we caught a taxi to a different train station (speeding all the way, with bare minutes to spare!), difficulty with the ticket machine, the train attendant noticed and sold us our tickets on the train. Train to Palencia, then a separate train to Leon. Taxi to our hotel, quick, small snack for lunch, and now hopefully a nap!

    Slightly different than our normal day on the Camino and very much appreciated.

    Our snack lunch consisted of cold meatballs with potatoes and some hard boiled eggs. Evidently the kitchen closed at 1pm—about 5 minutes before we ordered. Que lastima (what a pity).    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    There’s a Reason…

    June 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    I don’t believe in coincidence, though I know that I will often not understand the reason.

    For example, we have met Brian and MIchelle Coleman at least 6 or 7 times now on the Camino! Always a blessing!

    Here’s another. One morning we were in the “boots room” when a young man discovered that someone had inadvertently taken his boots, leaving a similar pair, 1/2 size smaller!

    Later we heard (from the Colemans, of course!) that two days later the two met and swapped to their originals (although one fellow had developed significant blisters).

    The gentleman that mistakenly took the wrong boots was the very gentleman who had so graciously offered me his walking stick! And a day or two after we heard the problem had been resolved, Sean recognized the first young man passing us on the trail and his blisters had mostly healed.

    There are MANY people on the Camino yet all these stories intersected for some reason. Thank you, God! It is a wondrous mystery.    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    What a Difference!

    June 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Sitting here in dialysis in Leon (the first of 3 sessions here in the next week!) and appreciating a significant difference from Aranda del Duero.

    Aranda: Tons of paperwork, both before and after dialysis. None of it prepared beforehand. And the “after” paperwork could have been completed while I was on dialysis—except the administrator never came out of his office, never interacted with patients or staff. And a very uncomfortable Covid test.

    Leon: Arrived late after getting lost, no problem. No paperwork. No need for Covid test. Just get me on and take care of me!

    I am truly blessed that I will have two more sessions here during our Camino!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Leon, day 1

    June 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    First day in Leon. (Back next weekend.). Late in posting as no wi-if last night (more on that in the Carrion de los Condes post!).

    We found a great pizza place (wood-fired!) and also tried their lasagna. We walked past the Basilica and the fountains on our way to the bus station, after dialysis, in order to backtrack and attempt most of the walk to Leon (having jumped to there from Castrojeriz).

    We’ll definitely go back to the pizza place when we get back to Leon! And we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast buffet at our hotel (about 20 minutes walk from the dialysis center). Real, live scrambled eggs! And even bacon that resembled what we’re used to! Buffet didn’t open until 7:30 so we really had to hoof it to dialysis. And got lost! Good news is that dialysis doesn’t open until 8:30 on Saturday—so I can pig out while Sean sleeps in!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Carrion de los Condes

    June 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    From Leon we chose to backtrack to Carrion de los Condes in order to stay at the Albergue Santa Maria which is known for its singing nuns.

    Got there just in time, enjoyed a small “concert” along with about 20 other pilgrims, who all participated in singing and sharing.

    Afterwards I attended mass and received a pilgrim’s blessing (hands on head), very special.

    And after mass we joined a small group of fellow pilgrims, many of whom we’ve encountered multiple times—including the Colemans and Sean’s friend Brandon. And in walked Lucas and Maria from Brazil! What a joy!

    Sean had the pilgrim menu and his first course was enough spaghetti for a regular dinner! I went a la carte and enjoyed grilled octopus—a specialty in this region. A big enough group that it was impossible to hear everything going on, but still one of our favorite meals on the Camino!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Ledigos

    June 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    This morning we had our longest stretch without services—over 10 miles from our starting point to our first village, so we stopped for lunch (hamburgers, sort of!).

    We ended our day short of our intended goal by a few miles, staying in Ledigos, in easily the best room we’ve been in our entire Camino—including hotels (even though we share a bathroom). We did the upgrade—private room—to try and get some extra rest, and still cheaper than a hotel.

    Tomorrow we should reach Sahagun (mid-day?) which is considered the halfway point on the Camino Frances—St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. There is a church there that offers a “halfway compostela” so we’ll stop in and see if we qualify. Few pilgrims get the halfway compostela and it is said to be more gorgeous than the Santiago one, which is now computer-generated (to the disappointment of many).    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Compostela (and dinner)

    June 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    My sister Karen asked a great question, “What is a compostela?”

    Essentially it is a diploma for walking at least 100km of the Camino. While walking, we have a “pilgrim passport” which we get stamped every night and at any other significant sites (churches, restaurants, museums, etc.). I’ve posted a picture of my pilgrim passport in its current state.

    From Sarria on it fills up more quickly because we’re required to get two stamps each day. Most pilgrims simply get their albergue to stamp it at night and in the morning.

    A small church in Sahagun (which we should reach tomorrow) offers a “halfway” compostela for those who started in St. Jean Pied de Port, which we did. I’m not certain whether some of the taxi/bus/train rides that we have taken will disqualify us or not, but we’ll see.

    I’ve also posted a picture of dinner first course (white beans with squid) as well as Sean’s Camino friend Brandon. Sean barely touched his dinner and the albergue graciously offered him other dishes and then only charged half-price. Very kind!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler
    22

    Leaving Ledigos

    June 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Bunch of pics from Ledigos this morning on our way to Sahagun. Typical breakfast (less the coffee for Sean), church, bridge, non-typical portal, a fence made of railroad tracks, close-ups of us at the portal, and a pilgrim statue.

    In addition, another 360 morning view.

    It was a relatively short and easy walk today. Only 13 miles as we wanted to spend time with friends in Sahagun, and fairly cool to start out—especially compared to typical June weather in the meseta (this flat stretch of the Camino). And very little hills!    Read more

  • David and Sean's CaminoDavid and Sean’s CaminoTraveler

    Halfway!

    June 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    We are now officially halfway from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago Compostela! And we’ve got a halfway compostela to prove it.

    The photos are of Sean and I after receiving our compostela, a group of us posing with same, the church where we were issued the document—and where I spent time thanking God for having brought us this far!—the same group of friends posing at the halfway stone, and a close-up of my compostela.

    Given the limited amount of dialysis that we have been able to book for the remainder of the Camino it is extremely unlikely that we will be able to walk the entire second half

    Lord willing, we’ll walk to Astorga, get my final dialysis, transport to Sarria, and walk the final four or five days to Santiago, then book it home with a single sightseeing day in Paris.    Read more

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