Buen Camino

For about the past year, my parents have talked about hiking the Camino de Santiago. This is a journey I've always heard about and been interested in since moving to Spain. So, when my dad decided to visit during Semana Santa to begin the walk, I was happy to join.

My parents had done all of the research about what to bring and where to stay, so I was lucky enough to enjoy the benefits of their preparedness! My dad arrived with the backpack, blister treatments, collapsible water bottles, and much, much more - we were definitely prepared for the journey!

We started in Cizur Mayor, a few kilometers outside of Pamplona. (Due to limited time and pretty bad weather, we opted not to start in Roncevalles.) Our hope was to make it somewhere close to Burgos in the seven days I would be with my dad, because this is where I had a flight back to Barcelona. My dad's plan was to continue on to Leon and return to Barcelona after a total of 21 days on the Camino.

 We quickly realized that the reality of walking 22+ kilometers a day is pretty tough! By the third day, my legs ached in a way I had never experienced before. The terrain at the start was more difficult than expected, but this also made for some spectacular views. 

Navarra 

My most favorite part of the camino was the people you meet along the way. We spent a few of our days walking with a father and son from Scotland, an American man, and a girl from Belgium. We also met people from Spain, New Zealand, Germany, France, and more -- it's amazing to hear the stories of people who have come from all over the world to have this experience.

some of our walking friend

I also loved the encouragement we received from the Spaniards in small towns along the way. One of my most favorite moments occurred in a tiny town (population 40) called Azqueta. When we walked into this town, a little old man greeted us and asked if we wanted a stamp for our pilgrim passports. After receiving one, he noticed that I didn't have a scallop shell, the symbol of the camino. He led me around to his backyard where he allowed me to pick my shell from the hundreds he had. He measured the string and made my necklace. He then grabbed my shoulders, gave me dos besos, and wished me a "Buen Camino." It's a moment that still gives me chills just thinking about it!

my scallop shell

It was moments like these, combined with the simplicity of literally waking up each day just to walk, that made me love the camino. By the fifth day, my legs felt good and I actually looked forward to walking - it is amazing how quickly your body adjusts and no longer wants to be still.

A fountain of wine always makes walking easier!

Unfortunately, our trip was cut a bit short due to an old injury flaring up for my dad. However, this allowed us a chance to visit Bilbao and Burgos, two towns I had always wanted to see. Without a doubt, I will be returning to the camino. I don't plan to walk all of it, but I know I will walk into Compostella de Santiago one day soon. For anyone who enjoys the outdoors, walking, and Spain, I can't encourage you enough to try the Camino de Santiago.