She Ventures

Where the chicken sang after it was roasted. I kid you not. That’s what Santo Domingo de La Calzada I’m in now is famous for. It’s an awesome story. Legend says that a German pilgrim teenager was passing through with his parents when he was accused of theft by a young girl who’s interest he did not respond to. As was customary at the time he was hanged. Except, that when his parents went to see their son’s body they were surprised to find that he was alive, telling them it was the founder of the town, Santo Domingo who spared his life. They immediately went to see the Mayor…

Distance: 30km (18.76 mi)  Elevation gained: 407m (1336ft) Duration: 7h 10m Steps: 40,468 Calories: 1,936 Temperature: 93F (34C) Today was existential philosophy day on the Camino. And a scorcher. It may have been the existential part that kept me from totally losing it.  Like seriously. It seems everywhere I turned there was a saying, a poem, a sign, something to remind us to follow our hearts; to remember that everything we need is already at home; to love life. I wonder if this is a hard stage for everyone and the constant motivational theme is there to get folks through it. I’m not going to lie. Mentally this was the…

Distance: 29.1km (18.1 mi) Elevation Gained: 457m (1,498ft) Duration: 8hr Steps: 42,481 Calories: 1,924  Twenty-nine kilometers done and dusted. Eighteen miles. Metric or imperial, it’s still one heck of a distance, and the longest I’ve done thus far along the Camino. I left early today. Around 6:45am. It started getting quite hot a few days ago and this is the only way to beat the heat—at least for the first part of the day. So much for sleeping in. Ah well. This isn’t a walk in the park I guess. It was actually quite nice in the early going. There is something very serene about walking that early. And it…

Distance: 22.5km (14mi)  Elevation gained: 422m (1,386ft) Duration: 6hrs Steps: 33,794 Calories: 1,622 A wine fountain with no wine? I demand a refund!! Visiting the Irache wine fountain is supposed to be one of the highlights of the Camino a Santiago. So much for that. Coming a few kilometers after leaving Estella—so still quite early in the morning—the Camino goes past a well known winery called Irache. Back in the day there was a Pilgrim hospital here. The monks would give their patients wine to fortify them. Like seriously, why don’t doctors do that these days? All this jello and tea thing in hospitals when you could be getting wine.…

Distance: 22.4 km (13.92 mi) Elevation gained: 457m (1,500 ft) Duration: 5h 37m Steps: 36,078 Calories: 1,563 I met Alf and Thor today!! Really!!! Lol. They are the cutest Spanish dogs. But no pictures. Because well, I was too busy petting them. I met Alf, along with his human father at the most perfect rest stop you could imagine. Set up by a group of volunteers in the middle of an olive grove, Olive Zen Garden was designed with the intent of creating a space where pilgrims can rest, recharge, exchange ideas, music, etc….and all they ask for is…nothing. Yep. Nothing. Along the Camino a Santiago it is common to…

Distance:  24.14 km (15.06 mi) Duration: 6h 27m Elevation Gained: 559 m (1,836 ft) Steps: 38, 282 Calories: 1,726 Today we left Pamplona. I truly enjoyed my time here. Especially the rest part. Such a great city. And omg, the Pintxos. I would have stayed here another day just to eat! After walking on my own the last stage this time I once again have company. I met Linda thanks to a Facebook group called Camigas that consists mostly of women walking the Camino a Santiago alone. Thanks to the forethought of one of the other women in the group who contacted a bunch of us starting around the same time…

This was my first rest day on the Camino a Santiago. And rest I did. Even though I’m only three days into the Camino, I’m definitely tired, with my body just starting to adapt to the daily distances. I left hotel around 11:30am. I did a bunch of touristy things, including exploring the cathedral, the bull ring and walked along the old city walls, which I absolutely loved. I always really enjoy exploring walled cities. Pamplona is small. The Capital city of Navarra, there are only a couple hundred thousand people and it can easily be seen in a day. And while not technically in Basque country, it is very…