Happy Ten Year Blog Anniversary to Me!

Ten years ago I started writing on the internet, and to celebrate that little milestone, I am releasing a little 60-page book of letters I wrote right here:

It’s called Letters from Alison.

I hope you enjoy it!

Blogging has been the most wonderful gift to me as a writer, an opportunity to take many of my ramblings out of my journal and onto permanent web pages, where I can edit them and add pictures and create pieces of work that I love.

My blog holds lots of little fragments of my heart and has been a way to freely share my art with others. I’m super grateful for the place it has had in my life over the last ten years and for every person who has spent any time reading what I’ve written.

Friends, thank you so much for popping over to my corner of the internet and reading my stories.

I appreciate it so much!

XO

Alison

The post A Book of Letters appeared first on Alison Chino.

For me, a small inconvenience of being far from home is that I can’t pay for everything the way everyone else does.

Because I don’t have a chip and pin credit card.

The fact that I have to sign for purchases is like having “I’m an AMERICAN!” written in magic marker on my forehead. I try to carry a pen with me because it helps cashiers to be less irritated about the extra step of having to file away a piece of paper with my signature on it.

Most checkers very carefully compare the signature on the back of the card to my signature on the receipt, looking at me with raised eyebrows, as though having a signature card at all is enough to raise suspicion.

All around me, my fellow UK shoppers pop their cards into the machine, punch in a pin number and receive a receipt.

My signature card card means I cannot pay at the pump for gasoline. Or petrol, as we call it over here. I have to get my pump authorized and then walk inside after pumping my petrol to pay.

Side note: In the UK, when you pump your gas, they don’t have those little clicky bits (that’s a technical term) that allow you to just turn the pump on and let go of it. You actually have to hold the pump the entire time you are pumping the gas. Even if it’s cold and rainy. I know that this does not sound like that big of a deal, but sometimes friends, it’s the small things that make you long for home. One minute you’re pulling into a tiny petrol station and holding the pump for five minutes to pay four times what you’re used to in order to fill up your car and the next you’re dreaming of the giant Pilot stations along Interstate 40, where if you do go inside, you can get a soft drink the size of a small child for less than a dollar and shop for a Navajo blanket. If you want.

Recently, when I went inside a station to pay for my already pumped gasoline, I handed my card to the checker and said, as I often do, “My card is a signature one. Sorry.”

He looked up when he heard my accent, “Whoa. You’re a long way from home.”

“Why, yes, that’s true. I am far from home.”

“Did you come to Aberdeen for love or for money?”

I laughed.

“Oh definitely for love!” I said.

What a funny way to ask someone what they are doing here.

We chatted for a minute about the South and dreadlocks. I signed my receipt. He took it without checking the back of my card.

I went home and told my family that I got to tell someone that I came to Scotland for love.

And since that day, when I encounter the stranger things about living in Aberdeen, or I feel a bit of dread about the winter, I remember why I am here.

For love. 

The post For Love or For Money appeared first on Alison Chino.

An Epic Climb in Northwest Scotland: Suilvan

Epic climb days always start early and end late.

We started walking in low autumn light towards the hulking shadow rising in the distance.

Our goal was before us.

I love walking behind my boys.

And their friends.

We made this climb during October holidays with another family from our church.

Sweet friends who have wanted to climb this mountain for a long time.

Well most of them have wanted to climb it for a long time.

The dad first saw Suilvan over 20 years ago and has been planning to climb it ever since.

But I might have talked the other mama into coming along with us, becausemy girl, Mary Polly, was stateside and I didn’t want to be the only female in the party.

And the day was so gloriously blue and sunny that we could not possibly stay behind.

The approach to Suilvan is really long, so I promised that we could turn around after the five mile walk in if we were too tired for the climb.

But once we had walked the entire road and then the very boggy path to the base of the mountain, we were all in.

We stepped within the shadow of the mountain, and watched as a few little tiny people made their way up to the saddle.

It looked very steep from the bottom, but once we started climbing, it did not feel as steep.

There were definitely some tough spots, with lots of scree. It was hard going, but we slowly made our way up.

Simon stayed ahead of me with the other boys. Little goats.

We gals muddled along.

But when we got to the saddle and rose up out of the shadow to see the other side, we were all aghast at the view.

We had our lunch at this spot, since it was already long past lunch time.

And I needed to take it all in for a minute.

Rest my legs before heading up to the tippy top.

After tuna sandwiches and treats and crisps and tea, we started up further.

We wondered at this wall on top of a mountain.

And every few steps, we looked back to see how far we had come from the saddle where we had lunch.

And we looked down where the drops were long at the narrow bits.

One of the scariest parts was a narrow strip just before the final ascent. You had to skirt around the right side of the mountain with a very steep drop on the right.

Followed by walking another very narrow path that dropped off on both sides.

There was nothing that required ropes but it still made me squeam and shake a little.

After I made it over, I watched Taido bring Simon along behind him.

We were all so glad to finally reach the top.

Where the big boys were already waiting for us.

And the views all around were worth every step.

We stayed for a while. Resting and enjoying the sun.

But soon it was time to head back down.

Going down from a steep climb is always harder for me.

It is scary and I lose my footing. A lot.

Also it always feels way longer to me.

But eventually I crawled my way back to the saddle.

Back down the mountain.

Following Taido all the way.

Through the crazy rock wall.

That we wondered again at.

Before crawling back into the shadow of the mountain, to make the slow descent on creaky knees.

The shadows at the base of the mountain were much longer.

And the way back was all in bog.

And mud.

It took us ages to get back to the old jeep trail.

And back into the sunshine.

The light was fading quickly as we walked the five miles back to the car.

We watched the sun setting before us.

And glanced back occasionally at the mountain we had climbed.

We thought how the sunset from the top must be pretty amazing.

But we were trying to enjoy the pink streaks we could see as we made our legs keep stepping one in front of the other.

It was after 6pm by the time we got to the car and we were so very tired, but so very glad we had come.

Epic climbs produce epic hunger, and we gobbled up the biggest pot of chicken and rice you’ve ever seen before sleeping hard and enjoying that great kind of tired you get from a day of adventuring.

More info on this climb can be found at Walk Highlands.

The post Chasing Daylight in Scotland: Suilvan appeared first on Alison Chino.

Recently, a fellow writer suggested that I try to dig at the root of what has made me a traveler.

Where did I get my love of the outdoors? How did I become a wanderer? 

As I have explored these questions through scribbles in notebooks and looked for answers to why I mark the calendar months by where we are off to next, I began to acknowledge, not surprisingly, that my wandering feet are a gift from my dad.

Since I left home many years ago, my parents have wandered far and wide over this great big globe, but my childhood was made up shorter escapes, mostly in and around Arkansas. As soon as we pulled out of the driveway, bound for the city limits, my cares started to fly quickly out the rolled down windows. Whether we were barreling down a curvy road to Newton County in the Ozarks or headed south to the shores of Lake Ouachita, the sweet relief of being away was a regular occurrence in our house.

Simple times of being outside for even just a night or two are some of my most treasured childhood memories.

Hey, Alison, can you miss school this Wednesday? There’s a full moon on Tuesday night.

Daddy and I regularly conspired to run over to the lake in the middle of the week. He would move meetings around and I would turn in assignments early. The empty parking lot at the boat dock was our reward for avoiding the weekend, and when we pulled out onto the water, Daddy would tell me to pick any island I wanted to camp on, because all our favorites would be available.

When the boat engine revved up loud to pick up speed after the no-wake zone of the docks, my heart would quiet.

I would breathe deeply of clean lake air, sitting in the front of the boat with my face to the sun and the wind in my hair.

On the island, Daddy would build a fire and set up camp. I’d chop whatever he had brought, onions and potatoes to be fried in a skillet or steak for fajitas. After dinner, Daddy would pull out his guitar and sing until the fire got low. I’d sing along or just sit and listen, letting the music fill my heart and sweep away the worries about school and life back home.

We would fall asleep in the boat, underneath the full moon.

I would wake to find Daddy in his lawn chair on the lakeshore, reading his Bible and whatever books he’d brought along. He would make illegible notes on little half sheets of paper for Sunday’s sermons.

There’s still hot coffee in the pot.

I’d crawl out of bed, and he would pause to have another cup with me. We’d eat eggs or maybe heat up whatever steak was leftover from the night before.

Then he would go back to his reading and praying and note-taking while I read a novel in the sun. Sometimes he would ask me a question that I would later recognize as I listened to him from my church pew. His stories and messages took shape in those hours of quiet and I am struck by the thought that his getting away was essential to the process of having something to say. Maybe in order to speak from the deeper places, we have to seek the stillness.

Before we packed up camp, we might fit in a quick slalom behind the boat.

There would be a stop for ice cream on the way home.

We’d get back in time for dinner.

I’d return to school on Thursday sun-kissed and ready to face the world again. As the following days pushed up against me, I would hold to the peace of my sweet escape to the lake. I could close my eyes and remember the water lapping the side of the boat as I slept, rocking me like a baby. Then the taunts of teenage boys and the ridiculous pressure to be perfect would remain a safe arm’s length away. High school faded into the background, eclipsed by a full moon and a perfect arc of spray off a water ski.

The post Learning the Art of Escape from My Daddy appeared first on Alison Chino.

Chasing Daylight in August: Cruden Bay in the Rain

Friday night, 11 pm

The chance for rain had gone up to 90%.

Taido had been checking the weather hourly all evening, watching the increase from a 10% chance to “almost certainly it’s going to rain.”

Now he was feeling uncertain about our plans for a Saturday outing, the one I had been planning in my mind as:

My Perfect Last Day of Summer with Friends

or

Mary Polly’s 16th Birthday Outing

or

Cole’s Only Saturday Home After Being Gone For Three Months

Even Taido was only whizzing through for a weekend, home from Germany to say a quick hello.

The rain had poured down all day Friday. Cole had been sleeping off jet lag while the other kids watched movies.

Cole and Taido were both leaving again on Sunday.

We needed this outing.

Let’s just see what it looks like when we wake up, I said. The weather is constantly changing. Maybe it will be pretty.

Silence from Taido.

Saturday morning, 6 am

TC (Taido): It’s already raining.

Me: What about in Ballater?

TC: It’s already raining there as well.

Me: Ugh.

I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but then I heard an alarm, and soon afterwards, the shower coming on.

It was MP, up early to get ready for her birthday walk with friends.

I rolled back over.

Me: We can’t cancel. We have to get out today.

TC: Ugh. I’m not driving an hour and a half to walk in the rain.

I sat up and pulled out my phone. Now we were both sitting up in bed and looking at the weather.

Me: It looks a little clearer north of Aberdeen. What if we try Cruden Bay? That’s closer anyway.

TC: Hmm.

Me: Do you think folks will still come?

TC: Hmm. Maybe text them and see.

Good morning friends! Well it looks like it is going to rain all day in Ballater. So we’re thinking of heading up to Cruden Bay to walk along the coast to the Bullers of Buchan and then back. We may still get rained on but the forecast looks a little clearer that way. Thoughts?

The replies came back.

Miraculously, we still had a small company of willing walkers.

Thank goodness for crazy Brits who consider horrible weather as normal as breakfast or afternoon tea.

One family who was previously not going actually decided to go on Saturday morning. They woke up to rainy skies and thought, Maybe we’ll join that in on that walk after all!  Who does that?? I’ll tell you who. People who were born in Scotland.

There were grumbles from some corners of our house about walking in the rain, and moods did not improve as we loaded up in the car in a steady drizzle of rainfall.

I think the sky looks to be a brighter shade of gray up ahead, I pointed out optimistically.

No one agreed.

Taido turned on his electric beats that we’ve been driving around to all summer long.

MP: Ugh. I’m sick of this playlist.

Cole: I’ve never heard it.

Ben: That’s because you’ve been gone.

Cole. That’s right. And I wish I still was!

MP: Daddy please, I hate this song!

TC: Shut it.

MP: FINE!

MP: Will you at least turn it up?

We rode the rest of the way in silence. I was alternatively relieved and horrified that we would be with others for the rest of the day, hoping the distraction would make us better versions of ourselves rather than worse.

10:30 am

Everyone met in the car park. Blessedly, for a few minutes, it was not raining.

It’s one thing to be prepared to walk in the rain. It’s quite another to actually start out in it.

From the Cruden Bay car park, you walk first through a bit of forest and then on to New Slain’s Castle, a ruin named as such because there is a tower remaining further south of Old Slain’s Castle. But New Slain’s is also old.

From the castle, the walk leaves the road and continues on a single track trail along the dramatic coastline.

The scenery is magnificent. Rock outcroppings, cliff drops, waves crashing below. Even the occasional puffin spotting.

On a pretty day, the views will take your breath away.

But even on a rainy day, if you poke your head out from under your hood, the cliffs below are gorgeous.

But my kids had not come for the views.

Having done this walk multiple times, they are sadly immune to its beauty.

The only reason they were not sitting back in the car and refusing to get out was the company.

And thankfully, when it started raining about ten minutes into the walk and did not stop for the remainder of the day, the company was enough to keep going.

Even before the rain was actually falling, everyone was wet up to their knees from the muddy trail and tall grass.

It’s been a very wet summer in Northeast Scotland. And the green grass and bushes have thrived. They were much taller and thicker than I remembered them being in June when we had last walked this trail.

Everyone fell into patterns of twos and threes, talking and laughing. And shrugging off the soggy day.

Soaking wet trousers and socks, mud to our ankles and no sign of a break in the rain for a picnic lunch–it was certainly not what I had imagined when I determined to plan “A Perfect Last Day Of Summer With Friends.”

But when we were all finally off the coastline and back on the road, crammed with standing room only in a bus shelter to eat our sandwiches, I looked around and everyone was smiling.

One of the kids started a game that they had all played at summer camp, a sort of calling and answering game where the lead gets passed around. They were all chanting responses back and forth, while the adults passed around thermos cups of hot tea and coffee.

As I warmed my hands around my cup of tea, I paused to hold the memory in my mind of the unassuming gathering.

It was not picnic blankets spread under blue skies and faces to the sun, but still.

It was actually kind of perfect.

The post Chasing Daylight in August: A “Perfect” Day Out appeared first on Alison Chino.

THE WAY: Summary Of Writing From Sarria to Santiago

Friends, thank you so much for walking this pilgrimage with me! It has been a joy to share the adventure with you. I’ve enjoyed writing about our time on the Camino. For me, it’s like re-living the beautiful days on the trail to write about them. I get to experience the memories all over again.

I’ve created a little index here of the writing on this blog about walking from Sarria to Santiago, so enjoy this little summary of all the writing about the Camino de Santiago:

The Snippets of The Way

Pilgrims’ Arrival

Pilgrims’ Passports

Pilgrims’ Mass

Pilgrims’ Lodging

Pilgrims’ Menu

Pilgrims or Princesses

Pilgrims’ Words

The Snapshots of The Way

Signs and Symbols

Stunning and Sublime

Seaside and Sunshine

The Stories of The Way

Live The Way

Stop Often

Make Friends

I really do hope to go back and walk some more in Spain one day!

We’ll see what the next season of walking brings!

Our journey along The Camino de Santiago was made possible by Macs Adventure, who found us the most wonderful places to sleep and made our giant suitcases magically appear in our rooms each night.

Also a huge thank you to all the folks who walk alongside me on these journeys! Walking down a trail is maybe my favorite way to spend time with a friend!

If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read more about the Camino de Santiago. Or consider subscribing to receive stories in your inbox. Or check out Humility Walk to follow more walks! (There are even some you can come along on!)

The post Chasing Daylight in June: The Way appeared first on Alison Chino.

I’m reaching the end of my stories and snippets from the Camino de Santiago, and I feel similar to how I felt about finishing the journey in June.

A little sad.

The treasure in blogging is that I get to relive the memories as I tell the stories.

And the princesses have relived them with me.

So I wanted to share a little word from each of them about our pilgrimage.

Especially after our silly snapshots of our princess life yesterday, I thought it would offer a bit of balance to peel back some of the ridiculous to see the great big hearts of each of these dear women. They reminded me that everyone on the Camino has a story in their hearts about why they are walking and what they are learning.

So here are ours.

Words from the Pilgrim Princesses.

From Stephanie:

I gained a new appreciation and love for the beauty of the world, the people in the world, and the life that others live.  That we are all so different and yet the same!  That I can see the beauty in each person that crosses my path and feel better off for it.

From Diane:

I loved experiencing all the wonderful things on the Camino with my Princesses-walking, talking, singing, praying. Going through fields and forests and being at the beach- sights, sounds, colors- all beautiful! I loved that everyday was a new experience. I love the physical challenge. I loved the people of Spain and the pilgrims we met. I loved the food. I loved the flowers and the churches and the markers. I loved it all and doing it together!

From Alison:

I started this journey knowing that my hardest road to walk this summer was going to be the letting go of my oldest child who finished high school this year. I had no idea how God would meet me in my grief over the end of this season of my life. I was not sure how to face having three children around the table each night instead of four, much less the grander questions over futures unknown, but God showed me that the way I move forward is by trusting that He will always have a place for Cole at a table somewhere. He will provide for the things I think only I can give to my children, and actually He will do it better than I ever could. I can release my need to be needed by them in the day-to-day.

I watched God provide for so many details for people on the Camino. Sometimes He used me. More often I watched in awe as He used someone else. In the simplicity of a daily journey of walking and talking and eating and drinking, I witnessed that each of us has a role to play, and we don’t have to do any more or less than just what we are given to do today. My role as primary caretaker and giver of counsel in my son’s life has come to an end for now, and instead of grabbing back for that role every time I interact with him, I want to let go with grace and watch how God fulfills those needs in my son’s life.

From LynEtte:

The Camino experience for me as been without a doubt a moment in time, which I truly wished I could freeze. (Where was my Fairy Godmother?) The overwhelming anticipation alone kept me awake many nights!! Researching, reading, watching movies, and documentaries about The Camino.  Nothing could have prepared me for what an adventure I was to live!

The beauty of the Galicia Region of Spain was breathtaking! Every element contributed to this beautiful land, with every step I felt spellbound!  The climate could not have been more perfect. The food, and oh the wine, how could one describe the magical sensation of the wine? When I let myself think, really stop and think of the History, Religion, and the sacrifices that Pilgrims have made, it brings me to my knees! I am so humbled to walk along this path. The people of Spain, their pride, enthusiasm, eagerness to serve, I desire to be as they are. The Pilgrims I walked alongside, ahead of, and behind, they are my biggest “treasures” on The Way!! I believe in the Power of People!! People feed me, they inspire me, they motivate me…. I have an ache to acknowledge them, I long to know their stories or whatever part they feel they can give, I want them to know I will listen, with care, and help them in whatever way is possible! It is a gift to know a person, however fleeting a moment may be, to see one of God’s creations open up like a flower, to give of themselves, or even when they don’t give, I feel an obligation to them. God placed me there in that moment, with THAT person. I must give what I can, if only an acknowledgement or a prayer.

My forever, from The Camino, are my precious friends!! The investment we have together, will forever bind me to them! My love abounds for these friendships!!

My God, only You, all knowing, could possibly know that I needed The Camino! You blessed me with a husband who could make the sacrifices. My spirit has been reignited, full of gratitude, love, and hope.

Bonus: Here’s a sweet video of us all talking about The Way.

Our journey along The Camino de Santiago was made possible by Macs Adventure, who found us the most wonderful places to sleep and made our giant suitcases magically appear in our rooms each night. 

If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read more about the Camino de Santiago. Or consider subscribing to receive stories in your inbox.

The post Snippets of the Way: Pilgrims’ Words appeared first on Alison Chino.

LynEtte, Alison, Stephanie and Diane.

We declared ourselves to be pilgrims on the road to Santiago.

But before we ever started out on the trail, we had a hunch that we were taking The Way a little easier than most. (Camino Lightweights, if you will.)

For starters, we were only doing the last stage, by some accounts the easiest one, 110 kilometers from Sarria to Santiago.

Secondly, we were not carrying our luggage. We used a luggage transfer service instead of carrying large backpacks.

And lastly, we were taking six days to do what is normally a five day journey. And we built in time on both ends for extra rest.

Because you know, jet lag.

So for all of these reasons, when we were brainstorming for a hashtag for this trip, we decided upon, #PrincesasDelCamino.

And as it turns out, we totally lived up to our name.

LynEtte even brought us crowns!

So just for laughs, I thought it would be fun to share a few things princesses do while they are on the Camino de Santiago:

Always ask for ice. (the Spanish word for ice is el heilo)

Turn down the TV in a restaurant when it is too loud.

Have strong opinions about food, especially tuna.

Dress up for dinner.

Leave our mark everywhere we go.

Have wine with every meal.

Turn every outing into a party.

Start walking at 10am.

Find the best spots on the trail for resting.

Take lots of breaks along The Way.

Always look beautiful, even while walking.

Have sangria by the pool.

Fit in a little shopping.

In a cute little boutique shop, of course.

Take lots of selfies.

Make lots of friends.

Wear matching shirts for the finish line.

Have a day at the sea.

Cuddle each other when the weather turns cold.

Dance when the sun shines.

Love each other. A lot.

Laugh.

A LOT.

I love my #PrincesasDelCamino and I’m so thankful for the time with these sweet friends on the Camino de Santiago.

I hope we will find ourselves walking together again soon in the future. Until then, here is a little video collection of us Camino Lightweights some of our biggest laughs.

Our journey along The Camino de Santiago was made possible by Macs Adventure, who found us the most wonderful places to sleep and made our giant suitcases magically appear in our rooms each night. 

If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read more about the Camino de Santiago. Or consider subscribing to receive stories in your inbox.

The post Snippets of the Way: Pilgrims or Princesses? appeared first on Alison Chino.

Live The Way: Make Friends

Jerry, come and have a look at these girls.

They already have their seashells on their packs and they haven’t walked one step of the Camino yet.

They’ve already been to the Pilgrims’ Mass!

Two brothers, ages 67 and 70, had completed all but the last stage of the Camino de Santiago.

In pieces they had walked, returning to Spain over the years to cover portions of the 800 kilometer journey from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela.

I loved meeting people who were walking the full Camino this way. An admirable kind of patience is required to finish a journey in stages, especially at a season of life where you perhaps feel your age more with each passing year.

We had this set of brothers in fits of laughter, four girls who had not yet seen a day on the trail, up late in the hotel bar, chasing our dinner of Sangria and pizza with cocktails before a day of walking over 20 kilometers.

No one ever accused us of being the wisest walkers on the road to Santiago,

but we earned a reputation for being friendly, a badge of honor I’ll wear proudly any day.

Long Haul and Short Haul Pilgrims

We met lots of Pilgrims who had been walking for many days, having begun some time in May at the beginning in St. Jean Pied de Port.

And we learned that when you meet folks who have been walking for a month with their possessions on their backs, you just want to honor their accomplishment.

Some of them welcomed the distraction and seemed ready to make friends with fresh faces.

Others were weary and perhaps slightly annoyed to be sharing the trail with loads of new folks who were full of energy  and blister free. Some of the long haul pilgrims began to find it hard to find a bed at night because they were all booked up.

I was in awe of anyone who had been walking since the beginning. I remember how desperate Diane and I were to be done with the Coast to Coast after only two weeks. If I was coming in on the home stretch of an 800 kilometer journey, I would want a cheering section.

And the four of us, well, we made a mighty fine cheering section if I do say so myself.

However, as we began to be aware of how far people had come on their pilgrimages to Santiago, we would answer a bit sheepishly when asked about our starting point,

Just Sarria.

Of yes, of course. That explains everything.

Fresh faces. Cheerful spirits. Stopping constantly for pictures.

We had begun at the end. We were only walking the final stage of the Camino from Sarria to Santiago. 110 kilometers.

Just enough to earn a Compostela.

No Pyrennes to climb and no bunk beds at night.

No sleeping in fields or carrying all our possessions. (We used a luggage transfer service.)

But on the fourth day, we met an American lady who had done the Camino several times many years ago and now returns frequently to volunteer along The Way. She was working in an Albergue for the summer via an organization for American Pilgrims who want to keep in touch with The Camino.

She encouraged us not to say, “Just Sarria,” as we talked about how many days we had been on the road. She told us to embrace our pilgrimage as our own.

There’s no right way to do the Camino, she said.

After that we began to claim our journey for what it was. Ours.

And we encouraged the many others who were walking to do the same.

No Strangers on The Camino

The lovely gift of being in a group of four walkers is that if someone wants to talk, there is someone to talk to, but it someone wants to be quiet, well, that’s ok too. The other three can carry the conversation.

You could kind of tell when someone passed you or when you passed them if they wanted to talk.

Or if they did not.

You could get a vibe.

They might have their head down or even headphones in. They might be trying to keep a really quick pace.

I was content to leave a person to themselves if they only wanted to quickly mumble the trail greeting and keep on:

Buen Camino.

Sometimes a pilgrim would barely utter the words, from either tired or hurried lips.

And we always all four returned the response. Like a chorus, we would say it together or staggered.

Buen Camino! Diane would say.

Buen Camino! Stephanie would say.

Buen Camino! I would say.

Buen Camino! LynEtte would say.

And then LynEtte would find their eyes. She let no one pass without making eye contact and asking them something.

I would turn around and a person who I thought wasn’t wanting to talk would be sharing a piece of their heart with LynEtte.

She would be mesmerized, often in tears.

I loved that she pushed through peoples’ barriers, a gift she has honed through years of raising a child who requires her special brand of perseverance.

It was difficult to get by us without getting some attention from at least one of us. If LynEtte was already talking, Diane would invite in the next pilgrim we saw.

Come and share the road with us for a while.

Sharing Everything

I’ve already mentioned that one of the best places for making friends (and for meeting them again later) was at all the stops along The Way.

We made friends by sharing our food with others at tables.

We had brought too much food in our suitcases and one night Stephanie and I loaded up a bunch of it and took it to an Albergue to share it with others.

At our tables we were quick to stick our forks in each others’ food to share tastes of new foods.

We broke pieces of granola bars and candy and whatever else we had and handed it to anyone who was around.

Diane was putting her essential oils on anyone in pain or in need of a little refreshment.

Band-aids. Moleskin. Extra socks.

What do I have that you need? has always been one of my favorite questions to ask a friend.

And on the Camino, we offered that question to strangers as well as friends.

And it is especially delightful to find someone who is willing to return the question.

Oh you poor thing. You must be starving. Look, here take this bread too.

That’s what the precious gals in this photo said to me after I finished eating their paella, standing up on the street, serving spoon scraping the serving dish to get every last bit.

Oh, dear, here take some wine.

Do I have anything else I can give you?

I wasn’t starving. I mean I was hungry, but really I was just salivating over the paella on this street cafe as we passed by.

We had already determined that we were going to eat pizza around the corner, but I wanted that paella.

And these girls saw it on my face.

My hesitation to pass by.

Look, it’s really good. Like the best paella we’ve ever had. You have to try it. 

Later, LynEtte said,

Y’all I turned around and Alison was eating off of a total stranger’s spoon. 

She fed me the first few bites. And then I took the spoon and finished the rest. And as if that wasn’t enough, I wiped the dish clean with the bread that was left. And then had a glass of wine.

All while standing up, just passing by.

On The Way.

Our journey along The Camino de Santiago was made possible by Macs Adventure, who found us the most wonderful places to sleep and made our giant suitcases magically appear in our rooms each night. 

If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read more about the Camino de Santiago. Or consider subscribing to receive stories in your inbox.

The post Camino Stories: Make Friends {Live The Way} appeared first on Alison Chino.

An ode to the food along the Camino de Santiago!

The last stage of The Way is in Galicia, a region of Spain known for fresh seafood and red table wine.

We tried loads of new foods on our adventure and we definitely found a few new favorites.

The octopus is a local specialty.

As is the scallop, the signature of the Camino.

When you’re walking along the path, all the outdoor tables and chairs just call out to you.

And after a few days, you are sure to see some familiar faces at the tables, which makes you want to stop everywhere!

Even if just to visit for a minute, or to have a quick (or not-so-quick) drink.

And maybe a snack.

I particularly loved the breakfasts in Spain.

Fruit, cheese, cured meats, bread and fresh yogurt were a delightful contrast to the heavy Scottish breakfast.

I wanted to bring these little glass jars of homemade yogurt home with me.

We loved eating family style in the evenings in the country.

Most places offer a Pilgrims’ Menu, which is a set menu that includes an appetizer, an entree, a dessert.

And of course, the menu usually includes wine.

For lunch sometimes we had the Pilgrims’ Menu, but we also enjoyed collecting lots of different foods together for a picnic. The local wheels of cheese and crusty breads were a highlight for sure. Also we loved the Santiago cake, especially the ones with sliced almonds.

We did a lot of grazing along The Way.

Stopping for pastries, treats and drinks.

One of our best meals was a late lunch at the end of a shorter walking day.

I would walk 500 miles to eat these shrimp again.

And the pizza and salad were equally delish.

The abundance of pizza and salad and outdoor seating makes a strong case for choosing to walk the Camino in warmer weather.

Oh, and when in Spain, you cannot miss paella!

And oh, my goodness. So many drinks!

Red wine (Vino tinto) and Sangria were my drinks of choice, but we also enjoyed local beers and Spanish Cava.

And when hosts served up their homemade local liqueurs after dinner, well…

the responses were mixed.

We spent so much time sitting outside with drinks, that really, I have no idea how we managed to walk the 110 kilometers.

I do like to maintain my reputation for embracing the delights of life.           

And at the end of the week, my waistline proved that I had found plenty to enjoy along The Way.

If you dream of going on a long distance walk, but you don’t want to work too hard. And you want to sleep well, eat well and drink well, the final stage of the Camino de Santiago just might be the walk for you!

If you find yourself walking the last stage of the Camino, here are a few of our favorite foods stops from the journey:

Matias Locanda Italiana in Sarria (wonderful pizza and sangria, precious hostess!)

Casa de Rego on the road between Sarria and Portomarin (gorgeous outdoor seating, burgers, chips/potatoes, beer)

Santa Marina Area de Turismo Rural in Portomarin (family farm dinner, beautiful setting)

Casa Curro in Palas de Rei (family run, yum pilgrims’ dinner where the wine flows freely, SUPER friendly family + SUPER reasonable)

Casa Domingo on the road between Palas de Rei and Melide (gorgeous outdoor and indoor seating, every thing divine, perfect place to stop for coffee + a treat)

O Carteiro on the road between Palas de Rei and Melide (fruit stand, homemade cheese and other pastries, local beers on tap, sweet family)

O Acrivo in A Rua (pizza, shrimp and salad for lunch + pitchers of Sangria by the pool)

Arco de Marzarelos in Santiago (wonderful pilgrims’ menus, everything we had here was divine. We ate lunch here before we left for the Camino and then we returned to have our end-of-the-journey celebration dinner with our friends on our last night. The hostess, Beatriz was so dear to us when we came back. She made our last night extra special. LOVE. THIS. PLACE!)

Capital Boutique Hotel in Santiago (the best breakfast on the whole Camino and our very favorite place in Spain to have drinks with friends!)

Our journey along The Camino de Santiago was made possible by Macs Adventure, who found us the most wonderful places to sleep and made our giant suitcases magically appear in our rooms each night. 

If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read more about the Camino de Santiago. Or consider subscribing to receive stories in your inbox.

The post Snippets of the Way: Pilgrims’ Menu appeared first on Alison Chino.