One day I decided to go for a walk...

DIRECTIONS CAN BE CONFUSING

The Way of St. Francis

April 28, 2026

Trevi to Clitunno

Miles walked 7.29 miles

It’s another beautiful day in Italy and now ready to leave Trevi and head to the next destination.

Things seem to be going well. We’ve walked out of Trevi and are heading to Clitunno which is just shy of Poreta.

The day is going well. And then…well the road just wasn’t marked as well as I thought it should be. You see I have no sense of direction. My daughter has negative sense of direction so if she thinks she should go right, she should turn left. For me every turn is a crap shoot and today was one of those days.

Here again are the differences between the Camino de Santiago and the Way of St. Francis. The map showed me walking along a trafficked road. A rather busy trafficked I might add. But there was a little path following the road so I took it. This happens a lot in Spain. It’s a safer way to walk. However my little path started curving to the left and going up and up until I was walking through an olive grove. Pleasant but not where I was supposed to be. So I backtracked.

I followed the road until I saw the blue and yellow marker that moved me on to a safer path.

Next the guide book said to go past the iron cross. The iron cross in Spain is a large formidable structure with piles of stones that people have left

Again the road was not marked well and after a few starts and backtracks my friend and I stopped at a corner to try and get our bearings when she looked up and said, “There’s the iron cross.“

Eventually we walked into the town of Clitunno and found a place for lunch.

Arancini: rice ball with meat and cheese stuffed inside and deep fried. One of Italy’s best creations.

After lunch we switched to gps to find our hotel. Don’t tell Google Maps, but sometimes it’s confusing. We meandered through a neighborhood getting lost and finally asked a young girl sunbathing and she gave us completely different directions. So we gave up and went back to the cafe to call a taxi.

We asked the owner, Fabio about a cab and he jumped up and said he’d take us. His car was a little dirty because he said he’d been driving the tractor earlier. But he got us to our hotel and insisted that we not pay him.

We were so grateful because our hotel was at the top of the mountain next to a beautiful castle. It was originally two monasteries. The older of the two was built in the twelfth century and the newer in the fourteenth century. Eventually they merged. I doubt it was a hostile takeover, probably so few monks that it made sense to become one monastery.

On our hotel we celebrated our arrival with a limoncello spritz

Buon Cammino

LOOK, A PRIEST!

The way of St. Francis

Foligno to Trevi

April 27, 2026

Miles walked 9.78 miles

Today was a long walk out of Foligno along a main street. I came to a place with a little church but the doors were locked. This is a big difference between the Camino Frances, and the Camino Portugues & the Way of St. Francis. In Spain all the churches seem to be open and every bar and hotel has a stamp for the pilgrim passport. So I was disappointed and decided to go across the street for second breakfast.

My disappointment was compounded when I saw that the bar had little more than drinks, coffee , and chips. So I settled for a cappuccino.

Just when I was about to get on my way 2 priests walked into the bar. It’s true, not a joke. So I asked if they could stamp my passport. We went back to the church.

I not only got a beautiful stamp, but the priest if he could give me a blessing.

Today was a tough walk but somehow when someone blesses you it can’t be all that bad.

Buon Camino

A SHORT DAY

The Way of St. Francis

April 26, 2026

Spello to Foligno

Miles walked 8.62 miles

Spello to Foligno was a short walk. The distance was shorter, about five miles but I accumulated a lot of steps just walking to the cathedral.

I was surprised when we stopped in the Church of San Feliciano and they were unable to stamp my pilgrim passport. They said I had to go to San Francesco. unfortunately San Francesco was closed and I had to wait until 5:00 pm. When the priest stamped my passport I asked if only Churches of San Francesco would stamp and he assured me it would be fine.

Welcome to Zuccarelli Ristorante

We had one of the best meals here. My appetizer was a slow cooked egg with a crispy crust and pork jowl in a saffron cream.

For me I had clams and pasta

And Laura had Paparadelle with asparagus

As you can see from the first picture and chef and the service were very nice and very proficient. It really was a most excellent meal.

The address is…

Via Della Zecca, 9

06034, Foligno

If you are ever in Foligno this is a no can miss! 😋

Buon Cammino

You never see a sign like this with a Shuh-Tzu

Believe it or not, this was lunch at the gas station ⛽️

TODAY WE BEGIN OUR WALK

The Way of Saint Francis

Saturday, April 25th

Assisi to Spello

Miles walked 8.68

Last night was the pilgrim’s mass at the Basilica of St. Francis. It’s amazing how the despite not understand the language the meaning can be felt. During the Eucharist I went forward, arms crossed for a blessing. The priest held a wafer and looked confused so I said “Protestant”. Then he smiled knowingly and blessed me.

And so it begins. Up early and ready to walk. The day is bright and sunny with a nip in the air. To be honest I am a little scared. I don’t know this route and I don’t know the language and I know I’m called to walk. Caught in the middle.

All in all it has been a great day. Perhaps I didn’t pick the best B&B as it is about a mile outside of Spello with no restaurants nearby. However signora graciously offered to drive us in to town and pick us up. And she recommended a great place to eat.

Our B&B in Assisi

My stamps for today. Sorry I seem to be unable to rotate the images

IS BEGGING AKIN TO GRACE?

St. Francis worked for his father as a young man. His father was a cloth merchant and as such was a wealthy man. One day when Francis was delivering cloth he stopped at a ruined cathedral. There he heard the voice of God telling him to rebuild God’s church. So Francis sold the cloth, pocketed the money (some might say embezzled) and began rebuilding the church. His father threw him out of the business for stealing.

Later on God called Francis to give up all worldly goods and become a beggar.

Here’s where I run into a problem. I understand vows of poverty, to live on only the barest necessities. Enough to feed, clothe, and shelter yourself and give the rest away. Begging for those necessities when one is capable of work seems beyond comprehension. I’m not talking about the disabled, the addicted, or the mentally ill. Clearly Francis was able to work and did so for his father.

Then I thought about Grace. Grace is a gift from God. It is freely given to all and totally unmerited. If we can rely on God’s generous gift of Grace, is there also a time when we should totally rely on the generosity of others to fill our needs?

Buon Cammino

WHEN DOES YOUR CAMINO START?

This morning my husband asked me when my camino will start. Will it start when I leave the house? Will it start when my plane takes off? Or will it start on the 25th when I begin walking from Assisi toward Rome?

I have read that a camino begins when one leaves one’s house. Of course a thousand years ago that is how people began their caminos. They packed a sack and departed from their doorsteps and headed to their pilgrimage destination. After I walked my first camino in 2019 I was told that my camino had not ended when I reached Santiago de Compostela, but rather this was just the beginning.

I have pondered this question a lot. Pilgrimage, much like a sacrament, is an outward and visible sign of an inward journey. It is motivated by penance, devotion, and spiritual growth. The Way of St. Francis is often referred as the Tau to the Keys as it traces St. Francis’ journey of penance from Assisi to Rome where the Apostle Peter, whom Jesus gave the Keys to the Kingdom, is recognized as the first Pope.

But when does my camino start? I have come to believe that my camino began when I took my first breath. Every day is an outward sign of my journey, spiritual

and otherwise. As I get older my days begin to feel more spiritual in nature. Except perhaps when I’m in traffic ;-).

I’m leaving my house in three hours, at 6:30 pm my plane will depart, and on April 25th I will begin walking toward Rome. And I’ve been on this camino for a long time already. This is just another step along the way.

Buon Cammino

TWO HILLS AND 16 MILES

October 7, 2025

Camino Portuguese, Day 17

Total miles walked today

Padron to Santiago de Compostela

Here it is, the last day of walking. It’s the longest walk and as you can see there are two significant ascents. In fact, the second ascent is continually upward until one reaches the plaza in front of the Cathedral de Santiago. Yes, the last part is up up up.

It was a relatively uneventful walk. There were certainly more pilgrims on the road as we neared Santiago de Compostella, but it didn’t bother me. Certainly the camino from Tui to Santiago is much less crowded than Sarria to Santiago on the Camino Frances. Inside I felt quiet, still. More than halfway there I even stopped worrying that I wouldn’t make the long walk and the climbs. I just kept going, putting one foot in front of the other. Then there came a moment when I saw the spires of the cathedral. I paused and I knew in my heart that I was going to make it.

Every camino I had walked before this there were days that I couldn’t finish because I was exhausted and needed a cab. Heat so oppressive that I couldn’t take another step. I fainted outside of our hotel about 30 feet from the door. The next day I took a cab. Rain that came down in a deluge so I took a cab. Later I learned that a couple who braved the rain said they walked through places where the water came up to their knees. I thought them very courageous.

Not this camino. Sure I had heat, a moderately unpleasant day of rain, and I was tired along the way. But I never stopped. Never took a cab. Never skipped a day. And now I had seen the spires. Suddenly I told Glen that I needed to sit down…quickly. There was a bench along the sidewalk and we sat. He asked if I was ok. I didn’t need to sit because I was fatigued or hurting in anyway; I needed to check in with my spirit. I never stopped, I kept going, and now I was .9 miles from the cathedral. Notice I didn’t say my “goal” or “the end”, because there is no “end” to a pilgrimage. This is just one more part of my spiritual journey that I will be on until I die. Even then I think I will just be on a new part of my camino.

I made it!

Last stamp from the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela

Buen Camino

STRANGER THINGS

You’re probably wondering why I chose “STRANGER THINGS” as the title of this post. Well I have been waiting so long for the final season of STRANGER THINGS and I’ve been procrastinating so long finishing the blog post from the Camino Portuguese that it seemed kind of appropriate. Although I hardly expect that you all have been waiting with baited breath for the finale of my walk. Nonetheless it is a new year and it’s time to complete these posts because I have more camino news to share with you. So here goes…

TAKING THE BOAT PATH OF SAINT JAMES

October 6, 2025

Camino Portuguese, Day 16

Total miles walked today 6.23 miles

Vilanova de Arousa to Padron

This is the water route that the boat carrying the body of St. James took to reach Galicia, Spain. His disciples then carried his body to be buried on the site where the alter in the Cathedral of Santiago is located.

Today is the boat to Padron. I have mixed feelings today about this journey. It feels slightly inauthentic gliding north on this modern boat. No one knows how or even if St. James’ body was transported to Spain after he was martyred. And yet walking the path feels more authentic. Millions have walked the Caminos for thousands of years. Now here I am on a boat that takes pilgrims, or anyone for that matter, across the water to Padron.

I mentioned this to our friend Jose, and he pointed out to me that if we were on a boat in America, everyone would be wearing life vests and we would be compelled to stay in our seats. We would also have filled out multiple pages of a waiver listing all medications taken, surgeries, food allergies, and acknowledging that failure to comply with the boat’s rules would result in being tossed overboard. How true, how true.

Ok, so maybe authenticity is overrated. Or maybe authenticity isn’t in the boat or the people on board. Maybe authenticity is more akin to faith. I don’t have to be sailing in an ancient vessel to feel close to the early pilgrims who passed this way. Faith isn’t blind belief that a story is factually true. Faith is more about the belief that there is a truth to be found in a story.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, said that truth is found in scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. There is no biblical scripture telling of St. James’ boat passage although there are extra-canonical stories. I’m a little stuck in my head now which tells me that there probably isn’t any veracity to the story. There is tradition. People in Spain and along the camino routes claim a deep belief that the body of St. James was transported up this waterway to the shore at Padron and that the body was subsequently moved inland to be buried on the spot where the altar of the Cathedral of Santiago sits. That’s why over the years they have erected the crosses to signify this. Finally we have experience. I have had experiences of our Triune God. I will not go into them here because they are fiercely spiritual and personal to me. If you have had such an experience you know what I’m talking about. I have never had an experience of Saint James yet I have deeply felt the presence of the Triune God as I’ve walked each camino. People ask me if I pray along the camino. I say, “no”, but that I feel the camino praying through me.

This is my story for this day.

Buen Camino

My stamps for the day.

BTW I just watched the final episode of STRANGER THINGS and it was awesome!

MY FEELINGS ALONG THE CAMINO

October 6, 2025

Camino Portuguese, Day 15

Total miles walked today 6.23 miles

Cambados to Vilanova de Arosa

Once again there is no elevation profile for this section of the Spiritual Variant.

My feelings along the Camino

Today was a very easy day to walk. It was so short that we felt confident walking along the ocean instead of the actual camino route. It was quiet and I found myself reflecting on my feelings as I’ve walked this camino. Some good and some not so good, and all of those feelings are part of this camino.

Fear & Anxiety – This was a big one for me. Although I’ve walked the Camino Frances which is longer and has rougher terrains, the Portuguese was littered with blind curves, fast cars, steep ascents, and a few long days. Although I’ve made it through all of it so far I still worry about the last day coming up when we walk from Padron to Santiago, a 16 mile day with two ascents.

Anger – One day I let my anger out on Glen. I was hungry and we hadn’t eaten lunch. He was complaining he didn’t want to eat this or that, just a salad, and he was asking me to help look for a place. I told him I would eat anything at this point and if he had a specific need he’d better find it quickly because I WAS HUNGRY! I also let my anger out in a smaller way at the laundromat. I was next in line for a washer and I noticed one that had finished but the owner hadn’t taken the wash out. So I mentioned that someone had left their laundry and this young girl stood up and said, “Oh I was leaving it in the machine until a dryer is available”. I took a breath and calmly said, “If you take your laundry out I can get mine started.” But let’s face it, I was mad.

Frustration – People walk the camino for all kinds of reasons: health, adventure, religious, spiritual, and more. For me this has become a spiritual journey. I feel a call to walk the camino and I’ve had deep spiritual experiences. As you know those who walk a camino collect stamps along the way. I’ve always liked stopping in chapels and cathedrals along the way. For me it’s a time to pray, light a candle, maybe have a little cry, get out of the heat, and collect a stamp marking that time. I often think back to my first camino when a man with one arm, one leg, and a crutch stamped my credential and wrote the date on it. It took a lot of effort for him to do that and I felt humbled and grateful for his gift to me. This time it seemed like all the churches were closed and locked. I have a stamp from the Cathedral of Porto, the monastery in Vila do Conde, and another Cathedral in a town I forget the name of , but I know I had a good little cry while I prayed there. Why are all those churches closed and locked? The camino is originally meant to be a pilgrimage.

Happiness – The feelings I described above were truly infrequent and fleeting. Happiness filled all the in-between places. I woke each day ready to enjoy my cafe con leche (very important) and get on the camino to walk. No matter what I faced each day I always went to bed feeling gratitude for having made it to the next place. Happiness made all those other feelings seem small and insignificant. A good friend of mine shared these words with me…”…emotions are always overwhelming but it’s good for the mind and soul. Embrace them all, the happiness, the pain, the soreness and the up and downs because they are yours.”

Oh and sadness never bothered to show up on this camino.

First stamp of the day. You can barely make out 06-10-25

Buen Camino

WHERE AM I GOING WITH ALL THIS?

October 5, 2025

Camino Portuguese, Day 14

Total miles walked today 9.36 miles

Armenteria to Cambados

There is no elevation map for Armenteria to Cambados

Because we had rain and wind yesterday it was cold. So we didn’t make it to visit the Monastery at Armenteira. On the other hand the weather changed to sunny with a slight breeze. It was a little cool but today’s walk was mostly flat so I had a good pace and made it to Combados by 1:30 pm. Plenty of time to get cleaned up and do laundry at the laundromat.

Mostly today was a smooth walk with some short and rocky downhills, but mostly flat. It was a good time to reflect on this camino. After all there are only three days to walk.

What will I miss? I always miss the nature of the walk. I can walk ten miles all over town back home and it’s not the same as here. On the camino there is the quiet, the challenge, the interesting, the challenge. Even walking through cities there is the interesting windows with items for sale to look at as I walk by.

This camino I think I’ve been more cognizant of the hospitality offered along the way. The smiles and the calls of “Buen Camino”. I can’t make that happen in my own town, but I can’t offer that in my own home. Perhaps I’ll entertain more.

What am I looking forward to in returning home? Well after my shower rant I am looking forward to returning to an environment where I know how everything works. I miss cooking. I’ll certainly try to incorporate the good foods I’ve had in Portugal and Spain. And I know the calamari I buy at the fancy grocery store will still be frozen and chewy. But I know how to make a Santiago cake.