Day 1 in Paris and This Happened
Why are we enjoying dinner tonight in our Paris apartment? Well, it’s been a rough first day. 😔 I can’t believe it happened but I (Michelle) took a terrible fall. Unfortunately, I saw the inside of a Paris hospital within the first 24 hours of being in Europe. 🤦🏻♀️ We had a leisurely morning, slept […]
Did the Via Francigena Break the Bank? A Pilgrim Budget and How we Plan Pilgrimage
A budget for any vacation/holiday is a personal topic. It’s scary to allow others to see how we chose to spend our money. We risk judgment and ridicule. However, the benefits of sharing go back to the theme of all my blogs which is to share all parts of our Camino experiences despite what others […]
VF Day 49-50: Religion & Pilgrimage
I’m not a religious person. I am a God-fearing woman who was raised with religion. I respect it. I respect the impact it has on the lives of many. I raised my son to love God but respect the differences in others. Religion has torn apart families, it has brought families together. It has destroyed […]
VF Day 46-48: The Pilgrim Credential
There’s something special about carrying this credential everywhere we go and looking for a timbro (stamp). It’s a significant symbol of what we are doing. We are not just on a long walk, we are not backpacking a trail, rather we are on a pilgrimage. In the end, we show this collection of timbri (stamps) […]
VF Day 44-45: The Highs of Pilgrimage
Brian told me that my last blog on the lows of pilgrimage was not the happiest blog I’d ever written. Haha! You can read it, if you dare, by clicking here. It was real. My emotions were quite raw and I was not feeling the best about this pilgrimage. I promised myself to write like […]
VF Day 39-43: The Lows of Pilgrimage
I didn’t know my body could be this tired. Even though I see new muscles every day, I am tired. Besides how exhausted I feel, what has surprised me the most on this pilgrimage is a roller coaster of emotions. Put your seat belt on because I am going to talk about the tough times. […]
VF Day 37-38: The Routine, Rest Days, & Tourists
The routine is natural to us, it’s both easy and uncomplicated. We wake up between 5:30-6 a.m. and are walking just as soon as we get out the door. Ideally there’s a bar/caffé between 5-8 km into the walk for a breakfast stop. If I have to wait until 10km, I’m cranky and if there’s […]
VF Day 34-36: Change, Pilgrims, & Energy
It is amazing what a change will do for the soul. We experience changes all the time from a new week, beautiful sunset, shift in the weather, a refurbished home, a new pet, or even new neighbors. Whatever the change, it’s all around us, happening even when we don’t notice it. Change is good for […]
VF Day 31-33: A Pilgrimage of Exceptions
Besides the incessant heat, our greatest struggle is decided if we should rest on a rest day or seeing what’s all around us in whatever city/village we are in. We have to decide, is it important to have a rest day in a small village with nothing to see or stay in a medium village […]