One of the things I’m going to enjoy most about The Camino is the chance to not have to talk that much. Don’t get me wrong, I love people, and I enjoy exchanging ideas with folks I meet. However, I’m also an introvert, and too much social interaction is emotionally and physically draining for me….
Tag: the way of st. james
Various Negative Reactions To My Decision To Walk To Santiago De Compostela
With my excitement, it was easy to forget that other people might not have the same amount of faith in my proposed journey as I have. That’s one of the reasons I needed to start this blog – the real life reactions were beginning to get disheartening. Since coming to terms with the fact that…
So How Do I Afford This Pilgrimage?
Ugh. Got kicked in the face with a strong dose of reality late last night (actually very, very early this morning). I owe a LOT in taxes this year as a result of not clearly understanding the ins and outs of claiming a loss on my taxes. There’s more to the story, but it’s too…
Spanish Lessons For The Road
Here’s a dirty little secret – I don’t speak a second language. It’s a shameful thing to admit, but thus far it hasn’t terribly affected my ability to travel and explore other countries on my own. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in places where people don’t speak English, and aside from a few…
Pilgrim, Who Is Calling You? (Poem from the Camino de Santiago)
A poem by Eugenio Garibay Baños, written on a wall along the Camino between Navarrete and Najera. Translation by Google & Camino de Santiago Forum member Vigdis. Click through for more info. I Polvo, barro sol y lluvia es Camino de Santiago Millares de peregrines y mas de un millar de años Peregrino, puien te llama? Que…
Your Backpack Is A Portable Laundry Line: Washing Clothes on the Camino
One of the things I’ll have to get used to while walking the Camino is wearing the same thing, day after day. It’s advised that your pack only be about 10% of your body weight, which currently puts my pack’s ideal weight at about 15 lbs. I plan on hiking as lightly as possible, which…
Weekly Writing Challenge: 1,000 Words
This week’s writing challenge begins with an image (“Contemplation,” above). As it happens, today’s post was going to be about a spot on the map that seems to naturally reel in those in need of serious contemplation. I’m talking about Finisterre, on the western coast of Spain. There are many routes a pilgrim can take…
One Step Closer to St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port!
Today a very special package arrived in the mail, made even more exciting by the fact that I thought it would be a few more days before these particular goodies would arrive. Enclosed in the unassuming Amazon packaging were two books that come highly recommended – The Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago, by…
The Camino Plan
After some serious thought, I’ve realized that my (greatly) varied interests can’t all be reflected properly on Compass & Quill. Sometimes it can be hard for me to see where one pastime or interest ends and another begins – I get sucked into wanting to talk about it all here, but it ends up watering…
Book Review: In Movement There Is Peace – Stumbling 500 Miles Along The Way To The Spirit
There is no shortage of books chronicling the pilgrim’s path to Santiago de Compostela. From travel guide to personal memoir, spiritual exploration to historical documentation, there is something for every armchair pilgrim who wishes to travel the Camino by way of words. This week’s book review focuses on a book written by a pair of…
Compass & Quill 