Tag: photo
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Touring the Columbia River Gorge
In the past, we've always driven up the Columbia River Gorge along Interstate 84. While the scenery was beautiful, it was simply the quickest way for us to reach our destination of Walla Walla, Washington where our son was enrolled in college. Now that he and Leah live in Portland, we chose to spend a…
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Timberline Trekking Treats
It's been awhile since we've taken a good old fashioned American road trip, so we jumped at the chance to visit our son and daughter-in-law in Portland, Oregon. Car trips mean no luggage restrictions, so we loaded up with anything and everything we thought we might need and headed north. Our first sunny day found…
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I left my shoes in Santiago
I left my well-worn hiking shoes in Santiago. In medieval times, Camino de Santiago pilgrims burned their clothing at a cross outside the cathedral. They bought new clothes at the nearby marketplace, signaling a new beginning. I dumped my Merrells in a trash bin. There was part of me that wanted to keep them, but…
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Startling Rooftop Surprise: Camino de Santiago
We returned to the cathedral at 6pm for the final rooftop segment of our cathedral tour. After climbing 105 steps, we expected to be led out onto a courtyard type area atop the cathedral; a place where we could safely take in the view of the various towers and the surrounding Santiago cityscape. The views…
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Sweet Distraction: Camino de Santiago
What could be better than chocolate to soothe the leftover aches and pains of the Camino? Prior to leaving, my friend Annie recommended we try the hot chocolate while in Spain. ” It's like drinking a melted Hershey bar,” she wrote. When a light rain began to fall this morning, we ducked inside a…
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A moving Pilgrim Mass: Camino de Santiago
We joined about 1,000 at the traditional Pilgrim Mass at the Santiago Cathedral Tuesday. It was a moving ceremony, highlighted by the swinging of the giant incense burner (Botafumeiro) by six robed attendants. They pulled on ropes strung over a pulley high above the altar. We sat close to the altar, under the path…
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How to Say Goodbye? Camino de Santiago
This morning was different. As we tied our shoes and struggled into our backpacks, we knew this would be our last day of walking. Reaching Santiago was always the goal…until we started the Camino. I think we realized, after our first night in the Albergue outside of Pamplona, that this journey would be about so…
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Churches, Bell Towers and Steeples: Camino de Santiago
They've served as our guideposts for the past four weeks. Most often perched upon a hill, signaling yet another climb up to a new village. Mostly we've simply admired them in passing, sometimes peeking inside when the opportunity allowed. Often they have marked our destination for the evening. The churches of the Camino are as…
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Carryon couple plows toward Camino finish
On Monday, we will have spent 33 days and walked more than 400 miles on the Camino de Santiago. As we hang up (throw away?) our hiking shoes, some notes from the trek: Ways of Spain: The Spanish people take time for each other, especially family. The pace of life is slow in villages along…
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