Camino Trail Adventure - September 2024 - Jenn Boyd - Hostess Round Up

Madrid, we came, we saw, we ate tapas, we checked out the Royal Palace and the famous bull ring, then we got our medieval groove in Toledo, seeing the gorgeous Gothic cathedral and soaking up the city's offbeat charm and serious historical credentials.

Our epic Camino pilgrimage commenced from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James are buried. These wonderful sisters shared infectious enthusiasm, the ability to find humor in the oddest places. The trail twisted and turned like our sisters dance moves, villages were straight out of a fairytale, and the views were absolutely jaw-dropping. Along the way, we dished out hilarious tales, giggled over trip-ups, warbled off-tune and gave each other high-fives for making it to the next kilometer.

We become experts on foot hygiene, with all feet being fair game. As we walked we started to wonder what did the ancient pilgrims use for shoes on these Roman trails. As days passed, legs and feet grumbled, but spirits shone bright with the sisters hot on the trail looking out for those sneaky yellow arrows, showing us the Way, cleverly disguised on trees, roads, and bridges using shells, tiles, and spray paint.

The walk became a reminder that life is a journey filled with ups and downs, lefts and rights, and the occasional unexpected turn. I say in Spanish “Salute” to all the sisters who made this pilgrimage from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, with a sparkle in their eyes, embracing a dance move every morning, enthusiasm and laughter and new found friends. 

Santiago de Compostela, our day kicked off with a golden ticket to this jaw-dropping UNESCO World Heritage town. Clutching our Camino certificates - with our names in fancy Latin script, we proudly proclaimed our pilgrim. We took ourselves to the pilgrim mass at the Cathedral, where soul-stirring hymns and the iconic botafumeiro's dramatic swing left us breathless and pleasantly fragranced. These sisters walked 115km and some and have all emerged in my eys as Camino rock stars.

So after all that walking and before we left Santiago de Compostela the sisters decided it was time to go rogue, hunting for hidden gems, shopping 'til they dropped, and soaking up the city's eternal vibe. 

We then headed to Barcelona where the sisters hearts fell head over heels for this cities charming culture, jaw-dropping architecture, and delicious food scene. The Merce festival was an impromptu delight, Gaudi's masterpieces were unbelievable to see and La Boqueria market was the ultimate temptation to eat more.

“Don’t dream your life. Live your dream”

Thanks Jenn (JB)