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  1. M

    “March or Die”

    Makes me want to tell a war story (LOL). At basic training (1967, Ft. Dix, NJ) my company had to march out to the rifle range every day for two weeks or so, about an hour's fast march. It was done with full pack, gear and weapon -- the old M-14 was pretty heavy -- and at a militarily brisk pace...
  2. M

    bed bug spray made with lavender.

    I've never had a bedbug problems in my travels (including nights in some pretty sketchy places) but if I found my clothes or backpack infested I think I would use the lethal heat method. Adult bedbugs die at approximately 115F so putting your things into a black plastic garbage bag and leaving...
  3. M

    bed bug spray made with lavender.

    Helps to break the smoking habit, too.
  4. M

    Walking the Camino de Santiago and Planning for the Laugavegur Trail: What to Expect Physically

    Maybe you should consider that bicycle trail that runs the length of the Danube River. Downhill all the way, of course.
  5. M

    Has any pilgrim decided to move to Spain?

    There must be some kind of relationship with US-based banks, or at least the Bank of America. We can use our BofA debit card while traveling at ATMs belonging to BNP Paribas, Deutschebank, Barclay's (and possibly Santander) without any inter-bank fees. Maybe it doesn't work in reverse, though.
  6. M

    Has any pilgrim decided to move to Spain?

    As a retired person with more than adequate income and reasonable fluency in Spanish I'd like to give it a go if/when I can convince my spouse. But I would certainly start out with a lengthy trial period before burning all my bridges back in the home country. Some years ago I came across this...
  7. M

    St. James gets a face lift?

    I tried to find some older pics of the Saint and found lots of apparent variations, and I'm now persuaded that lighting has a lot to do with it. I'm not very good at either pics or attachments but the two below may illustrate what I mean -- here's hoping they show up at all. There seems to be...
  8. M

    St. James gets a face lift?

    Refraining from judgement is to be avoided? Wouldn't that make one judgemental? And while not judging anyone I think it is safe to assume that many visitors (Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, etc.) do not have the same worshipful intent as Christians and especially Catholics. But I now leave...
  9. M

    St. James gets a face lift?

    secular: 1) of or relating to worldly things that are not regarded as religious or sacred; 2) not pertaining to or related to religion. Thus in this sense I am referring to people visiting the cathedral just as tourists, and not as worshippers or even Christians. I agree that all are equal as...
  10. M

    St. James gets a face lift?

    Couldn't help but notice when visiting the cathedral last week that St. James -- in addition to being off-limits for hugging -- has lost his infamous wide-eyed, startled look. I'm a little surprised that such a venerable icon can be modified so dramatically. Has anyone else noticed this? Other...
  11. M

    A note on reserving beds and the spirit of the Camino

    It seems to me that the best way to make pilgrims (or just recreational walkers) unwelcome along the various caminos is to casually appropriate the "free" facilities along the way. Speaking as a former farmboy from Ohio I was particularly interested in the OP's mention of a haystack which...
  12. M

    Travel Insurance?

    Just my personal opinion, but I would never pay extra for an insurance policy to cover medical evacuation. I'm pretty sure you can get the same standard of care in most western European countries as you can get in the US. My priority would be to find medical insurance that covers your actual...
  13. M

    That daily shower scramble - a different viewpoint

    Anyone who has lived in a tropical country, particularly in SEAsia, understands the powerful negative stigma attached to not bathing or showering frequently enough. When I taught ESL in Bangkok many years ago I once asked my students -- just for fun -- how often they thought farangs bathed...
  14. M

    Non-EU immigration - Madrid airport.

    I can recall being in some epic immigration queues -- try the land border from Cambodia into Thailand, for example -- but except for the Frankfurt airport we have never had much of a problem anywhere in Europe. But of course that is of no relevance whatever to anyone else at any other time at...
  15. M

    An interesting article

    That's a very well-written and perceptive piece, which perhaps should be the final word in the perennial "why we walk the Camino" discussion. Interesting that the author did not mention the significance of "The Way" in bringing attention to the Camino. Did the movie not screen outside the US?
  16. M

    That daily shower scramble - a different viewpoint

    Growing up rather poor in a rural Ohio farmhouse without running water I subscribed to the once-a-week bathing regimen. Later in life living in the tropic climes of SEAsia I got used to showering 2-3 times a day. If there is a significant health difference in the two schemes it escapes me. It...
  17. M

    Guide to various Camino accommodations

    No question that Gronze is the best resource because it lists bars and coffee shops along the way as well. But I like the fact that the Correos site has pix and info on accommodations for quick reference.
  18. M

    Guide to various Camino accommodations

    This showed up in my inbox the other day: https://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/en/accommodations It appears to be published by Correos, and from the few towns I sampled seems to be pretty comprehensive. If it is as good as it seems to be it will be a very useful tool for planning. I'd welcome...
  19. M

    Thru Hikes v Camino - Motivations?

    I have only done short sections of the PCT or AT so I can't say much about the super-long thru-hiking, but I have done some pretty demanding multi-day hikes such as the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, the infamous Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea -- both back in the day before guides or other...
  20. M

    Food - Finding Freeze Dried Rice in Spain?

    Ya gotta wait until the tide turns. (LOL) My problem with water from those river sources was the amount of seagull feathers floating in it. You got the feeling birds were doing more than molting in it. Still, with filtration nobody got sick.

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