Maybe There Will Be Cupcakes

Ginny Bartolone's Blog of Many Years

Tag: Camino de Santiago

  • 45 Days

    It’s been a real minute since I last posted. So, hello. The only writing I’ve been doing since the start of the summer is the kind I get paid to do, which mostly involves explaining how to hire a moving truck (ironically, as you will soon read) and how much it costs to renovate your…

  • The Journey Back

    I’ve written a lot about coming home from the Camino and how the process can be harder than the walk itself. After three of these crazy journeys, I’ve found that it takes almost exactly a year for me to suddenly realize how I’ve changed. The year leading up to it is wildly confusing, especially the…

  • Rewinding 12 Days of Hiking in 3 Hours

    I ripped off the bandaid rather early on my last morning in Santiago. I shoved all my things into my backpack one more time and said goodbye to my comfortable hotel haven, to the cathedral, and to the people at Pilgrim House. I exited the city the way I came in, past the restaurant where…

  • One Day Without Motion

    Waking up in Santiago feels pretty darn good. It takes a moment to realize, however, that you’re in a room by yourself and you have nowhere to walk. My body shifts into healing mode the moment I arrive. I typically feel sorer on the first day in Santiago than I do the whole trip. I…

  • How to Walk 15 Miles When You Feel Like Hell

    It’s raining and chilly in NYC today. This morning, I went on a walk to honor the end of my Camino in my hiking boots, raincoat, and hiking pants. I came back to a warm apartment with a fridge full of food and a cozy cup of coffee topped off with nutmeg. Life back home…

  • “But I Did it My Way”

    I woke up to a rainy morning in Briallos and was ready to hit the road with a renewed sense of energy despite my aching knee. A sense of great accomplishment after the 28k day and the nearing finish line provided a decent amount of adrenaline for the penultimate day of hiking. And anyway, the…

  • The Longest Day

    Ben and I are out of the house for the whole day–going on an adventure of our own!–but luckily, I wrote about my 10th day of hiking last year! It also happens to be one of my favorite posts. Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone! Find the post here:)

  • Santiago Sneaks Up on You

    The funny thing about a trip of this length is that the end feels impossibly far away until suddenly, it isn’t. I woke up on the 9th day of walking with the realization that I only had three more days to be a pilgrim. I love this identity. I may not be religious, but the…

  • When the Modern Road Returns

    It’s easy to look back on a life-altering trip and color the whole experience with a rosy lens. Wrapped up neatly, I was quite content most of the trip, much more so than I managed to be in 2009 or 2017. Then again, staying upbeat for 12 days is different than staying upbeat for 35.…

  • The Third Time I Walked Into Spain

    When I woke up in Portugal for the last time as a hiker, the aroma of brewing coffee wafted in from the common room. Someone out there is my true hero, I thought. The rest of the albergue was starting to roll out of bed and the familiar sound of backpacks being packed and teeth…