tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43051787874697888222024-02-20T19:55:53.044-05:00Vegan CaminoTwo vegans, walking El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) in Spain. Sharing our culinary adventures and delights along the way!Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-22377937353054611512015-02-20T00:00:00.000-05:002015-02-20T00:00:00.442-05:00Obanos to Estella<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Compared to the dreary day before, this one was glorious! Warm and sunny. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5uNgadAykE/VNFVFHaSHtI/AAAAAAAAKkA/q90_Zxy2SnQ/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k5uNgadAykE/VNFVFHaSHtI/AAAAAAAAKkA/q90_Zxy2SnQ/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B313.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, my knee ached badly, so we stopped so I could wrap it with an ace bandage. Some Spanish guys saw me, and one of them who also had his knee wrapped offered me some anti-inflammatory pills. Now, I don't usually take pills from strangers, but I was desperate, and they were still in their original packaging. A little while later, I felt great! </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5-uPTdfctJI/VNFVBbgu8iI/AAAAAAAAKkI/CZkrBjIVcXg/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5-uPTdfctJI/VNFVBbgu8iI/AAAAAAAAKkI/CZkrBjIVcXg/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B316.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We stopped in Lorca at a great albergue/bar where we got fruit, chips, coca-cola and used the FREE internet. </span><span style="line-height: 1.2;"> </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Later in the afternoon, while we were debating making a pit stop or charging on to our destination, we came across a young American guy sat on the side of a road under an overpass. We greeted each other and decided to rest awhile with him. He told us about his journey so far, which had already been three times as long as ours and involved getting a sprained ankle and shooting off an emergency flare before a fellow pilgrim assisted him. His pack was filled to the brim, he was mostly doing this at the urging of his parents, and generally seemed pretty sad and unhappy with the Camino. We walked together a little while, and when he asked us to stop with him at the next town, we decided to part ways. Our itinerary was pretty strict since we weren't the fastest walkers ourselves and we had flights to catch at the end of the month. Later on, we both confided our guilt at leaving him behind.... maybe we could have convinced him to walk just a few more miles to the next town ... but oh well. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So there are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Camino Lessons #5 and #6: Ultimately, everyone has to walk their own journey, and.... it could always be worse! </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9g2Rdf3npc0/VNFVI6dlf7I/AAAAAAAAKkY/4xEMQHCu4KY/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9g2Rdf3npc0/VNFVI6dlf7I/AAAAAAAAKkY/4xEMQHCu4KY/s1600/fall%2B2012%2B%2B%2B2013%2B321.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_7thQNMFmTw/VNFUPBAgMPI/AAAAAAAAKj4/U6XFaxZucr4/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_7thQNMFmTw/VNFUPBAgMPI/AAAAAAAAKj4/U6XFaxZucr4/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dinner was gluten-free pasta with more TVP-tomato sauce and nutritional yeast. We had a hard time tracking down vegetables in the smaller villages because, as one shopkeeper told us, it was the start of the off-season (October) and most places really only stocked produce for the pilgrims. The townspeople grew their own stuff! Also, village life is very relaxed and businesses tend to close for a few hours at lunch and then again in the early evening. </span></div>
<br />Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-1079931596345132252015-02-15T06:30:00.000-05:002015-02-15T06:30:00.770-05:00Pampolona to ObanosAfter a breakfast at our hostel of toast, juice, coffee, and marmalade, we set out for our next destination: <span id="docs-internal-guid-353f8328-7528-33b8-e133-b452e5253055"><span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Óbanos</span></span>!<br />
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There is a pretty natural foods store on the way out of Pamplona, called <a href="http://www.ekodendaekia.com/">Ekodenda Ekia</a>. We didn't stop there, but it seemed pretty large from the outside.<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was a cold, gray but beautiful day. We made our way through some winding hills and beautiful villages. Even with the clouds you could see for miles! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSNILILM0piWMf-nSdeZmZX4le-zwcUQAr69uxk5tgmfwn50yuod8O3TStxGmEProZLpiX9J1ZtQ7jszXKPeFf1FS1Xmx37Xr4T3OUNQNcbe6XTlD_Hp4NvE9oLtA-w-bb6xL7Pkes2TF/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSNILILM0piWMf-nSdeZmZX4le-zwcUQAr69uxk5tgmfwn50yuod8O3TStxGmEProZLpiX9J1ZtQ7jszXKPeFf1FS1Xmx37Xr4T3OUNQNcbe6XTlD_Hp4NvE9oLtA-w-bb6xL7Pkes2TF/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+286.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-ppwdWf4l-ke1MnmsXSvsYEKkDBQ2PVKYz5Op1C9qdFFpcOEOwjJVVkvPu-NP_rKhn8azGY4HgGWM5xhej8wm_cfSlx79e52yWr-UAEXrQpct-xZSukGp7Mp8sAWDGRavHU-3P7bZG11/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-ppwdWf4l-ke1MnmsXSvsYEKkDBQ2PVKYz5Op1C9qdFFpcOEOwjJVVkvPu-NP_rKhn8azGY4HgGWM5xhej8wm_cfSlx79e52yWr-UAEXrQpct-xZSukGp7Mp8sAWDGRavHU-3P7bZG11/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+297.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3mJ6zpHtNbg8sCwUPcrQKtDkdbwyvcjBgn_TB4XOiTttNz7Zxlx5u5tVrGMbxqwKOuDFEq1e-fJ0WuDgQ21XQBGyKtQwuZlXnwYUAXvWGyeCr7JWSfJTVo-kU_dVNKqZfaE3p6W7iY0m/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3mJ6zpHtNbg8sCwUPcrQKtDkdbwyvcjBgn_TB4XOiTttNz7Zxlx5u5tVrGMbxqwKOuDFEq1e-fJ0WuDgQ21XQBGyKtQwuZlXnwYUAXvWGyeCr7JWSfJTVo-kU_dVNKqZfaE3p6W7iY0m/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+300.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By mid-afternoon we were both starving and sluggish so we stopped into a bar for a pick-me-up of Coca Cola and potato chips. Junk food, of course, but considering how much walking we were doing, we were desperate for calories. Plus, the sugar, salt and caffeine gave us a much-needed energy boost. This became our regular afternoon snack for the rest of the walk! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqDgTBLY-GCgGKiPxxKiaegFZl5JE9PKAp_v7xxOmoey05BY6Pw6kkzPVkG-9W00_XNUi9YnmqKkW0vpXEavHqorke0G_oFsbmXRhdvdjeRc8v1pc6JNzphz36NThZ6MHwtU9QDYRLdDZ/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqDgTBLY-GCgGKiPxxKiaegFZl5JE9PKAp_v7xxOmoey05BY6Pw6kkzPVkG-9W00_XNUi9YnmqKkW0vpXEavHqorke0G_oFsbmXRhdvdjeRc8v1pc6JNzphz36NThZ6MHwtU9QDYRLdDZ/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+306.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first albergue we found in Óbanos (<a href="http://www.turismo.navarra.es/esp/organice-viaje/recurso/Alojamiento/982/Usda.htm">Albergue USDA</a>) was on the church square, but it only had a microwave and dining area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">We stopped into a little shop also on the square and picked up fruit and some canned goods. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V1Y2fWDLM1UYHDAFHol2RD0B-DgD43Md17S9Wbkx7mf1SN-HlbIxOFQOHNtAMKaaLhkynWSuxWilRGyPxUcS9QxDoYHrvA84OtaXZvKocGde6VD5QwR9CevXTSPAEAqacVzeD2548ptE/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V1Y2fWDLM1UYHDAFHol2RD0B-DgD43Md17S9Wbkx7mf1SN-HlbIxOFQOHNtAMKaaLhkynWSuxWilRGyPxUcS9QxDoYHrvA84OtaXZvKocGde6VD5QwR9CevXTSPAEAqacVzeD2548ptE/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+311.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">veggie soup, gnocchi, and TVP-tomato sauce</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">We had to get creative with dinner since there wasn't a cooking area. The menu was microwave vegetable soup, microwave gnocchi, and TVP-and-tomato sauce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Droid Sans'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">A meager but filling meal. </span></div>
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Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-24195562162104708102015-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:002015-02-17T14:38:39.839-05:00Zubiri to Pamplona<br />
We left Zubiri in the morning, walked about 1 hour to the next <i>pueblo</i>, Larrasoaña. Somehow we ended up in a tiny shop called <b>Casa Elita</b>, run by a sweet woman who showed us photos of her son with Emilio Estevez (apparently they spent some good times with the locals while filming <i>The Way</i>!). We got fruit and coffee, and also noticed a selection of gluten-free products. This is the place to go if you are craving some wheat-free pasta! She even asked if we were Celiac/allergic, and explained that she likes to reserve those products for the people who really need it. Nice!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh8Y_7r1LFrerNFiXqViWrr0KQ3ZbwbIJyl_Zz8lqXrogA5UcUplkwDJbJQl_ac6es5Z5-B8a4HCbP-aKSSdLI90y34inur4X8tjQRV9VIMovSjlIAjRx0gaFgrrtkPk2c6Z89YbVl7QP/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh8Y_7r1LFrerNFiXqViWrr0KQ3ZbwbIJyl_Zz8lqXrogA5UcUplkwDJbJQl_ac6es5Z5-B8a4HCbP-aKSSdLI90y34inur4X8tjQRV9VIMovSjlIAjRx0gaFgrrtkPk2c6Z89YbVl7QP/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+254.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">celebrity sightings at casa etia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpHIFymMaJnj8vUDbNVB3Wn0H11Hvu0McTK157qw9UmpinoaKAoSii_YRYfrY5BdduXgES6lYiLLA0OklYN3c-uk6jx4bC8sFkPkoiZZL-Gqngkya6pLJStvk1xsCey-mkpPxrwrVsy_b/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpHIFymMaJnj8vUDbNVB3Wn0H11Hvu0McTK157qw9UmpinoaKAoSii_YRYfrY5BdduXgES6lYiLLA0OklYN3c-uk6jx4bC8sFkPkoiZZL-Gqngkya6pLJStvk1xsCey-mkpPxrwrVsy_b/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+263.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">el horno de irotz</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuOcWjQ4mMVgmuiDgdpQhQAJJrjtgs0cCU-_2I0uTRDUfWk3CLsWKB10pSR_hM_3NG3FX4dsDVbkfnrPA7h67l832syzjnp7j2zNnH-D4ToFuLK37uq58g5Z0aFwUdh3urR2ovgfqFxko/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuOcWjQ4mMVgmuiDgdpQhQAJJrjtgs0cCU-_2I0uTRDUfWk3CLsWKB10pSR_hM_3NG3FX4dsDVbkfnrPA7h67l832syzjnp7j2zNnH-D4ToFuLK37uq58g5Z0aFwUdh3urR2ovgfqFxko/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+262.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the inviting terrace at el horno de irotz</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpB1sMZaoygNTnGzywd68x52W7yowgl1Ak-mwTXb1K6uahEZVD2HR0W2uAZVyL8qCkps9dQlUAdblTz4WdUjlNL3seMVb3mDJpW4RUw8N0FxdWaa8pJ1hSKnenWMSdryJZZ2ZyL0xcV6_7/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpB1sMZaoygNTnGzywd68x52W7yowgl1Ak-mwTXb1K6uahEZVD2HR0W2uAZVyL8qCkps9dQlUAdblTz4WdUjlNL3seMVb3mDJpW4RUw8N0FxdWaa8pJ1hSKnenWMSdryJZZ2ZyL0xcV6_7/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+260.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">salad from el horno de irotz</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFS2w7q5s4qnkCsnVLDDXd2jgBPcN0qPO_Jd1w6kngCjjFZet0Onbf5Aciud9pg7c469yEFrSIVBs7PExiBBdi9Yy_4GiQjOlthIm8WXaWKByEBASWNdTN7Fh-qolL-J3Op9inQ-5GazU/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFS2w7q5s4qnkCsnVLDDXd2jgBPcN0qPO_Jd1w6kngCjjFZet0Onbf5Aciud9pg7c469yEFrSIVBs7PExiBBdi9Yy_4GiQjOlthIm8WXaWKByEBASWNdTN7Fh-qolL-J3Op9inQ-5GazU/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+273.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">pamplona outskirts ... lusting after all that lettuce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxak2pzKHZgEydA-hLTTJZ1US91hUvPF5aKa_aqNpghXymb6__5XhzdobS6rVxJ2ajJ9gXpb8wTPly8Edtn9MJavFFAslqRzTLm3nAq1gJFhBH88-EIcBbe2-J57YAHb5waMd_0wK_43Zo/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxak2pzKHZgEydA-hLTTJZ1US91hUvPF5aKa_aqNpghXymb6__5XhzdobS6rVxJ2ajJ9gXpb8wTPly8Edtn9MJavFFAslqRzTLm3nAq1gJFhBH88-EIcBbe2-J57YAHb5waMd_0wK_43Zo/s1600/IMG_0383.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">salad starter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXS0L7IkiuwHY9Uu0yz5T9GeyQYye1eaHKUQ5KPJNH65WADtLexYAdEpWqvnVOhSL0OVOjXYdGuTSfBan_F5SsEXWQDjy__TVicl1iCFO2FmmVdSMHOVjMk7PWC-kiGCOVcZjZYOSpugF/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXS0L7IkiuwHY9Uu0yz5T9GeyQYye1eaHKUQ5KPJNH65WADtLexYAdEpWqvnVOhSL0OVOjXYdGuTSfBan_F5SsEXWQDjy__TVicl1iCFO2FmmVdSMHOVjMk7PWC-kiGCOVcZjZYOSpugF/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">paella starter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKePZ5TijBMOIDWuvHzfbvOuNmIczBfEF5wfaie8tnXMSt99kv9-UZUHPw2wXE3GXMg68uYuHRMloWHBd-dtISQMY-UnGG-3sXrmgGh5YTzuauLDluUR0oXXZtqG68LucJtaGBfkSHypQ/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKePZ5TijBMOIDWuvHzfbvOuNmIczBfEF5wfaie8tnXMSt99kv9-UZUHPw2wXE3GXMg68uYuHRMloWHBd-dtISQMY-UnGG-3sXrmgGh5YTzuauLDluUR0oXXZtqG68LucJtaGBfkSHypQ/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">main dishes: veggie burgers and mushrooms & rice pilaf</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7U6WB-MQ56bCBmN49M_nMVzfOz2a8duI4itXpCb8g8urQWNwE36mVwmoY_QujJs_P4ap9cE90o-xxqFp3gn3FRUs6WsZg26BhzFhqjYage2zLrXZdkKi5A-hoOaYhqi6aQBBDfxGkUhT/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7U6WB-MQ56bCBmN49M_nMVzfOz2a8duI4itXpCb8g8urQWNwE36mVwmoY_QujJs_P4ap9cE90o-xxqFp3gn3FRUs6WsZg26BhzFhqjYage2zLrXZdkKi5A-hoOaYhqi6aQBBDfxGkUhT/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dessert: chocolate flan! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrXz-D7zAgSyWgkvhzApgDjbAK3P2QbbrLPXJqFF-L3JL-F7wvv3FymK8wQ9rM3L-xrtFua4eSjqk51T0uFgUyWQkAZ5VtU8ScQYkdGv-KCaHZPEejUhD7-cUMdnQzK0rD1FZVBWIqSud/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrXz-D7zAgSyWgkvhzApgDjbAK3P2QbbrLPXJqFF-L3JL-F7wvv3FymK8wQ9rM3L-xrtFua4eSjqk51T0uFgUyWQkAZ5VtU8ScQYkdGv-KCaHZPEejUhD7-cUMdnQzK0rD1FZVBWIqSud/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dahl yumminess</td></tr>
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After a quick breakfast of fruit, coffee, and PB2 on bananas, we kept on our way.<br />
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Right around the time we started to get desperate for a lunch option, we stumbled across a restaurant in someone's back patio! Called <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hornodeirotz">El Horno de Irotz</a> </b>(in, you guessed it, Irotz).<br />
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The veggie option was an amazing salad with local tomatoes that tasted heavenly. The server said they were from an especially fertile plot of land nearby... Can't beat that!<br />
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One of the best perks of walking the Camino is getting to experience the different geographies and cultures of Spain. Here, on the way to Pamplona (or <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 20.3636360168457px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Iruña</span></span> as it's known in the local Basque language), we saw signs of the distinct Basque pride of Navarra.<br />
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Finally, we made it to Pamplona!<br />
Since Pamplona is the first city on the Camino, we decided it would be a good spot for a rest day. Our rest days included the indulgence in a private room (NO SNORING!) and usually a bath tub. <a href="http://www.hoteleuropapamplona.com/">Hotel Europa</a> near the main plaza in Pamplona was great. We picked up a salad from a nearby supermarket, and even rented a scary movie on iTunes!</div>
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The second night we stayed in <a href="http://www.hostelhemingway.com/">Hostel Hemingway</a>. It was clean and cozy. The owner and staff were super friendly and helped us track down some veggie restaurants. </div>
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We had lunch at <a href="http://www.restaurantesarasate.com/">Restaurante Sarasate</a>. They offered a Pilgrim Menu (<i>menu peregrino</i>), a three-course meal at a discounted price of only 9 euros! The food was delicious and they were very accommodating to our dietary needs. </div>
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Before supper we stopped at a local indoor market, <b>Mercado II Ensanche Tafalla</b> ( around the corner from the hostel), and picked up a few veggies. Then we cooked a tasty dahl (lentil curry) in the hostel.<br />
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Next door to Hostel Hemingway is a little <i><b>herbolario</b></i>, or natural foods store. We picked up a few essentials on our way out of town, including this corn-based baguette!<br />
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Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-22354907981681288272015-02-10T17:07:00.000-05:002015-02-10T17:07:00.110-05:00Roncesvalles to ZubiriThe albergue in Roncesvalles didn't stop its incredible hospitality after building the facilities... In the morning we were awoken by monks swinging bells and singing Gregorian chants as they walked through the dorms. It was the most surreal (and peaceful) way to wake up <i>ever</i>. Such a great way to start the day!<br />
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We had another vending-machine breakfast of veggie medley, lentils and rice, and more espresso. This is <b>Camino Lesson #4: If you're vegan, you may want to forgo your traditional ideas about breakfast foods... Sometimes it's best just to take in whatever calories you can get.</b> The last thing you want is to skimp on nutrients and be sluggish later!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-BGVCCFHINQUXfwDShtG0gm6b_rtAq90rc_jXs_8I82UFxtg8zbw2ir7u0sP3uXVyEYsBgd12B9CAiWxpDuegysDM3lsKVCERrPXeBAaVwuplWpk6GdnfRhQUsQ13ycN6rlrZrXTK-ZN/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-BGVCCFHINQUXfwDShtG0gm6b_rtAq90rc_jXs_8I82UFxtg8zbw2ir7u0sP3uXVyEYsBgd12B9CAiWxpDuegysDM3lsKVCERrPXeBAaVwuplWpk6GdnfRhQUsQ13ycN6rlrZrXTK-ZN/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+235.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">pueblo pleasantries</span></td></tr>
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The walk to Zubiri was quite nice. We bumped into our Aussie friends from the first night again, and had coffee and chatted with them outside of a cafe.<br />
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Lunch was gazpacho (from the vending machine at Roncesvalles), corn cakes and pate. It's worth noting that for non-gluten-free-vegans, <b>there are plenty of places to stop and pick up a warm, fresh baguette</b> <b>for mere cents</b>... Look for <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<i>P<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">anaderías</span></i>"</span> ... The traditional bakeries that still thrive in Spain. The bread will be fresher and cheaper there than at a supermarket. Some areas also have "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Alimentación</i>" shops: corner stores with all sorts of stuff, usually including a small bread oven.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElcybq6ovxl9XEHf4OFULQSxGBiiB5IzMS3IeRnn1Pa5lmwKdryNaXxMHqjOIkUWIGvueinlrxMz5ZiAJinONWm9ar_qBLGYN9sfDXTvPuiYtlBedA95yf-D-4EKtByive0a2DP7ZxauT/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElcybq6ovxl9XEHf4OFULQSxGBiiB5IzMS3IeRnn1Pa5lmwKdryNaXxMHqjOIkUWIGvueinlrxMz5ZiAJinONWm9ar_qBLGYN9sfDXTvPuiYtlBedA95yf-D-4EKtByive0a2DP7ZxauT/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+240.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">simply wonderful.</span></td></tr>
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We hoped to walk a little further than Zubiri, but later in the day decided to take it easy and rest there for the night. <b>Looking back, we would have much preferred to stop a little farther in Larrasoana.</b><br />
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There are a number of <i>pensiones</i> (small hotels with private bedrooms) in Zubiri, but there is only the municipal albergue. It was cheap, but we were really disappointed in the accommodations. Two large rooms filled with crowded bunks (it was a busy night), open showers in the locker rooms, and minimal "kitchen" facilities (a 2-pot stove top that we had to share with all of the other pilgrims trying to make supper). It basically felt like summer camp.<br />
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After picking up some supplies at the little market near the town square (they had fresh produce and a good selection of non-perishable items), we waited our turn for the stove in the kitchen. Then we had our first dinner disaster!!!<br />
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First, I mistakenly bought "harina de maiz" thinking it was corn meal, when in reality it was corn flour. (As it turns out, they have the same name in Spanish, "harina".... Oops!) Polenta became rice "risotto" by adding bouillon and 2 disastrous ingredients: 1) powdered soy milk (reconsitute <i>before </i>adding to recipes!) and 2) <i>way too much nooch</i> (oops! accidentally dropped a bunch in!). We added frozen spinach for greens.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">furiously trying to mix in all that nooch! </span></td></tr>
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Our second dish was TVP with tomato sauce and onion, which we sauteed with a small bottle of olive oil that A took from her airline salad.... Turns out it was lemon-infused!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">could definitely have been worse.</span></td></tr>
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We sat down to our weird (although surprisingly quite tasty) meal, and then something great started to happen: other pilgrims sat down with their meals, bread was shared, wine was passed around, and we started have a great time! It's amazing how easily good company and nice conversation can change the mood of an evening. We got to meet some wonderful people that night, and forgot all about our cooking snafus.<br />
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Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-7605531303941027142015-02-07T08:05:00.000-05:002015-02-07T08:05:51.249-05:00Orisson, France, to Roncesvalles, SpainWe were <i>so glad </i>to have stopped early on our first day of hiking and rested well, because we had a long, windy day of walking through the Pyrenees (and into Spain!) ahead of us!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">buenos dias, orisson!</td></tr>
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A quick breakfast of fruit, PB2, rice cakes and jam, and we were on our way.<br />
It was gorgeous. The views went on for miles. Aside from the occasional shepherd driving his van to a pasture, we were surrounded by the quiet jingling of sheep bells, the soft crunch of pilgrims' boots on the path, and the whistling wind.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">beautiful monument in the mountains</span></td></tr>
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About halfway through our mountain journey we tucked behind a large rock formation to have respite from the wind while we ate lunch. Leftover rice & lentils, Gatorade, rice & corn cakes filled our bellies.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we made it to spain!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">walking into another country, no big deal</span></td></tr>
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By the time we arrived in Roncesvalles it was almost dusk. The albergue there is wonderful... It is owned by a religious group who recently constructed the building to accommodate Camino pilgrims. The bunk-beds are cubby-style, with individual reading lights, power outlets and lockers. There was even a separate "airing room" for hiking boots!<br />
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Needless to say, the kitchen and cafeteria spaces are clean and well-stocked. There were a number of vending machines selling pre-packaged meals (sandwiches and such), including a few great vegan options. We had rice salad, lentil soup, and veggie medley (Spanish-style cooked vegetables preserved in olive oil with paprika and other spices). Y U M. For dessert we treated ourselves to decaf espresso and a massive Navarran dark chocolate bar, also from the vending machines! Do yourself a favor and try it... The chocolate is a regional specialty and was very rich!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">vending machine veggies... surprisingly delicious</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">un "descafeinado" and some amazing local chocolate<br />
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Even with this delicious meal and amazing albergue, we were too exhausted to explore Roncesvalles and plopped down in our beds. The ache of the last two days hit us hard, and there was a brief discussion of what would happen if one of us woke up, physically incapable of moving, and we had to cancel the rest of the trip!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the beginning of our stamp collection</td></tr>
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Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-19005721711596757542015-02-03T15:16:00.000-05:002015-02-04T13:49:18.072-05:00St. Jean Pied de Port to Orisson, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
St. Jean Pied de Port to Orisson</div>
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We woke up to a beautiful day in St. Jean Pied de Port (SJP). For breakfast we ate rice cakes with PB2, almonds and apricots, and chocolate soy milk. It was here we learned <b>Camino Lesson #2: Eat a bigger breakfast!</b> Or, more importantly, listen to your body. I quickly learned that I needed to start the day with a hearty meal, while A. felt better sleeping in a little, having a bite before we left for the day, and later on having a substantial mid-morning snack.<br />
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We stopped in a shop by the church and bought apples, figs, bananas and plums, as well as a small jar of jam, rice cakes, lentils and quick-rice.<br />
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<b>One regret from SJP:</b> that we didn't stock up on spices from the bulk spice shop by the church! You can't miss it... It was very fragrant and beautiful (and, if I remember correctly, economical). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">st. jean pied de port, where we met our first camino angel</span></td></tr>
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On our way to the "starting point" of the Camino, we ducked into the very picturesque church and enjoyed the little bridge and tranquil views of the town. It was here that a passing stranger stopped and bid us luck and imparted some meaningful advice for when the way got tough. "Pray to Mary, and She will push you up the mountain." When we asked her where the camino began (meaning the trail-head), she told us it started the moment we got out of bed and walked to our front doors. "Every morning, I put the Camino under my feet," she reflected. We don't know who she was or where she came from, but we like to think of her as our angel! We did remember her words when we felt like we couldn't keep walking, and it helped. A lot.<br />
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After a trip to the Post Office to mail some unnecessary items home, we <i>finally </i>got on our way to the Camino starting point.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">didn't take long for us to start feeling like this cow...</span></td></tr>
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The first day is basically crossing over a mountain range... the one that separates France from Spain. This part of the walk is <b>b e a u t i f u l</b>, but also <i>extremely </i>steep. As we munched on our second-breakfast of bananas with chocolate PB2 and apples, and later on our lunch of rice cakes with veggie pate, Gatorade and figs, we became increasingly worried about making it to Roncesvalles (the first stop in Spain) by nightfall. We had a slight moment of panic when we realized we'd only walked 4 km and it was already 3pm! Our emergency plan was to sleep in some huts we saw etched on the map about halfway to our destination. Thank God for our next Camino Angels... two Australian couples who started the day with us... and passed us very early in the afternoon. They told us they were planning to stop at the small albergue about halfway up the mountain for the night. They told us it was advance reservation only, but by the time we made it to the entrance, one of the guys had confirmed that there were empty beds and strongly encouraged us to stay there for the night. (He must have seen the exhaustion and desperation in our sad, sad eyes.) After a brief chat with the albergue owners at their restaurant up the road (including stories about how they helped Martin Sheen scout locations while he was filming <a href="http://www.theway-themovie.com/">The Way</a>), we settled into <a href="http://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-frances/st-jean-pied-de-port-to-roncesvalles/aubergue-kayola-in-orisson/">Refuge Kayola</a> in Orisson.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our aussie angels below.... we had come so far, but not far enough!<br />
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The albergue was very cozy with some amazing views. We skipped out on the communal meal in the restaurant and cooked some lentils and rice flavored with veggie bouillon, Nutritional Yeast (aka. "nooch") and... a Korean condiment known as go chu jang! We found it in the fridge of the albergue... leading us to <b>Camino Lesson #3: Always check the kitchen to see what is available/has been left behind by previous pilgrims. </b>You may be surprised with some treasures! We were also lucky that the kitchen was well-equipped with pots and pans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5WWQ1oM3gi9_32WVSbj4W3WYrkRP9BwrIgBb8KgCG2FHW-rZdTG1JoO75FiZW5qROc69C29VRZ315-fXKAjyJlzLmxldoc0tb784wvCPsge_zXUE7YBW8M67D52wCtKZKdT0CLWixcUY/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5WWQ1oM3gi9_32WVSbj4W3WYrkRP9BwrIgBb8KgCG2FHW-rZdTG1JoO75FiZW5qROc69C29VRZ315-fXKAjyJlzLmxldoc0tb784wvCPsge_zXUE7YBW8M67D52wCtKZKdT0CLWixcUY/s1600/fall+2012+++2013+162.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the most satisfying bowl of lentils of our lives</td></tr>
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One of the best aspects of Camino life is the community that is built among the pilgrims. Our Aussie friends asked about our vegan diet, and our initial worries that being vegan would isolate us were immediately alleviated. They were very respectful and interested (and of course they checked in with us over the following days to make sure we were getting enough to eat). It was really sweet!Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-26271522945267069202013-12-20T16:40:00.000-05:002015-02-03T15:19:46.530-05:00Vegan Camino Essentials: What We PackedLet's take a quick moment to talk about something important: What food/cooking items to bring from home!<br />
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Everyone's tastes and cooking habits are different, but when it comes to being vegan (and, in my case, gluten-free) on the Camino, there are some things that you can do without or find along the way, and there are other things that are <i>essential </i>to survival (or at least basic happiness).<br />
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After a lot of online research and educated guesses, this is what we ended up packing:<br />
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<b>From left to right: </b><br />
<i>In the baggie in front: </i><a href="http://truvia.com/">Truvia</a> (a brand of stevia-based sweetener), some powdered greens & protein mixes,<i> </i>tea<br />
Dried fruit (apricots, dates and figs)<br />
Nutritional yeast <i>(in a bag, and more in the tupperware jar with the green lid)</i><br />
Chocolate soy milk<br />
<a href="http://www.bellplantation.com/">PB2 and PB2 Chocolate</a> (powdered peanut butter) (<i>2 more jars on the right)</i><br />
A travel bottle of olive oil (leftover from A's airplane salad)<br />
Almonds<br />
2 Tubes of vegan pate<br />
In the green travel bottle: <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/tvp-textured-veg._protein.html">TVP</a> (textured vegetable protein)<br />
Soy milk powder<br />
Rice cakes<br />
Corn cakes<br />
A small kitchen knife with a plastic case<br />
<i>In the tupperware jar with the purple lid: </i>homemade Gatorade/electrolyte juice powder<br />
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Our general rule for bringing something was that it had to have a high nutrient/calorie content compared to its weight. Most of these items can also be purchased in Spain, and easily replenished (ex: the dried fruit and nuts, as well as rice/corn cakes).<br />
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<b>Some thoughts on our essentials: </b><br />
- The PB2 was AMAZING. It's just peanuts that have had the oil pressed out, leaving a fine, protein-dense powder. And, most importantly, it's lightweight! Each jar weighs 6.5 ounces and reconstitutes (with a little bit of water) to the amount you would get from an 18 ounce jar. AMAZING. And wonderful for making an apple or a sandwich a little more filling. (Our personal thought was that the regular PB2 is pretty bland on its own, but you can't tell when you're eating it on something else.)<br />
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- The TVP was great for making our dinners more filling, and again, is something that is lightweight and goes a long way when reconstituted.<br />
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- The soy milk powder was... disappointing. Firstly, because it was GROSS. Very chalky. Secondly, it was not super necessary. We realized that we were burning so much energy that we could easily go through a 1 liter bottle of soy milk (or more) <i>per day</i>. Also, soy milk is super easy to find.<br />
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- The kitchen knife was really great because it didn't take up much space, and there were a lot of times when we needed it to cut bread or peel fruit on the road, and even some times when we found ourselves in an albergue kitchen that had no cooking utensils at all.<br />
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- The Gatorade powder was not essential, but it definitely came in handy for mid-afternoon energy boosts, and for giving unsavory well-water a better flavor. <br />
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<b>Typically, we would pick up fresh fruits, vegs and bread for the day when we entered a new town,</b> and a bag of rice, pasta or lentils when we needed it. We tried not to carry more than we would use in the next day or two, because the food weight really added up. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-66299191332980394232013-12-13T13:00:00.000-05:002013-12-13T14:12:16.214-05:00Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port, France<b>Finally, the day arrived!</b> We took an early train from Paris to our starting point on the Camino, the quiet town of St. Jean Pied de Port, France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">arriving at the train station</td></tr>
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After registering for our Pilgrim Passports and finding an albergue (we stayed at the municipal albergue; very cozy and welcoming), we listened to the grumbling in our bellies and set out to find a place to eat. Since we were in a tiny town in Basque Country, we were apprehensive about what we might find, but we finally decided that we could make do with a restaurant called <a href="http://www.saintjeanpieddeport-paysbasque-tourisme.com/fr/restaurants/cafe-ttipia#.UqIA29JDtIE">Cafe Ttipia</a>. Boy, did we get lucky! Turns out, our waitress had a vegan niece, so she new exactly what to offer us on the menu. We ended up with an amazing spread of typical (vegan) Basque food: 2 garden salads, a plate of fire-roasted red peppers (called "piquillos"), a massive bowl of french fries (excusez-moi, <i>frites</i>), fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a basket of bread. Seriously, we could <i>not </i>have gotten luckier!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe Ttipia in St. Jean Pied de Port, France</td></tr>
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This experience taught us <b>Lesson #1</b> <b>for traveling well on the Camino: Always ask! </b>In this case, we got exactly what we needed and more from our server: She customized the salads for us (no cheese) and saved us tons of time trying to read the French/Basque/Spanish menu and figure out what we could eat. In future situations, we would save time by immediately learning that the restaurant had <i>nothing </i>on the menu for us. Well, that's helpful too! Better than reading the menu for 10 minutes and letting the "<a href="http://words.brittina.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/hangry.jpg">hanger</a>" set it. <i>Communication is key</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">little did we know we'd be climbing that beautiful beast the next morning.</td></tr>
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After our awesome dinner, we took a little time to enjoy the serenity that is St. Jean Pied de Port, then headed back to our hostel for an early night in. It was there that we met someone who would turn out to be an almost constant Camino friend, along with his travel companion who we met later on. Camino friendships are so special!Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-65306213754383503722013-12-06T11:07:00.000-05:002013-12-06T18:47:32.456-05:00Stopover in ParisAfter our respective travels visiting friends in various European cities, we met up in Paris to begin the Camino journey!<br />
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Here is an immediate disclaimer: <b>this post will not do Paris justice!</b> Our stay was barely 3 days, and we got <strike>a little</strike> overwhelmed by the massive size of the city, the very long list of sites we wanted to see, a bunch of random pre-Camino logistics, and our very unpleasant (read: dirty and weird) hostel. All in all, though, I'm so glad we went, since I had never been to Paris before, and I'm proud of how much we saw in such a short trip! We both vow to go back someday for a proper Parisian holiday, when we have a few more Euros in our pockets and a few more days to enjoy this beautiful city.<br />
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<b>Day 1 in Paris</b> started with getting locked out of our hostel (did we mention they closed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for no good reason?), so we didn't have much time to plan out our day before we set to the streets. It was drizzly, so we made a beeline for the <a href="http://www.louvre.fr/en">Louvre</a>, one of the few indoor activities on our wishlist. It was the perfect way to pass a rainy afternoon!<br />
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From there we wandered into a vegan bakery, <a href="http://veganfolies.fr/">Vegan Folies</a>. They mostly had delicious-looking cupcakes, but we asked if they had any gluten-free options. Turns out, they had a <b>cheesecake with a chestnut flour crust.</b> It was delectable! We also indulged in some Bionade fizzy juices... Elderberry and Litchi! What a lovely reprieve from the rain and cold.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-crust chocolate cheesecake and bionade fizzy juices at Vegan Folies.</td></tr>
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That evening we got lost trying to find the Eiffel Tower (don't ask us how...to our credit the Parisians we asked for directions were also confused about where the large well-lit tower was!). Finally, we arrived and had a dinner picnic amidst a slew of drunken teenagers, couples making out, late-night joggers, and a bride and groom taking wedding photos. Gotta say, it was a pretty magical place!<br />
Our picnic was simple: baguettes and corn cakes with vegan pate, hummus, and carrots.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our best shot with le eiffel tower</td></tr>
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<b>Day 2 in Paris </b>included some errands, and some wandering, but most importantly, an epic visit to <a href="http://www.lovinghut.fr/">The Loving Hut</a>. It's an international chain, but if you ever find yourself in a city with a Loving Hut, do yourself a favor and visit. The menu is customized to the cuisine of the area, with a little Asian twist. We pigged out!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring rolls, veggies and rice noodles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savory soup!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegan, Neapolitan banana split... YUMMO</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardamom rose lattes... yes please.</td></tr>
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There was a lot we missed, gastronomically and culturally, but all in all Paris was a great stepping stone to the start of the Camino...........</div>
Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-35225654351789223172013-10-23T09:53:00.001-04:002013-10-23T09:54:58.200-04:00Time Flies! Well, it's been a year since we began and completed* our Camino journey. It was an unforgettable experience, one that we both regularly reflect on. Originally the plan was to update the blog as we went, but it became clear pretty early on that that wasn't going to happen. We didn't have regular access to internet, and even when we did, there wasn't a lot of energy left to sit and write.<br />
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However, in honor of our Camino anniversary, we are going to start where we left off and share our notes from every day of our trip. Sorry it took a year to get going again, but hopefully this blog can still assist and inspire other pilgrims.<br />
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-m&a-</div>
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[* We learned from many wise folk along the Way that the journey never really ends!]Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-60133097595558901182012-09-14T10:00:00.000-04:002012-09-14T13:53:44.172-04:00London, Vegan MeccaSo I spent a few days in London, visiting friends, and had such an amazing gastronomic experience that I had to share!<br />
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First, it's worth mentioning that England is actually the <a href="http://www.vegansociety.com/about/history.aspx">birthplace of modern/western veganism</a>, so it's no surprise that there is an abundance of veg-friendly establishments. Also, by law, packaged foods must list all ingredients and possible allergens. Add to that, they almost always have a label indicating "suitable for vegetarians and vegans" !! Makes life so much easier.<br />
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I don't know if this is part of their food labeling requirements, but all of the restaurants included ingredients under their menu item descriptions, and usually had a "V" next to vegetarian options.<br />
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OK, now for the good stuff. The food!!!<br />
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My first official "meal" was a salad from <a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/"><b>M&S</b></a>, a chain store that has many grocery outlets around the country. They have <i>lots </i>of vegan/G-F options, including salads, hummus, crisps (chips in American), nuts, bottled drinks, fresh fruits & vegetables.... etc. I shopped there twice, both times opting for for a 2-for-£4 salad deal. I got a bean salad with a mint-parsley dressing, and a garden salad with a french-mustard vinaigrette. (Make sure to check your label for ingredients, as some of the dairy/egg-free salads do not include vegan dressings.)<br />
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I had the benefit of staying with friends who took me to the tastiest, veggiest restaurants around London. (Before arriving I had done some research, but honestly I found <a href="http://www.happycow.net/">HappyCow</a> to be a bit overwhelming in this circumstance!)<br />
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First, we had dinner at <b><a href="http://www.yalla-yalla.co.uk/">Yalla Yalla</a>.</b> FIFTEEN HUNDRED STARS!<br />
"Beirut Street Food," tucked away in Soho. The space itself is super cozy and the food & service were great. After we explained that I have a gluten intolerance, the server offered to bring a plate of carrots for me instead of pita for the hummus. She also informed us of the items that had dairy or gluten that I should avoid. And of course, most ingredients/allergens were already clearly marked on the menu!<br />
For dinner we shared hummus, falafel, batata harra, & fatoush (which usually comes with toasted pita on top, but they served it on the side). Everything was incredible. I've had a lot of these dishes many times before, but they really know what they're doing at Yalla Yalla!<br />
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For lunch the next day we checked out <b><a href="http://www.inspiralled.net/cuisine">In Spiral</a></b>, in the Camden neighborhood. So tasty!!! Mostly vegan, gluten-free and raw. They had a really great "pick and mix" option, so I got a medium plate with curried chick peas and plantains, wild rice, vegan caesar salad, and sauteed veggies. Typical, delicious vegan comfort food. There's something about the way all the flavors mix together, it reminded me of my many vegan potlucks at Calvin. So lovely. I also got a bottle of kombucha, brewed in-house, and came back later for the grand finale, <b>homemade vegan ice cream! </b>Mint chocolate chip. I believe it was cashew-based. They had a whole cooler of options, I wanted to try them all! So delicious and satisfying!<br />
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My last London food experience was equally delightful: dinner at <a href="http://www.dimt.co.uk/" style="font-weight: bold;">Dim T</a>. I don't remember exactly what I ordered, but it was rice noodles with a coconut-curryish sauce, tofu, lemongrass, peppers, tasty tasty goodness. Lovely, flavorful sauce. I gobbled it all up!<br />
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I left London with a belly full of tasty food... the only thing keeping me from buying everything I laid eyes on was the crazy exchange rate. Come on USA, give the dollar some strength, please!<br />
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-mMorganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-303947589736677392012-09-11T06:20:00.000-04:002012-09-11T08:20:14.029-04:00Airplane Food (aka. "the camino starts here!")En route to starting the Camino, both of us are visiting some friends in other parts of Europe. So, I thought I'd start by writing about my experience with the food on my airplane ride from the Chicago to Heathrow. I flew American Airlines, which was overall a good experience. I'd give the ride itself an A- (my headphone jack didn't work so I couldn't watch the movies... womp womp) and the food will get a B-.<br />
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When we purchased our tickets, there wasn't a way to reserve a special meal, so a week before my flight I called the customer service hotline, and they were able to reserve a vegetarian meal for me. Conveniently, American Airlines lists their "special meal" options online, including a sample menu. Not-so-conveniently, <b>they do not offer a completely vegan meal. </b> My gluten intolerance adds another complication, but I figured the vegetarian option was better than nothing. </div>
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I came prepared with extra snacks in case my meals weren't filling enough. <b>I brought a little bag of almonds and pistachios, 2 <a href="http://thepurebar.com/">Pure bars</a>, and some powdered protein drink mix. </b>I had an early flight, so my first breakfast was a banana and a coffee at the airport... with a side of adrenaline because I was so excited for the journey! </div>
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<b>Breakfast on the plane was:</b> </div>
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Banana french toast</div>
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Bagel </div>
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Bowl of fruit</div>
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bottled water</div>
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Hot tea</div>
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(Jam, cream cheese and butter on the side)</div>
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<b>Dinner on the plane was: </b><br />
Penne pasta with red pepper-olive-cheesy sauce (didn't eat), with one half of a cherry tomato<br />
One bread roll with a side of butter<br />
2 slices of honeydew melon<br />
Ginger ale<br />
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I was desperately hungry, so I did something stupid and I ate the bagel and the roll! Perfectly vegan-friendly, but not gluten-free! :( I felt ill later on, but honestly I hadn't packed enough food to sustain myself otherwise. Ooops.
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Even still, I wasn't super impressed with the portions of the vegetarian meals in comparison with what my fellow passengers received. They seemed to have gotten lots of snacks for the 5 hours in between meals that I didn't receive. And of course meat and eggs are more filling than fruit and bread. But oh well.<br />
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<b>So, I wish I had brought more food! The hardest lesson to learn as a traveling gluten-free vegan is that I kinda have to look out for myself.</b><br />
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It's always good to check with airlines (talk to a person to get the most accurate info), check airports beforehand to see what the restaurant options are, and pack accordingly. Be careful about abiding by the carry-on "liquids" guidelines, as well as any laws about traveling internationally with fresh fruits or veggies (usually a no-no). My hotel offered a "full breakfast," but it wasn't free and I am sure it wouldn't have been worth paying £9.50 for a bowl of fruit and maybe oats, so I had to consider that as well. (Luckily I did receive complimentary in-room tea!)<br />
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London blew my mind with vegan & gluten-free options, but that's another story!<br />
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-m<br />
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Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863593915129517253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4305178787469788822.post-90893511400720576462012-08-20T15:22:00.000-04:002012-08-20T18:41:17.630-04:00Buen Camino!Hello,<br />
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This is a blog about two vegan friends who decided to take a walk. A long, meandering walk through Spain. In September 2012 we are walking 778 km, or 484 miles, on the <a href="http://www.csj.org.uk/route-camino-frances.htm">Camino de Santiago</a>.<br />
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Since Spain is not (yet) known as a "vegan-friendly" country, and since most of the Camino will take us through small towns, we plan to document our culinary adventures, delights, and discoveries along the way. Hopefully we can share tips for future vegan pilgrims as well.<br />
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Cheers,<br />
m&a<br />
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