The Camino Cafe

Send us Fan Mail I can't think of a better way to close Season 1 than with Russ Eanes. What an amazing Pilgrim. I enjoyed his Camino memoir, Walk of a Lifetime, so much!  His book really inspired me. In particular, I can't get this quote out of my mind...."Better to die with your memories than your dreams". In this interview, you will hear us chat about the "Camino for lif...

Send us Fan Mail Meet the founders of The Pilgrim House, Faith and Nate!  It was a delight to sit down with them and learn more about The Pilgrim House, why they started it,  the steps they took over seven years to open it,  and their own pilgrimages.  The Pilgrim House, a non-profit endeavor,  is located in Santiago De Compostella and serves the Camino Community as a Welcome Center "....a pl...

Send us Fan Mail Here's the 3rd part of my conversation with Phil Volker.  We were thrilled to have Filmmaker and Author,  Annie O'Neil,  join us in this conversation, too.  Annie produced and directed the documentary about Phil's dream of walking the Camino despite having stage 4 cancer. Annie was also Co-Producer and a featured Pilgrim in the documentary, Walking the Camino: Six W...

Send us Fan Mail I was honored to have the opportunity to interview Phil Volker during the recent Caminohead get-together at his home on Vashon Island, Washington. Phil walked over 500 miles on a Camino path he built in his own backyard while receiving treatments for Stage 4 Cancer.  Filmmaker, Annie O'Neil, introduced most of us to Phil in the beautiful film she made about his journey,  &quo...

Send us Fan Mail Roger Williams, a Seattle-based Pilgrim, joined me live today from his walk on the Camino Frances during a stop in Astorga.  Walking the Camino was the first thing on his bucket list following his recovery from a heart attack during the lockdown. He is so dedicated to the importance of having a bucket list that he started his own podcast featuring folks who are crossing off bucket...

Send us Fan Mail Robyn-Lee Nichols, a South African-based Pilgrim, is The Perpetual Pilgrim. After walking her first pilgrimage in 2019, she took a look at her potential life timeline and then set the amazing goal to walk 25 more Caminos in her lifetime. During the interview we discuss the process of a reality check on how much time you have left in your life to still achieve your goals, her favor...

Send us Fan Mail If you haven't read Alexander's book yet, I strongly urge you to read it prior to walking and even after walking! I sure wish I would have read it before my first Camino. Alexander, a veteran Pilgrim, is also a best-selling author, well-known speaker, anthropologist, and psychologist. He serves the Camino community as a pilgrimage mentor and retreat leader. In this inter...

Send us Fan Mail After walking their Caminos, Ray & Dominique Powell, fell in love and bought the albergue, Casa Banderas. Many of you may remember walking past this albergue known for all the beautiful flags outside. It is located about 20 km after Sarria, approaching Portomarin in the tiny village of Vilacha.  They will soon be open to receiving Pilgrims later this Fall.  In this interview,...

Send us Fan Mail Sven is a Pilgrim based out of Germany, a mindfulness teacher, a Camino Guide, a professional photographer and filmmaker, and soon-to-be-published author.   He's walked over 15,000 kilometers, walking numerous routes around the world and several and less traveled Camino Routes. Just speaking with Sven is a calming experience. In this interview, you'll hear about his Cami...

Send us Fan Mail What a soulful conversation I had with Australian Pilgrim, Mark David Walsh. He is passionate about his career in education,  his work with Reconciliation Australia with First Nations People, and training to be a Spiritual Director. In the interview, you will hear us discuss his Caminos, his time in the Holy Land, the outer journey and inner transformation of pilgrimage, the impor...

Send us Fan Mail Sandy is back at The Camino Cafe live from Santiago! Sandy is taking a brief break from his pilgrimage on the Via Francigena, to celebrate his 2nd Holy Year in Santiago. In this interview you will hear an update on his current pilgrimage, a beautiful summary of how spectacular the Cathedral looks after recent renovations, travel to Europe right not, how he became a guidebook autho...

Send us Fan Mail Yosmar Martinez, Pilgrim, professional chef, and author of Tastes of the Camino, is back with us....this time she's live from Santiago de Compostela on St James Feast Day after walking the Camino Primitivo.  In this video, you'll hear a first-hand account of what it's been like to travel recently, how the Primitivo compares to the Frances, foods you can expect while...

Send us Fan Mail Father Steven Rindahl, experienced Camino Pilgrim, joins us again at The Camino Cafe! For this episode, he helps us learn more about St. James in honor of his Feast Day, July 25th. I hope you enjoy learning more about the Patron Saint of Pilgrimages and of Spain.  May this information enrich your future Caminos. Thanks to Father Steven for stopping by again and helping us learn mo...

Send us Fan Mail Acclaimed Filmmakers and Camino Pilgrims, Bill and Jennifer,  just celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. As I talked with this Australian-based couple, I was so touched by their sweet interactions with one another and their Camino stories. Bill's best-selling Camino Memoir, "The Way, My Way" is one of the funniest and most inspiring books I've read about w...

Send us Fan Mail Sandy Brown joined us live today from France for a chat about traveling right now, the Via Francigena, his guide books, and his Caminos. During this interview, Sandy provides some valuable advice and insight that can only come from a veteran Pilgrim that's walked 18 Caminos plus several other Pilgrim paths. Hear his tips for self-care and traveling post-pandemic.  Sandy has b...

Send us Fan Mail What a delight it was to chat with Camino Pilgrim and Author,  Stephen Drew. His book, Into the Thin: A Pilgrimage Walk Across Northern Spain,  is a very vulnerable account of how the Camino helped him navigate the aftermath of a very dark year where he faced several major losses. Stephen is such a wise guide for all Pilgrims and especially for anyone that has faced loss. Stephen&...

Send us Fan Mail Carol had no idea how walking the Camino several years ago would transform her life. After that first pilgrimage, she moved to Spain and opened not one but two businesses. She currently runs a successful English school and a Camino Tour Business called Camino Confidence. I love how passionate she is about helping other women gain confidence through walking the Camino. While Carol...

Send us Fan Mail You've heard me mention Jackson before!  He is the Pilgrim that wrote, performed, and gifted us the opportunity to use his original song, "Finisterre",  as our intro and outro song here at The Camino Cafe. He tells the story of what inspired him to write this song when he reached "the end of the world" after walking the Frances in 2015. Jackson shares with...

Send us Fan Mail This heart-centered Pilgrim has walked the Camino multiple times on several different routes, started a Camino Experience/Tour company, and just added the accomplishment of being a best-selling Camino Author. But for me, I may be most astonished that Elena walked a Camino with her 6-month-old baby Daughter and also walked with all three of her children, which at the time included...

Send us Fan Mail For this episode, we rename the show per Steve's suggestion, "Camino Cafe y o Vino"! So fitting as this conversation was just like the ones I had during the Camino....sometimes funny and light and then moments later, deep, vulnerable, and heartfelt. Steve is just one of those Pilgrims you connect with right away. I know we would've been in each other's Cam...

Send us Fan Mail Lorenzo "Peregrino" Merin gives us a live update from the Camino Frances and shows us that the Camino is coming back to life! He did this interview from the garden of an albergue and you'll get to feel like you are on the Camino as we got to meet a couple of other pilgrims currently walking. You'll gain great advice from this interview on what to expect if you...

Send us Fan Mail "Many people start their journey on the Camino as a hiker and end it as a pilgrim. The pilgrims of centuries ago had the same fundamental question as pilgrims on the path today: Where do I come from and where am I going." - Reino Gevers, Deep Walking In this interview,  Reino and I discuss his 12 Caminos and all the lessons he has learned along the way. His book, Deep Wa...

Send us Fan Mail As Jose says in this interview, you start as "one" on the Camino but you end up with "one + a thousand".  Come walk with us as Jose gives us an update on the Camino from his viewpoint in Pamplona and from his recent walks on the path. For Jose, it's all about connection with fellow Pilgrims and providing ways to showcase the Pilgrims that walk the Camino....

Send us Fan Mail I loved getting to meet Brian Skillen and hear about the Caminos that inspired him to write the historical fiction and bestselling Camino book, The Way: Through a Field of Stars . He has some great Camino magic stories including his first arrival in Santiago and how his book came into being. He has overcome some big life challenges to become a world-class dancer and author. His fi...

Send us Fan Mail What an honor it was to interview Pilgrim, Podcaster, and Musician, Dan Mullins! I've walked many, many miles listening to him interviewing Pilgrims and enjoying his Camino-inspired music. It was a pleasure getting to know the Pilgrim behind the most popular and longest-running Camino podcast. Dan really opens up here and shares some amazing stories and insights from his own...