Summer has finally arrived in Spain! These are photos of my walk on the Camino after the halfway point from Leon. The scenery has been beautiful, and the rain has finally subsided for awhile.... Almost done! Love, Laura... read more

I´m back on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). It's been raining here in Spain almost every day since I arrived. They say this isn´t typical weather for this time of year. At least it´s nice and cool for walking. We actually had 2 days of blue skies yesterday and the day before. My blisters are healing, and new ones pop up every few days... I'm soaking my feet in hot water while I type this message to you on the Internet. This hostal is an oasis... the owner is playing celtic music on her CD player and making dinner for the 3 of us here (Patricia from Brazil, Daniela from Heidelberg and myself). There is a washing machine here, so I don´t have to wash my clothes in the sink today. I have ... read more

I´m getting closer to the "Camino de Santiago," the famous pilgrimage across Northern Spain that I´m planning to trek... Now I´m in Basque Territory, visiting the brother-in-law of my good friend, Christi. Ivan´s brother, David, and his wife, Liz, have been hosting me at their house near Gernika for the last couple of days, about 20 miles east of Bilbao. They have a 10-month old baby boy named Iñigo. David is from Seattle, and Liz is from Vancouver, Canada, so it´s nice to hang with English-speaking people again. David and Liz have been living in Spain for 2 years now. They are building a home on acreage with a view of the Atlantic Ocean (see photos). While they wait to get permits, they have a temporary cabin on the property. They also have an apartment nearby. ... read more

Pueblo Ingles literally means "English Village." It´s a 1-week English immersion village for Spanish people so they can practice their English with "native English speakers" without having to travel to Enlgand or North America. I applied as a volunteer through their website at www.puebloingles.com. This week there are 18 Spaniards and 18 Anglos (from USA, Canada, Ireland and England). The schedule is structured and rigorous, but it´s a brilliant way to meet Spaniards in Spain without having to speak Spanish. As a matter of fact, it´s forbidden to speak Spanish at all! It´s located in Valdelavilla, a remote village about 4 hours from Madrid. They think it was an old shepherd´s village that was originally built way back in the 1500´s. It was reconstructed as a rural tourist complex after it was abandoned in the 1960's ... read more

I just arrived in Madrid, Spain... the first stop on my solo travel adventure. I´m tired and behind on sleep, but I´m excited to be here! I´m staying at a small hotel near Plaza Mayor and Puenta del Sol in the center of Madrid. I´m looking forward to exploring the old town and possibly the Prado Museum that I´ve heard so much about. I´m here for 2 nights, and then I head out to a small village about 2 hours from Madrid for my volunteer gig at Pueblo Ingles, an English Immersion program for Spanish business professionals who want to speak English for a solid week with "Anglos" from USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Britian, Scotland and Ireland. Check it out at www.puebloingles.com. I´ll try to keep a map posted of my travel destinations... hopefully it will ... read more