Regarding the Manner in Which We Consume, or I Consume During Physically Strenuous Days, or the Sixteen Hours I am Awake

The day began with the following:

2 Bananas
1/2 Liter of Pineapple Soy Juice
4 Slices of Austrian Brown Bread
2 Apples
2 Packets of Arroz con Leche Yogurt
1 Coffee with Milk
1 Hard Boiled Egg
1/2 Baguette (White)
1/2 Jar of Nutella
1 Kiwi

And as I walked I ate:
1 Orange
1 Apple
1 Banana
1 Powerbar
2 Liters of Water
1 Handful of Assorted Nuts

When I stopped I ate (a most delicious sandwich):
1/2 White Baguette
3 Cans of Tuna (Claro)
1 Packet of Olives
1 Can of Peppers
1 Pastry

Then relaxed with:
2 Beers
1 Pack of Mixed Nuts

After a Gregorian Chanting Vespers, ate Cocino Magarato (the cuisine of the local people), which included

From CDS 4

1 Pig´s foot
1 Pig´s Ankle
2 Strips of Pork Fat
2 Pig´s Ears
1 Filet of Beef
1 Rooster Breast
1 Sausage
2 Cans of Chickpeas
2 Handfuls of Stewed Cabbage
1 Bowl of Fideo
1 Bowl of Natilla (cream) with Cinnamon
1/2 Flan
1 Liter of Wine



In Molinaseca now, an absolutely stunning city in the center of the state of Leon, just west of Ponferrada. I´ve become incredibly close to a fellow American named Joseph from Chicago and an awesome dreadlocked, basketball playing Austrian named Suzie, and we are really enjoying spending this Camino together. I´ve got about 200 km to go (9 days) and not looking forward to the end. I donated my ´´stone´´ to the Iron Cross at the highest point in the whole Camino (1500 km) today, and will post pictures of the process soon. Thank you Jeanne, for the almond I carried this whole walk and donated to the pile.

Things are good. Much of us have been talking about life after this experience. The majority, such as myself, are going through major transitional phases; we feel quite free to explore some new avenues. I´ve no idea how things will play out for me, but recently am leaning towards making this a travel year. International graduate schools and returning to work seem to be the other two options. In other news:

Some people say the Camino is divided into three stages;

1. The Body - St Jean Pied de Port to Burgos
The first 300 km or so, during which you experience the beginnings of the pains you will or won´t get over for the entirety of your walk. This is where my knee pains (which have subsided, or I´ve gotten used to) began. Update: I´ve began walking without a brace or creams of any sort, and you´d likely never know I had a problem if you saw me walking.

The Mind - Burgos to Astorga
As the Hungarian Spirit Healer put it: during this portion there is nothing to look out outside, so you have to look inside. A most meditative phase.

The Soul - Astorga to Santiago
Just starting this phase, but the natural surroundings have definitely been incredibly stimulating, and we´ve each settled into a rythym that works for us.


Please calculate how many calories I ate yesterday - you´ve got time!