Nomadic Frames

06/21/2025

Thursday , June 19
Orisson, France - Roncesvalles, France
Day 2, Camino de Santiago
11.52 miles/18.54 kilometres

The forecast for this day was: HOT! The people running Orisson moved the breakfast from 6:30 AM to 6:00 AM so we can get on the trail sooner. The breakfast was crap, basically some hard bread, butter, and jam. There was coffee and tea and bananas. For what we paid, it should’ve been a bit better.

It wasn’t long into our hike that we saw cows, sheep, and horses everywhere on the rolling green hills. Stunningly beautiful! Most of them had a bell around their neck, making a symphony of ringing bells everywhere we walked.

None of the animals seem scared of us, and none seemed to pose a threat. The cows were big with large horns, so it was kind of scary walking so close to them, but none were aggressive. The only ominous thing we saw were three vultures waiting high on some of the rocks. I’m not sure if they were waiting for the animals to die or the hikers.

There was a food truck along the route that basically served cold drinks, hard-boiled, eggs, bananas, and a few sweet things. These are exactly the things that hikers want. We gave them our money.

The day was long and hard with many ups and downs, but it was very beautiful. When we crossed over into Spain, there was only a large wooden board telling us so. No passport control or people checking our bags. Ah, the European Union. If you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t even know you were in Spain.

We saw the 200 bed monastery long before we got to it. It looked like something out of Harry Potter.

06/19/2025

Wednesday , June 18
St. Jean Pied de Port, France
Day 1, Camino de Santiago, 4.33 miles (6.97 kilometers)

I slept like a baby last night! I set my alarm for 4:55 AM. When I have it set for school, it is silent and my Apple Watch vibrates, leaving Vân to sleep peacefully. But I set it wrong this time and woke up the whole floor. Major pilgrim foul, day one.

The communal breakfast was good and we spoke with many more of the people who were staying with us. The conversations were good until the Belgian woman asked, “What the hell is going on in America.” I expected a question like this, but not so early in the journey. Every European we speak to does not understand the United States and its citizens.

We set out at 7:05 AM for the steepest climb we will do on the entire Camino. We actually only walked about 5 miles, but it was brutal. It had turned into 83° by the end of our hike and we were completely exposed to the sun the whole way. Sure, 83° is not that hot for most people, but to us San Franciscanites, that feels like Death Valley.

Our destination is Albergue Orisson, which can be seen in Emilio Estevez‘s film about the Camino de Santiago called The Way.

06/18/2025

06/18/2025

Monday, June 16
Biarritz, France - St. Jean Pied de Port, France
Day -2, Camino de Santiago

Super yummy pizza & pasta at Les Colonnes with views of the Bay of Biscay. We went down to the water afterward for a rewarding sunset.

Another night of poor sleep. We sat at Ekia, a very trendy breakfast spot at 8am, only to be told that the kitchen opens at 9am. I had already been awake for 4 1/2 hours, so I was hungry, but we waited.

Our train to Bayonne (France, not New Jersey) was at 1:30pm, then a second train to St. Jean Pied de Port. This will be our last night in a nice hotel with a comfy bed for a while, Maison Laurentziana.

St. Jean Pied is a cute, medieval town, but very touristy. It’s best to be in your hotel or in a cafe when the tour buses drop off their hordes of slow walking, elderly tourists.

We had to buy walking sticks and I was hell bent on buying a French Opiel #10 knife with a corkscrew in its handle. The first hiking/camping store we went in had both.

Not much else to report. A bunch of drunk boys raging through the town because some French Rugby team won a match. Another poor night of sleep.

06/15/2025

Sunday, June 15
Biarritz, France
Day -3

We had two rosés each at La Coupole before returning to our tiny hotel room last night. I went to sleep at 1:30am and I woke at 4:30am, unable to to go back to sleep. I read until the light Sun came up around 6:30am and then took a walk along the ocean.

I love exploring a town/city before most people wake up! Here are a few examples of its architecture, one piece of rare street art, and a pan of paella as big as an 18 wheeler’s wheel.

From Wikipedia: Biarritz is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the border with Spain. It is a luxurious seaside tourist destination known for the Hôtel du Palais (originally built for the Empress Eugénie c. 1855), its seafront casinos, and its surfing culture.

06/15/2025

Saturday, June 14
St. John’s, Canada
Camino de Santiago, Day -4

St. John’s is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. There was a medical emergency on our plan and a we made an emergency landing to get the woman to a hospital. We then had to refuel. I had, of course, just gotten to sleep, something that does not come as easy to me as when I was younger, especially on a plane. We are on an Air France flight, so most people are speaking French… and are not outraged by the delay. I was in Provence last summer and I found the French to be more patient than just about any American I know.

When we took off from the eastern most town in North America — other than Greenland — the pilot said they saved the woman’s life, but that she didn’t want to leave the plane. The flight staff insisted she go to the hospital in St. John’s and she was taken off scream and cursing, giving the flight crew the finger! Must have been American.

02/09/2025

As I walked the red carpet entering my Super Bowl party, I was asked by a reporter what I was wearing. “My shoes are by Adidas, my pants by Kühl, and my shirt by . I’m kidding about that red carpet stuff, but this is a pretty dope T-shirt.

10/03/2021

Dr. David C Joseph Memorial Trail, Pomo Canyon, Russian River, Northern California.

11/19/2020

Vân and Morgan miss Vietnam and our family there so this is one of the ways we travel to Southeast Asia virtually.

A slightly modified, homemade, Vietnamese bánh mì ốp la, literally translated "sunnyside up bread". We can’t find the crusty, yet light, Vietnamese-style baguette that's made with both wheat and rice flour so Vân used a slice of Trader Joes Organic Ancient Grain & Seed Bread which works with Morgan's low-sodium diet. Two fried eggs, cilantro, cucumber and pickled daikon/carrot, chili garlic hot sauce and Bragg’s Liquid Amino sauce in place of soy sauce. No cha lua, or Vietnamese ham slices as Morgan’s a vegetarian and Vân is transitioning away from eating meat. Yum!

11/19/2020

Our short documentary about a St. Louis urban farm providing organic food for their neighbors in need – "Growing for Good" – is an Official Selection in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. ⁠
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View trailer here: https://youtu.be/YnNSC4AOcGw

10/06/2020

Hey Arthur Culbert, we learned we got in a sixth film festival on your birthday: St. Louis International Film Festival. Hope you are having a super birthday! Central West End Farm

View trailer here: https://youtu.be/YnNSC4AOcGw