By Sharon Brothers

I’m a vege-pilgrim.

Brenna and me on the French Way, May 2019.

Over the past three years, each in two-week stretches, my daughter, Brenna, and I walked the Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-Du-Port to Santiago de Compostela. Walking this special path has been the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve met pilgrim friends from all over the world with whom I still have the privilege of sharing a meal now and again. Speaking of meals, let me tell you what it’s like being a vegetarian on the Camino. At least, for this vege-pilgrim.

Our first walk was in May of 2017. I was instantly enchanted with the rugged beauty of the countryside, the grandeur of the towering cathedrals and the warmth of the people. My tummy was enchanted with the Tortilla de Espana — muy enchanted. If you haven’t yet encountered these tasty Iberian treasures, just imagine a 2-inch high, pie-shaped Spanish frittata, filled with yummy layers of egg and potato, seasoned and cooked in “au gratin” style love. Each bar, cafe or restaurant seemed to make it just slightly differently. That first year, Brenna and I ate that delicious Spanish staple every single day. Okay…sometimes twice a day.

Another Camino confession: My daughter and I devoured so many cheese plates, our pilgrim friends began calling us “Cheese Plate.” Of course, add to our daily diet of cheese the really, really good (and cheap!) wine. Then add a daily dose of Ensalada Mixta, sin atun, (hold the tuna, por favor) and we were eating pretty good. We found ourselves trying local cheeses and wines, especially goat cheese slathered in honey, and we were happy vege-pilgrims!

As we neared the end of our first year Camino, I began to hear quite a few other vege-pilgrims complaining about the boring and repetitive nature of Spanish cuisine. It’s a highly meat-centric cuisine, piling happy carnivores’ plates high with pollo (chicken), jamón (ham) and pulpo (octopus) nearly everywhere. Even so, I’ll admit it griped me a bit to hear others complain. Because for me, nothing about Spanish life was troublesome! It was all glorious - every single bit (and repetitive bite)!

My second walk, in 2018, was an altogether different culinary experience. I lost nearly 10 pounds. This time around, it seemed I ate little more than beer, potato chips and those insanely delicious Spanish olives, which accompanied every frosty glass of beer. I still felt eyeball deep in Tortilla de Espana and Ensalada Mixtas from last year’s walk. So, the thought of another bite of either of those two generally made me a grumpy pilgrim. But, I clearly wasn’t eating enough, or the right things. I was hungry, and I might have gotten a little teeny, tiny bit hangry occasionally, if I’m being honest with you. Each morning, my hiking pants felt just a little bit looser. Each afternoon I’d catch myself tugging up my pants, for the hundredth time.

By year three, I’d had enough. My daughter and I made a pact. We’d make it our daily mission to hunt down the best vegetarian food we could for our dinner. At every stop. We learned to scroll through reviews and recommendations using apps like Google and Happy Cow in search of places to eat for vege-pilgrims like us. Brenna and I began to notice vegetarian and vegan spots from time to time. We became expert at finding the local Italian or pizza joint, and our food intake improved, poco a poco, throughout the walk. We would, from time to time, find a veg-friendly place, run by hippie-ish expats, and thrill to have actual choices for dinner. The food was, overall, nourishing. Sometimes, even tasty! We ate more pizza, pasta and a few more cheese sandwiches than ever before. Needless to say, I didn’t lose a pound. Not even the few I was hoping to leave somewhere along the trail.

Imagine my delight when I learned of other pilgrims who possess finicky eating habits just like mine. From them, I’ve been hearing about lots of places we missed while we were walking. I have learned that there are lots more veg-friendly places than I ever imagined existed, especially on my year-2-beer-and-potato-chips Camino.

Sharon, the co-founder of Camino Connections, mother of three, grandmother of two, is forever a happy vege-pilgrim.

This year will be a special year for this vege-pilgrim and the Camino. First, in what can only be described as a "delicious” irony, my life partner, Timothy (fellow vege-pilgrim), and I are building a mobile app for ….wait for it…. vege-pilgrims! Of course the app’s for any kind of eater. We’re pilgrims. We love everybody. But, I’m blown away that I get to take everything Brenna and I have learned these past three years and make life just a little better for my vege-pilgrim friends everywhere. The past few weeks, I’ve spent my days leading a great group of people who are gathering the best menu, option, price, rating, and review data for all those restaurants that can make any vege-or-nonvege-pilgrim’s tummy happy.

Which leads to the second, and sweetest, connection I’ll have with the Camino. Brenna and I are busy planning our next Camino walk together. Only this time, our sacred vege-pilgrim mission will be to find the best French omelettes, instead of Tortilla De Españas. We’re strapping on our packs again this July and walking a two-week stretch on the Le Puy. And you can bet your quinoa salad on one thing, every time we sit down to another ridiculously delicious, gloriously vegetarian meal, I’ll be taking notes for vege-pilgrims everywhere.

Vege-Pilgrim, On A Mission