Camino Frances – KEVIN CRAIG

Rest in Peace, Barefoot Sue (Sue Kenney)

I didn’t want to write this post. I didn’t want it to be true.

Ever since Sue Kenney reached out to me last September while I was in the airport lounge in Toronto awaiting our flight to Spain for our walk on the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been dreading this outcome.

“This is a lot to hear, but I wanted to ask you if you would take my intentions with you to Santiago de Compostela on your Camino pilgrimage that you’re starting tomorrow?”

I did not hesitate. It was the least I could do for the woman that gifted me an entirely new path in life.

Sue Kenney, at work along the Camino de Santiago. (I apologize for the grainy photo, but phone cams were NOT the same in 2014. I thought this photo captured Sue’s energy.)

I met Sue at a novel writing marathon in Pickering, Ontario. Her effervescent personality immediately called out to me. I can’t even recall whether or not she told me about the Camino de Santiago at that time or not. I’m pretty sure she did. What I loved about her was the over-boiling infectious energy she exuded. Like me, she could not sit still.

Fast forward a few years, and she had begun taking new pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago…in groups. By that time I had learned quite a bit about the Camino. Once you hear about the Camino, it acts like a timepiece in your heart…ticking and ticking and ticking away while it pleads with you to heed its call. It gets into your blood until you can no longer ignore it.

I signed up for Sue’s May 2014 group pilgrimage. We would begin our journey in Ponferrada and walk into Santiago de Compostela some week or so later.

We were a group of eight and Sue led us across Spain with grace and love. This is half of our contingent…being silly near the beginning of our journey while we were just discovering one another.

We kept meeting more and more pilgrims along the way. Some walked with us for minutes, some for hours, some for a day or so, and some for the remaining of the journey to Santiago de Compostela. Our group of eight was constantly expanding and contracting and our hearts were being filled by the experience! All thanks to our fearless leader, Sue Kenney.

Sue was a barefoot walker, which is something I loved doing since early childhood. My mother could not keep my shoes on my feet, no matter how hard she tried. Eventually she gave up, once she realized I’d walk through rocks and gravel barefoot unscathed and happy. With four boys to run after, she probably realized it was easier to risk my cutting off my own feet than running around forcing me to wear shoes. Sue’s barefoot lifestyle shouted out to me immediately.

I joined Sue in walking barefoot for quite a bit of our Camino. I was still going from Crocs to barefoot, not quite as accomplished as Sue, but enjoying those stretches where I was barefoot and free.

There were two memorable adventures during my first Camino that stood out the most. One of those adventures was a crazy bar run by two sisters. The Casa Verde was electric and eclectic. Sue brought us to this wild stop along the way and she was greeted like visiting royalty. It was one of those times that I felt all tingly realizing that everyone along the way knew and loved our fearless leader. Sue Kenney, or Barefoot Sue as she was also known as, was loved by all. Even elder locals walking out in the streets and alleys seemed to know her. She was definitely well known by the sisters who ran Casa Verde. They spread out the red carpet, and lined the bar with shots for all, on the house. Friends of Barefoot Sue were friends of theirs.

Sue, at the bar at Casa Verde. Pilgrims left t-shirts, which were festooned with pithy quotes and Camino wisdom and pinned to the ceiling, left to dangle. Every wall, table, window, chair, and object were covered with notes and quotes. Sadly, the bar is no longer in operation. An albergue now stands in its shadow.

Sue had us all gather food and drink in the town of Portomarin and organized a quick picnic for us at the top of the hill just outside of town.

This picnic was the absolute pinnacle of our journey. It was such a moment. I sat back at times, fighting back tears trying to fathom how lucky I was to be a part of the magic.

Sue Kenney seemed able to conjure magic wherever she went.

Our Camino group, minus Connie and myself. Connie was unable to attend this Fall 2014 reunion event, and I was taking the photo. Notice Sue’s joy!

I had many reunion moments with Sue. She was a fixture at the annual MUSKOKA NOVEL MARATHON. When she wasn’t participating herself, she would make her way to the Marathon every Sunday for her widely attended and much loved CREATIVITY WALKS.

Sue, during the Muskoka Novel Marathon…one of the years she participated in the 72 hour novel writing marathon…

Many of the Muskoka Novel Marathoners joined Sue for her yearly CREATIVITY WALKS. That’s Sue’s foot with the purple strapped shoe with the blue arrow. She also invented a barefoot shoe…which was bottomless. She appeared on Dragon’s Den with these shoes.

I just wanted to share some of the memories I had with Sue. It doesn’t begin to crack the surface of the time I spent with her. My most cherished time, of course, is that walk along the Camino de Santiago. You grow so close while walking across a country with people. We began as eight near strangers. We all knew Sue in one way or another, but we didn’t know each other. Sue brought us together.

The talks we all had! It was so magical.

I will be forever grateful that Sue came into my life that day at the Pickering Public Library. She lit a flame in me that day that would never go out. It is a profound thing to gift someone a totally new trajectory in their lives. This is what Sue did for me. I can’t imagine my life now without the Camino in it.

It was because of her impact on my life that I did not hesitate a second before telling her, “YES, YES, YES…I will take your intentions across Spain. I will walk every single step for you! I will dedicate the entire walk to you.”

It was what she next told me that stopped me in my tracks and had me searching out a quiet place in a busy airport where I could hang my head.

After giving me her awful news, she followed up with so much inspiration…I was ready to face the Camino and take her with me in my heart.

I want to directly quote Sue here because I want you to see how full her heart was and how thoughtful and caring she was at all times. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me sharing her words in full.

“Since you’re about to walk the path to Santiago, and it doesn’t mean that you have to be religious or have a religious intent, I would like to ask if you would do me a favour and carry my intentions for world peace, a universal love for nature, and great compassion for all the people in the world.

“And to my dear Camino, I want to intend so much gratitude for the 29 different journeys that I took on the path to Santiago. I am so grateful for the lessons and the stories and the experience of guiding other pilgrims on the way, that I was blessed with. Including you! ❤

“I’ll be with you each step as you both walk, without your guidebook, following your heart.

Sending love and light.

Buen Camino

Barefoot Sue.”

Of course I walked for her. Each step I took, I thought of her back home and the journey she was now forced to be taking. I walked into Santiago de Compostela with Sue’s intentions in my heart. And if I ever walk the Camino again, I will do the same. It was her who gave me this great big wondrous gift, and it will always be her I thank for opening my heart to it.

We lost Sue this week. Her light is carried in the hearts of so many pilgrims. I’m certain she will never be forgotten. Her 29 journeys on the Camino alone would be enough to ensure it doesn’t happen. Not to mention the myriad of other ways she entered the hearts of the thousands of people she changed for the better.

Walk on, my friend forever. Captain, my captain.

Sue Kenney, walking into Monte de Gozo…MOUNT OF JOY! May, 2014. Joy meeting Joy!

I love you, dear Sue. Thank you for everything.

Come December…Recap of Our 2025!

It’s December once again. It’s been a year. Many blessings amidst the chaos of the world!

As I try to remember everything that happened in 2025, I’m a little flabbergasted. Some of it is so far back in my memory that I would have sworn it happened a year or two ago. But the Google timeline doesn’t lie. Apparently we DID take our grandson on a cruise in 2025…it wasn’t actually in 2024 or 2023. No, it was in fact in January, 2025. Here’s the blog post I created about January as proof of our trip.

On the plane to Florida with Edward…the 13th Birthday cruise to the Bahamas!

It seems so long ago. We had an absolute blast taking Edward on his first flights, first cruise, first outside the country vacation. I know he did too. My only regret is that we didn’t do more with him. He found a friend group early in the cruise and spent a lot of time at the kids’ club. We had all our meals together, and we did the Perfect Day at Coco Cay together. It’s not like we didn’t see him. But he did have a lot of free time with friends. I’m certain he loved it this way. No quiet time at the pool onboard, though. Seems weird in retrospect.

Google tells me we also did Cuba in 2025. In April. That too seems like a year or two ago. I swear, the older I get the more difficult it is for my brain to understand time. Something that happened last week could have happened a year ago or an hour ago. The concept of time just floats through my fingers.

I did in fact write about this amazing trip HERE.

But Google doesn’t lie. Cuba is definitely in the 2025 timeline. We visited the LGBTQ friendly hotel Gran Muthu Rainbow. It was our second visit…and we absolutely love it there!

As much as 2025 was not much of a year for writing, it was a year in which I released my latest book. This one won the 2016 Muskoka Novel Marathon’s Best Adult Novel Award. I WILL TELL THE NIGHT. One of my biggest thrills of the year was when my new novel was reviewed in the Miramichi Reader! I’ve been a longtime fan of this publication. My family is in the Miramichi…I began with that connection, but quickly fell in love with the publication for all the usual literary reasons. Here’s where I wrote about the review, with a link to the review itself in the post.

I also wrote a piece for the Miramichi Reader‘s WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK column. I was thrilled to have both a piece and a review in the Reader! Doesn’t get much better. Here’s a link to their ISSUE 45 WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK column.

We had a great time, once again, with our annual trek to NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE! Always an amazing time winery hopping! Such a lovely city…and great company!

Other highlights of 2025 include several visits from our cousin Jordanna! And 2 of those were with lovely Aunt June in toll!

May, 2025 – We had an amazing time with Jordanna and Aunt June at the 25th Anniversary party at BIFF’S BISTRO downtown. This is one of our favourite Toronto restaurants! Great company too!

Earlier in the month, we toured Chinatown with Jordanna and Stephen.

Egg Tarts procured! Chinatown, Toronto. May, 2025.

In October, we had an amazing time at Grossman’s Tavern in Chinatown. Jordanna and Aunt June met us there for an afternoon of Jazz! So much fun. I would not be lying if I said our little group danced the conga through the tavern on our way out. Yummy all-day Dim Sum was had for supper that day. Another great visit with family from Nova Scotia! Always great to see Jordi! And Aunt June!

There is also September, of course. Michael and I once again walked the Camino de Santiago. We had to get back to the Camino Frances. We missed it so much! This time we walked from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. Just a quick wee walk of 310ish kms. We stayed in some incredible places this time around! And once we landed in Santiago de Compostela, we finally made a trip to Finisterre and Muxia! Those two iconic beautiful ends of the world are definitely worth seeing in one’s lifetime. And I guess that’s what we’re doing when we travel, no? Collecting all the things we want to accomplish in our lifetimes. In the end, our regrets are most often the things we didn’t do…not the things we have done.

I wrote ALL ABOUT OUR CAMINO. I kept a daily journal on this website. YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO GO TO DAY ONE FROM LEON TO SAN MARTIN DEL CAMINO.

At the end of each day’s blog, there’s a link to the next day…all the way through to the end of the world!

Oops, we did it again! Holding our Compostelas at the end of the yellow brick road!

Not a lot has happened in the past couple of months. I’ve been writing again. I’m working quite diligently on my mid-grade novel and just beginning to feel like I’m getting back into the swing of writing. It’s at least tickling at the senses. Hopefully the desire builds. I really think that you lose it if you don’t use it. Like every other muscle, writing needs to be exercised. I’m finally doing that again. We shall see, we shall see.

I did have a night out with the girl child! We did a quick movie night for Halloween. ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW at the Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa! What a night!

Creatures of the Night at the Biltmore bar…

With Ashley at the Biltmore, pre ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! Can you see us shiver with antici—pa—-tion?

I was going to write about the books I read this year, but I think I’ll have to save that for another post. I’m almost up to BOOK 80 for the year and there have been some really great reads. But that’ll wait for closer to the end of the year. We’ve had a great year!

One more thing to add! TODAY IS GOTCHA DAY for DollyAnn & LollyPop! They have officially been with us for 5 years today! Our little pandemic babies…they’ve been a blast!

They’re a lot bigger now, and maybe a bit more chaotic. Riding in cars with pugs is a LOT!

THE BOYS, at the back of a streetcar, coming home from the CNE in August! Another great day trip of 2025!

US, with THE BOYS. August, 2025. They’re getting SO grown up!

It’s almost a wrap on another year around the sun! It’s hard to believe we both turned 59 years old this year. Time just keeps on ticking…marching forward with no concern whatsoever. In 2026 we turn 60!!!!!!!! We will have to celebrate that milestone! Perhaps in Hong Kong? (-;

The Cape at the End of the World…

While the snow accumulates outside, I thought it was a good time to revisit the end of our trip to Spain this past September. The trip was not yet over when we walked into Santiago de Compostela at the end of the Camino Frances. Our walk–our Camino–was over, but not our exploring.

There was still the END OF THE WORLD to see. My 4th time in Santiago de Compostela and I had yet to make the trek to either Finisterre or Muxía. Though we did not have the time needed to walk there, it was time to rectify things. We had to get to the end of the world before crossing back across the Atlantic to the New World.

The Cape of Finisterre in Galicia was once considered the literal end of the world. This is what the Romans called it, believing there was nothing beyond it. Nothing but water. The name Finisterre itself comes from the Latin FINIS TERRAE, meaning “end of the earth”.

There is an add-on Camino that takes in either Finisterre or Muxía…and some even do both. Being short on time, Michael and I instead booked a bus tour of the two places. I’ve been looking forward to seeing these two iconic Camino locations since I first learned about the Camino de Santiago. Just the idea of walking across Spain and coming upon the ocean at a time when you thought it the end of the world! It’s incredible. The two places must have been such reverent destinations back then. I can’t even imagine!

Making stops along the way to Finisterre, Spain. This was a waterfall we stopped at prior to reaching our destinations.

The first of the two iconic destinations to visit was Finisterre.

The milemarkers on the Camino usually count down the KMs left to Santiago de Compostela. This one at Finisterre counts the fact that there is nowhere else to go. You’ve reached the end of the world.

Maybe one day we’ll walk it. For now, just being there was a huge thrill!

Nothing but water…

Trying to imagine what the ancients saw when they looked out into this vista is literally impossible. Today, we see only the suggestion of home at the other side of the water…

Such a vast space…it’s awe inspiring to look out upon.

The iconic bronze boot statue on the rocks at the end of the world. It was once a custom to burn one’s clothing upon arriving at the end. And perhaps their footwear as well…

We were thrilled to be in Finisterre.

After a stop for lunch, we headed to Muxía. Of the two places, Muxía is quite possibly the more iconic. It was made famous outside Camino circles when TOM (played by Martin Sheen) spread the ashes of his son DANIEL (played by Emilio Estevez) into the water at Muxía at the end of the movie THE WAY. This is one of my absolute favourite movies. I’ve seen it countless times. Being there was an absolute dream come true!

Same same, but different. It looks like the same photo as above, but it’s a totally different location. Here we are where Martin Sheen stood saying goodbye to his son in the movie ***THE WAY***.

Yet another 0km milemarker to reach…

There’s something beautiful about the monolithic sculpture found in Muxía alongside the 0km milemarker. A Ferida (English: The Wound) stands more than 36 feet high and weighs 400 tons. Created by Alberto Bañuelos Fournier, it is the largest sculpture in all of Spain. It was inaugurated on September 12, 2003…and serves as a tribute to the volunteers who helped the people of Galicia after the Prestige oil spill of November 2002.

The Wound is such a simple but elegant monument.

Beside the iconic Wound monument is Virxe da Barca Sanctuary. This church is from the 17th Century…

Of course, the spot where these things can be found were already iconic prior to Christianity coming in and rewriting history. Isn’t that ALWAYS the way. Where the church is now was a pre-Christian Celtic shrine and sacred spot.

I HAD to climb down below all the rocks on the shoreline and put my hands in the water. It was necessary!

I dipped my hands in the water, after a slightly dangerous journey to the shoreline…

If you find yourself in Santiago de Compostela at the end of your Camino and you don’t have enough time to walk to Finisterre and/or Muxía…do yourself a favour. Find a bus tour that will take you there. It took us one day to see both places and so much more. It was so worth it! We loved seeing these two iconic Camino de Santiago landmarks. Just imagine getting to these sacred places at a time when they were considered the literal end of the world! It’s unfathomable. They both had the air of sacred about them. So many thousands (millions) had come before us. What they felt when they looked out at the water! It must have been a profound mix of fear and exhilaration. Don’t miss the opportunity just because you don’t have the time to walk it. Take that bus!