Once Upon The Way

ONCE UPON THE WAY is the story of a married couple in their seventies who decided, on a whim, to hike the final hundred kilometers of Spain's famous Camino de Santiago in 2014. After five months of workouts at the local gym and outfitting themselves with hiking gear, backpacks, and every other conceivable item they might need while on the Camino, the Schallers flew to Spain and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the Way of Saint James, as the Camino is also called, the Schallers experienced many adventures that were not mentioned in Camino guidebooks. A charming Gypsy invited the couple into her 17th century stone barn for "tea and a chat". The three ended up singing John Denver songs at the top of their voices while sitting on hay bales. Then there was the live ostrich on the lawn of a trail-side house. No explanation why this big bird was living in Spain. Stepping stone bridges, the music of bagpipes and drums at a fiesta, a fast-pace soccer game, scenery straight out of Tolkien's Middle Earth and a lesson in witchcraft are just some of the adventures that the Schallers encountered on their hike to the Cathedral of Saint James in Santiago.