About myself / dog question

[Charles Clasen, Training Path]

Having lived in Spain for the last 15 years, I would like to offer my 2
cents worth even though I haven't done the Camino.

> QUESTIONS:
> 1.  I am taking my dog with me.

I'm surprised that it is not a Herculean task to obtain the documentation
necessary to be able to take a dog to Spain and gain reentry to Canada
afterwards. If it isn't, go ahead.

The Spanish love their dogs but treat them differently to Anglo Saxons. If
they let them in their house at all, it is only as far as the garage or the
ground floor. Expect your dog to have to sleep outside any building you stay
overnight in.

> 2.  I am a vegetarian ( not vegan.  I do eat cheese and eggs ).  Will this
> be a problem?

Spain is far less vegetarian friendly than North European countries. Quite a
few friends have found it an unequal battle after a few months and resign
themselves to a partly non-vegetarian diet Most bars and restaurants will
not have special vegetarian menus, and I suspect you will have to be very
picky if you want to take advantage of the 'pilgrim menus' along the way.
You'll be able to have plenty of salads and omelettes, but lentil soups will
probably have meat stock - and/or lumps of sausage in them - and be wary of
dishes that you wouldn't expect to have meat, because it has a strange way
of creeping in, e.g. ensaladilla rusa. macarrones,

Short answer: if you expect to be mainly self-catering, no problem; if you
want to eat in restaurants (and don't eat fish) you will have to give more
thought and attention to what you order than you may want to.

Buen camino    Charles Clasen