When a sixteen-year-old Spanish girl sees a religious vision while praying in a convent, she becomes involved in a series of humorous adventures. Catalina is a crippled girl, supposedly cured by divine intervention after witnessing a vision of the Virgin Mary. As a result of this, she is pressured into becoming a nun in a Carmelite convent. The Bishop of Segovia, himself undergoing a crisis of faith, becomes involved in the debate about the debt owed to god by Catalina for her cure, but the girl resists all attempts to control her life, determined to marry the man she loves. She joins a troupe of strolling players and becomes the most famous actress in all of Spain.

This upbeat guide to Southern California covers where to take in a baseball game, rollerblade the boardwalks, browse an art festival, people watch at the beach, sport fish near offshore islands or see world-class performances by street entertainers. A spe

For those who need encouragement in taking up the pleasures of the long-distance footpath, a good beginning might be Chapter 1 (A: Adventure). If you want to know what to bring with you, look at Chapter 12 (L: Lists) and if you want to consider whom to bring with you, check out Chapter 3 (C: Companions), Chapter 11 (K: Kids) or even 4 (D: Dogs). If you need some hints on where to head, particularly in Britain, consider Chapter 22 (V: Viewpoints); in the U.K. you will also find use for Chapter 20 (T: Transportation), Chapter 2 (B: Bed & Breakfast), Chapter 8 (H: Hotels), Chapter 16 (P: Pubs), Chapter 25 (Y: Youth Hostels), Chapter 6 (F: Food) and Chapter 23: (W: Weather). How to cope with health crises is discussed in Chapter 9 (I: Illness and Injury). What your feet will encounter on British footpaths is illustrated in Chapter 19 (S: Surfaces); human encounters are discussed in Chapter 5 (E: Encounters) and animal ones in Chapter 26 (Z: Zoo Story). Typical trailside chatter is revealed in Chapter 17 (Q: Questions). How to select and use an appropriate guidebook is covered in Chapter 7 (G: Guidebooks), maps in Chapter 13 (M: Maps), and hints on figuring it all out on the ground in Chapter 18 (R: Route finding). What to do when your route in blocked is considered in Chapter 15 (O: Obstruction!), how to react when you get lost in Chapter 24 (X: X The Unknown) and when to call it a day in Chapter 10 (J: Judgment). Finally, if you want a quick insight into the reliability or even the sanity of the present author, check out his catalogue of grievances in Chapter 21 (U: Unforgiven) or his rambling obsessions in Chapter 14 (N: Neurotica).