Filed under: Camino | Tags: Camino, compostela, espana, pilgrimage, saint james, santiago, spain
Etapa 15: Cobreces to San Vicente
Distance: 21.6 km *inaccurate due to road works
Saturday, April 26, 2009
Weather: Morning rain, cool & very windy with sun in the afternoon
Photos: 106 photos, 3 videos
Notables: 10am church bells in La Iglesia; Picos de Europa; Calle Mayor in Pando; La Folía procession; San Vicente albergue
Etapa description continued after the break. Follow the flecha . . .
Filed under: Camino | Tags: santiago, spain, compostela, Camino, espana, pilgrimage, saint james, flashpack
Imagine making the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in the Medieval Ages. The only clothes you have are on your back and you are completely dependent on the generosity of the pilgrim hospitals along the Camino. The only way to record your journey is the old-fashioned way – your memory. It’s a romantic thought but I’m glad I live in an age where I can digitize my memories. I didn’t go full flashpacker-mode on my 2009 Camino but I did bring along my iPhone and utilized it in several ways along my pilgrimage. Below are the iPhone apps that I regularly used before, during, and after my Camino.
Filed under: Camino | Tags: santiago, spain, compostela, Camino, espana, pilgrimage, saint james, santillana del mar
Etapa 14: Santillana del Mar to Cobreces
Distance: 11.7 km
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Weather: Cloudy with rain in the morning
Photos: 63
Notables: countryside walk; José at the church in Oreña.
Etapa description continued after the break. Follow the flecha . . .
Filed under: Camino | Tags: santiago, spain, compostela, Camino, espana, saint james, guemes, albergue, cagigal
Desmond Hume was driven to regain his honor and become a great man. It lead him around the world on a boat race, eventually bringing him to the island where he encountered the hatch, the button, and the survivors of Oceanic flight 815.
So, what exactly does this have to do with the pilgrim’s hostel in Güemes?
Filed under: Camino | Tags: santiago, spain, compostela, Camino, pilgrimage, polanco, santillana del mar
Etapa 13: Polanco to Santillana del Mar
Distance: 10.5 km
Friday, April 24, 2009
Weather: Cloudy, cool, and windy
Photos: 41
Notables: Santillana del Mar
Etapa description continued after the break. Follow the flecha . . .
Filed under: Camino | Tags: backpack, Camino, compostela, packing, santiago, travel
I’ve always packed light but this this takes the cake. I’d be surprised if the pack was more than 10 lbs. With convenience comes sacrifice, however, as only three shirts and two pairs of pants combined with 15 miles of walking per day won’t leave a necessarily pleasant smell.
Back row (top left to right) – clothes (two pairs of pants, three shirts, three pairs of wool socks, three pairs of underwear), fleece, First Aid kit, money belt, dummy wallet, Ziploc bags, misc. bag, passport, London map, Camino guides, journals, micro towel.
Bottom row (left to right) - Cubs hat, blister kit, Brazilian sandals, flash memory drive, pens, sunglasses, camera case, shirts, compass w/ LED, sewing kit, electrical adapter, wristwatch, ear plugs, wallet.
Filed under: Camino | Tags: Camino, compostela, europe, galicia, james, pilgrim, pilgrimmage, saint, santiago, spain, travel
2 days until I hop across the pond as my camino gets closer. Meanwhile, Martin Sheen has plans to shoot a movie about the Camino de Santiago. Shooting is scheduled to start this spring and will feature local actors and settings in Santiago de Compostela and throughout Galicia.
Filed under: Camino | Tags: basque, Camino, compostela, europe, hiking, pilgrimage, santiago, spain, travel
Curious how you plan for a 500-mile hike? Buy the Confraternity of St. James’ guides to the Camino del Norte and use Google Maps to visualize your route. Click View Larger Map below to follow the link and explore the map. Keep checking back as I will update the route as I continue my research.
Filed under: Camino, Destinations | Tags: Camino, compostela, hike, pilgramage, pilgrim, santiago, spain, travel, trek
This week’s destination takes us to Iberia where we will go plus ultra (further beyond) the popular spots of Madrid and Barcelona to focus on a thousand-year old Christian pilgrimage, the Camino de Santiago.
The pilgrimage has several established routes that all lead to Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James are supposedly buried. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times but declined in importance over the centuries. The end of Francoist rule and Spain’s entry into the European Community contributed to a resurgent Camino, attracting pilgrims for spiritual and non-spiritual reasons. It was listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
I will continue to highlight the Way of St. James until the end of March in a new series, Camino, documenting my preparation as I will make my penance, walking over 500 miles of the Camino del Norte route this spring.
What to look for in the coming weeks:
- Articles on the history and culture of the Camino de Santiago
- Regional highlights of the Camino
- Flickr and YouTube collections from pilgrims
- My preparations, i.e. reading list, packing list, etc., for my 500-mile walk (see map below)
