El Camino de Santiago

Post date: Aug 12, 2016 3:29:38 PM

¡Hola!

I am looking forward to hearing about everyone's summer! As for mine, I spent over a month in Northern Spain embarking on a 515 mile trek through different regions of the country. This walk is known as the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. Historically, this is a spiritual pilgrimage that dates back to the 9th century. Nowadays, not only religious "peregrinos" (pilgrims) walk the Way. The trail takes you through scenic areas of the country both for the beautiful landscapes as well as medieval cities with Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The journey ends in the city of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, where you marvel at the grandeur of the Cathedral of Santiago, which is where the remains of St. James are apparently buried. There are several ways to arrive; I decided to do the Northern Coastal route, as well as a 250 mile stretch known as the Primitivo, or the Original Way.

Two years ago I partook in a 3 week post-graduate class with other Spanish teachers in the city of Bilbao in the Basque County (País Vasco). During some time off, I hiked in the Pyrenees near the border of France and in the Picos de Europa mountain range. En route to these places, I would pull off on the side of the road and stretch my legs. It was then I noticed the first yellow scallop shell engraved in a stone. The yellow shell is the symbol of the Camino and directs pilgrims throughout the journey. The scenery was spectacular and I knew I had to return and be a pilgrim myself.

Everyday you wake up and set off on a 15-20 mile trek, which ends at an albergue, which is like a hostel. You wash your clothes by hand, set up your bunk and mingle with other pilgrims over a meal. There are people from all over the world and of all different ages that walk the Camino. I enjoyed capturing some of my favorite scenes with my camera.

Here are some of my favorites!