What is the Camino de Santiago?

 

The Camino de Santiago is also known in English as "The Way" or "The Way of St. James".  Hiking the Camino de Santiago began as a religious pilgrimage where the faithful would walk to Santiago de Compostela to atone for their sins and/or manifest their faith. 

The Camino actually takes several routes throughout Europe; many of which are several hundred miles long.  I will be taking the most popular route (Camino de Frances) which is a little over 500 miles.  It begins in the French town of St. Jean Pied de Port and travels over the Pyrenees mountains and across northern Spain.

In recent years, many people from around the world and of many different faiths have hiked the many different routes to Santiago de Compostela.  For me, the hike will be a bit of a warmup for what will be a much longer and very different hike of the Appalachian Trail next year.  It will also give me a chance to work on my Spanish as I prepare to move to Mexico in a few months.  But, for many people, the Camino still has a religious significance and is a way that they can reflect on a variety of things.  Some may have recently lost loved ones; as depicted in the 2011 film "The Way".  Others might be searching to find themselves or a sense of purpose or meaning in their life.  

While I am hiking as a way to improve my Spanish and prepare for my experience on the Appalachian Trail, I suspect the Camino will also give me a change to reflect as I am beginning a new phase of my life.  I will not be returning to teach next year.  The Camino will be the first thing I do in my retirement.  I've had a long, fulfilling career and I'm ready to begin a new life but, there are still some unanswered questions.  As I walk these five hundred miles, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to come to terms with this new phase of my life.  So, I invite you all to hike along with me by following my blog.  Bien Camino.