Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage trail

With all the turbulence of transferring schools, my grandfather's passing, and high season plane tickets, my walk on the Santiago pilgrimage trail will take place a little later than I expected. But I am going... I'm flying to London on the 12th September, drop my bags off, and head over to Le Puy in France to walk for a month before school starts.

What is the Camino de Santiago?

The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage route to the city of Santiago in north-west Spain. The route dates back to the Middle Ages but continues to be well trodden by thousands of pilgrims every year. Along the route are refuges where pilgrims can sleep in for minimal cost.

Over Easter, I had found walking in the forest really restful for my mind (see entry on Foret de Saint Germain). Then, while visiting my friend Sabine, I picked up a book by Paulo Coelho from the bookshelf. The book itself is not his best work but since I am acquainted with Coelho's work I thought it might be good practice for my French.

Sabine's mother noticed me reading it over the breakfast table and told me that her brother had gone on this trail. Something clicked then - yes, now wouldn't this be a fun idea?

There are a number of routes that lead to Santiago. I plan to start from Le Puy in France and see how far I get. If you are interested in joining me - even for part of the trek - let me know.

For more historical and practical information on the route, I recommend the overview written by Antti Lahelma

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Photo credits: Sergio Basto Castanheira Belo Horizonte (Brasil). Pictures are linked to their original website. (click on them)