Starting Out

I have wanted to go on the pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain, since I first learned of it in 1978. I hope to finally go on the pilgrimage in summer of 2011.

The Camino de Santiago is an ancient pilgrimage route to the purported tomb of one of Jesus's apostles, James, in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, northwest Spain. Pilgrims have followed this route since the tomb was found early in the ninth century. Pilgrims traveled from all over Europe because they believed doing so would win remission from their sins.

I want to make the pilgrimage because of its cultural and spiritual significance. I am not sure whether we can win remission from our sins. I am more interested in the transformative nature of the experience: overcoming a challenge, meditating on my values and actions.

There are many routes to Santiago. I plan to follow the Camino Aragones, which begins in the mountains of Aragon until it joins the Camino Frances at Puente Reina, through La Rioja, Castille, Leon, and Galicia to Santiago.

The Camino Aragones is about 160 KM from Somport to Puente Reina, and I expect to cover it in 6 days of walking. From Puente Reina, it's about 660 KM more, which I hope to cover in 29 days. I anticipate taking a couple of detours off the route to visit important sites along the way. For example, on the Camino Aragones, I want to detour to San Juan de la Pena, to see the royal tombs there. I also plan on stopping for a day or two in major places on the route, such as Burgos, to rest and to take time to visit the sites there, just as pilgrim in the middle ages might do. In general, I want to cover about 20-25 KM per day when I am walking.

The blog is dedicated to the person who first introduced me to the Camino de Santiago in 1978, my professor of Spanish Art, Dr. Basilio Losada.