ROF= Ring of Fire Odyssey
MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus
CdS = Camino de Santiago journey
September 25, 2019
The Camino de Santiago... "The Way" of Saint James,...The journey.
The symbol of The Camino is the scalloped clamshell. "The Way" is marked for pilgrims to follow.
The Camino was one of the 3 important Christian pilgrimage routes in Medieval time. Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, pilgrimage to Rome, and pilgrimage to Santiogo de Compostela would earn the pilgrim plenary indulgence, or freeing the souls sins.
What could I possibly say here about The Camino de Santiago journey... a 500 mile hike across Northern Spain... that has not been already written in many books?
The Cross of Saint James, also called the Santiago Cross was the emblem of the 12 century Galacian-Spanish military Order of Santiago.... the Knights -- and Knights Templar-- protected the pilgrims on "The Way" to Santiago.
We started at Ponferrada. The Knights Templar castle in Ponferrada.
There are several routes. We backpacked/ hiked the French route... the last 1/4 from Ponferrada to Santiago... and went on to Finisterre, The End of The world! 2,000 years ago the world was flat and Finisterre was literally The End of the World.
It IS your journey. It only matters to you! Go do it; Hike it and don't worry about anyone else -- no, don't abandon your family and trek off. Yes, don't worry what anyone else thinks, criticizes you, or thinks your a nut. Go hike The Camino, or a portion of it, and enjoy what you can.
My observation and direct contact with many Camino pilgrims was that they were established settlers from back home with careers, families, enjoying a full life. They were not perpetual homeless vagabonds. I did see a few of young experience hikers off on another adventure. No matter the back home life most of the Camino pilgrims were pioneers of the spirit in their heart to take on this adventure to backpack and complete The Camino de Santiago. That makes them a kindred spirit.
Each pilgrim had their own reasons to undertake the Camino. You see the full range of pilgrims. Empty nesters, career workers on 10 days vacation time, couples making an adventure hike, retired singles striking out on a trek, young college and high school kids between semesters, individuals wanting to accomplish a Camino journey, religious folks on a mission for salvation... a few Jesus freaks... you see every type. And every reason.
Every city, town, village, hamlet on The Camino has a Basillica, Cathedral, iglesia/ church, capella/ chapel. Most are open for viewing and the alter is always inviting for a prayer. thought I was more descriptive but it seems from reviewing some posts my description of "magnificent" is used often, even in some small chapels.
Well... most of the are magnificent and I can't find a word that is better. Enjoy them; they are another blessing on The Camino. Be grateful they are there.
It is a place in time for you to reflect... on why are you here. ?What is it that brings you to a journey that asks... ?what is your journey about? ?Why are you hiking here to define what your life is about? There are simple,... and complex answers. Only you know the questions that are asked of your life... your purpose... your reason to hike The Camino. Your answer only matters. There is no comparing.
The Camino is a place in time to sort out your questions You probably already know the answers... you just need to know that you are choosing the right path for you... which has nothing to do with backpacking across Spain... through some of the most wonderful scenery and history of western civilization. You can sort out your questions at the walking track or around your neighborhood at a much better cost.
Solitude on one of the most wonderful paths in the world. A lot of time to think... in peace. The pilgrimage in Medivial times would earn the pilgrim plenary indulgence, or freeing the soul's sins. Let's hope that holds true.
Still with the heart of a 21 year old US Marine Platoon Sergeant every Veterans day is spent speaking to middle and high school students. While talking about the different journeys through a lifetime one year a student asked the question; ?What was your favorite place? The answer... places I haven't seen yet... Well the point here is on your Camino journey you will see most everything you haven't seen. Yes they have houses and buildings, barns with cows, gardens beside their homes... but you will find the flavor of northern Spain on The Camino as unique experience that you don't get tired of, even carrying everything you own-- basically homeless-- on your back as you hike The Way of ST James.
And I thin I saw Clint Eastwood.
Camino days were literally walking through Western Civ history...The kingdoms wars, rulers, the invaders, Warlords and Army's, the Visigoths, 700sAD Muslims conquered and control almost all of the Iberian peninsula. 942AD the Magyars raids of Northern Spain.
The 1,200s...war between Christians and Muslims
The reconquista. We hiked through paths that were once relocation zones,... a barred zone where residents were moved to create an empty zone between the Islam Muslim in the south coming up from Morocco/ Africa. I would have liked to have had the time to go more south and see the Islamic architecture around Alhambra and other parts of the region. The pictures are fascinating. Maybe next time.
This is western Civ history at it's best.... fascinating to study in college.... beyond description to walk, hike, backpack through Spain and see where is was. It's hiking through the Iberian history of Western Civilization; It's the lab part of the course. The kings, the rulers, The kingdoms, The army's, the invaders, the conquerors, The Visigoths, The Huns, The Magyars, The Vikings, The Muslims... Castles, The "Castros"/ fortresses, the Forts, the city walls-- and for those thinking that walls keep people out... ALL the walls were eventually breached/ penetrated--, The feudal system, Catholicism, The literal barbarians at the gate... ?How do I describe this in a few blog posts? I can't. There's just a few posts here that offer a brief days selected experience of backpacking The Camino De Santiago; The Way of St James.
And haven't even mentioned James... the Apostle. The whole purpose of the Camino is to follow the route of Apostle James to Santiago after the Crucifixion of Jesus. James journeyed and established his ministry in Santiago, later went back to the holy land/ Jerusalem?, was executed by Herod-- for being one of the followers--, his friends carried his remains back to Santiago & his remains are supposedly interred in the Compostela cathedral. I mean what a journey; those were real friends!. To walk/ backpack in the same steps, the same places as James, The Apostle. 35 years ago only dreamed I'd even ever walk the Camino, and now am fortunate to hike/ backpack it across northern Spain.
In the choices of your life... the paths you choose... on your journey between the eternities... this is a good one.
The Camino de Santiago was like a hitch in The Marines for me. You were on a journey... and you didn't know what would be on the path. You knew there was a place called "home"... you remembered "home"... but that was a place in memory. Now you were on a journey on The Camino. Home was a distant past. You thought someday you would be back and see home,... but you didn't know when. On the daily hike there was no thought of home, no news of back in the world; that wa not even a thought. At times... there was no direction home... That's not a bad place... but eventually you reach Santiago.
Arriving in Santiago on a Sunday morning and making a pilgrims mass at the Compostella... it will rain tears in your heart. Then to walk around the Compostella, a world UNESCO site...it's a good day. The satisfaction of completing The Way... The Camino de Santiago... you feel at peace; with yourself, and with the world.
If you get a chance to hike The Camino... take it! Go with an open mind... and you will figure it out... you will find the peace of The Camino.... The journey to Santiago, then on to Finisterre... the literal End of the world. It's a good hike. It's good for your soul.
When it comes to studying Western Civ You can keep your Austrian Hapsburgs, The Ottoman empire- Constantinople/ Istanbul, The Fertile Crescent, The Roman Empire - Augustus, Christianity, Democracy, Law, The Crusades, Alaxander The Great, Florence - The Medici's coming out of the Dark ages into the Middle ages and The Renaissance, Michelangelo, Music and Literature, Copernicus, Magellan, Columbus, Genoa- Columbus, Magellan, Dutch traders, Greece... Athens, The Greek city states, the Hellenistic world and the Byzantine empire, The Norse/ The Vikings, The Goths, Napoleon, The Huns, Italy- The Franks, The Lombards, The political alliances of Lucca Italy,... Corinth, Carthage, The Phonecians, Acaba, Sumaria, Babalyon, Mecca, Armenian Christians, Russian orthodox, Ashkenazi Jewish, Druids in Brittan and Gaul, Hadrians Wall, Irish Celtic Christianity, Scottish Picts tribe, Polish Slavic and Baltic tribes,...
... All that... then you go to the iberian peninsula... Aragon, The Moors in the South- Grenada- Alhambra, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Gibraltar, Leon, Castile, Santiago, Finisterre- To The End of THE WORLD,
... You want to study Western Civ; you go to Spain!
Homer fought in war for 10 years and it then took more 10 years of Odyssey to get back home. You get started on a journey,... on a path that takes you through the wonder of the world/ time... That's what you live for. Take the path and see it; one day you'll get back home. You can rest then.
You never drink twice from the same stream.
Just because you wander doesn't mean you're lost.
Uncle Hargus: Last of the Independents
Have Bear,
Will Travel
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