Hikingdan is DOING IT AGAIN! Camino Here I come!

Hi All:

In August of 2015, I hiked El Camino for the first time! (You can go back in the archives of this blog and read all about that journey). It was a journey that changed my life and inspired me to continue hiking and develop my photography skills.

WHY AM I DOING THIS AGAIN and WHY AM I DOING THE EXACT SAME ROUTE – The Camino Frances ?

3 Reasons;

1) This journey changed my life. I felt it was the catalyst for positive changes that I have implemented. Physical exercise ( much weight loss), and inner happiness were direct results of my first journey. It also allowed me to discover my love of photography and develop that skill.

2)  I met some of the nicest people in the world and they truly have become friends. Several of us from Canada, the USA, and Australia are meeting in Spain to re-unite and hike it again!

3) You really do experience the utmost in human kindness When you are hiking this trail. It is amazing. People are on 1 equal level. People are kind to each other. You see it, you feel it, and you become part of it.

What is The Camino de Santiago and How Long Have Peopled Walked it?

The Camino de Santiago is the route taken by pilgrims from around the world to reach the city of Santiago de Compostela. The earliest visits date back to the 9th Century.

Legend holds that St. James’s remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on what is now the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Many Camino Routes in Spain.

The one I am walking is the purple one which sans from France to Western Spain

 

The most popular and busiest route, declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is the Camino Francés (The French Way) which stretches more than 800 kilometres from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port near Biarritz in France to Santiago.

It became a custom for those who returned from Compostela to carry back a Galician scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, as proof of their completion of the journey. This way the scallop shell turned into the most important symbol of the Camino, which also can be found painted on the roads, buildings to indicate the correct direction.
The scallop shell also acts as a metaphor. The grooves in the shell, which meet at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of James in Santiago de Compostela. As the symbol of the Camino de Santiago, the shell is seen very frequently along the trails. The shell is seen on posts and signs along the Camino in order to guide pilgrims along the way. The shell is even more commonly seen on the pilgrims themselves. Wearing a shell denotes that one is a traveler on the Camino de Santiago. Most pilgrims receive a shell at the beginning of their journey and either attach it to them by sewing it onto their clothes or wearing it around their neck or by simply keeping it in their backpack.

The Camino route is taken not only because of religious reasons; many of the pilgrims and travellers undertake it to live a spiritual experience, adventure of meeting new people, visiting beautiful places, be close to the nature, practise sport ect.

I will now be blogging regularly as I plan and prepare fo this adventure.

I plan to do it a bit differently this time. I am heading via Paris!

I will land in Paris and immediately train to Bordeaux, France. I will walk around Bordeaux for 2 days taking photographs and then head via a smaller train to the little French town nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains – Saint Jean Pied de Porte.

This will be the start of my route! I spend 2 nights in Saint Jean as it is so picturesque!

After 2 days exploring the mountains and photographing the town, I will head out on the trails.

On my way home, I will spend 5 days in Paris!

Keep reading gang as I will blog everything from now until the end!

KEEP WALKING!!