Last Summer I became intrigued with the idea of Walking the Camino de Santiago from France to Spain. I attended a two day series of talks at St Joan of Arc Church in Orleans, MA given by a recent pilgrim. His talk about the experience, both physical and spiritual, encouraged me to explore the route, the concept and the possibilities.
I have always been interested in a walking vacation - especially with tour companies prepared to carry your bags from one elegant hotel to the next elegant hotel. I have done some hill walking in the Lake district and the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands and for short distances on Cape Cod. So my first idea was to look for an organized tour to take in the Camino. And I found them. There is a Road Scholar program over two weeks with lectures and guidance that was very doable. There is a British tour company who would arrange baggage hauling and hotel bookings on any segment of the Camino you wanted to walk. But then I found www.americanpilgrims.com , a group of dedicated Pilgrims sharing and expanding there experience on the Camino de Santiago with past and future pilgrims. The American Pilgrims publish a quarterly newsletter, support the route and some pilgrim accommodations and help Pilgrims connect. Through this group I met up with a local Boston chapter of past and future Camino Pilgrims.
Since March I have participated in four activities with this group bostonchapter@americanpilgrims.com led by two enthusiastic pilgrims, Meg and Nancy. Each time I have met with this group I find that my interest in luxury hotels and baggage hauling tour companies has waned. I have become confident that I can carry a 10 pound backpack with every thing that I need to get from St Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain a distance of 789 km about 490 miles.
My confidence has also been bolstered by good friends Donna J., Gerry, Ben, E & E, Liz, Ed & Benita, Lorna & Harry, Gisela, Babs, Carole, Kathleen, AnneMarie and many more .
