The Camino de Santiago

On Saturday, May 25^th, Liz and I were up early to catch a 7AM flight from Granada to Bilbao with a connection in Madrid. The flight took off on time and arrived a few minutes early, however, upon landing in Madrid the flight board indicated that our flight to Bilbao was already boarding and was leaving from a gate that was a long way off.  We walked briskly, got to our gate and were the last ones on the plane. Our bags weren’t as lucky as we were and we received this news after landing in Bilbao via text from Iberia Airlines – “bags delayed, will be sent on the next flight out, check with the Iberian luggage desk upon arrival in Bilbao.”

After checking in with baggage claim, we took a taxi into Bilbao and our hotel, the Barcelo Bilbao Nervion Hotel, where later we would meet with our REI guides and fellow travelers. We arrived early – too early to check in – ate a late breakfast in the hotel restaurant, took a quick walk into town and along the river, returned to the hotel and then hung out in the lobby until our room was ready. At that point, Liz headed up to the room and I headed back to the airport to get our bags. The airline had explained they would deliver the bags to our hotel later that night, but we didn’t want to chance a screw up as we would be spending only the one night at this hotel and then leaving on our adventure early in the morning and our bags may never catch up with us. Upon arrival at the airport, I was delighted to reconnect with our bags and then make the return trip back to our hotel.

At 5:30, we head down to the lobby for our introductory meeting with REI. Our guides are Ricardo and Jorge. Ricardo, who is in his early 60’s, was born in Spain, but has traveled and lived in multiple places in Europe including London, Helsinki, and Stockholm, before returning to Seville in southern Spain. He is also a veteran guide and expert on the Camino sharing with us his brief conversation with Martin Sheen while he was preparing to film “The Way”. Jorge, who will soon turn 40, grew up in the Asturias region in northern Spain which is also home to portions of the Camino del Norte that we will be walking. Jorge is also a veteran guide and expert in the Camino. Between the two of them, they have decades of experience, a playful back-and-forth banter, and easy-going personalities that bring immediate comfort to all of us pilgrims.

Our guides, Ricardo and Jorge

There are 12 fellow travelers, 2 guides, a driver (Roberto) and Liz and myself for a total of 17 on this trip. During our first meeting, we each gave a brief introduction. We are a very interesting group – all from the US. First, we have Peter and Margaret from San Diego, who are the only other married couple (39 years!) in our group. With that said, we also have an engaged couple with us, Jim and Sheila from Michigan, who will be getting married in July. Next, there are two groups of women friends: Sue and Kathy from San Jose and Carolyn and Pat from Phoenix. Finally, we have two parent-child groups: Peggy (Palm Desert) and Lindsay (Seattle) who is her daughter and actually works for REI Adventures with a focus on Africa; and Walter (New Mexico) and Chilton (El Paso) who is Walter’s son and an experienced hiker having completed the Continental Divide trail from Mexico to Canada in six straight months of hiking.

We are a collection of retired, soon-to-be-retired, and/or actively working, but all engaged in life’s search for meaning and doing that with people we love. We are also mostly older with an average age that I would guestimate to be north of 60. I love this group. A perfect collection of pilgrims ready for whatever the Camino has to offer.

Left side (foreground to background): Liz, Malcolm, Sue, Kathy, Peter (hidden behind Kathy), Margaret, Ricardo, Roberto, Jorge (end of table); Right side (foreground to background): Sheila, Jim, Walter, Chilton, Lindsay, Peggy, Carolyn and Pat 

After our introductions, we are joined by a local guide who will walk us around Bilbao for 90 minutes before arriving at our dinner spot in old town. With a population of almost 350,000 (875,000 in the greater metropolitan area), Bilbao is the 10^th largest city in Spain and certainly the largest in northern Spain’s Basque country. While there is evidence of human settlements in the region that go back to 3^rd century BC, Bilbao got going as a city in the 14^th century due to its location on the Estuary of Bilbao and ready access to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. For hundreds of years, Bilbao flourished as an industrial city, primarily exporting steel due to the extensive iron deposits in the nearby mountains.

In 1936, Bilbao was where the Spanish Civil War began, a clash between the Republicans – loyal to the existing republic and left-leaning, and the Nationalists – a fascist, military group led by General Franco with support from Nazi Germany and Italy. Unfortunately, Franco and the Nationalists won this Civil War and Franco remained in power until his death in 1975 when Juan Carlos became King of Spain. Today, Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, in which the monarch is the head of state, while the elected prime minister—whose official title is "President of the Government"—is the head of government.

Nowadays, Bilbao is a vigorous service city that is experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalization, started by the iconic Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, and continued by infrastructure investments, such as the airport terminal, the rapid transit system and the tram line. In 2010, the city of Bilbao was recognized with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize – considered the Nobel Prize for urbanism – awarded by the city state of Singapore, in collaboration with the Swedish Nobel Academy.

The Guggenheim in Bilbao

The Guggenheim

Bilbao City Hall

And it is a beautiful city with a breathless combination of the old (old town has been beautifully restored) and the new – the Guggenheim designed by Frank Gehry. After our tour, we settled in for dinner at a local restaurant serving traditional northern Spanish food (primarily seafood) before returning to our hotel to get some sleep as our Camino walk begins in the morning.

But first, a word about Basque Country. The Basque region is comprised of 2800 sq miles, primarily in northern Spain, but also spilling over into southwest France, encompassing the western most portion of the Pyrenees. The history of the Basques goes back many, many centuries. It is fascinating, but too long to give it proper treatment here. Suffice it to say, that because of the isolated geographic conditions, the Basques have been an independent people for a very long time and, at every turn, have fought to maintain their independence whether from the Romans, the Visigoths, the Catholics, the Reformists, the Franco Nationalists, etc. In 1979, “The Statute of Autonomy” identified the Basque region as an autonomous community within Spain. To this day, they speak their own language which, linguistically, is unrelated to the other languages of Europe and is a language unlike any other known living language.

Day 1 of the Camino

Here’s how REI describes our first day – Explore the Costa Verde, known for its spectacular coastal scenery.

“Departing Bilbao, we drive westward along the rugged Atlantic coast and cross into the province of Asturias. Enroute to Llanes, we visit a cave with prehistoric art; it's part of the UNESCO World Heritage collection of cave sites throughout this region of Spain. In Llanes, we explore the town’s twisting streets and have lunch by a seaside market. A historic and traditional fishing port, Llanes had an economy based on whaling for eight centuries. This afternoon's hike begins our journey along the Camino del Norte. We follow scenic clifftop paths over rolling pastureland and sandy coves to stretch our legs and become acquainted with the terrain.

Cave visit: 1 hour; Hiking: 5.6 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 525’; Driving: 2.75 hours.”

The cave we visited is named Cuevas Del Monte Castillo and it is fantastic. We traveled deep inside this limestone cave in which there were multiple paintings, dating back over 13,000 years, depicting horses, goats, bears, bison and reindeer. There were also multiple hand stencils some of which date back 35,000 years. Together with the stalactites and stalagmites, these caves were simply awesome.

Hand Stencils at Cuevas Del Monte Castillo - 35,000 years old

Inside Cuevas Del Monte Castillo

After lunch, we have our first contact with the Camino as we walk portions of the Camino del Norte along the coast. Much of our hiking this afternoon remains high up on cliffs with fantastic ocean views and not actually on the Camino which is further inland by a few hundred meters. Our diversion was well worth it as the views all afternoon were breathtaking.

Liz and Malcolm at our first sign of the shell - the Camino

Jorge hiking the rugged coastline near Llanes

That night we spent in a lovely hotel (which we have forgotten the name of) and enjoyed a wonderful meal with our new friends.

Day 2 of the Camino

Again, REI’s description – Follow the scallop shell past hidden coves before heading to Oviedo.

“This morning a short transfer brings us to the start of today's hike on the Camino. We walk along coastal paths and gently undulating green meadows that link hidden coves, rocky bays and beautiful beaches. We enjoy lunch at a spot overlooking a pretty inlet and then transfer to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. We meet a local guide to tour Oviedo’s impressive San Salvador Cathedral. This UNESCO World Heritage complex is home to several revered relics of the Kingdom of Asturias, including the Cloth of Oviedo (also called the Sudarium). The cloth is believed to have been wrapped around Jesus’ head in the tomb. We overnight in Oviedo.

Hiking: 7 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 755’. Walking/sightseeing: 1 mile, 1.5 hours; Driving: 1.5 hours.”

Our hike this morning along the coast is accompanied by a light rain. We travel through pastures and along cliffs, high above the water’s edge. Cows are a common companion and we happened upon a mother and her newly born calf that couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes old. At one point along the water’s edge, we came across fossils of a dinosaur’s footprint estimated to be from 150 million years ago. Eventually, we arrive in Oviedo and visit the impressive San Salvador Cathedral. It is a beautiful church and includes a relic which is thought to be the cloth that was wrapped around the head of Jesus in the tomb following his crucifixion.

Hiking the Camino del Norte in a light rain

 

San Salvador Cathedral in Oviedo

The ornate chest holding the Cloth of Oviedo supposedly having covered Jesus' head in the tomb

Oviedo is the capital city of the province of Asturias. It dates back to the early 700’s when the Moors occupied most of Spain. However, the Moors encountered resistance as they made their way north from where they first entered Spain in the south. By the time they got to the northernmost part of the Iberian peninsula, it was tough sledding and they sort of ran out of gas. Tackling the Basques in the Pyrenees was more than they could take. In 737, Alfonso I became King of Asturias and established his palace in Oviedo which soon began to thrive. His successor, Alfonso II, is said to have discovered the remains of St James in Santiago and made the first pilgrimage from Oviedo to Santiago sometime between 820-830. The trail of Alfonso II today is named Camino Primitivo to commemorate it as the first pilgrimage.

Relics are an interesting phenomenon. Is it simply “fake news”, fact or a matter of faith? Here is a summary of the legend as told via Wikipedia –

“According to a tradition that can be traced back at least to the 12th century, when it was recorded in the Codex Calixtinus, Saint James decided to return to the Holy Land after preaching in Galicia (northern Spain). There he was beheaded, but his disciples got his body to Jaffa, where they found a marvelous stone ship which miraculously conducted them and the apostle's body to Iria Flavia, back in Galicia. There, the disciples asked the local pagan queen Loba ('She-wolf') for permission to bury the body; she, annoyed, decided to deceive them, sending them to pick a pair of oxen she allegedly had by the Pico Sacro, a local sacred mountain where a dragon dwelt, hoping that the dragon would kill the Christians, but as soon as the beast attacked the disciples, at the sight of the cross, the dragon exploded. Then the disciples marched to collect the oxen, which were actually wild bulls which the queen used to punish her enemies; but again, at the sight of the Christian's cross, the bulls calmed down, and after being subjected to a yoke they carried the apostle's body to the place where now Compostela is.”

Sounds a bit farfetched, but faith is faith. Officially, the Vatican remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those of Saint James, while continuing to promote the more general benefits of pilgrimage to the site.

There are other theories including that Alfonso II was disgusted that the Moors had occupied Iberia and sacked and pillaged Oviedo in 794. So, he invented the discovery of St James’ remains as a clever device to create a Christian invasion of northern Spain. And they came in droves, first driving the Moors out of northern Spain during the 9^th century and progressively, completely out of Spain by 1492. It took almost 700 years, but, eventually, it was done. Could this have been behind the discovery of the relics? Who knows?

Day 3 of the Camino

Again, we begin with REI’s description of the day – Join up with the Camino Primitivo and traverse the countryside of Asturias.

“We begin our hike along the Camino Primitivo, the oldest of all the Camino pilgrimage routes. The landscape becomes increasing hilly and forested, with country lanes creating patterns through the pastureland. Our hike takes us towards Tineo (2,139’), set high in the hills above the Narcea River valley. Following a picnic lunch, we resume our hike uphill through dense, mixed forest, ending at an abandoned 12th-century Benedictine Monastery that once played an important role in providing aid and support to pilgrims on their way to Santiago. After exploring the ruins we transfer to our hotel in Tineo.

Hiking: 10.3 miles, 4.5 hours; elevation gain/loss: 1,350’/1,590’; Driving: 1.25 hours.”

Today’s hiking was beautiful. We traveled through forests, including a slow, steady climb until we reached a clearing offering spectacular views including of the Pico mountain range in the distance. Later, we hiked down into the valley until, eventually, we arrived at an old monastery of Santa Maria La Real de Obona.

Valley view with the Pico mountain range in the background

The Santa Maria La Real de Obona monastery

Liz and I have fallen into a bit of a pattern hiking.  We tend to be upfront joined there by Carolyn and Pat from Phoenix. At 71 years old and maybe 5 foot tall, Carolyn is a ferocious hiker and we all struggle to keep up with her. As our regular hiking companions, we feel especially close to the two of them

Day 4 of the Camino

And here’s REI’s description – Discover Spain’s most uninhabited regions.

“Today's trail is perhaps the most spectacular of the entire Camino Primitivo. Our hike takes us uphill through one of Spain's most uninhabited regions. Heather and gorse bracket the forested mountain trail as we make our way up to an isolated pass (3,760’) where we enjoy sweeping views and may see wild horses grazing on the hillsides. We then transfer to the tiny parish of Berducedo for lunch. We finally enter Galicia on our way to Lugo, whose 3rd century Roman walls surrounding the old town are a UNESCO World Heritage site. We tour the historic walls and take in the panoramic views of the city before visiting the cathedral. A mix of Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Neoclassic styles, the basilica is an outstanding example of the architectural influences that shaped the buildings of Galicia.

Hiking: 4.1 miles, 2.75 hours, elevation gain/loss: 1,795'/321’; Walking/sightseeing: 1 mile, 1.5 hours; Driving: 3 hours.”

And it really was the best day of hiking. The weather was perfect and the views were wonderful. Lugo is a cool city with a very special old town. This was a great day of hiking.

Some of our crew hiking up to the top of the ridge

 

Lugo Cathedral

Day 5 of the Camino

As described by REI – Explore Lugo and hike through the Galician countryside.

“We begin our day with a visit to a museum and the aging ruins of a Celtic-Roman hillfort settlement. Our last hike on the Camino Primitivo follows forest paths through tiny hamlets that are scattered about the Galician countryside. We have lunch in Melide, a town where the Camino Primitivo and Camino Frances merge into a single Way. In Melide's historic center, we are often greeted by the aroma of fresh-baked melindres (sugar-topped pastries), and amendoados (almond cakes). Our afternoon hike on the Camino takes us through eucalyptus and oak forests, and past small churches and tiny villages. This section of the Way highlights the difference in the numbers of pilgrims on the Camino Frances compared with the two northern Caminos we've experienced so far.

Hiking: 7.9 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 755-935'/558-705'; Driving: 2.5 – 3.5 hours.”

Roman ruins at Castro de Viladonga

Again, a special day of hiking in great weather and it was special when our route on the Primitivo intersected with the Camino Frances, the most popular Camino route by far, and, as predicted, the number of pilgrims increased significantly.

Liz back on the trail again - our last day on the Camino Primitivo

Which brings me to a point. I have spent decades hiking and have enjoyed the good fortune of being able to do that nearly all over the world. One of the striking things about the Camino isn’t its extraordinary landscape – although it is beautiful – the amazing thing to me is that everyone is walking in the same direction. All paths lead to Santiago and everyone is headed to that single location regardless of where one may have started their journey. The only people you saw walking the other direction were the locals who lived there. Otherwise, every person you saw was heading the same way as you were. This was a profound experience for me.

Day 6 of the Camino

Per REI – Hike the final section of the Camino arriving at Santiago de Compostela.

“After a morning hike on the Camino, we transfer to Monte del Gozo (Mount of Joy). Located on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, this hilltop viewpoint provides pilgrims with their first glimpse of the city’s famous cathedral spires. Our hike continues to Plaza del Obradoiro, Santiago's grandiose square. The afternoon is free for a late lunch and exploration. We regroup later in the day to tour the area surrounding the cathedral with a local guide. And this evening, we have the option to attend the pilgrim’s mass at the cathedral, and perhaps witness the swinging of the Botafumeiro. At just over five feet in height and 180 pounds, this incense censer is one of the largest in the world.

Hiking: 5.9 miles, 3 hours; elevation gain/loss: 730’/930’; Driving: 1.25 hours.”

So, this is the day that we arrive in Santiago and get to hang out in the square adjacent to the cathedral with the hundreds, if not thousands, of other pilgrims. It’s an easy hike, but the anticipation of getting to the cathedral has me completely psyched. We catch our first glimpse from Mount of Joy with the cathedral spires off in the distance. Then we take the bus to the outskirts of the city and walk the final several miles into the city, through the old town, eventually arriving in the square at the foot of the magnificent cathedral.

We made it to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Santiago is a bustling city and pilgrims are the reason why. If Alfonso II had not made that first pilgrimage nearly 1100 years earlier, it would not be the case today. Today, nearly 300,000 hike the Camino and receive their official Camino certificate (a pilgrim must walk at least the last 100km to get the certificate and the process for verifying this is pretty rigorous). Our group would not be getting certificates as we did not walk the last 100km, in fact, we didn’t walk 100km in total during our six days of hiking. And, there are many more pilgrims like us – those that do not qualify for the certificate – than those that do. So, while some 300,000 are certified, some multiple of that number walks portions of the Camino every year.

It wasn’t always like this. Indeed, after Alfonso’s first walk, the pilgrimage to Santiago was a pretty common thing. Christians from all over Europe would make the trek to northwest Spain to see the remains of St James (and these pilgrims would also have to walk back to wherever they came from). The Camino got off to a slow start as the presence of the Moors in northern Spain made the Camino a potentially dangerous trip. However, by the 11th and 12th centuries, millions of people from all over Europe made pilgrimages to Santiago. It has been estimated that in the 12th century 10 percent of the population of Europe was involved in making or in some way supporting the pilgrimage to Santiago. In the 12th Century there were so many pilgrims traveling to Santiago that a Moorish emissary traveling to Santiago complained of the delays on the road.

The Protestant Reformation, which began in the 16^th century and drew sharp contrasts with the Roman Catholic church, resulted in a significant decline in the number of pilgrims walking the Camino. Because of fear of an English attack, the apostle’s remains were hidden in 1588, knowledge of their location was lost and it was not until 1879 that they were rediscovered. During that period, interest in the pilgrimage had waned. While there was activity to increase interest in the pilgrimage after the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 39), it was not until the late 70's that the modern resurgence began.

In 1985 UNESCO declared the Camino de Santiago as a World Heritage. Following that, the infrastructure to support the increased numbers of pilgrims expanded significantly which only encouraged more and more pilgrims to come. In 2010, the movie “The Way” starring Martin Sheen was released encouraging yet more people from all over the world to walk the Camino.

Day 7 of the Camino

From REI – Visit Santiago’s bustling market and walk trails out to Cape Finisterre.

“An early visit to Santiago’s bustling market allows us to see, smell and taste fresh produce of every imaginable variety. There is an incredible selection of seafood, meat, poultry, vegetables and fruit. We drive to Cape Finisterre, the final destination for many pilgrims who walked the Way of St. James. The Cape is also the historical “Land’s End” reached by pagan pilgrimages predating Christianity. Hillside trails lead out to the cape and lighthouse. We marvel at the spectacular views of the Costa da Morte (Coast of Death), so named for the innumerable shipwrecks over the centuries. After a hearty seafood lunch we return to Santiago, and the afternoon is free to discover the sights of the city. This evening we meet for a celebratory dinner at one of the area’s finest restaurants.

Hiking: 3.2 miles, 2 hours; elevation gain/loss: 705’/410’; Driving: 3 hours.”

The trip to Finisterre (“Land’s End”) is the western-most point of Continental Europe and, as REI points out, a common extension trip for Camino pilgrims from Santiago adding another 4 days of hiking. Nearby Muxía, with its Our Lady of the Boat chapel, is another extension trip for pilgrims. Legend has it Muxía was the landing place of the stone boat that carried Virgin Mary when she arrived in Galicia to help Saint James convert the locals. The granite stones you will find near the sanctuary are said to be the remains of the Virgin Mary’s stone boat. With REI, we only went to Finisterre (also called Fisterra in Galician) while the movie “The Way” ends in Muxía.

Finisterre - "Land's End"

The final mile marker indicates no more kilometers to go

That night, back in Santiago, our group enjoyed a celebratory final dinner. It was a fitting conclusion to a terrific journey shared with new friends.

Final Thoughts on Our Trip

The Camino found its way onto my bucket list due to having watched “The Way”. It later fell off my bucket list when I read a few blogs that were disparaging about the hiking conditions (lots of roads, pavement, proximity to highways). When I read the REI description of this trip as a “9-day journey takes us on some of the oldest and least-traveled paths”, we immediately signed up and I am glad we did. We were very well taken care of and our guides, Ricardo and Jorge, were exceptional.

But can I now take it off my bucket list? Actually, I don’t think so. Having not walked the last 100km and, therefore, ineligible for the certificate, doesn’t make our journey or experience any less valuable, but I don’t think it merits removal of the Camino from my bucket list. If I were to go back, I would start in the Pyrenees near San Sebastián and start out on the Camino del Norte. I would head west until I got to Oviedo where I would dip down and join the Camino Primitivo because, hey, this is the original Camino walked by Alfonso II. Eventually, the Primitivo connects with the Camino Frances and from there you walk to Santiago. Then, it’s a tough choice as to which of the two extension trips to take – Finisterre or Muxía. I would probably have to do both. And the truth of the matter is, I very likely will never do this. My bucket list already has more items on it than I can accomplish in my remaining years. And so, the Camino will remain on my bucket list, but with an asterisk because this trip with REI was an excellent introduction to the Way of St James.

A final look at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Hola Amigos - greetings from the Iberian peninsula.

Our hiking trip was definitely a highlight - the northern regions of Spain are breathtakingly beautiful. Hilly, lush green, felt like we had left and gone to another country. It was a nice change from the south - even the first couple of days we hiked in the rain/drizzle felt good. Actually perfect weather for hiking - not hot, not too sunny and no humidity. Our REI group, as Malcolm shared, was fun, we enjoyed meeting everyone and our guides were wonderful. 

Ending in Santiago was very cool - so many “pilgrims” finishing their journeys (sort of felt like we cheated but hey…). Crazy stories about St James have been fostered and believed over the years - not sure what that says about us…? And speaking of crazy, the amount of churches, monasteries, convents and other monstrosities built in the name of religion back in the day continues to astound me. I bet Santiago has over 10 churches plus the cathedral and it’s a small town.

We both thoroughly loved Spain. Steeped in history, war and survival. The Spanish people are generous and, more often than not, apologized to us for not speaking English. Ya think that happens in NY when someone doesn’t speak English…hmmm….I doubt that. And the entire country is so clean - every town/city we visited was immaculate. People care and it’s obvious.

It continues to be a bit of a challenge for Malcolm to maintain his vegetarian preference - they eat a lot of meat here - especially jamón. But he’s definitely trying. I continue to eat bread, and bread again. I have an addiction and it’s a problem - I wonder if they have AA for gluten addicts. Note to self - you can stop when you get home or when you weigh more than Malcolm, whichever comes first. Good news is we walk/hike a lot - averaging 8 miles/day and that includes travel days (I need to keep track of these things to help counter my gluten guilt;)!).

Next stop Portugal. Adios!

PS: I miss Half & Half - really miss it;).