Caminio de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is a 780 km pilgrimage route, which runs from Roncellesvalles to Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia. There are actually many caminos, starting from various points in Europe and connecting with a number of paths in Spain. The one we'll do is called the "Camino Frances." The Camino has been in existence since the 8th century, when it was claimed that a tomb in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela contained the remains of the Apostle St. James. The idea is to walk a stretch of the path every day and then spend the night in one of the "refugios" that are located on the route. Before you set out, you obtain a "Pilgrim's Passport," which allows you to stay in the refugios for a nominal cost. At each stop you get a stamp. When you get to Santiago, you show your stamps and are eligible to receive a document in Latin--called a "Compostela"--attesting your pilgrimage. (One of the main reasons that medievals made the trek was to earn a number of years off their sentences in Purgatory!) Blanca and I will set out from Roncesvalles in late March; we plan to be on the Camino for about a month. I will try to make a post from a cyber cafe, if there any in the large towns like Burgos or Leon.