El Camino de Santiago May 22nd - June 9th 2016

Our long anticipated trip to Spain is about to begin.  It's been 2 years in the dreaming.  Thanks to our California traveler, Karen C (trip planner extrodinaire) we are about to embark on a journey of a lifetime.  We will be traveling the camino de Santiago - or the way of St James the Apostle - brother of John the evangelist.

I thought I'd give a little background on the Camino itself, since I don't know how good our wifi will be once we get started.

Story has it, that once given the directive to go forward and preach to all nations, James traversed Europe (from Judea) and came to Spain - around AD40.  Along the way he rescued a knight from drowning, and the knight resurfaced covered in scallop shells.  The seashell has become the symbol for the journey and is carried by pilgrims today.

Legend goes on to say that the body of James the martyr (he was beheaded in Jerusalem in AD44) was returned to Spain by angels.  A hermit claims to have seen miraculous lights in the sky, and heard angels singing - so of course this is where James was believed to have rest.  The discovery of human bones only confirmed this idea - happening in a time when the world was relic-hungry and in need of a spiritual "lift"!

People today make the pilgrimage for many different reasons.  Initially, it was for religious and spiritual reasons.  Motives today are probably as varied as the amount of people doing it.  For me its the connection to history and all that went before.  I've always said that history is wasted on the young - for if I was a student today - I think I might pay attention - anyhow - I digress... When we were in Old Jerusalem in 2010 - I was so moved to walk the way of the cross and imagine what it must have been like for Christ to walk through those alleys with vendors and stalls with people clamoring as He went to Calvary.  To be in such a historical place leaves me speechless (can you believe?)!

Did I mention that we will be doing this pilgrimage on bicycle?  Yup - you heard me - we will be averaging 40 miles a day - over an 11 day period.  Obviously, we are only doing the very end of the original Camino, arduous none the less!

We'll be spending a few days in Barcelona and San Sebastian before putting out butts on the bike.  I invite you to read along and comment on the way and maybe even drop a little prayer on our behalf.