I was so delighted to be closing in on Santiago, but I didn’t want the incredible journey to end. Each pair had a story, with wear marks and tears to tell you where they’d been.ġ6.) With only 100 km left to go, I was overcome with excitement and sadness at the same time. At most albergues, the host would ask that you leave your boots in the lobby before heading to your room. It was so nice to share food and stories with other pilgrims, enjoying the shade from trees that protect pilgrims from the sun, year after year.ġ5.) There was nothing quite like the smell of the boot room or boot rack. My favorite snacks were breads and fruits. For lunch, I would eat a bocadillo, and for dinner, I would order a special from restaurants from their “Pilgrims Menu”. Every morning I would start the day with 5-10km of walking before grabbing a coffee and pastry at the first cafe I came across. Still, I found myself waking up before sunrise to catch the day breaking over fields of sunflowers.ġ4.) Sometimes it’s the simple things in life. As a pilgrim, no one tells you when to get up or what to do each day.
It made me think of how many similar moments I had missed, by simply not being present.ġ3.) I had never been much of a morning person before the Camino. It was like a dream upon waking, only in existence for a short moment. I left Castrojeriz to get an early jump on the heat of the Meseta, and caught this stunning moment just after daybreak.ġ1.) Every now and again I would look down at my feet and think about how many pilgrims had walked the exact same steps over the hundreds of years before my time.ġ2.) This view caught me off guard, as the sun opened up a keyhole portal in the sky. Resembling the sun itself, reflecting warmth and happiness, even in stormy weather.ġ0.) Chasing shadows at dawn was a ritual I learned to love. With each step I took, the way I saw things began to change.ĩ.) The sunflowers on the Camino were the anthem to my summer. I found that regularity defined perfection. I sat down with fellow pilgrims over a pizza dinner, and discussed the all important “how do you derive happiness in life?” question.Ĩ.) Some days are filled with picturesque beauty, others are a never ending run of the same scenery.
#El camino de santiago route free#
My legs felt fresh and ready to walk each morning, and my mind felt free and clear.ħ.) It had been a long day when I reached the beautiful town of Najera, amongst cliffs of red rock. In the morning, with the arches reflecting into perfect circles, it was hard not to just stop and admire how lucky I was to be there.Ħ.) Walking in to the town of Cirauqui was when I really started to hit my stride. The trail was my home, and the pilgrims were my family.ĥ.) The bridge in Puenta La Reina is the junction of the French Aragonese Way. It was a strange feeling to see the big cities ahead and only want to pass through them. You’re dirty, you’re tired, you’re hungry, but you’re a pilgrim. For a split second, the world stopped spinning, and I was just a part of it.Ĥ.) Everyday on the Camino, you pass through small villages and towns. There were sheep, horses, and green hills in every direction. We made sure to take photos of each other to capture the morning majesty of St. Jean Pied de Port.ģ.) This photo is a look back on the trail before crossing into Spain and descending to my first stop, the town of Roncesvalles. My time in Argentina had taught me enough Castellano to carry on a decent conversation, and this gave me a lot of confidence as I headed into Spain. It was upon taking this photo that I had my “I’ve arrived” moment.Ģ.) Within a few miles of beginning my walk, I met an Argentine fellow who was living and working in Sweden. On this day I would cross from France into Spain and begin my pilgrimage towards Santiago. Here are 24 photo moments from my journey to Santiago.Ĭlick Here To See My Recommended Gear List For Camino De Santiagoġ.) One of my very first photos from day 1 after leaving St. Every photo I took tells a story, and captures a moment in time that made me the person I am today. Every summer, I start to think back on my journey, and the many lessons it taught me. My uncle Jim is walking to Santiago, too! Although, he is not blogging about it.
I’m starting to see a lot blogs with pilgrims documenting their trips to Santiago de Compostella this summer, which allows me to relive my time in Spain vicariously. I walked “The Way” in 2012, and it has thus far been the most transformative travel experience of my life. Camino de Santiago is a 500 mile pilgrimage across Spain.
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