Soon I will be heading to
France痴 Pyrenees and from there into north western Spain, paved roads,
stony pathways, wooded trails and cobbled streets all seem to lead to the
medieval city of Santiago de Compostela. It has been a coveted destination
for travellers from many walks of life and many levels of European society
since the ninth century. Millions of people have walked, ridden donkeys
and horses, or been carried to this most famous pilgrimage site after
Jerusalem and Rome, often taking months or even years to reach their goal.
I知 hoping to do the 650+ Miles in 30 days by myself.
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As I prepare for the walk from St Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago, I知
hoping to have experience sense of the region's history, and
exposure to a culture and cuisine distinctively northern Spanish. I
also wanted a chance to be with myself without Internet, heraldry or
business and to test my walking abilities as I have not done since
leaving active military service and above all to come close to my
Creator and my ancestors who came to Spain from the Middle East
hundreds of years ago, this adventure is creating an excitement of a
shared faith in the purest sense. Most people have a life list of
accomplishments they hope to check off before they wind down, I have
learnt to fly, I have written a couple books, I have been blessed
with wonderful children, a great wife and lately the Camino de
Santiago has been nearly at the top of my priorities for a while.
Feeling the early stages of wind-down coming on, I figured it was
time to get going on this one. |
No, I知 not longing for a
long hike of 650+ Miles or more from the French Pyrenees all the way to
Santiago de Compostela, or carrying even a portion of my worldly goods on my
back, or sharing communal nights in the free pilgrim dormitories spaced out
along the Camino. I am a typical middle age man who has been spoilt by all
the luxuries of life for whom the term "soft adventure", as if this
can be called that, has a nice ring, and
as a Jew whose motivation to blend with traditional Catholics in this
pilgrimage may cause a degree of discomfort to some along the walk that
may not understand that St. James ( Santiago ) was also a Jew, but
I知 assured by my penpal and friend Dr. Dom Rafael de Ojeda, head of Opus
Dei in Holland, that I will be welcomed in this pilgrimage.
I知 sure that each of my
fellow pilgrims will have their own reasons for being on the road. I
believe that the majority of modern day walking pilgrims are far from
youthful, and many of the dedicated marathon walkers are in their sixties
and even seventies. Some are working their way through the entire Camino
in two or three week holiday allotments over a number of years. I suspect
that plenty of life lists are getting a check.
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The
heraldic symbol of this pilgrimage is a escallop shell, that the
pilgrim carries hanging from their neck or backpack, it is believed that
you should put it back in the ocean at the end of the journey. Almost
as if returning things to their order or their place. Obviously we have
some beautiful examples of escallop shells in heraldry, such as the arms
of the late
Lady Diana, Princess of Wales
and her son HRH Prince
William of Wales. The escallop is derived from the Spencer Coat of
Arms this has been
borne by the princess痴 ancestors, the Earls Spencer, for many
centuries and was used by the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It may
have some connection to the Camino de Santiago, who knows. |
The Vieira Ancient Arms
( My Mother Family is Vieira Pereira)
The Vieira or Scallop Shell as said
is the symbol of The Pilgrimage
So if you do not hear from me
for a while that is the reason, I hope I will be deserving of your prayers
and thoughts during this time.
There is a pilgrim saying "Peregrino, deja lo que puedas; toma lo que necessites".
(Roughly, The Pilgrim, desires what he can; and takes only what he needs.) My
hopes and prayer is that this lesson will be one of the most meaningful of
my life.
I知 very appreciative of my wife for
allowing me this experience and for my children,
for being such believers in my abilities and intentions.
I will be starting my trip on the first
of September 2005.
The Trip was complete in October 2005,
It inspired me to do "teshuva" and be more observant of all mitzvot.
Sheep and the Camino
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