Writing a new story. It is a fictional account based on a true story about my Camino Journey in France and Spain. I am about half way finished. I do not have a title as yet.
The Camino?… The Camino… The Camino? ” What is that?” I thought to myself.
Tyler’s words were still running through my mind, as I began my drive home. What did he say?
‘It’s a Pilgrimage Jim, or in this case, a walk across the top of Spain. The French Way. Eight hundred kilometers (or 500 miles!).
“Holy shit” I said to myself under my breath. “Eight hundred kilometres? That’s no mean feat. He must be nuts. He has to be.”
I couldn’t get the Camino out of my mind for the entire drive home. “I will check it out.” I said to no one aloud and when I arrived home, I immediately, hurriedly, went down to my computer room to ‘Google’ the ‘Camino.’ To my surprise hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hits popped up.
“Where’s the fire? What’s the emergency?” My wife yelled from the top floor. Can’t you at least say hi.”
“Oh sorry…hi…nothing Maray, just something Tyler mentioned to me tonight that I want to check out. Something called a Camino.”
“A Camino?” She yelled. “What’s a Camino, or do you mean Casino.
“I am not sure. Something to do with an eight-hundred-kilometre Pilgrimage in Spain. Tyler is going to do it this spring. I want to check it out and then I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” She said. And then “don’t forget to take out the trash.”
‘Hmmm, yeah, I will.’ I thought but didn’t respond.
“Holy shit.” I said aloud as I looked at the computer screen and Google’s response to my search term. “This is way…way too many hits to grasp. What on earth, how on earth have I not heard about this?” Then again, I wasn’t into walking or hiking so I had no reason to know or even think about long distance trekking such as this Camino. I had other things on my mind, sailing being the primary one for me. But having sold my boat a year ago perhaps I needed a new focus on life. Perhaps the Camino or something like it would fill the bill for me. I’ll check it out in the morning.
I don’t know what Johnny Depp or Aiden Quinn have to do with this song.
141 days to go until I start Le Puy en Venay.
Cheers
Thomas Aquinas said: “ if you believe in God no explanation is required. If you don’t believe in God no explanation would suffice.” It is a matter of faith and it is a relationship that is personal. I am just glad and happy that I can come here. There are thousands here living for hope. What is wrong with that in this crazy world we live in.
But who would have frites in a sandwich?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Just hope they never have an earthquake!
Comedian Dave Allen, as the Bishop!
Sorry…..I must say though the Catholicism has produced a multitude of laughs over the years. You would never, ever hear or see a Protestant comedian telling a Martin Luther joke. Or a Muslim telling a joke about Islam. Never. Now we Catholics fear an existential threat of eternal damnation while those other guys can’t even come close to that. That is why there is so much fun with the Catholic Church. While a Muslim martyr is promised salvation with a bevy of beautiful women, we Catholics have to be content with “Going to Hell in a Handmaiden’s basket”! Much more fun.
Fun times ahead. I’m going to track this pilgrimage on this blog…so stay tuned.
Vezelay is one of the staring points of the “Via Limovicensis” to St Jean Pied de Port French pilgrimage. In the middle ages pilgrims from northern Europe took this route as part of the Camino De Santiago pilgrimage in Spain. This aspect of the pilgrimage is 900 kilometers in length. But you can’t look at it that way. It is just 20-25 kilometers per day.
I have always loved the old world vibe and architecture of Europe, especially the massive cathedrals. Vezelay is said to have some of the remains of Mary Magdellan. Perhaps. Maybe not. But this Catholic mythology gives Vezelay its unique charm and patina.