My Way: Walking the Camino a Santiago

After several months of planning, reservations have been made, my time off has been approved and now, the plane tickets have been booked…so it is time to make it blog official.

On May 20th, I will be embarking on a six-week expedition to walk 500 miles (800K) across Spain, beginning in the French Pyrenean town of St. Jean Pied de Port all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

My “little walk” if you can call it that, is an ancient Pilgramage route known as the Camino a Santiago or, in English, the Way of St. James. One of Christianity’s three major pilgramages after Rome and Jerusalem, the Camino has been a “thing” for over a thousand years, when medieval European pilgrims would traverse any one of a number of routes to get to Santiago, where it is believed the relics of St. James were found.

“But Michelle, you are Jewish, not Christian,” many of you will say. That is correct. You see, over the years, the Camino has evolved. And while a significant portion of today’s pilgrims are walking for religious reasons, many more of us are not. The Way (If any of you are familiar with the Martin Sheen movie) has evolved…into a spiritual journey, a route of introspection and self-discovery. As such it is a journey I will embark on on my own.

Unlike the pilgrims of the past, and indeed most of today’s pilgrims, I will be taking the “comfort” route so to speak. In lieu of carrying by own bag from hostel to hostel, I have chosen to enlist a bag transfer service from one hotel or guest house to another. Some are basic, a handful, especially those I’m staying in during rest days, are quite plush. I know this is a controversial topic. Some would argue that staying in private accommodations makes me a tourist and not a true pilgrim.

But here’s the thing. I’m not pretending to be. I am someone who loves travel, history, culture, food and exploration…on my own two feet. I am also deeply interested in gaining a more profound understanding of Spain and its people. I feel this pilgramage, this trek, this exploration, whatever you want to call it, will allow me to gain just that, while maintaining my creature comforts along the way.

And so, it will be. Thirty-two days of point-to-point walking on average 13 to 16 miles (21 to 26K) a day, along with a handful of rest days in some Spain’s most historic cities.

I’m incredibly excited for this journey and for whatever teachings lie in store. Wish me luck. And I hope to have your support along the way….Buen Camino. 🇪🇸