In this category I discuss experiences from the Camino Frances
To many of us it seems like the world fell off its axis in 2016. The vote for Brexit, Trump and the triumph of Leicester City in the premier league seemed to signal the end of the world. And it's been all down hill since then: a pandemic, a war in Ukraine, high inflation, an energy crisis, the Chinese baring their fangs towards Taiwan, a stock market meltdown, political polarisation and a culture war in the west, and with the possible return of Trump - or the reelection of Biden - it seems like we won't have to wait long for the…
In 2015 I flew to Lisbon to walk the Caminho Portuguese. During the flight I spotted Cape Finisterre, my final destination, down below. It took about 45 minutes to fly from that point to Lisbon. It would take me nearly 4 weeks to walk back. In the modern world, journeys that once took weeks or months by land and sea can now be accomplished in a day or so.
For Camino Finisterre part 1 click here By the time I'd finished my second day's walk I was really starting to hate the Camino Finisterre. I was also really starting to hate life. The first time I had walked that path, back in 2004, I thought it was long and monotonous, isolated and lonely, tiring and dull, but at least it was a new and novel experience. Walking in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims and seeing the sun set at one of Europe's most westerly points would be a perfectly fitting way to end my epic journey which had began nearly…
So you thought 2020 was bad? Welcome to 2021. The new year has certainly started with a blast. The Covid numbers are rising faster than the Qatari skyline. Here in Ireland we've had more cases in the first few weeks of January than in the entire first wave. With the whole country on lockdown again and our hospitals overflowing things look as bleak as ever. In America, a deeply fractured nation became even more radicalised when a defiant President Trump provoked a mob to storm Capitol Hill and desecrate the hallowed halls of their democracy. It was a shocking and…
A pilgrimage is a journey of the body and soul, along arduous paths, to a destination of some religious or cultural significance. Usually undertaken for personal, spiritual or penitential reasons, such an expedition allows the pilgrim an opportunity to travel inwards, and acquire profound personal insights or existential truths that will be the lasting legacy of their odyssey.
Many people walk the Camino looking for answers. They may be looking for guidance about the next stage in their life, they may be grieving the loss of a loved one, they may be trying to resolve a dilemma in their relationship, or they may be looking for a profound spiritual or religious experience. Or they may just want the head space that a long walk offers. Walking 800 KM to Santiago may or may not solve all your problems. It may give you insights that will help you along your journey in life, and it may assist you in…
Facebook The Cathedral in Santiago Deciding to walk the Camino de Santiago can be quite a daunting challenge. Although a veteran of four caminos, opting to go on another still raises many concerns and anxieties, which no amount of preparation can allay. I am about to embark on the Via de la Plata, a 1000 KM trek from Sevilla, in Spain's southern province of Andalucia, to the city of Santiago de Compostela, in the northwestern region of Galicia. This is the longest of the caminos, which leads through some of the most isolated parts of the Iberian peninsula, where the…
A bend in the road I've viewed New York from the top of the Empire State Building, and Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower. I've walked along the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, seen the sunrise over Cappadocia from a hot air balloon, looked up in wonder at the Hollywood Sign, and jostled through the crowds at the Taj Mahal. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel far and wide, and to brush up against locations that have come to symbolise the world's collective sense of hope, awe, beauty and wonder. NYC is the…
Facebook Night time in the city of Barcelona It was a warm Friday evening in Barcelona, and a sultry air swept in from the Mediterranean. The Catalan capital was psyching itself up for another exuberant weekend. All the way up and down the Ramblas bars and cafes were starting to fill with revellers and socialites. Passeig de Gracia, the city's most elegant thoroughfare, was teeming with locals and tourists, all pounding the pavement of this exciting metropolis in search of fun and festivity. The residents of this town worked hard all week. Every morning at 8am the Metro was thronged…