Camino de Santiago

To welcome in the month of April, my "Camino de Santiago" class went on a weekend excursion with our professors to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia to truly experience the Camino. The Camino de Santiago is a cultural landmark that links the Spanish medieval past with the present. It is a route that runs through the north of the Iberian Peninsula, stretching over 800 km from the French-Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, the capital of the northwestern region of Galicia, passing through five different regions and over a hundred inhabited areas. The Camino is very important to certain individuals in many respects. Medieval pilgrims typically walked the route for religious reasons, specifically Catholic. Now, for modern pilgrims, the Camino de Santiago has spiritual, cultural, and even athletic purposes. In regards to the spiritual aspect, one may walk the Camino for religious reasons, but another may walk for more interior purposes, such as coping with a loss. For cultural significance, the Camino de Santiago provides a mix of many different cultures, including cultures from Galicia, Castile-Leon, Basque, Muslims, Christians, and more. Regarding athletic purpose, traveling the Camino is indeed a physical challenge. Whether on horseback, bicycle, or on foot, it serves as a significant mean of exercise for any individual. Also, the Camino serves tremendously in regards to the economy. Today, tourism has influenced a positive impact on the economy. Overall, the Camino de Santiago historically supported the King Asturiano during his conquest against Muslims. Today it does not have the same political or religious influence, rather it is a more personal experience for believers and nonbelievers.

Map of the Camino de Santiago

After an 8-hour bus ride to Santiago, my classmates, professors and I, enjoyed a traditional Galician meal filled with a hearty potato soup and fresh fish. Once we filled our bellies, we met up with our tour guide. We explored the city for a little and visited the Monasterio de San Martin Pinario. Our evening was pretty laid back since we were all pretty tired from traveling for most of the day, so we ended our day with some gelato and turned in early. 

Traditional Galician Meal

Monasterio de San Martin Pinario

The next day, our tour guide brought us to a local market. The market consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and legumes, but most importantly: fish. It was a remarkable sight. Among the overwhelming scent of fish, there were shrimp crawling over one another, octopus being boiled before our eyes, and many other critters from the sea. It was very interesting to see and reminded me a lot of Japan. It doesn't get any fresher than that! After the market, we walked more around Santiago, visiting the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and museum.

Fish Market

For our last day in Galicia, we drove further west of Galicia to walk part of the Camino, ending at Cabo Finisterre--Fin del Mundo (End of the World). It was truly an experience walking the same ground as pilgrims from the Medieval ages. I hope to return one day to complete the full Camino de Santiago by myself to fully reflect upon my life: past, present, and future. 

Cabo Finisterre--Fin del Mundo