Population: 45,300,000 Year of EU entry:1986 Capital city: Madrid Total area: 194897mi² Language: Spanish Political system: Constitutional monarchy
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The way of Saint James
Dear friends,
Welcome to Spain! I love adventure and Spain is my favourite country to travel. It is very rich concerning culture, tradition and food, and people are open and very friendly. I would like to invite you to join me in the adventure of exploring Spain, a land that hasbeen occupied by Romans, Moors and powerful kings throughout history, and discover the great amount of things this warm country has to offer.
Click on the colored words to see what I have seen all along my way to Saint James!
This pilgrimage has existed for over 1000 years and during the Middle Ages the route was highly traveled. Now that I have also arrived to the cathedral, I can say I am a Compostela pilgrim! There are several paths but the most popular route is the French Way starting in Roncesvalles. Travelers set out each year from their front doorstep or from popular starting points across Europe. Pilgrims travel on foot, some do it by bicycle, and a few travel as some of their medieval counterparts did, on horseback. Some modern pilgrims walk the route for non-religious reasons: travel, sport, or simply the challenge of walking in a foreign land. They are easy to identify because they bring a backpack, (notice that they have to carry all their belongings with them!) a walking stick to help them out along the way and they usually bring a scallop too.
The scallop is the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. This shell also serves as a guide for pilgrims. All along the way we can find stones at kilometer points with the scallop on them which serve as a reference. Thesesigns play a very important role since they help travelers not to get lost on their way! Hikers walk an average of 27 miles per day. Can you imagine how tired they end up by the end of the day? That is the reason why there are houses and accommodation for travelers to stay. It is so fun to mix with other pilgrims who have the same goals as you and it is extremely important to get some rest in order to be fit the next morning! Once you have recharged your batteries, you can continue your way to Santiago!
It is so beautiful to walk in peace through green forests and mountains. Northern Spain is so green and the landscape is awesome! After days and days of effort and sacrifice… I finally arrived in Santiago de Compostela !! I was so excited because I was going to get my Compostela! The Compostela is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims when completing the Way. To receive it one needs to walk a minimum of 63 miles, and I did so! I hope you become like me some day and you are so strong to walk such a long way ! It is worth living the experience and it is a great opportunity to get to know the Spanish culture: the monuments, the people, the customs…
I am so happy about my trip that I am already planning next year’s vacation. Do you want to know my next destination? Andalusia ! Spain again but right in the South, just the opposite region! This country is amazing! Andalusia is very different to Galicia. It is very hot; there are a lot of beaches in the Mediterranean Sea…Costa del Sol, I can’t wait!! Come with me and we will swim, we will play in the sand, we will dance flamenco... So many things to do! Can you dance flamenco ? Flamenco is the typical dance from the south of Spain and it is danced to the rhythm of guitars and people singing. Women are dressed in traditional long costumes full of flounces and bright colors! It is very fun! We could also eat really good food, like gazpacho, tapas or olives! Spain is the first producer of olive oil in the world and there are huge fields of olive trees. So…as you can see, Spain is wonderful! I invite you to come with me and live this fantastic experience, which extents not only to Galicia and Andalusia but to the whole of Spain! I will keep telling you about my trips, see you guys!
