On Monday, June 27th, 2016, I embarked on perhaps one of my greatest adventures of my life. I flew to Europe and made my way to France so that I could fulfill Adventure Activities and Experiences Bucket list item:

#109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana.

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, is 490+ mile pilgrimage across Spain. There are multiple routes, but I had decided to join the traditional Camino Frances Route. This route, in general, starts in St Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. From there, I became a pilgrim or peregrino and began my walk toward Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Why does one walk the Camino?

The main purpose for the Camino is to make your way to the city of Santiago de Compostela. It is here where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Greater are buried. But, people make the pilgrimage for many other reasons. Some use it as a retreat for their spiritual growth. Others walk to discover their past or reveal their future. There are even some people walking in hopes that a miracle. To them, they believe that the Camino may heal them or someone they love. It all kind of sounds like some mystical, religious, self-discovery adventure right out of a C.S. Lewis or Paulo Coehlo novel.

People walk the Camino de Santiago for many reasons. But while you walk, there are some funny but true things & even a few insanities that'll accompany you on this journey. #CaminodeSantiago #CaminoFrances #BuenCamino
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Funny But True Things about the Camino de Santiago

For me, I walked for a mix of it all discovered a lot about myself and my relationship to others. But while you walk on the Camino for days on end, there are also many real-life quirks, funny truths, and even insanities that accompany you on this journey.

Here are some of the funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago I learned along the Way:

1) You will give away the deed to your house back home for a bottom bunk

It doesn’t seem to matter if you are 18 or 80, the idea of climbing up to the top bunk at the end of a hard day of walking is enough to make anyone cry! In most albergues, it is kind of a first come first serve situation, while in others they have an over 40 rule.  However, you will bargain your treasures for the bottom bunk. If you are unfortunate enough to get the top bunk, then you must take care of everything before the climb because you will then enter the contest of “how long can I hold it before I have to climb back down to use the bathroom!”

2) You will politely HATE ALL CYCLISTS!

The first time you see a cyclist struggling to push their bicycles loaded with their saddle bags up a mountain, a sense of pity will encompass you.  Don’t fret, that will only last about 4 hours because then you will pray for them to crash down a mountain.  Why? Because these cyclist will come zipping by you, out of no where, at top speeds nearly clipping your arms and shoving you off the trail as they happily shout, “Buen Camino!” It’s insanity to say the least.  They own a $1,000 bicycle and can’t afford an effing $2.00 bell to warn you!  Stupid Cyclists… “Buen effin Camino!!”

3) By day three everyone qualifies as a registered podiatrist

Feet, feet, feet!  Everyone discusses their feet or the feet of others on the Camino.  Between blisters, bruises, twisted ankles, and lost toe nails every possible subject regarding feet is discussed – by everyone!  The earliest records of visits paid to the shrine dedicated to St. James at Santiago de Compostela date from the 9th century. So, as you walk you will start to wonder what type of space aged leather the pilgrims used for shoes as the Roman roads beat your feet into mush like Ivan Drago beat Apollo Creed’s face in Rocky IV!

Safety Tip: Walking the Camino de Santiago is a relatively safe adventure. But as in any place you travel please use common sense and stay to main areas while exploring. Plus, with any physical activity, please make sure you pay attention to your body. To give you some added security while in Spain, we strongly recommend that you consider getting Travel Insurance from World Nomads.  It is simple and flexible insurance to keep you safe while tackling any bucket list adventure.

4) Everyone has seen The Way, read The Pilgrimage, & owns a Brierly guidebook

You are so excited to start walking in the beginning, especially after seeing THE WAY or reading The Pilgrimage or your Brierly guidebook!  You will ask everyone if they have seen or read them and openly admit that you they are the catalyst to this adventure for you.  I mean why not, they make it seem so wonderful and easy!  But by the first week, you will wonder what map Martin Sheen had because his character was all over the place! On day 2 you will start to create voodoo dolls of John Brierly and wonder if he has ever even walked the Camino because this is way harder than he describes.  With regards to The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coehlo, you will think he must have been tripping out on some serious shrooms as you walk through towns he visited and had his visions yet see nothing that resembles the mystical world!

5) Spain’s metric system is more of a general average rather than an exact science

Perhaps one of the most insane and funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago has to do with math. Spain’s definition of 1 kilometer seems to vary from place to place and sign to sign with a +/- variance of +4 or +10! Wait or was it -22?

But seriously, reading your guidebook or maps will drive you insane as you walk for endless kilometers on end with no similar scale from day to day.  Even legitimate government road signs will vary along the many hours you spend walking toward Santiago, only to find out the next sign added 5 kilometers to the initial sign you read that morning!

6) You will hate energy & water conservation, but only in the bathroom

Spain seems to be doing wonderful work with energy conservation as you see the beautiful horizons lined with windmills.  However, after awhile you are willing to sign any petition that will get the timers off the bathroom lights or the shower water button to last longer than 38 seconds!

7) No one will question that you are following graffiti to your destination

The Camino de Santiago might be the only time in your life where you will deliberately follow crappy yellow spray painted arrows across an entire country and no one will think you are crazy!  I mean imagine if you were back home and you told your parents that you found some spray paint markings under some bridges or on random trees & you wanted to see where they led. They would definitely try to talk you out of it! But on the Camino, you search for them and start get nervous when you don’t see them after awhile!

8) You will carry the Camino with you every day

No this isn’t some sort of deep thought! This is a literal statement.  Of course, you will carry with you, the symbol of a pilgrim, your scallop shell. But also, every time you take off your boots you will pour out pounds of dirt, rocks, and unknown particles!  Suddenly you will feel like Andy from the Shawshank Redemption as he emptied his escape route into the prison yard.

9) You will become a Pyrenees Snob

Well you might become a Pamplona snob, a Burgos snob, a Leon snob, or another location snob to anyone who starts after you! I mean come on, you suffered far harder circumstances and have become an expert on the Camino in the 3 days before they started! Well, everyone can agree that the jerks that start in Sarria will never understand! It’s weird when you realize your contempt for those who start in Sarria as they complete the bare minimum length of the Camino.  Even in John Brierly’s guidebook, he warns to “Beware of signs of irritation at the intrusion on ‘my’ camino…” as new pilgrims enter at Sarria!

10) You will Gain Weight

The Camino de Santiago must be the only event where you will burn 9 million calories a day hiking and come home 15 lbs. heavier! How? Perhaps, it is because the only things to do besides walking is eating & drinking!  Every day you stop for a second and third breakfast before lunch. Then, there is the pilgrim’s menu served everyday for $10 or less where you eat like Arnold getting ready for a Mr. Universe body building competition.  Plus, with 95% of the Camino participating in Siesta, the only thing you have to do in the afternoons is eat and drink wine or ice cold pints of beer!

11) Everyone smiles in the same language

It doesn’t matter where people are from or how good your foreign language skills are, you will be able to talk to anyone – if you want. Don’t get me wrong, you may become an expert at charades by the end of the Camino, but it will be worth all the laughter and memories!

How to walk your own Camino to Santiago de Compostela

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The Way (2010)

Cast: Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen and James Nesbitt

Director: Emilio Estevez

Synopsis: Martin Sheen plays an American doctor, Tom, who travels to France after his son (Emilio Estevez) dies while attempting to walk the Camino de Santiago. After he puts his son’s affairs in order, Tom decides to finish the journey in his stead. The Camino, also known as The Way of St. James proves to offer adventure and companionship around every turn – whether he wants it or not. His many experiences along “The Way,” help Tom realize what his son meant by “the life we live and the life we choose.”

Review:

Emilio Estevez brings Jack Hitt’s book to life in this stunning movie that showcases one man’s journey along the Camino de Santiago, a 490-mile pilgrimage (also known as The Way of St. James) across Spain.

When Tom’s (Martin Sheen) son unexpectedly passes away, he must travel to France to bring him home. When he arrives, he learns that his son died in his effort to walk the Camino de Santiago. Rather than return home, Tom decides to finish the pilgrimage in his honor.

Though Tom plans to walk The Way of St. James on his own, he soon meets and travels with three other pilgrims from around the world: a Dutchman (Yorick van Wageningen) wanting to lose weight, a Canadian (Deborah Kara Unger), who is trying to quit smoking and an Irish writer (James Nesbitt), who is struggling with writer’s block.

The film serves as a great reminder that there is much in this life that we forget to experience and rarely appreciate – our family, friends, this vast and amazing world, and often, our own spirituality. The cast is a perfect gang of misfits and certainly represent the characters one would meet along such an incredible journey. They are relatable; while driving the viewer crazy, they are also endearing and loveable.

As the pilgrims journey along The Way, they experience adventure, sadness, drama and humor; the viewer often feels as though they are walking the Camino with them. The film touches on a plethora of emotions and creates an unexpected impact on all who watch it.

Though the film is 123 minutes long, it moves quickly and the gorgeous landscape of Spain and France give the viewer a case of wanderlust and a desire to learn the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.”

The Way is exciting, dramatic and funny – well worth two hours of your time. It is currently available on Amazon. You can CLICK HERE to rent it online today. You can also purchase it on DVD by our friends at Books-A-Million.  

Now I really want to see this movie: The Way and learn more about the Camino de Santiago.
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Have you seen the movie, The Way? If so, tell us if/how it impacted you in the comments below.

About Our Guest Poster:

Darcee Snider is a Wyoming native, who appreciates the work ethic and strong values that growing up in the Cowboy State afforded her.  New Orleans has been a part of Darcee for a long time and she is excited to now be a part of New Orleans. She believes there is truly nowhere else like the Big Easy and the experiences it affords its citizens; she can’t wait to share them with the family and friends that are sure to visit.  Passion for literature, food, history, adventure and music are reasons why living in New Orleans is such an important part of Darcee’s story. She writes each chapter by enjoying the wonders of the Carousel Bar, exploring the WWII Museum, walking the streets of Uptown, navigating the hidden gems of the French Quarter and eating a Po-Boy at Mahony’s.

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