I first saw the finish line of the Camino while on a road trip in Spain that took me through Santiago de Compostela. In the morning, the first pilgrim arrived, shuffling into the plaza of St. James’ Cathedral, dropping his backpack, sinking to his knees on the cobblestones, shaking with something between tears and joyous laughter. I’ll have what he’s having, I thought. Four years later, I stood at the top of Spain’s Alto del Perdón — the rather unforgiving Hill of Forgiveness — with steady winds whirling turbines behind me and in front of me, sweeping scenes of azure skies and verdant fields that almost looked computer-generated in their perfection. After a rest and some water, I continued, zigzagging down the other side over cobble and packed dirt. At the bottom in the next town was a café for a snack, a beer, and a ride — my guide stood smiling next to the van like family cheering me on at the end of a marathon. My hotel? All taken care of. Dinner? Reservations made for me. My backpack? Already waiting in my room. Not a bad way to take on the Camino. A Traditional Pilgrimage Since the 9th century, the Camino of Santiago (“The Way of St. James”) has drawn pilgrims from all directions — originally to visit the remains of St. James the Apostle, which now rest in his namesake 13th-century cathedral in the city of Santiago de Compostela. Nowadays, travelers come for an assortment of reasons, spiritual and otherwise. Some walk 500 miles or more, a journey that can take weeks or even months depending on the route and starting point. Setting up day-to-day accommodations or even winging it can be overwhelming. Humping everything on your back all day is also not fun. What if you just had to show up with walking shoes? You’re in luck. In the late 90s, Arizona-born Alex Chang had just quit a job in Spain when he decided to walk the Camino as a departing gift to himself. But the Camino got its hooks in him and he never left. He became a guide, and figuring that most travelers don’t have a couple free months for a through-hike, he founded Fresco Tours, offering a service of supported hiking. Multiple caminos come to Santiago from all directions, but I came for the Camino Frances, the French Way, as roughly 60 percent of all pilgrims do. “This one has got the most history,” Chang says of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed path. “Unlike the Appalachian Trail, it is not remote. There’s more infrastructure, coffee shops, bars where you stop and get a [Camino passport] stamp.” Fresco also offers itineraries across northern Spain, Portugal, and even the Canary Islands, as well as just the 70-mile home stretch into Santiago, breaking the longer Camino routes into “chapters.” The Spanish Horizons highlights tour puts you in a private bus from the Pyrenees all the way to .… By Kevin Revolinski EXCERPT ONLY. CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine. To continue reading, click above for a digital or print subscription.
Source: Porthole.com
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