It is once again time to dust off this blog, this time I follow in footsteps walked since the dinosaurs lived. I will jump a lot of centuries, 150,000,000 years ago, 40,000,000 years ago, through the time after Christ died and his apostles preached, the time of the Moor invasion of Spain, through the reconquest, the middle ages and into modern times. This is still an active pilgrimage route but now is more popular with hikers. More than 350,000 people finish the Compestala portion of it - the last 100 km each year. There are 53 routes that will take you to Santiago de Compestala. Many followed early Roman trade route and all end at the cathedral de Santiago de Compestala where St. James is reportedly buried. St. James was martyred by beheading around 44 AD in Jerusalem but he preached in Spain earlier in his mission and legend has it that his body was returned to what is now the cathedral but more on that later.
The Camino has a scallop shell as it's symbol. Legends have either St .James body or that of a local bridegroom falling into the sea and emerging covered in scallop shells. The shells also symbolize the multiple routes one can take to get to the cathedral all ending at the base like the multiple lines of the shell. More about the routes we will be taking later.
Actually this is a fitting trip to follow one where I wrote about Eleanor of Acquitaine as her father made this pilgrimage and died in Santiago de Compestala on April 9, 1137. We are starting in Bilbao and will travel to see various highlights along the route. I hope you enjoy.
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