Right about now, I am on day four of my journey along the Camino de Santiago; doing the last 100kms of the French Way, the most popular route.
This sojourn is a fundraiser in support of UCLA Neurosurgery. It is my hope and desire to help those suffering from neuroendocrine tumors.
“For over 20 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized
UCLA Neurosurgery as one of the top neurosurgery programs in the nation.”
Your donation will be richly appreciated. Any amount truly helps.
MORE DETAILS CROWDRISE
1) Camino de Santiago means Way of St. James and refers to the different routes leading to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. This is a pilgrimage that is usually done for either cultural or religious reasons.
2) Santiago de Compostela means St. James of the field of stars. The old town itself, where many people end their pilgrimage, became a UNESCO heritage site in 1985.
3) Traditional pilgrims used to start their “Camino” from their homes.
4) The Camino Primitivo from Oviedo is the oldest Camino De Santiago route. However, the most famous route is the Camino Frances, the French Way, starting in St. Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees.
5) The trail from St. Jean Pied de Port is 780kms long and takes about five weeks to do, though you can start at any point. Sarria (111kms away from Santiago) is the most popular starting point; this is where I began.
6) There is a ‘Compostela certificate,’ Pilgrim’s Passport, which gets stamped twice a day. Over 200,000 pilgrims arrive in Santiago and receive this certificate. Walkers must complete 100kms, and cyclists need 200kms.
7) The 12th century ‘Codex Calixtinus’ is the oldest Camino de Santiago guidebook.
8) KM 0 of the Camino is actually not in Santiago. It is in Cape Finisterre by the Atlantic Ocean, known as the ‘end of the world’ and a place of magical powers for pre-Christian communities.
“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and
grandchildren is not money or other material things
accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
~ Billy Graham
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