Pilgrim by Alzheimer's: looking for the seventh road
Jacobean routes are countless. Actually, which follows each his own in search of the holy Compostela to give any of the official paths. Since last 19 March out of the de Finisterre lighthouse in this project of finding ways and resources for those who suffer, directly or indirectly, el Alzheimer's, I've gone through six different Jacobean routes until arrival at Arles, where I am right now, all upside, except the section of Way Baztanés whereby walked.
The first four stages of the Epilogue to Finisterre, two-stage reverse French road from Santiago de Compostela Arzua, the North Coast Road in its entirety from Arzua to the border Irun, the two stages of the Way Baztanés, which binds Bayonne with Pamplona, in the section from Almandoz a Pamplona, the section of Camino Aragonés from Monreal to the top of Somport and Via Tolosana o Path Arles Somport joining with the French town of long tradition of bullfighting, in the Camargue, adentrándome in the marshes of the Rhone between spectacular scenery, cava vineyards, herds of bulls and a permanent invasion of mosquitoes.
I go into the marshes of the Rhone between spectacular scenery, cava vineyards, herds of bulls and a permanent invasion of mosquitoes
And total, 1.854 kilometers traveled on foot not account for more than a 25% total travel of, that it will take me to the holy city of Jerusalem if nothing unforeseen happens spam.
Since the previous article written from Aviles, the road runs between the spectacle of Cantabrian and the nearby mountains of the north coast Spanish. A continuous leg-breakers to the shore with a special stop and compulsory for everyone who chooses the northern route; the Don Ernesto shelter in Guemes, Cantabrian a worker priest who continues to promote the social struggle in the years 70, but this time from the Jacobean spirit. In step I took Güemes, I had the privilege of being accompanied by Paco, an inmate's criminal Santoña with newly granted parole who came to the shelter to take over as hospitable, an initial step before tackling the freedom that was deprived for eleven years. That is the philosophy of hostel, the philosophy of St. James, deeply rooted in the world of prisoners, not in vain for many centuries the pilgrimage to Santiago served as redemption penalties and even, today, some countries like Belgium the France I still retain. An example to follow, certainly.
I had the privilege of being accompanied by Paco, an inmate's criminal Santoña with newly granted parole
The step Euskadi reminded me of the harshness of the Basque mountains and solidarity of many Basques who accompanied me along the way, mainly relatives of people affected by the disease, to reach Navarra the north, by the region of the Five Towns before seeking the enchanted forests of Baztán and heading Pamplona by the way Baztan. From Pamplona, bugger off in the stretch to lead Aragon the splendid Canfranc station, witness a thousand stories of smugglers, Jews persecuted and communists forged between tracks.
The splendid Canfranc station has seen a thousand stories of smugglers, Jews persecuted and communists forged between tracks
Spain and that was that it was time to reverse threading the Arles route, which follows the route of the GR653 fingertips, a route that the French mime with care and which has the potential of which can be followed with the markings made in both directions so that, curiously, the only losses I've had have been in my own country, in which the progress of the Camino de Santiago is one way. The walk 700 kilometers between the Somport pass and Arles is a tribute to the eyelids. First with the smooth paths of the plain French by Pau, Auch y Toulouse whose climax the beauty of Canal du Midi, with a stage closer to the boats of New Orleans that old Europe.
After, road route of Castres hardens to become really hard from the same town. Here comes to cross the French Massif Central, so many sports exploits in the Tour de France, via Languedoc Natural Park. Forests, mountains and lakes were the companions during a long week before ending near Montpellier to meet the third Tues traffic, the Mediterranean. Then to Arles, official start of the Milky Tolosana but also the Via Domitia, which links the French town Montgrèvere Alps and in full links to a section of the Via Francigena, the distance traveled by St. Francis of Assisi. That is the task for the coming weeks.
