Texas Makes Its Way On The Camino – Laurel & Brenda

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A Little Camino TEXAS Style!

A very special experience is sharing the Camino with a friend.  A journey of a lifetime that for friends represents a memorable time of learning, growing and bonding together in a truly unique place and way.  For each pilgrim there are powerful moments of reflection and celebration. Memories that only grow with time and that provide more insights to the adventure.

A very special thank you to Laurel Schroeder and Brenda McAuliffe from Austin, Texas two friends who made their way from St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago de Compostela.  Thank you for sharing a little of your camino journey with us and for participating in Km 0 Santiago.

Palatine Ways of St. James – Germany

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Pfälzer Jakobswege – In German

The Camino has been an important and popular pilgrimage journey for years for Germans and they represent one of the largest groups of overall pilgrims from around the world.  In march of this year they represented 24.8% of all pilgrims making their way to Santiago de Compostela.

A longstanding tradition that continues to become even more popular every year with more German pilgrim’s venturing to Spain for the Camino experience.  It has been a very special part of my Camino journey while living here in Galicia to meet so many germans from the historical country of my family’s heritage.  As I am part German, French and Irish i can relate on many levels to the camino from the different aspects of my family cultural background. So many wonderful Camino journeys to make – the list literally appears to be endless!!!

Deutschland-Uebersichtskarte

Learning of the different routes and starting points for the camino in Germany are extensive and in just looking at the map you can see that from all parts of the country pilgrims were beginning their ancient journey. One of those famous routes is known as the Palatine Way of St. James.

Palatine Way:

“Several such pilgrimage routes within the Palatinate have become known. Two, the North Route (Nordroute) and the South Route (Südroute), begin at the River Rhine at the imperial cathedral of Speyer and end in the small town of Hornbach (Südwestpfalz county), where the grave of Saint Pirmin is found in the former abbey. South of Hornbach the now united pilgrimage route crosses the border into France. Both Palatine routes are waymarked by the Palatine Forest Club and one link to the French pilgrimage routes follows. In the Palatine Forest old footpaths have been identified as parts of the Way of St. James.

Earlier sections of the Way of St. James converge from the north and east at Speyer. The northern route is well documented. From the southern boundary of Rhenish Hesse it should actually be counted as part of the Palatine Ways of St. James. It linked the two other imperial cathedrals in Mainz and Worms – via intermediate stations in Oppenheim and Frankenthal – with Speyer. In the south of Frankenthal, the district of Pilgerpfad that emerged after the Second World War took its name from the pilgrimage route. The Way crosses the middle of the district and is marked with the scallop symbol of St. James.” – wikipedia.com

Rexistro Km 0 Santiago – Parador Exhibition

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Remembering so many special times in the Camino and a very memorable exhibition and event in Santiago de Compostela last year 2013 when we were fortunate to have the Rexistro 108 Vilei Global Pilgrims’ Project Exhibition in the Parador Hostal Dos Reis Católicos for 9 weeks thanks to our dear friend Julio Castro Marcote, Director of the Parador Santiago. This also marked the start of Km 0 Santiago where we enjoyed capturing the smiles, camino inspirations, and experiences as the pilgrims arrived Santiago completing their camino journey. It was our pleasure to also participate in the 1st Camino de Santiago Film & Television Festival and we are forever grateful to all our friends and alliances who made this experience possible.

Rexistro 108 Vilei Global Pilgrims Photography & Video Project is a free creative photography endeavor started by German Limeres in August 2011 at his families 150+ year old historic country farm house on the French Camino in the village of Vilei (Barbadelo / 3 km after Sarria). Susan Mann joined German Limeres in September 2011 to capture on video the pilgrims testimonials, the “what” and “why” of their camino journeys. The Rexistro 108 Vilei & Km 0 Santiago Global Pilgrims Photography & Video Project is the first visual register of its kind in the world. The project documents and captures the global pilgrims and their camino stories as they pass through Vilei with 108 km remaining to Santiago de Compostela. Since 2011 the Rexistro has captured 250 faces from around the world representing more than 30 countries.

Semana Santa Bo Camiño – Easter Week In The Camino

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It has been a very special week enjoying being in the Camino sharing in wonderful times with pilgrims experiencing Galicia during the blossoming of SPRINGTIME!  A magical time seeing the trees sprouting new life filling the countryside with vibrant GALICIAN GREEN from the lush fresh grass on the  ground  all the way up into the sky as the trees are almost full of leaves. The flowers are absolutely breathtaking in all their different colors. From every twist and turn of the camino you are greeted as they SMILE at you – and you smile back at them and every pilgrim that you meet along the way.   Wishing everyone a very happy and blessed Semana Santa hope you enjoy celebrating this special Easter season of new beginnings with family and friends.

Thank you to everyone  in the Camino who made this time so incredibly special!

A Very Special Gift For Semana Santa – Easter: Kurt Koontz

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Semana Santa or Easter is a very special time on the Camino.  The heart, mind, body and spirit of all is open, flowing, and sharing in truly wonderful WAYS.  Inspiration, connecting, and giving with others is a unique part of springtime just like the trees bringing their new fresh green leaves and flowers blooming their vibrant colors in all different shades like the rainbow and so is the camino spirit this holiday week.  Kurt Koontz author of A MILLION STEPS would like to share a little Camino inspiration with all who would enjoy receiving a true gift of the heart – a free kindle download of his book.  It has been my pleasure to receive this special gift and I hope you to will be as touched as I have been in reading this fantastic book of his camino journey. Muchisimas Gracias Kurt!

“On April 18-20, I am doing a free Kindle promotion with my book. For three days, my electronic book will be entirely free to the universe.” – Kurt Koontz

For more information regarding this very special gift from Kurt Koontz please go this link for A MILLION STEPS: http://www.amazon.com/Million-Steps-Kurt-Koontz-ebook/dp/B00ERE7TS6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1397760973

Expo Bike & Bicigrino Arrive Santiago

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Expo Bike and Bicigrino arrived in Santiago de Compostela, April 15, 2014, and were all smiles from their successful completion of their Camino journey.  A special time shared among pilgrim friends Jose Luis Penedo Del Rio (Cologne, Germany), Helmut Weingarten (Cologne, Germany), Julio Castro Marcote (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) and Cándido Pazos López (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) along with their Bicigrino team mate and camino companion Tomas Sanchez.

In celebration of their arrival a press conference was held at the Parador Hostal Dos Reis Católicos to provide an overview of their camino experience and to share the 2015 Expo Bike & Bicigrino Camino Project Plans in which a special group from Expo Bike Germany will venture to Spain for another special experience along the way and more fantastic camino memories. Bo Camiño!

 

Camino en “Bici” – A Special Alliance – Germany & Spain

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What better way than to start the Easter Holiday Spring Break week than being in the camino seeing pilgrim friends, as well as, making new ones. A very special thank you to Julio Castro Marcote, Director of the Parador Hostal Dos Reis Católicos, for introducing us to your friends Helmut Weingarten (Cologne, Germany), Jose Luis Penedo Del Rio (Cologne, Germany), and Cándido Pazos López (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) and for participating in Rexistro 108 Vilei. 

A wonderful collaborative CAMINO project in the works for 2015 with German Expo Bike Group and sponsors such as Bicigrino.com.  We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as you arrive in Santiago de Compostela and hearing of your Camino adventure!

Rexistro 108 Vilei is a creative photography project started by German Limeres in August 2011 where he captures the faces of the pilgrims as they pass his families country house along the French Route of the camino in Vilei. Just 3km outside of Sarria through the magical forest before entering Barbadelo/Vilei.  In September 2011 I joined German in capturing the video testimonials of the pilgrims as they share their personal camino reflections on the “What” and “Why” of their pilgrimage journey. Rexistro 108 Vilei is the first visual register of the global pilgrims in the world as they make their Camino adventure.

 

Spring Break On The Camino

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It was a great way to begin the Semana Santa Holidays – Easter Spring Break week – with pilgrims from around the world.  The camino was full of smiles, laughter, and many PEREGRINOS enjoying the blossoming of spring along the way!   We began the day with a foggy morning in Galicia enjoying hot cafe con leche, cows grazing in the lush fields of vibrant GALICIAN GREEN from lots of rain during our long LONG winter…, and fresh flowers everywhere. The Camino was a picture perfect postcard day!

Some 500 pilgrims passed us in the early morning in Vilei just next to Barbadelo 3 Km outside of Sarria beginning their pilgrimage week to Santiago de Compostela.  Small groups to large speaking languages from around the world – Pilgrims from many countries: England, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Korea, France, USA, Malta, Austria, Poland, Spain Y MAS! We enjoyed meeting, taking pictures and video for this years pilgrims rexistro 108 vilei. BO CAMIÑO!

Video: A special thank you to Laura Neft (Sacramento, CA), Rachel Saunders (Burlington, VT), and Jenna Truglio (New Britain, CT) for sharing a little of their spring break camino adventure.

Photograph: Kalie Halpin (Chicago, IL), Rachel Saunders (Burlington, VT),  Jenna Truglio (New Britain, CT), Kelly Lindahl (Maple Grove, MN), Will Lowther (Vienna VA), and Dylan Francis (Los Angeles, CA)

WAYFARING – Scott Herriott

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WAYFARING is A funny, real,  and honest documentary by Scott Herriott that shares the diversity of the camino experience. As diverse as the people and countries that come to to make their own pilgrimage journey. Every reason is personal, unique, and varied. This upbeat documentary shows the range of emotions and reasons why people make this ancient pilgrimage adventure as they walk, bike and horseback ride to Santiago de Compostela. A challenge on many levels wether you are journeying for religious, spiritual or other reasons you will be touched by the range of camino experiences and emotions captured in Wayfaring – and surely it will inspire each person in a different way to make their own journey of personal discovery.

“Scott Herriott is a documentarian, former stand-up comic and Bigfoot enthusiast. He won a regional Emmy for his hosting duties on Internet Tonight on ZDTV (later known as TechTV) and was also a contributor on the channel’s The Screen Savers. He was also a contributor on CNN’s NewsNight with Aaron Brown and currently co-hosts “The Bigfoot Show” podcast. His trail name is Squatch, but please don’t call him that at any social events involving tuxedos and/or martinis. He’s been shooting his own documentaries for the last 10 years and makes just enough money to still live with his parents when he’s not off galavanting in the woods.” – squatchfilms.com

Thank you to Juan Carlos Duperier of http://www.authentic-journeys.com for connecting me with Scott Herriott.  Thank you Scott for sharing your wonderful and inspiring Wayfaring documentary.

For more information please visit: http://www.squatchfilms.com

 

The Camino, Life & Art – Gabriela Quiroz

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“The word pilgrimage comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means a person wandering the earth in exile, someone in search of a spiritual homeland.” -Ian Cron Chasing Francis

Gabriela Quiroz and I shared some special time talking of her unique pilgrimage experience as she made the journey with her  Travel Light Film companions, Lindsay Thompson, Lauren Martinez, and Ron Nelson while they were making the historic pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and making their documentary – Travel Light – A Divine Documentary Adventure.

I hope you enjoy,  as I did, the personal experiences and insights that Gabriela was so kind to share with me about The Camino, Life & Art!  Gabriela’s love of poetry and insights on  how our eyes are the windows to our soul’s through her art she likes “Putting an emotion on canvas versus reflecting some kind of reality.” Gabriela shared with some pictures of her paintings. Truly impressive, inspiring, and beautiful.  Wonderful that Gabriela followed her inner desire to paint and express her self-taught artistic talents. Both Gabriela and her art express a beautiful, genuine, and inspiring soul.  Thank you Gabriela!

“As an artist and storyteller at heart, Gabriela Quiroz believes filmmaking is an art form and a powerful communication tool that encompasses all areas of the human experience. Born and raised in the highlands of Peru, Gabriela’s fascination with stories and moving images began at a very young age.” – Travelightfilm.com

Thank you Gabriela for sharing your camino reflections and thoughts during a little quiet time before our pilgrim group “barbacoa” – a spanish style BBQ on the camino.

For more information about Travel Light Films please visit: http://www.travelightfilm.com