“Santiago, buen camino” 
All starts like a joke, wanting without being 
able; sorry, not suits me. In the end you see 
yourself wearing mountain shoes and 
carrying a bag on your back walking to… 
Santiago, and wondering what I missed 
there? Everything and nothing. Much and 
little. The begining and the end. A path in 
life. 
No matter where you start, all paths have something in common: never stop walking, one step 
behind another with encouragement. The total number of kilometres walked only make us feel 
more glad about our great feat made but they do not change the meaning of the Camino 
because everyone has to find it out before or during the Camino. Although it is true that having 
a why and a wherefore in every step reduce pain, fatigue and tiredness that surround the 
Camino. 
It is said that the pilgrims start walking aimless, without a premeditated guide; they only know 
they go to Santiago and they will see what happens next. It is also said that when they arrive 
and they are in front of the Apostle they find the meaning of every morning walking through 
the Galician sun and rain, among known or unkown people and others from different countries 
and cultures around the world. It is even said that the Camino has become a social event with 
external effects, lot of noise and nothing else, where walkers do not honor the significant 
name given to them: pilgrims, travelers who start a path for devotion to a sacred place. 
It is said many things but they do not see anything. The Camino it is not what people said it is 
what happens meanwhile you are doing it. It is more than others may think and even you do; 
until you do not start walking you do not know anything, either who you are, what hurts or 
does not hurt you, why are you in the middle of nowhere with strangers, what motivates you 
or bother you. While walking you discover yourself, either in contact with Nature or getting 
into a conversation with these strangers who in the end are like family. Because not everything 
happens when you give the wanted hug to Santiago; miracles happen when you put a stone 
behing another in the Camino building the day to day, step by step, to be far away from your 
life lived and closer to the new one. 
It is impossible to put into words such a experience, such a feelings, such a thoughts that can 
only be explained withing the Camino; there you understand and misunderstand eveything. 
Superficially the Camino is a walk with friends to Santiago, resort town. Even those who go in 
that plan experience the mistery of the Camino and it can be seen. It is wonderful see that 
every pilgrim receive a small portion of the personality of Apostle Santiago during their walk, 
because the Camino leaves a mark. For ones it will be more or less big and deep. But Santiago 
reminds on us, open us to life and, maybe, to Faith. 
Formerly the Camino was walked alone, walking in silence, meditating the Passion of the Lord 
and praying the Rosary. Nowadays too but it is less externalized. In a noisy society as we have 
it is almost imposible to imitate the pilgrims of that time but this is no excuse and you can see 
pilgrims with Rosaries or walking in silince enjoying the green of the landscapes praying and 
thinking or praying thinking (and vice versa). They do not climb or descend the slopes with the
Passion book in their hands but they will have it on them once they arrive to the next town at 
the end of the stage and go to the Pilgrim´s Mass that awaits them afterwards. Who wants it, 
gets it. 
It is true what Antonio Machado's poem said, “caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al 
andar” ("traveller there is no path, you make the path as you go") and it is much better 
with a friend, a person with whom you share, walk and suffer. Silence can be lived and 
understood in many ways. There will be silence of mobiles and electronic devices that will 
change negative impacts into silence with words echoes filling conversations and internal 
reflections. Although as a mediated, digitized and therefore depersonalized world, it is 
necessary that the Camino is filled with personal conversations, face to face, and take back 
what we were one day: people open to life, to the world, to other people, to love, generosity, 
to listening, forgiveness, respect, peace, mercy, joy, to Faith; open to encounter. 
“Starting the Pilgrimage of Life 
When you finish, leave the catedral through the southern door, La Puerta de las 
Platerías. Focus on the facade. On the mullion between the arch of the two doors, there 
is a Crismón, a monogram of Christ. But, the letters are backwards. The Alpha has 
changed places with the Omega. The end is the beginning. The goal of el Camino has 
now started another Camino, you have started a new life”. (Text from 
www.catedraldesantiago.es) 
[Dedicated to each and every one of the people I met during the Camino de Santiago: You are 
a treasure to me!]

Santiago, buen camino in English

  • 1.
    “Santiago, buen camino” All starts like a joke, wanting without being able; sorry, not suits me. In the end you see yourself wearing mountain shoes and carrying a bag on your back walking to… Santiago, and wondering what I missed there? Everything and nothing. Much and little. The begining and the end. A path in life. No matter where you start, all paths have something in common: never stop walking, one step behind another with encouragement. The total number of kilometres walked only make us feel more glad about our great feat made but they do not change the meaning of the Camino because everyone has to find it out before or during the Camino. Although it is true that having a why and a wherefore in every step reduce pain, fatigue and tiredness that surround the Camino. It is said that the pilgrims start walking aimless, without a premeditated guide; they only know they go to Santiago and they will see what happens next. It is also said that when they arrive and they are in front of the Apostle they find the meaning of every morning walking through the Galician sun and rain, among known or unkown people and others from different countries and cultures around the world. It is even said that the Camino has become a social event with external effects, lot of noise and nothing else, where walkers do not honor the significant name given to them: pilgrims, travelers who start a path for devotion to a sacred place. It is said many things but they do not see anything. The Camino it is not what people said it is what happens meanwhile you are doing it. It is more than others may think and even you do; until you do not start walking you do not know anything, either who you are, what hurts or does not hurt you, why are you in the middle of nowhere with strangers, what motivates you or bother you. While walking you discover yourself, either in contact with Nature or getting into a conversation with these strangers who in the end are like family. Because not everything happens when you give the wanted hug to Santiago; miracles happen when you put a stone behing another in the Camino building the day to day, step by step, to be far away from your life lived and closer to the new one. It is impossible to put into words such a experience, such a feelings, such a thoughts that can only be explained withing the Camino; there you understand and misunderstand eveything. Superficially the Camino is a walk with friends to Santiago, resort town. Even those who go in that plan experience the mistery of the Camino and it can be seen. It is wonderful see that every pilgrim receive a small portion of the personality of Apostle Santiago during their walk, because the Camino leaves a mark. For ones it will be more or less big and deep. But Santiago reminds on us, open us to life and, maybe, to Faith. Formerly the Camino was walked alone, walking in silence, meditating the Passion of the Lord and praying the Rosary. Nowadays too but it is less externalized. In a noisy society as we have it is almost imposible to imitate the pilgrims of that time but this is no excuse and you can see pilgrims with Rosaries or walking in silince enjoying the green of the landscapes praying and thinking or praying thinking (and vice versa). They do not climb or descend the slopes with the
  • 2.
    Passion book intheir hands but they will have it on them once they arrive to the next town at the end of the stage and go to the Pilgrim´s Mass that awaits them afterwards. Who wants it, gets it. It is true what Antonio Machado's poem said, “caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar” ("traveller there is no path, you make the path as you go") and it is much better with a friend, a person with whom you share, walk and suffer. Silence can be lived and understood in many ways. There will be silence of mobiles and electronic devices that will change negative impacts into silence with words echoes filling conversations and internal reflections. Although as a mediated, digitized and therefore depersonalized world, it is necessary that the Camino is filled with personal conversations, face to face, and take back what we were one day: people open to life, to the world, to other people, to love, generosity, to listening, forgiveness, respect, peace, mercy, joy, to Faith; open to encounter. “Starting the Pilgrimage of Life When you finish, leave the catedral through the southern door, La Puerta de las Platerías. Focus on the facade. On the mullion between the arch of the two doors, there is a Crismón, a monogram of Christ. But, the letters are backwards. The Alpha has changed places with the Omega. The end is the beginning. The goal of el Camino has now started another Camino, you have started a new life”. (Text from www.catedraldesantiago.es) [Dedicated to each and every one of the people I met during the Camino de Santiago: You are a treasure to me!]