By Cara Bertoia
Last night my husband and I watched a movie we made when we walked the Camino de Santiago. It is an informative movie, not a religious one. You follow us as we walk across Spain, interview fellow travelers along the way, and document the journey each day. You will see the cities and countryside we pass through which will give a prospective Pilgrim an idea of the terrain they will encounter. We also offer travel tips. We didn't have a camera crew it is just us documenting our journey so it is raw footage but I think anyone who is curious about the Camino will learn from watching it. The best part is the movie is free, we have uploaded it to YouTube. You will find the link at the end of this article.
The Camino De Santiago has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years. The path across Northern Spain leads to the tomb of St. James in Santiago, a beautiful walled city. After the death of Jesus, St. James one of Jesus's disciples traveled to Spain to convert the populace to Christianity. In medieval times so many Pilgrims were said to be cured by walking to Santiago that it became the most popular of the three major pilgrimage sites, including Rome and Jerusalem. As recently as 2022, over 400,000 people walked the Camino, some in search of a cure, but the majority for the love of walking.Never having walked more than five miles in a day, I was surprised when my husband asked if I would walk the Camino, to hear myself say "sure," and committing myself to walk 500 miles. This was to be truly the hardest and yet most rewarding experience of my life because it taught me anything is possible if you have the right attitude and good health. Having immersed myself in historical novels when I was young, following this path by foot was truly like stepping back in time. More importantly, it gave me confidence about what I can accomplish in the future.
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| Ray gets a well deserved rest after a long climb! |
To begin our journey, my husband and I flew to Madrid, and then took a bus to Roncesvalles, a picturesque mountain village on the French border. This is the official beginning of the Camino in Spain. At the monastery there, we received the Camino Passport, which is stamped by hotels and churches all along the way. Pilgrims must present their stamped passports in Santiago to receive The Certificate de Compostela proving that they walked the Camino.
The Camino walk is not a tour. Pilgrims arrive independently and walk in small groups or on their own. The Spanish government, which helped revive the Camino in the '80s, provides a series of Refugio's - hotels along the way, as well. The Refugio's, or hostels, are strictly first come, first-served - and unisex, a new experience for most Americans, but quite common to Europeans. If a dormitory is not your style, a charming hotel room with all the amenities was less than $100 a day.
The Camino is designed to pass along medieval paths and roads and to bypass major roads and highways, so most of the day is spent walking through beautiful woods and fields. One passes through three or four villages a day that look as they did in the tenth century. There are also major cities such as Pamplona on the route, which are great places to take rest days.
The most amazing aspect about walking the Camino was in meeting people along the way. Most were from Europe, Australia, and Brazil. Although our Spanish was rudimentary, we had no problems communicating. While over 50 percent of the walkers were between ages 30 to 60, many were over 60. The numbers of women, many of whom walked alone, reinforced what I felt about attitude. Most were world travelers with interesting careers. To the Europeans, walking is no big deal; it's an intrinsic part of their lives. And walking the Camino is very safe, partly because the Spanish people believe it is good luck to befriend a pilgrim. We are still in touch with friends we made on this Journey.
An average day on the Camino would see us waking up early, packing our backpacks, putting on our hiking boots, picking up our walking sticks, and being on our way. After walking for a few hours, we'd stop for thick Spanish hot chocolate and a pastry. Later we would lunch on fresh bread and ham to fortify us for the next five miles. We would reach our destination around 4 p.m., having walked between 10 and 15 miles, check into a hotel, and then soak in a tub. Around 8 p.m., the restaurants would open and we would enjoy a typical pilgrim's meal, consisting of three courses and a bottle of wine - all for a special price. After a long day's walk, nothing could have been better. And it was great not to hear the word "diet" for six weeks!
Cara Bertoia is the author of the critically acclaimed Casino Queen, a new suspense novel published by The Wild Rose Press. She has drawn from her years in the casino industry to create a fascinating thriller. It is all true although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. It had been featured at The Big Thrill and Women Writers Women's Books and at many other sites. Read the blurb here.
Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.
Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption.
In the process of rediscovering her inner strength, she learns, you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?
Click the link below to order at Amazon, enjoy your stay at the Night Hawk!
Click the link below to order at Barnes and Noble
Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.
Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL
Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships to buy at Amazon or read as a part of Kindle Unlimited. Cruise Quarters Amazon
