Do You Know the Way to the Camino de Santiago?

 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.

2022 was a special year, a Holy Year. Santiago de Compostela celebrates a holy year whenever July 25th, the day of Saint James falls on a Sunday. Although it is a Christian pilgrimage it can be enjoined by anyone because most of the walkers aren't walking for religious reasons. Many historical sites in Spain represent three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Since all three groups have a long history of living in Spain.   

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.
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!

Here is the link to watch:


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?

 

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

Cara Bertoia's first book is Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"
                                                                


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

 







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BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE CASINO INDUSTRY: WRITING CASINO QUEEN


Me in my beautiful garden in Palms Springs!


A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by The Desert Sun. The main theme of their interview and all the articles that have been written about Casino Queen is that this is a story about a strong woman. Here is an excerpt from their review, “Casino Queen” arrives at the perfect time when crime-solving tales that revolve around strong female protagonists aren’t just a luck of a draw. They’re downright successful. (See TV’s "Equalizer" and "Poker Face" for samplers.)

Booksbywomen.org is the online magazine for the Facebook group, Women Writers, Women’s Books. It’s creator Barbara Bos wanted to have a supportive place for women to talk about books and the writing process. I wrote an article for them in which I explained the inspiration for my novel. With their permission I am reprinting it here at my blog. Hope you enjoy it. If you like to write or you like to read be sure to check them out. 

WOMEN WRITERS, WOMEN’S BOOKS

I worked in the casino industry for a long time. As a child watching Ocean’s Eleven, casinos seemed so grown up and glamourous. They were open 24 hours, which made them so alive. On a summer hiatus from teaching school, I drove to Lake Tahoe Nevada and quit my job. I never felt lonely working in the casino. I later worked for Princess Cruises traveling the world as a croupier. I met my Scottish husband on the Star Princess, and when we left ships, we moved to Palm Springs where Native American casinos had just opened. Since we were experienced dealers with connections, juice, we were hired the first day we arrived in town. It was boom time in America, the economy in overdrive, it seemed like the party would last forever.

We were in good company, at the same time thousands of people from all over the world had the same idea and were flocking to the desert to find work. Some of those people had escaped from some of the most oppressive regimes on the planet. Compared to that, handling an unruly gambler probably seemed like a piece of cake. What I admired about my co-workers is that most of them arrived in the United States penniless and worked hard to make their American dream come true. A casino is a multi-cultural environment where every day I learned a lesson about their culture and their stories. I found myself in awe of their resilience. Whether they came from Afghanistan or Communist China, everyone quickly adjusted to life in America. They just got on with it, they didn’t have time for self-pity. 

The characters in my book were familiar to me from my two decades working in the casino industry. Fortunately, my boss was the most charismatic tribal chairman in America. I really loved my employers and my job. People always asked me, “What’s a nice girl like you doing working in a place like this?” Now I can honestly say, “Research.” Through the years I took writing classes to hone my craft. The characters in my head just kept letting me know how they wanted their story told. All the pieces of the story came together in an organic way to capture that special time and place when gaming arrived in Southern California. 

I wanted to tell the story of a strong but relatable woman, because I worked with so many smart independent women. When my main character Caroline Popov loses everything Tribal Chairman John Tovar throws her a lifeline. The other reason I wrote Casino Queen was to give the readers an insider’s look of what really goes on behind the scenes in the gambling industry. I know that I like to learn something when I read a novel, and from the reviews, I know that my readers really love that aspect of the book. I want them to step into Caroline’s shoes and feel like they have a connection with the Shotowa tribe. 

I found the perfect backdrop for Casino Queen in the High Desert of Southern California. A refuge for artists, ex-Marines and desert rats. The brilliant blue sky framed the chocolate mountains in the distance. The rocks at Joshua Tree National Park looked like giant Jenga pieces precariously balanced, ready to fall. Located about an hour from Palm Springs, we loved hiking in the park, an isolated place near the largest Marine base in the world. The Night Hawk casino near that base became the setting for my novel. 

Writing a thriller, is like designing a jigsaw puzzle where every piece has to fit, but it can’t be too obvious. The most challenging scene I wrote was the climax of the book. You know the place in the thriller where the crime and the villain are revealed and the protagonist lays her life on the line. For me it was important to write a realistic novel, one that could actually happen. I also had to tie up all the plot points. But most importantly I wanted the ending to be a surprise and you can tell me if I succeeded once you read Casino Queen. 

What you don’t know reading my novel is that the series was inspired by actual incidents so coincidental that if you put them in a novel, they would sound like a contrivance. We arrived in Palm Springs and got married three weeks later. My husband’s roommate from the cruise ships was the best man at our wedding. Dave, left his job at our casino and moved to Albuquerque to take a job as a shift manager there. Working there he met Julian and encouraged him to move to Palm Springs for greater opportunities. Even though they switched places they couldn’t avoid their fate. They were both murdered under mysterious circumstances. 

The casino industry has been good to me, but I always witnessed corruption just perfect for a thriller. Schemers and thieves operated on both sides of the tables. Millions of dollars passed through the casino every week, casino fleas operated their personal side businesses on the gaming floor, and you never knew who might walk through the door itching for a fight. My hope is that after reading Casino Queen you will walk into a casino more aware of what goes on behind the scenes.

Here is the link to the original article in Women Writers, Women's Books

Behind the Scenes of the Casino Industry

I love interacting with readers. If your book club is interested in reading Casino Queen just email me at carabertoia@yahoo.com. I will provide your group with questions, and I will appear on Facetime, Zoom or WhatsApp to talk at your meeting. I will also answer any questions you have about casinos and gambling. 
 

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?

 

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

Cara Bertoia's first book is Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"
                                                                


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

 


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