On the Camino

According to some stories the hand of Saint James somehow became separated from his body and in 640 was being stored by the Bishop of Torcello of Venice before being a part of the collection of the German Imperial chapel in 1072.  In 1133 it was given to Reading Abbey’s founder by Henry I (or possibly the daughter of Henry I Matilda who was the widow of Henry V Emperor of Germany [Emperor Frederick Barbarossa did ask for the hand’s return but was politely refused and sent many gifts in return]). The hand is why the symbol of Reading Abbey had upon it three scallop shells. The symbol of Reading Abbey (from http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3/pp336-342 ) The same Scallop shells appear on many coats of arms associated with Reading including for the University there.

In 2015 more men than women walked the Camino (information from http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/pilgrims-office/statistics/?anio=2015&mes =) by 15, 399

For anyone who doesn't know the Victoria and Albert museum in London has a copy of the Portico de Gloria which can be seen a lot more easily than the original in the Cathedral of Santiago (especially with all of the work going on around it at the moment). This was cast in 1866 by Domenico Brucciani   and was apparently a complicated enterprise involving long negotiations with Church authorities and then a sea voyage to England which was beset by storms and then the structure had to be fumigated against cholera. It's held in the Cast Courts which can be found by walking to the entrance, going to stand in front of the shop then turning right and walking right down the corridor where you'll find the Cast Courts on the left (there are two: one for Italy and one for Europe, it's the second of these that you want and just walk all the way to the back). You can also go two floors up and look over the Portico from one of the museum's balconies (Victoria and Al...

The Camino Ingles is the shortest of the Caminos at 120km from Ferrol on the Coast (where ships of Pilgrims mainly from England, hence this Way's name, but also from Scandinavia would land). Image taken from http://www.pilgrimagetraveler.com/camino-ingles.html

I remember the first time that I saw the Easter parades in Spain whilst on Camino I did not know much about them so here is everything I have been able to find out (I know that I post this every year but the link to the dates and times of the parades in Santiago are included). In Spain the Easter processions are organized by 'Co-fradias' or 'The Brotherhoods' and the floats that they carry are called 'tronos'. The people who carry them are called 'Costaleros' (a ' costal' being the small cushion often used to stop the tronos causing sores when being carried - the tronos can weigh up to 6 tons!). A parade in Astorga in 2015

The Northern Way (or Camino del Norte) follows the northern coastline of Spain starting either in the Basque city of San Sebastian (Donosti in Basque) or in from the French border at Irun hugging the Bay of Biscay passing through Guernica, Bilbao, Santander, Llanes before going under the Picos de Europa and then heading along the coast into Galicia and Santiago. Image taken from http://www.theroadtosantiago.com/camino-del-norte-map--additional-information.html

The Pilgrim Office in Santiago releases information about those who have received their Compostella each year at http://peregrinossantiago.es/eng/pilgrims-office/statistics/?anio=2015&mes =. For Pilgrim ages they broadly define the Pilgrim into under 30s, 30-60 and over 60. From these most people who walk are 30-60 years old.

The Camino Primitivo (or the Original Way) is reportedly the very first Camino Way to Santiago in the 9 th century when most of Spain was under the control of the Moors and it runs from near the city of Ovideo in Asturias as it starts in Villavicosa (which also lies on the Camino Norte so many people follow this Way from   Basque city of San Sebastian (Donosti in Basque) or in from the French border at Irun ( this route then hugs the Bay of Biscay passing through Guernica, Bilbao, Santander, Llanes before going under the Picos de Europa and then heads along the coast to Ovideo) before branching off onto the Primitivo which goes across the mountains and through the city of Lugo before joining the Frances at Melide. The route is 320km long. Image taken from https://viaalpina2013.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/camino-del-norte-camino-primitivo/