Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Guest]

Can anyone recommend a good book (not a guide) on the history and other subjects related to the Camino Aragones? Thanks, xm

[sillydoll]

Linda Davdison's book "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago" starts at Somport. Besides the history, it covers the folklore, saints' lives the art, architecture, geology, fauna and flora.
There might be others in Spanish - or even perhaps French?

[Guest]

Thanks to ur feedback, Sil, and the recommendation of Spanish friends, I've ordered it via amazon, its on its way. BTW, Davidson is with the US Asociacion, no? I believe am in it and that she's the president? After a while I get asociaciones mixed up like names of town/places on the Caminos Best, xm

[sillydoll]

Last I heard she was no longer involved and has donated most of her books to the American Pilgrims on the Camino.

[Guest]

Some other caminos, roads, etc, via the Pyrenees:

Portalet, Palo, Camino de Benasque (where 3 diff hospitals were constructed through history, indicating its importance), Bujaruelo via the Puerto de España, Brecha de Rolando, Pineta to Biescas.

3 meet at Ainsa: one comes on the right,the left one is now a tunnel.

There's another one that comes from Lourdes via Bujaruelo. It has has thwo roads: via Monegros on to Zaragoza, and from there by the R. Ebro to Logroño.

There is another road, parallel to the Pyrenees, that reaches Sabiñanigo, leading ultimately to Jaca by way of another one, Benasque.

There are other caminos, like the Puerto del Palo.

And then half a dozen minor ones.

These names were pilgrim, cyber, contributions.

From this we may conclude that there were in fact many caminos to Compostela through the ages, via the Pyrenees, not just through Roncesvaux & Somport.

Best,

Xm

[Eleanor]

Hello everybody,
That book by Linda Davdison's book "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago" that Sil recommends sounds interesting. Too late for me to read before I go today at 2 in afternoon. Will be at Somport sometime on Tues. all going well. Am interested in Puerto del Palo too. Check out Peter Robbins site under 'historical data' I think. Havn't time to look it up for you.

Thanks again to all who helped me. I loved using the forum and will try to keep in touch while I am walking.

Ultreya,
Eleanor

[Guest]

Buen Camino , peregrina Eleanor Abrazos, xm

[sillydoll]

Here is a special pilgrimage prayer for you dear Eleanor.

In health may I and all of my companions
Safely arrive with no harm or injury –
May my boat be safe in the waves of the ocean,
My horses safe on the highways of the earth,
Our money safe as we carry it with us
To pay due heed to our poor necessities.
May our enemies fail to do harm to us,
However evil the counsels which inspire them,
In the eternal name of Christ our Master,
May my roads all lie plain before me,
Whether I climb the rugged heights of mountains,
Or descend the hollow depths of valleys,
Or trudge the lengthy roads on open country,
Or struggle through the thickets of dense forest:
May I walk always in straight ways and shining
To longed-for places . . .”

516 – 570 St Gildas


(Gildas is thought to have been a Welsh monk. His diatribe against the rulers of Britain - De Excidio Britannia - has shaped our knowledge about the Roman departure from Britain.)