Traditionally a religious pilgrimage, the “Aragones branch of the French Way” of El Camino de Santiago spans about 530 miles or 850 kilometers from the Pyrenees in Eastern Spain, towards Santiago de Compostela on the western side of the peninsula. This is the path that all walks of humanity have taken for centuries.
Today, people from across the globe convene on this trek, or any of its variations, as a personal goal in their journey to better physical health, or spiritual growth. El Camino also brings the mental benefits of unplugging from daily life, allowing time for peace and self-development. Less understood, but of added benefit, is a chance to feel a genuine connection with nature and other people.
In September 2024, I embarked upon it starting the Aragones path at Canfranc, border with France. The journey combined my love for walking with beautiful scenery, towns, art & architecture, with time for reflection. For me, the El Camino de Santiago journey was a personal changemaker.
This awe-inspiring trip of a lifetime gave me a heightened awareness first, of nature, forcing me to trust myself and my own senses when navigating less traveled portions where the sound of a river, or cowbells became reminders that I was on the right path. From woods, to grazing fields, traversing across agricultural fields. Be it cold, hot, wind, rain, or sunshine I got to experience walking through it all.
In the broader context, I observed how sustainability is inherent in Spain in ways that it is not in the U.S. Sourcing native building materials is part of how they built for centuries: small towns seem to grow out of the ground, the color and hue of the buildings reflecting their context.
Their practice is one of “recycling on steroids.” Centuries-old buildings re-imagined for their use or transformed: churches turned into museums or convents into hotels. Splendid examples of how to celebrate history and culture within the context of our twenty-first century life.
They are far less car-oriented, more mindful of pedestrians and bikes, developing ways to weave their paths along sidewalks and parks. I was able to photograph and capture techniques for how people can move safely, integrate bikes, and disperse parking that we can apply into our practice today.
Art was more prevalent, a tremendous amount of it integrated into civic and religious architecture. One unexpected experience was the presence of music. From travelers singing along the trail, freelance artists on the streets and open plazas, to performances inside buildings. Most without amplification, the sound traveling thanks to the built surfaces around it. Gentle reminder that through our history, music depended on proportions, configuration and materials on walls and ceilings to optimize sound.
To fully ingest the entire experience, I volunteered as an interpreter at a hostel for a couple of days, embracing and learning from the unique myriads of individuals from other cultures who stopped to rest overnight. They got a cup of water as they arrived, a bed, and a chance to gather around the table by contributing to this global “potluck” dinner.
The exchange of food authentic to their culture amongst the Spanish, English, French, Asians, and other cultures painted a scene of humanity coming together at one table that is impossible to recreate. At the end of the evening, people gathered around the world map and placed a pin on their country of origin. It was incredible to see all the places represented by all the people who had visited the hostel through the years.
Traveling and experiencing diverse cultures brings unparalleled perspective and influence in the way we see the world and how we view issues and opportunities along the way. My journey took me from walking alone, to walking with others to moments shared when I felt in their shoes. That is priceless. While I did not tackle the entire 530-plus miles of El Camino, the 150-plus miles traversed by foot over the course of 21 days were life changing and awe inspiring, and I cannot wait to continue unpacking and sharing the lessons learned.