TRAVEL
Understanding Visual Art means studying and seeking an understanding of humanity and our environment, both natural and manufactured. No matter how many books you read or pictures you look at, nothing helps you comprehend the plethora of cultures, societies, and habitats like visiting the places and people that make up this world. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to many of those places that I have studied through the years. I am looking forward to learning about and meeting people from an even wider variety of locations.
Camino de Santiago, The Way of St. James, SPAIN
The Camino is a Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela that became popular in the Middle Ages. Thousands of people walk the pilgrimage each year for a variety of reasons; some of which are, but not limited to, spiritual insight, emotional healing, and personal reflection.
I found that the pace of the walk, at times, became a meditative experience, challenging me both mentally and physically. My boyfriend, now husband, and I began the walk in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the South of France. Our first two days walking over the Pyrenees Mountains brought torrential rainfall, thunder and lightning, and gusts of wind that ripped the hood right off my poncho. We were drenched by the rain then blown dry by the wind like a carwash over and over again. As we reached the peak of the mountain it was as if the whole sky opened up with thunder roaring, and lightning striking through the sky. I wondered if it was an ominous warning for me to turn around, that I wasn’t meant to be there. Perhaps I wasn’t worthy. Though raised as a Roman Catholic, I have not been a practicing Catholic in years. I am continually seeking spiritual insight, and have an innate curiosity of religion, but maybe that wasn’t enough. Then I thought, it’s just the weather, I’m going to keep walking. Those first two days, though challenging, took us to some of the most beautiful overlooks that I have ever seen. The days and weeks following brought hotter and hotter cloudless weather reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. At times it was grueling, yet we kept walking . . . and walking. We walked over hills and mountains, through nearly abandoned historic villages, through cities, along roadways and farms, finding our way to the Atlantic Ocean on the opposite side of Spain, ending in Cape Finisterre, once thought of as the end of the world. Along the way, we met people from across the globe, each with a different story. This was a challenging experience, but one I wouldn’t change.
I found that the pace of the walk, at times, became a meditative experience, challenging me both mentally and physically. My boyfriend, now husband, and I began the walk in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the South of France. Our first two days walking over the Pyrenees Mountains brought torrential rainfall, thunder and lightning, and gusts of wind that ripped the hood right off my poncho. We were drenched by the rain then blown dry by the wind like a carwash over and over again. As we reached the peak of the mountain it was as if the whole sky opened up with thunder roaring, and lightning striking through the sky. I wondered if it was an ominous warning for me to turn around, that I wasn’t meant to be there. Perhaps I wasn’t worthy. Though raised as a Roman Catholic, I have not been a practicing Catholic in years. I am continually seeking spiritual insight, and have an innate curiosity of religion, but maybe that wasn’t enough. Then I thought, it’s just the weather, I’m going to keep walking. Those first two days, though challenging, took us to some of the most beautiful overlooks that I have ever seen. The days and weeks following brought hotter and hotter cloudless weather reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. At times it was grueling, yet we kept walking . . . and walking. We walked over hills and mountains, through nearly abandoned historic villages, through cities, along roadways and farms, finding our way to the Atlantic Ocean on the opposite side of Spain, ending in Cape Finisterre, once thought of as the end of the world. Along the way, we met people from across the globe, each with a different story. This was a challenging experience, but one I wouldn’t change.
The walk
Crosses of the camino |
Doors on the Camino |
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