Click on the arrow in the bottom left of the photo below to PLAY VIDEO
The Camino de Santiago ‘Our Way’
A
Twelve of my family and friends are on our own version of the Camino . . . maybe not as physically demanding, but nonetheless fulfilling, and indeed enjoyable!
After gathering in Bilbao, we drive first to the La Rioja region
We walk through wonderful old towns from the Middle Ages . . .. . . across fields . . .
. . . through vineyards . . .
. . . over mountains . . . visiting monasteries
. . . and along World Heritage protected preserved Roman Walls
Santiago Calatrava’s winery, Bodega Ysios, with its undulating roof composed of metal pleated into accordion folds, and the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range as a backdrop. We see this at the end of our first day out walking in the Rioja region.
W
. . . . before reaching the Cathedral of St James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela
Here in Santiago, a special arrangement has been made with the Sisters in the Sacristy for the swinging of the Botafumeiro during the Pilgrims’ Mass, an event usually kept for Holy Days only. This is a highlight and features extensively in the video.
We share some of our experience through images and video clips . . . and some retrospection.
Compostela – ‘the bright star in the field that lead the way to the discovery of the remains of St James the Apostle in the 7th Century.
Tonght, another light from the heavens, the full moon shines on the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where in the crypt the remains of St James lie
Pilgrim’s Passport – La Credencial del Peregrino
M
The experience was further enhanced by having the Head Escort, Pablo Lopez Navarro accompany us throughout our Camino.
We were also fortunate to have my friend, Father Steve Sinn, a Jesuit priest from Sydney, who is currently on a sabbatical after eighteen years in the one parish in Kings Cross join us on “Our Way”. Pablo makes arrangements for Father Steve to say Mass for us in one of the side chapels next to the main altar of the Cathedral in Santiago, and that is one of the very personal experiences on our Camino.
ITINERARY on the Camino:
Commencing in Bilbao on May 25th, 2012 and departing for France from Santiago on June 4th, 2012.
Bilbao Free time to visit the titanium, stone and glass Guggenheim Museum
Day 1- Bilbao – Vitoria – La Rioja
Day 2 – La Rioja, Viana and La Guardia
Day 3 – La Rioja, Navarette and Najerra, and on to San Millan de la Cogolla to visit Suso and Yuso monasteries
Day 4 – La Rioja – Burgos – Santo Domingo de Silos – Leon
Day 5 – Leon and Astorga
Day 6 – Leon, Lugo to Santiago de Compostela
Day 7 – Santiago – Mass with Father Steve in Private Chapel of the Cathedral, and Pilgrims’ Mass with the specially arranged Botafumeiro experience
Day 8 – Santiago – Padron, Cambados, Rias Baixas, Galicia
Day 9 We all fly to Paris and down to the Château in the Loire Valley
P
Semana Santa in Seville 2010 Video
A
CLICK HERE to view
Dear Michael…brilliant pictures and expressions in the Blog.
Glad you are having a great time.
What a open soul is Pablo!! I loved what he said. This is a bit of a gift for me to watch, since I’ve not seen the wider family so long, and the music choices really brought out the mood. xxx Jac and Satya
Satya, It is good to have you part of the family now. The music I used in the soundtrack to the video was pieces that Tony (your father-in-law) played on the piano as a young man. I can remember him playing one of the pieces at a Recital on the stage of the Brisbane City Hall when I was just a boy. Glad you enjoyed. Uncle Michael
Michael,
Your video captured the essence of spirit – is that tautological? – of what it means to “struggle” along a personal journey.
THANK YOU FOR THE EXPERIENCE.
Dear Michael, thank you for the video. I really enjoyed watching you on the way. Phil
Making ‘the way’ in YOUR footsteps
Thanks to you again, Michael, for your readiness to share beautiful things. The video I found most lovely, not least because of the comments from the various folk involved, the last of which I mention above. Bless you all. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Kevin
Absolutely fantastic. Well done Michael.
Michael I can’t thank you enough for sharing this experience so generously – your hallmark really. All who love Steve rejoice too, that he was part of it. I’m 80 next week and I’m still dealing with those words:’Know yourself; be yourself.’ Peace of heart is the reward if you can make them truly your own.
Michael, we are still pinching ourselves – it seems like an amazing dream but it was THE most wonderful experience.
We were speaking about the Camino with an English lady at breakfast one morning and she said “it will change your life”. It truly has done that and the memory of the whole holiday will remain with us forever.
We really appreciate all the work you put into creating this incredible video and holiday.
Thank you so much.
Jennifer and David
Michael this video was superb to watch, having briefly met some of the pilgrims prior to the Camino. It was fantastic to see their views at the end of the journey and what it has meant to them.
Michael, as one of the “pilgrims” lucky enough to enjoy this trip, I agee with all that was said and there was so much more to the experience, and fun and camaraderie than can readily be communicated in such a short timeframe. Some masterful editing has however distilled the “essence”
The shells taht David and Jennifer made for us, really set the scene about “many ways” which we all experienced.
A wonderful ttrip and very much in the “essence of Michael” as it should have been as you have a year of “celebrating” 70. Juanita.
Michael, your video clip was a fitting ending to your amazing journey. All of your pilgrims seemed to come away from the experience with a sense of calm and camaraderie that is almost ‘spiritual’! What fantastic memories of your 70th year you will all now take home and hold in your hearts forever. Well done to the lovely Cher and the rest of the organisation team. May you all continue to travel well.
Fantastic Michael.
Your best production yet! Which is saying something. Interesting subject matter also.
We watched it on the big screen using Boxee.
Hope to see you soon after you return.
Travel safely.
Love from us.
WOW – that building at 1:33> is pretty bloody amazing! So glad you all had time to go to church and witness the world’s largest and most efficient incense distributor – wow! Amazing images and videos Michael, something for the ages, and now eternally archived and stored on the interweb – I will one day show my children this no doubt! – well done . . .
Was the video at 10:55> scripted at all I wonder? Anne did a fantastic job!
🙂
Andrew,
That wonderful architectural creation at 1.33 in the movie is Santiago Calatrava’s winery, Bodega Ysios, with the Cantabrian mountain range as a backdrop. We saw this at the end of our first day out walking in the Rioja region. Ever since Frank Gehry was commissioned to do the now well-known Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (and also our hotel Marques de Riscal in La Rioja which you see at 2.36), architectural ‘statements’ have become ‘the way’ in Spain for cities and companies to make their distinctive mark.
In the Middle Ages when the pilgrims reached Santiago de Compostela at the end of their Camino they would go straight to the Cathedral and walk up behind the altar and hug the statue of St James before attending the Pilgrims’ Mass. Incense belching from the swinging ‘botafumeiro’ during the Mass was another way of dealing with the body odour of the people who had not had the opportunity to bathe for ages. The close-up movie shots of the ‘men in cloaks’ (as Juanita calls them) ‘stoking’ the ‘incense distributor’ were taken on Trevor’s Canon G9 camera. The rest of the movie recording and photography is on my Canon G11, an amazing little sub-SLR camera.
The video was not scripted at all. During that lunch conversation that you see at the start of the movie and hear your mother speaking, I asked everyone to think about what they might like to say at some point. The words recorded over the next week or so are all ‘from the heart’. In the interests of movie length, some good comments were edited. You’ve heard your dad and your aunt Annie “as they felt it”.
I’m glad you see that the movie has some value as a memento of family, for future times. . . ..
Thanks for your comments. Uncle MIchael
Michael. Beautifully put together. You all got something special from it. What’s next?
Dearest Michael,
I have seen this video twice on my own, so pleasant to watch again and again and was very touching to see other priest (Steve) gives his comments about the mass and to express his feeling and thoughts and I liked when he said ‘to know yourself be yourself’.
just like us in Muslim countries when an Iman travels in another country and goes to Friday Prayer and listens to another Iman, he then gives his comments and his expressions about it.
Thank you Michael, traveling with you, getting to know you more.
Michael,
Amazing trip once more !!!
I love the video, it is yes, Spain !!
What was the best of the whole trip?
My dear Michael M:
So many things to say, so many things to be grateful for! I have watched the video many times since arriving back to Miami. I even shared the video with a colleague from work that has done the Camino de Santiago before. I was watching her expression while she was enjoying your beautiful cinematrographic creation. She had tears at the end. Does that make you remember something? Well, I’m going to tell your readers myself.
While we were enjoying the Chateau and the beautiful Loire region you were working very hard putting together this wonderful video… we gave some ideas, we saw your enthusiasm…”can’t wait for the others to see this”,you said many times. After a couple of days of endless editing, music selection, transitions…etc…the magic was revealed. It was late and we had arrivcd at the Chateau after a day of sightseeing and French countryside exploration…”Michael”, you said, “do you have a minute…more likely, do you have 16 minutes so you can see the video…and tell me what you think…and I want you to be honest…you know I can take it”. “Of course”, I replied. But, before watching it, you were preparing me with your choice of background music…La malaguena…another one from Navarro… and then the show started…and you said…”you are the first to watch it” (I felt like royalty!) After being inspired and watching such an amazing compilation of pictures, comments…you looked at me to hear my review. Instead you saw my review…I was in tears the same way as my co-worker…
Great job Michael! Very proud of everyone that completed the Camino and remember “know yourself…be yourself” “Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar…”
Michael…Thanks for being a great host! Ricardo and I miss you a lot. Thanks for sharing that beautiful Chateau with us…
Dear Michael, We love your video and would like you to share it in IneedSpain.com with other Spain Addicts like you. If you think you need Spain too, we invite you to join us and share your best memories and experiences. Regards, IneedSpain.com
Stunning. And the cathedral is exquisite, I love those old looking scenarios, the chateau . . . . That octopus is gross, but I love calamari!!!
I’m going to watch it again on a faster speed internet connection.
Tony and I just watched the video and it looks like you had the most amazing and unique experience.
It was great to get an insight into the time you had together and we are grateful to be invited to share “your way”.
Michael, we are having a month in France, any advice would be greatly received from someone as well travelled as you.
Leila & Tony
Michael, your blogs on our trip to the North of Spain and to the Chateau d’Oyre in France are a wonderful way to tell in an entertaining way what we experienced during those days. I will read them again every time I want to relive those beautiful days. Edmundo.
Dear dear dear Michael and all pilgrims,
What joy to see you and hear you all again…almost like real life! Treasuring sweet memories of the Camino here, and sending hugs and thanks.
Great video.
Pablo
Pablo,
You know full well that we pilgrims 12 are all very grateful for your contribution not only of knowledge and engaging manner, but also for becoming truly involved and one of our family.
I sincerely hope that our paths will cross again in the not too distant future. Do you have any more ‘wonderful’ tour ideas for me?
Abrazos,
Michael
Michael, I’m extraordinarily impressed and envious with your movie, and I’d love to be staying in the wonderful chateau in France as well.
Best regards,
Peter
ive now watched it twice…its great and i really liked most the comment about giving yourself to others
Hi Michael,
Watching the video reminded me of how much I enjoyed the company of my fellow travellers. Thanks for doing it. I think the Musgrave family have special gifts: Mark’s photos were wonderful and Annie’s comments got straight to the heart of things so simply. I’m only sorry I missed Edmundo doing the flamingo – how come that wasn’t in the video? The video reminded me of my father’s slide shows when he and mum would return from overseas and we would all gather in the dining room to watch, Dad on the turnslide. No music in those days but lots of comments! I look forward to catching up,
Best wishes, Steve
Just beautiful, Michael.
Perfect photography, scenery, and chemistry among you all. Just a shame I couldn’t be there with you.
Thanks Michael for sharing this adventure with us all the best.
What an amazing experience for you all Michael, thank you for sharing it. I keenly felt the comments of Pablo that ‘your footsteps are following the ‘way/path’ of life. And you did a wonderful job documenting it.
I visited “the M Chronicles.” It is an outstanding website. I love the tagline, “The importance of elsewhere.” I thoroughly enjoyed the series of vignettes and photos from Uzbekistan.
But, most of all, I liked your series on the Camino de Santiago. It was so authentic. I liked the videos, the interviews, especially the one with your Spanish guide, and the spirit of faith, friendship and “family” that pics and video communicated. You are a world- traveler!
I hope we can get a lunch together in Sydney and talk some more about your projects. Michael, it is rare to know someone who has such a passion for seeing so much of the world and shares it forthrightly and sincerely as you do.
I am excited about revisiting your website. A lot of fun enjoyed reading your itineraries, viewing pictures so intelligently and informatively captioned, and vicariously experiencing the destination with you and your friends.