Explore the Camino, Spain 18 th - 27 th September, 2018

Transcription

1 WALK WITH US: FOR A NEW REFUGE FOR PILGRIMS OF ALL FAITHS Pilgrimage is at the very heart of our faith The Anglican Centre in Santiago will bring people together, welcoming all for a common good. I offer my congratulations and thanks to the church for this, a global interfaith religious centre, part of the Anglican Communion in Spain. His Grace, Archbishop Justin Welby Explore the Camino, Spain 18 th - 27 th September, 2018 Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar. Pilgrim, there is no way, you make the way as you go. Antonio Machado, Spanish poet and writer who died at the end of the Spanish civil war with a poem in his pocket 1

2 We are about to embark on the Camino de Santiago. Christian pilgrims in the Middle Ages walked this spectacular path to be inspired spiritually for centuries. There are three historic Christian pilgrimage sites in the world: Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela. Anglicans have had pilgrim centers in Jerusalem and Rome for a very long time, but up until this point, nothing has existed in Santiago. Santiago became a destination point for pilgrims because since the 12 th century, the cathedral was said to house the remains of St. James. We are about to follow in the footsteps of these pilgrims. There are many routes to Santiago de Compostela, one of the most popular being the Camino francés, the French Way, which originates in Saint Jean Pied de Port in France. During our trip, we shall be walking stretches of the French Way in Spain, leading us through different landscapes and places of interest to offer a feeling of what the Camino is about, and what it means to pilgrims of the past and present. We start and finish in Madrid with four walking days in between. The first will be a shorter four-mile walk on the first day and 7-9 mile walks on subsequent days. THE ITINERARY Tuesday 18 th September A Madrid Welcome 6.30pm: We begin with a welcome prayer by Rev. Marek under the stained-glass dome of the Rotunda of the Westin Palace Hotel followed by a welcome reception. Before dinner, writer, journalist and historian Giles Tremlett gives us an overview of the history of Spain: he will speak to the country s diversity and contradictions and there will be time for you to ask 2

3 him questions afterwards. We will send you his book Ghosts of Spain before the trip. Particularly, we want to start asking why is it necessary for the Anglican Communion to build a pilgrim welcome center in Santiago. Bishop Don Carlos Lopez Lozano, the bishop of the Spanish Episcopal Church, will be there to greet you and welcome you on your journey together with Father Spencer Reece, his national secretary. Bishop Carlos, Nancy Mead and Father Marek Zabriskie, board members for the Friends of the Camino will accompany you for your entire journey. They will be available to speak to you and answer any questions, along with Joanna Wivell, from Corazon Travel. Your camino begins! Giles Tremlett: Writer of Ghosts of Spain, Catherine of Aragon and Isabelle of Castile, Europe s first great Queen. Giles is a fellow at the London School of Economics and correspondent for The Guardian newspaper in the UK. Giles has lectured at Stanford, MIT and Hofstra in the US and Oxford University in the UK. The Westin Palace Madrid was built as a hotel in 1912 on the site of the Duques de Medinacelli Palace. Over the years, it has accommodated members of the Royal Family, politicians, artists and writers. The hotel is centrally located, across from the Congress building and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum and just minutes walk from the Prado Museum, the literary neighborhood of Huertas and the pretty San Ana square. 3

4 rtyid=79&language=en_us Pilgrimage is at the very heart of our faith Archbishop Justin Welby Wednesday 19 th September The Prado Museum, The Bishop s Blessing and Flamenco 9-10am Morning breakfast presentation, An Introduction to the Camino de Santiago. Father Marek Zabriskie and Nancy Mead will give us an introduction to the history of the Camino. They are both valued members of the Episcopal Church in the United States and have been passionate about the Camino for years. Both believe in their hearts that a pilgrim center supported by the Anglican Communion needs to be established am-12.30pm A guided visit of the Prado Museum, one of the world s most renowned art museums, housing the royal art collection, and today with over 19,000 works of art. We divide into two smaller groups for a more intimate guided visit of the collection highlights with our art historians. We shall see masterpieces including Velázquez s Las Meninas, Van der Weyden s Descent from the Cross, Goya s 3 rd of May of 1808 and Bosch s Garden of Earthly Delights. We board a coach for a panoramic visit of the city finishing at the Restaurante El Espejo for lunch pm Lunch. Restaurante El Espejo on the Recoletas Boulevard is a former haunt of writers and intellectuals. The restaurant itself is a blend of art deco and modernista styles with its mirrors and floral designs pm We take a leisurely 20-minute walk from the Restaurante El Espejo to the Catedral del Redentor, the Episcopal Cathedral, for worship and a blessing by Bishop Carlos Lopez Lozano, the Bishop of the Spanish Episcopal Church. The Bishop will speak about its unique and often 4

5 unknown history. Each guest will receive a pilgrim s bastón or walking stick for the Camino with a scallop shell, the symbol of the Camino itself. We will then celebrate, vespers, Oficio Verspertino, lead by Bishop Carlos, Rvdo. Spencer and Rev. Marek in Spanish. Coach back to the hotel pm Meet in the lobby to board the bus for a private visit of the world s oldest restaurant, Botín founded in 1725, followed by dinner including suckling pig, roasted in the original oven pm Flamenco at Las Carboneras flamenco tablao. A twominute walk from the restaurant to see this improvised Spanish art form. Thursday 20 th September Madrid to Salamanca by way of the walled city of Avila 09.30am We leave Madrid for the 11 th century walled city of Avila, the highest city in Spain, birthplace to the 16 th century mystic and Roman Catholic Saint, Teresa of Avila and to Saint John of the Cross. During our visit, we understand why the work of these two saints was so important in Spain. We take a walk along the city walls, visit the Convent of Saint Teresa and the Basilica of San Vicente, Sabina y Cristeta. 1.45pm Lunch in the Parador de Avila, a 16 th century Palace. The Paradores are comfortable, government run hotels set in historic buildings throughout Spain. They were set up by King Alfonso XIII to promote tourism. After lunch, we drive to the University town of Salamanca. Bishop Carlos shows us the Anglican Center built in 2005 in order for us to gain further understanding of the proposed Anglican Pilgrim 5

6 Center in Santiago de Compostela. Following our visit, we check into our hotel, the converted monastery, Convento San Esteban. In the evening, we take a short walk to the 18 th century main square, the Plaza Mayor, heralded as the finest in Spain and enjoy an informal tapas dinner outside, weather permitting. Friday 21 st September Salamanca to Astorga We take a morning tour on foot of the old center of Salamanca, visiting the Plaza Mayor, the old and new cathedral and the university. We also visit the Dominicos monastery where Columbus met with the Catholic Monarchs for their approval of his planned voyage to the Americas. This tour of Salamanca will be led by the Bishop, who served as an Anglican rector in the city some years ago. After lunch, we board the coach for a 1 hour 45 minute drive to the province of Leon to our first point along the Camino for a 4 mile walk into the town of Astorga where we visit Astorga s Romanesque cathedral and the Episcopal Palace built by Gaudi. We check into our hotel before dinner. The terrain from Burgos to Astorga is known as the meseta, with its long desert-like plains, some say a soulless expanse, before the verdant country ahead. This is often a challenging part spiritually on the pilgrim s journey. Astorga known originally as Asturrica was the main city in northwestern Iberia under the Romans who founded it in 14 BC. Today it is a city of some 12,000 people known for its place on the Camino and also as the European birthplace of chocolate. 8pm Eucharist by Rev. Marek and Bishop Carlos followed by dinner at Restaurante Serrano. Accommodation: Hotel Spa Ciudad de Astorga Saturday 22 nd September 6

7 Today we leave the plains of the meseta and walk through the more verdant area of El Bierzo, its microclimate makes the area a privileged one for growing vines. Aside from its wines, the area is known for its red peppers, tomatoes, figs, chestnuts and good cattlegrazing pastures. Castile & Leon to El Bierzo We begin with breakfast and morning prayer by Father Marek and Bishop Carlos. We start our walk from the village of Cruz Diego and continue to Ambros from where we take a short drive to the pretty Molinaseca village to enjoy lunch before joining the bus to the Palacio de Canedo. Before dinner, our sommelier gives us an introduction and tasting of wines from the regions we cover on our walk through Northern Spain. 8pm Wine tasting and dinner at the Palacio del Canedo Accommodation: Palacio del Canedo Sunday 23 rd September Gateway to Galicia Today we leave El Bierzo behind as we walk from the village of Herrerías into the region of Galicia. We finish our walk at the mountain village of O Ceibreiro, a dwelling dating back to pre-roman times, made up of the traditional thatchroofed palloza houses. 7

8 We begin with breakfast and Eucharist with Father Marek and Bishop Carlos before boarding the bus to our start point on the Camino. The walk today is just five miles but with a steep and rewarding uphill climb. O Ceibreiro is known as the gateway port to Galicia, situated up on a hill and at an elevation of 1,300 metres. We visit the Royal St. Mary s Church which houses the Romanesque chalice donated by the Catholic monarchs following the legendary appearance of the Holy Grail in this village. We have lunch here and board the bus for a journey time of 1 hour 45 minutes, heading west through Galicia to the Botana family estate, A Painza, where we will stay in their renovated cottages. We celebrate our own pilgrim s mass in the hamlet s church followed by an aperitif in the gardens of the family house or pazo where will we be accompanied by musicians and an opera singer from the Conservatorio in Santiago. The gardens have one of the first and largest Eucaliptus trees to arrive in Spain from the Americas. We have a dinner of local meat and other local produce at A Painza s restaurant finishing with a Queimada, a Galician tradition. Accommodation : A Painza Casa Rural. Monday 24 th September Arrival in Santiago de Compostela Today we walk on the path from Arzua to O Pedrouzo for 7 miles. We enjoy the first views of the Cathedral of Santiago before entering the city. For those who would like to, they can also walk the last stretch from the Mount of Joy into the city. 7.30pm Pilgrim s Mass in the Cathedral. We will be staying at the 8

9 Parador in Santiago de Compostela, the Hostal dos Reis Católicos. The Parador is known as the oldest hotel in Spain, built by the Catholic Monarchs as a hospital to cure and save the lives of pilgrims as they arrived in need of medical attention at the end of their long and ardouous pilgrimage. 8.30pm An informal mariscada dinner at a local restaurant known for its shellfish with good meat alternatives. Accommodation: Parador de Santiago de Compostela Tuesday 25 th September Santiago de Compostela and the site for the Anglican center Today we visit the proposed site of the Anglican Pilgrim Center followed by a guided visit of the Cathedral and the neighbouring monastery and seminary of San Martin Pinario. Bishop Carlos accompanied by Father Marek will hold a Eucharist for us in the Cathedral. We will also have the chance to take a rooftop tour of the Cathedral afterwards. Free time for lunch. 8pm Reception and dinner at the Parador overlooking the Plaza Obradoiro and the Cathedral. We will have a question and answer session with Bishop Carlos about the importance of building this center and what it means to the Spanish Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Accommodation: Parador de Santiago de Compostela 9

10 Wednesday 26 th September Retracing our steps and back to Madrid 09.30am We take the train back to Madrid. This five and a half hour journey takes us back through the contrasting landscape of northern Spain. We shall enjoy a picnic lunch on the train, arriving in Madrid at 3pm. 7pm Meditation and Prayer, a Taizé Service lead by Bishop Carlos, with Rvdo. Spencer and Father Marek at the Spanish Episcopal Cathedral. Father Marek will offer the meditation. The Bishop will offer the pilgrim s blessing and stamp our passports. Hotel Urso: We will be staying at the Hotel Urso, a renovated 20 th century Palace in the charming Alonso Martinez neighbourhood, just across from the Episcopal Cathedral. 8pm Our last dinner together in the form of a tapas crawl through Madrid s historic center, visiting a selection of tapas bars known for their local specialties and contrasting ambiance. A true goodbye to Spain. Accommodation: Hotel Urso Thursday 27 th September End of trip 10

11 Price: 5930 dollars. Single supplement: 1130 dollars. This is a 9-night route. The price includes all accommodation in four and five star hotels or similar based on two people sharing. All breakfasts, 9 dinners, 7 lunches, all wine at meals, 2 expert guides for the Camino, tour host, all tours and visits mentioned in the itinerary. Sales tax is also included. Flights, insurance, tips and incidental extras are not included. Your hosts on the Camino Bishop Don Carlos Lopez Lozano is the Episcopal Bishop of Spain, an indigenous national church and proud member of the Anglican Communion. The bishop studied theology at the United Evangelical Theological Seminary in Madrid and recently published an article on the history of the church in Spain with the Sorbonne. He has been the bishop since 1995 and was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Nancy Mead lives in Narragansett, Rhode Island. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with degrees in French and Art. Married to an Episcopal priest for forty-five years, she is the mother of two children and the doting grandmother of four. After two careers in the fashion industry and florist business, Nancy took up trekking at age 50. She has walked four different routes of the El Camino and has walked the Via Francigina from Canterbury to Rome amongst many other routes - over 6000 miles in total. Rvdo. Spencer Reece is the Bishop s national secretary and has served in this capacity for the past three years. Prior to this post, he was a chaplain and teacher at Our Little Roses, the only all-girl orphanage in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He was originally from the Diocese of Southeast Florida under Bishop Leo Frade. He was educated at Wesleyan, Harvard and Yale Berkeley Seminary. The Rev. Marek Zabriskie is the Vice President of the Friends of the Anglican Center in Santiago, Spain and rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, founded in He attended Emory University and the Yale Divinity School and has served churches in Richmond and Nashville. In 2011, he founded The Bible Challenge and the Center for Biblical Studies, which has helped nearly a million Anglicans read 11

12 the entire Bible. He is the author and editor of seven books and has walked 1,000 miles across Spain on two Camino pilgrimages. Originally from Yorkshire, UK, Joanna Wivell has always felt a natural attraction to Spain. She has lived in Madrid for 18 years, where she first worked in television for the lifestyle channel Canal Estilo and then the National Geographic Channel. For the last twelve years, she has been showing visitors Spain with a personal, insider s view through her companies Insider s Madrid and Corazon Travel. Joanna has enjoyed walking on her travels through South America and in Europe. She has a love for flamenco dancing and languages. Joanna has walked a part of the Camino francés and attends the Cathedral s Taizé service. FAQs How much walking will I be doing? Expect to be walking, approximately 6 to 8 miles per day, with a shorter walk into Astorga on our first walking day and a shorter walk on the third day but with an uphill climb. We will also have transport on hand to intercept and pick up those who do not wish to walk the full distance. How will our luggage be transported? We will have a comfortable coach until we get to Santiago de Compostela. The coach will take our luggage to our accommodation each day and will be available to take guests back to the hotel from a convenient meeting point on the route should they want to stop walking earlier. What do I need to bring with me? We will send you a pack list when you register but the most important thing is to bring walking boots you have already broken in, thin layers and breathable clothing for walking. What will the temperature be like? The temperature for our dates this previous September ranged between 51 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit, but this of course may vary for the year to come. We will be starting our walking early in the day when the temperature is cooler. A light Galician rain shower is never too far away so you will see a raincoat on the pack list too! What type of accommodation will I be staying in? Our accommodation is varied in style but mainly comfortable four 12

13 star accommodation on the Camino with five star hotels for our time in Madrid. How will we be travelling through Spain? A comfortable, private coach will drive us to from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela, dropping us off and collecting us between the selected routes we will be walking. We will travel via train from Santiago de Compostela back to Madrid. Who will be leading us? Father Marek Zabriskie and Nancy Mead are keen walkers of the Camino and will be sharing their wisdom and Camino know-how as we walk each day. We will have two Camino guides with us from Leon to Santiago and tour host Joanna Wivell from start to finish of the trip. How do I book the tour? Please fill in the booking form attached with your details and preferences and send it to Joanna Wivell who will confirm your booking and send you details on the payment for the trip. You can her with questions or call her at: info@corozantravel.com or In the Bible we often see Jesus walking with fellow pilgrims and so the prospect of building a centre where pilgrims can be given hospitality is a positive step forward for the church. The Anglican Centre in Santiago will bring people together, welcoming all for a common good. I offer my congratulations and thanks to the church for this, a global interfaith religious centre, part of the Anglican Communion in Spain. 13

14 His Grace, Archbishop Justin Welby 14