In 2005, a friend handed me a book saying, "Arn, you're adventurous. Have you ever considered walking the 900 years old pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago in Spain? As she asked the question, she handed me a much-used and dog-eared paperback. I never gave it back, but I did walk the Way...several times.
Many of you know I spent most of my career as an intelligence analyst. That said, before I set out on any significant task, I research and plan. My thought is that anything nearly 1,000 years in the making has to be well-chronicled beyond the paperback book I held. I won't list all the books, tapes, and videos I read, listened to, and watched. Some were historical, such as the "Codex Calixtinus," while others were tongue in cheek " I'm off then" by Hape Kerkeling, some credit this book with a marked increase in the number of Germans walking the Camino. The movie "The Way" with Martin Sheen had a similar effect on many English-speaking nations.
So, armed with these resources, I set about finding the most up-to-date information on precisely what the Camino is. I needed to render the various resources to but a few, and they are Mundicamino, Gronze, the Confraternity of St. James (UK), and the Forum.
Now, my answer to the thread is multi-faceted. The Forum is bar-none the best organized, supported, moderated, and populated by folks that come together to do their best to ensure anyone considering or planning to walk the Way receives the latest and up-to-date information available.
If a lurker only scans the FAQ section, they have at their fingertips more accurate, quality insight than they can get from other sources. By registering, they join in a group or individual discussions that reveal the depth of knowledge of veteran pilgrims that talk the talk and walk the walk, often several times.
Ivar remains committed to craft together a resource that takes advantage of the latest software, thus creating a truly interactive platform.
The Moderators, located in countries around the world, provide 24/7 coverage. Coverage is more about getting threads into the proper location than insisting contributors focus on a given area or position on any given topic. Allowing this latitude enables contributors and responders to self-censor rather than wholesale deletion of a thread or reply.
I am most drawn to the Forum by the many pilgrims I've come to know and respect for their first-hand knowledge. And sincere desire to answer questions without becoming impatient responding to the bedbug, poncho vs. rain suit, tenting questions, or condescending when a new member asks what is considered a real pilgrim.
I hesitate to name specific individuals that have influenced my Camino experience. I would rather say that, for someone like me who has gone out of his way NOT to make friends easily, to Ivar, the Mods, new and old pilgrims, I can easily call you friends thanks to making the Forum a vital part of my life.
Buen "Now to that bed bug question!" Camino
Arn
Many of you know I spent most of my career as an intelligence analyst. That said, before I set out on any significant task, I research and plan. My thought is that anything nearly 1,000 years in the making has to be well-chronicled beyond the paperback book I held. I won't list all the books, tapes, and videos I read, listened to, and watched. Some were historical, such as the "Codex Calixtinus," while others were tongue in cheek " I'm off then" by Hape Kerkeling, some credit this book with a marked increase in the number of Germans walking the Camino. The movie "The Way" with Martin Sheen had a similar effect on many English-speaking nations.
So, armed with these resources, I set about finding the most up-to-date information on precisely what the Camino is. I needed to render the various resources to but a few, and they are Mundicamino, Gronze, the Confraternity of St. James (UK), and the Forum.
Now, my answer to the thread is multi-faceted. The Forum is bar-none the best organized, supported, moderated, and populated by folks that come together to do their best to ensure anyone considering or planning to walk the Way receives the latest and up-to-date information available.
If a lurker only scans the FAQ section, they have at their fingertips more accurate, quality insight than they can get from other sources. By registering, they join in a group or individual discussions that reveal the depth of knowledge of veteran pilgrims that talk the talk and walk the walk, often several times.
Ivar remains committed to craft together a resource that takes advantage of the latest software, thus creating a truly interactive platform.
The Moderators, located in countries around the world, provide 24/7 coverage. Coverage is more about getting threads into the proper location than insisting contributors focus on a given area or position on any given topic. Allowing this latitude enables contributors and responders to self-censor rather than wholesale deletion of a thread or reply.
I am most drawn to the Forum by the many pilgrims I've come to know and respect for their first-hand knowledge. And sincere desire to answer questions without becoming impatient responding to the bedbug, poncho vs. rain suit, tenting questions, or condescending when a new member asks what is considered a real pilgrim.
I hesitate to name specific individuals that have influenced my Camino experience. I would rather say that, for someone like me who has gone out of his way NOT to make friends easily, to Ivar, the Mods, new and old pilgrims, I can easily call you friends thanks to making the Forum a vital part of my life.
Buen "Now to that bed bug question!" Camino
Arn
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