Ladies, would love to hear your Camino Stories

[Krudberg]

Looking for stories about the Camino de Santiago from the point of view of women. I walked from Arles, France to Bayonne and then along the Spanish Coast in 2013. Would love to hear about your experiences. If you have any questions, please contact me by PM

 

[C clearly]

Looking for stories about the Camino de Santiago from the point of view of women.

Probably 50% of the posts on the forum are written by women and roughly 50% of those who walk the Camino now are women (that depends on the route, and is a change from years past). Are you asking about safety, harassment, leaving the mother role, privacy, or something else? Just as the camino embaces all ages, I think it embaces all genders. Pilgrims can abandon stereotypes and view each other as individuals on a journey with a common destination.

 

[Theatregal]

Hello @Krudberg. Curious about why you are seeking stories from the point of view of women? As this thread was started in 'Announcements', is it because you are planning a book and will use these stories?

 

[m108]

I started to walk, walked, finished. In the meantime, enjoyed it. I did not feel that it was something different because I am a woman. I think that this is largely a journey of the soul, I do not know if it has gender

 

[mspath]

Here are two earlier French references re women both regal or not following the camino ie le chemin de Saint Jacques during earlier centuries.

http://www.saint-jacques.info/reines.html

http://www.saint-jacques.info/femmes.htm

 

[Krudberg]

Probably 50% of the posts on the forum are written by women and roughly 50% of those who walk the Camino now are women (that depends on the route, and is a change from years past). Are you asking about safety, harassment, leaving the mother role, privacy, or something else? Just as the camino embaces all ages, I think it embaces all genders. Pilgrims can abandon stereotypes and view each other as individuals on a journey with a common destination.

Thank you so much for your questions! I'm actually asking about experience, revelation, epiphany, exhaustion, the reality of walking. When I walked I was alone the entire time which brought with it some interesting interactions. Truly I'm wanting to hear about the journey, interior or exterior. It's not meant to be exclusionary or offensive, this is just what I am interested in hearing about right now. I appreciate your comments!!

 

[Krudberg]

Here are two earlier French references re women both regal or not following the camino ie le chemin de Saint Jacques during earlier centuries.

http://www.saint-jacques.info/reines.html

http://www.saint-jacques.info/femmes.htm

This is so wonderful, thank you so much!!!

 

[Krudberg]

I started to walk, walked, finished. In the meantime, enjoyed it. I did not feel that it was something different because I am a woman. I think that this is largely a journey of the soul, I do not know if it has gender

Thank you for your response!! Appreciate it!

 

[Krudberg]

Hello @Krudberg. Curious about why you are seeking stories from the point of view of women? As this thread was started in 'Announcements', is it because you are planning a book and will use these stories?

Actually, I was a bit at sea as to which location I should put the inquiry. First, I love stories, and since I walked as a woman alone my experience was very different from others, especially groups or men. I also walked in a year that France had the worst weather in 90 years so I was very, very alone most of the time. I find the entire Camino journey, from soup to nuts, to be interesting. It is so fabulous to hear how/why people choose to walk as well as what they learn/absorb from the journey. It's not meant to be exclusionary or to imply women are better than men, I just think their filters are different. Also, interestingly enough, pretty much everyone I met was secular and didn't believe in God. That is a curious development I think. I'll probably want to investigate it further. At any rate, my plans thus far are to create a stage play about stories, much like The Vagina Monologues to encourage women to take risks, do big things, etc. Not sure if you are aware but Eve Ensler has made it free to use her play to help NPO's make money. I would like to do much of the same thing, but for churches and other groups. So, no money in it for me, truly an altruistic endeavor. Plus, I just love stories!

 

[mspath]

On every camino there have been stretches which seemed to be in another world. Past were the hoards of camera-clicking tourists and/or pilgrims as well as any urbane atmosphere with a bar at every corner. All was reduced to simple basics; I was alone on a seemingly endless gravel path beneath the vast dome of an immense sky. The only sound was the companionable crunch of my boots and perhaps distant birdsong.

Happily while tramping along and alone I often sensed that special moment when everything 'clicked' realizing that this was, indeed, MY way and that all was and would be good. ...Perhaps such secular transcendence felt while walking might be akin to what runners call 'the zone'. Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. Thus, thankfully you continue....As now do the memories.

 

[trecile]

Thank you so much for your questions! I'm actually asking about experience, revelation, epiphany, exhaustion, the reality of walking. When I walked I was alone the entire time which brought with it some interesting interactions. Truly I'm wanting to hear about the journey, interior or exterior. It's not meant to be exclusionary or offensive, this is just what I am interested in hearing about right now. I appreciate your comments!!

If you just spend time perusing this forum you'll find lots of women have already written about their experiences. Many also link to their blogs. You may also want to join the Camigas group on Facebook which is for women who have walked or are interested in the Camino.

 

[Debora]

On every camino there have been stretches which seemed to be in another world. Past were the hoards of camera-clicking tourists and/or pilgrims as well as any urbane atmosphere with a bar at every corner. All was reduced to simple basics; I was alone on a seemingly endless gravel path beneath the vast dome of an immense sky. The only sound was the companionable crunch of my boots and perhaps distant birdsong.

Happily while tramping along and alone I often sensed that special moment when everything 'clicked' realizing that this was, indeed, MY way and that all was and would be good. ...Perhaps such secular transcendence felt while walking might be akin to what runners call 'the zone'. Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. Thus, thankfully you continue....As now do the memories.

Wow...I can't believe how many times you've walked the Camino. Were they all the Francis? That's awesome.

 

[mspath]

Wow...I can't believe how many times you've walked the Camino. Were they all the Francis? That's awesome.

Yes, I have indeed walked the CF from SJPdP to SdC 10 times! You can read my comments re these adventures in my Camino Gazetteer.

Good luck with your plans and Buen camino!

 

[Krudberg]

If you just spend time perusing this forum you'll find lots of women have already written about their experiences. Many also link to their blogs. You may also want to join the Camigas group on Facebook which is for women who have walked or are interested in the Camino.

Thank you so much!!! I appreciate it!

 

[Krudberg]

Yes, I have indeed walked the CF from SJPdP to SdC 10 times! You can read my comments re these adventures in my Camino Gazetteer.

Good luck with your plans and Buen camino!

Holy cow, how amazing!! Cannot wait to read about your adventures!! Love it!

 

[Krudberg]

On every camino there have been stretches which seemed to be in another world. Past were the hoards of camera-clicking tourists and/or pilgrims as well as any urbane atmosphere with a bar at every corner. All was reduced to simple basics; I was alone on a seemingly endless gravel path beneath the vast dome of an immense sky. The only sound was the companionable crunch of my boots and perhaps distant birdsong.

Happily while tramping along and alone I often sensed that special moment when everything 'clicked' realizing that this was, indeed, MY way and that all was and would be good. ...Perhaps such secular transcendence felt while walking might be akin to what runners call 'the zone'. Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. Thus, thankfully you continue....As now do the memories.

LOVELY!!!!

 

[Theatregal]

Actually, I was a bit at sea as to which location I should put the inquiry. First, I love stories, and since I walked as a woman alone my experience was very different from others, especially groups or men. I also walked in a year that France had the worst weather in 90 years so I was very, very alone most of the time. I find the entire Camino journey, from soup to nuts, to be interesting. It is so fabulous to hear how/why people choose to walk as well as what they learn/absorb from the journey. It's not meant to be exclusionary or to imply women are better than men, I just think their filters are different. Also, interestingly enough, pretty much everyone I met was secular and didn't believe in God. That is a curious development I think. I'll probably want to investigate it further. At any rate, my plans thus far are to create a stage play about stories, much like The Vagina Monologues to encourage women to take risks, do big things, etc. Not sure if you are aware but Eve Ensler has made it free to use her play to help NPO's make money. I would like to do much of the same thing, but for churches and other groups. So, no money in it for me, truly an altruistic endeavor. Plus, I just love stories!

Thank you for your reply. Wishing you all the best with your project as it develops.

 

[Vivianne Flintoff]

Looking for stories about the Camino de Santiago from the point of view of women. I walked from Arles, France to Bayonne and then along the Spanish Coast in 2013. Would love to hear about your experiences. If you have any questions, please contact me by PM

I think a play about women walking the Camino could be fun. It seems we all have as many reasons for walking as there are women who walk. My reasons for walking were multi-facetted and I learnt that my acknowledged reasons were not necessarily the most urgent of my hopes. By the end of my Camino, I had learned what some of my up-until-then unacknowledged reasons for walking were. That sounds a bit convoluted. I find it hard to 'know myself' sometimes.
all the best with the play