I discovered this last night. Watched the entire video from start to finish today. It is difficult to find the words to describe what I felt during the film. It is part catharsis, part inspiring, part what dreams are made of. Wow. Thank you for sharing this journey.
if that’s not a beautiful compliment, I don’t know what is! 🤩 thank you so much… and i’m very happy to read that my Camino movie spoke to you in this deep way ☀️
@@storiestellr It was a pleasure to watch it, to get a glimpse of what your Camino was. I have not yet experienced it for myself and so the film has a profound effect on me :)
Hi - this was, by far, the most influential video I’ve seen to date to inspire a trip to the Camino. I have been planning a trip to the Camino in April/May 2025, because it has been “calling me” for a while now (already inspired). However, my husband watched many videos with me, but he refused to come with me because “it just didn’t grab him.” I therefore have planned the trip with my son. Then he watched your video. He loved the authenticity; the industrial shots; the scenery snaps; and your philosophical insights. He now has done a complete 360* turn and wants to join us. He said your videos were so different to all the others; causing him to have see from your unique perspective. Thank you so much. There will now be three of us going.
wow, this is *so* great to read… thank you so much for your feedback. Sometimes, making these little movies seems like screaming into the void - but when I read comments like yours, I know that people are actually listening, and that feels great. I’m so happy to hear that the three of you will now be going! You’ll love it 😊 - buen camino! ☀️
We just came back, only walked from Sarria as a trial to test our endurance level. It took me a long time to convince my husband to do it with me, the moment he agreed I immediately booked the flight to Madrid so he can’t change his mind. Now that we completed it, he loved the experience so much and said we will be going back to complete the whole Camino Frances
Thank you for this beautiful and thoughtful video. At 62 years old, I will finally get to do my Camino beginning 12 March, 2025. Twenty years ago, I was nearly, completely bedridden with several forms of rheumatoid and osteo arthritis. They told me I would never get better, only worse. My dreams of the Camino were gone but, I fought for my health and am ambulatory, now. Trying to go off season to avoid the tourists and hopefully, enjoy a more quiet experience. Turning the sacred Camino De Santiago into a "Disneyland" experience for tourists seems terribly profane, to me and something to be avoided. My journey will begin in Ponferrada, ending in Cabo Finesterre, going at my own pace. Just so thankful to be able to have the opportunity and for people, like you, who provide such graceful content.
hi Alexandra, if you knew how much pleasure I get out of reading comments like yours, You would have big smile on your face right now 😊 The resilience you have in order to finally walk the Camino is amazing, and in spite (or because of) the hardships, it will undoubtedly present, I’m sure you will love it. just make sure to bring sufficient cold-weather gear. and please follow up once you have walked it. buen camino! ☀️
Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina. I absolutely love your video. I began my journey through the Camino Frances in late March and completed a wonderful experience on the 26th of April. You have highlighted the Camino through a very special lens. A lens that is sometimes overlooked because you might be in a rush. I totally felt your pain when you got stuck in Leon. I rushed myself to the hospital in Logroño due to a severely bad foot infection on both my big toes and at the hospital they had to drill through my toe nails to extract the infections out. I was told to give myself a rest and I did, but needed to keep going. I marvel at the wonderful places you have visited and there are some places that I don't recall and would definitely love to visit the next time around. The one place however, that you mentioned with so much care was Casa Cantadora. I will never forget this place. I jumped into the river on April 19th and there were only 2 others as adventurous as I was, to plunge into the icy waters. It was so refreshing. I met Knut and you are right, he has dedicated his life to being a great hospitalero. I will forever cherish the great memories I made, the wonderful people that carried me along the way, the absolutely beautiful landscape, the food and drinks, the spiritual connection I had and most important, I recognize that the human body is capable of so much. I was able to celebrate my 50th birthday in Spain! Thanks so much for your great introspection and keep the videos coming. Saludos.
hi, yes, isn’t Casa Cantadora a great place? I love it. I’m not sure I would have dared to go into the cold water in April, as you did, but I am hoping that I would have. Knut is a force of nature. It’s amazing how our bodies get into these painful states, and yet, we carry on, because that’s what you do, on the Camino… and how our experiences were similar in that regard! Thank you so much for your kind comment, I’m glad you saw your Camino represented in the way I filmed and narrated it. I’ve been to Lexington, NC a few times! :) buen camino! ☀️ !
I look forward to viewing it all. I so enjoyed your live video-blog as you walked and suffered your Camino. I really felt I was traveling with you. Buen Camino.
Superb! The best Camino video ever made. You speak everything I have thought. Thank you for your thoughts, insights, and contemplations. Your knee injury brought you to a higher plane. We are so grateful for this. This one video deserves multiple viewings. Thank you.
😃 that’s some high praise, thank you very much! 😎 I’m very glad to hear my thoughts are resonating with you… enjoy watching it again! 👌🏼 buen camino! ☀️
I'm so excited for your new video! I have recently watched all your other videos on your Camino journey and I loved them. I have been waiting in anticipation for this one. I have been wanting to do the Camino for many years but it has never been the right time but I'm really hoping to go next year. I really enjoy how you capture the essence of the Camino. My coffee is ready and I'm about to start this new video😃
thank you so much Cathy! This is very flattering to hear… but even better is the idea that you’ll actually be waking yourself! At least, you might. I hope you’ll find the time - i’m sure you’ll love it… buen camino! ☀️
I have really enjoyed your videos about the Camino, especially this one. In the mornings while I drink my coffee I watch a part of your video. It is very nice to listen to your story with that calm voice and your reflections make me feel very identified with situations like the importance of appearing in front of the camera and the feeling of vanity. I understand it perfectly, I also struggle with that feeling but I think it is important to put a face to it and I feel that it does add value. I also really liked your reflection on carrying your backpack and the feeling of nakedness or how unfair it is in front of other pilgrims. It is like hearing my thoughts in many moments of your Camino. I received the call to do the Camino a couple of months ago out of the blue, it just happened and I can't stop thinking about this. That's how I came across your video and many others. I hope in a few years to do the primitive Camino, I am from Chile in South America it is very far but I think there is some reason for this call so I look forward to the day I can fulfill it. Thank you very much for recording your Camino, you have done a wonderful job, it has helped me a lot. A big hug and Buen Camino...
Wow, thank you so much for your message! It warms my heart to hear that my videos have resonated with you so deeply. I'm especially touched that you've made watching them part of your morning routine - what a wonderful way to start the day! And you're absolutely right - putting a face to our stories does add value, even if it feels uncomfortable at times. Your connection to the backpack analogy and the sense of "nakedness" on the Camino is spot on. I catch a lot of flak on that topic, but so be it. I'm thrilled to hear that you've received the call to walk the Camino! It's fascinating how it can come out of the blue like that. It did for me, too. Even though Chile is far, when the Camino calls, it's hard to ignore. I have no doubt that when the time is right, you'll find your way there. Thank you for your kind words about my work. Knowing that it has helped you means the world to me. That's exactly why I do this. Wishing you all the best on your Camino journey, whenever it may happen. Buen Camino, right back at you from Germany!
So beautiful. Thank-you. I have longed to do the Camino. The focal point to your film was the isolated wispy high clouds of fair weather juxtaposed against a cloud that produced a cold precipitation, ice crystals, and the concern of electrical fields producing lightning. It would serve me well to know the many cloud types before setting out. The poppies, just looking at them, induced a drowsiness and a dream. Poppies a symbol of remembrance. The creatures were very dear. Maybe we are not seeking meaning for life. Maybe we are seeking the experience of being alive. Disconnected from everything, as you said. In watching your film I felt that rapture of being alive.
I'm so enjoying my daily dose of this video and your journey .I watch a little each day so it's not over too soon😂. I love the way you are taking it slower and I love the way you take time to just be in nature and the way you capture all the animals along the way and to just take time to listen to the wind. It really speaks to my soul. I'm craving to be back in nature again! I'm enjoying the way you just tell the story as it is in the moment. I feel like I am on the walk with you. Thank you for making this wonderful video.
dear Cathy, that’s so nice of you to say! ☀️ as the creator this feels like receiving an Academy award - because this is the kind of feedback that I love to hear from viewers. I want my videos to resonate in exactly this way. Ended vindicates my approach of making these videos while actually walking. I really do think that especially the sound and narration recorded on the spot make the entire experience for the viewer much more immediate. So thanks! 🙏
This film is a work of art. Next week I am going for a pilegrimage in the south west of Norway. I will be completely alone on the road doing so. After finding this film I feel that I have company, someone to mirror the thoughts with, reminding me of what I am doing. Thank you for sharing.
I have walked the Camino eight times. Three different routes, eight times. I was over fifty years old the first time I walked it. Obviously, I love walking it and, in that sense, it changed my life, but it isn't very austere, and it will only "break you" if you walk it in poor physical condition. All the spirituality and meditative stuff aside, you have to get in shape before you walk it and to walk it within your limitations. As far as mentally challenging, again it's only mentally challenging if you are in poor physical condition to walk it. Otherwise, it's just walking. Long walks between towns and cities in Spain. No overnight camping outdoors and you don't have to carry food for several days in your pack and at the end of every walking day there is a bed, a bathroom and shower and a hot meal and for me a cold beer. If you don't dig the communal living thing in Albergue's you can always book private accommodations. There are hotels, Pensiones etc. in every major city and town.
yes i agree… it didn’t ‘break’ me, either. i just had a few very rough days (& it made for a good thumbnail catchphrase 🤪). Agree with your points. thanks!
I did my third Frances this past Spring also. I was a day or so ahead of you. I totally agree with your sentiments about the crowds and the incessant chatter. It was hard to find a moment of peace. I tried leaving earlier and then later to no avail. I don't mind meeting people and chatting some times, but there are times when I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts or to embrace and enjoy the sounds of nature. I found it hard to do. I was so very tempted to leave and return home. So very different from my first in 2018. My paln is to return next year. However, if I find it the same, I will switch to another less traveled route. I've watched all of your videos. Well done. Judith
Thanks for sharing your experience! I totally get what you mean about the constant chatter - its definitely a different vibe from just a few years ago. I found myself walking off-rhythm just to walk in peace for a couple hours, and those moments became really precious. Maybe we should start a "silent Camino" movement haha! If youre looking for quieter alternatives, I've heard amazing things about the Primitivo. buen camino! ☀
Congratulations (again) on completing another Camino. After watching your second Comino, I was amazed you had no issues with your feet or legs like so many other pilgrims experience. And not that I wanted to see you struggle, I had the thought with regard to your struggles that you are older; your body is older and you need to better prepare for your next Camino! I loved some of your philosophical thoughts, especially silence is not the absence of noise, just man-made noise. You had a lot of clips of cows and running streams/rivers. I'm not sure what they are telling us (haha). But I live vicariously through your Camino and other similar videos. I realized that I may never make my own Camino to Santiago de Compostela, but I am on a religious journey discerning becoming a Catholic deacon. As part of this, I am taking a philosophy class, and your thoughts are similar to mine in searching for the ultimate answer of one's life. My journey is just the day-to-day grind of work, family, school, and church. But it is what it is, and like your favorite phrase from your 2nd Camino, the future's uncertain, and the end is always near (Jim Morrison), so we need to just make the most out of it each day. God Bless. Looking forward to your next trip.
Hello again Dave, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I truly appreciate your kind words and insights. It’s always a joy to hear how my journey resonates with others, especially those like you who are on their own meaningful paths. Preparation is indeed key, and I’ve learned that listening to my body is just as important as the physical training (or, in this case, lack thereof). I’m thrilled that you connected with my philosophical musings, particularly about silence. It’s fascinating how nature can speak volumes without uttering a single word, isn’t it? The cows and rivers are just bits of the simple beauty around us... Your journey toward becoming a Catholic deacon sounds like an interesting journey! And maybe you'll eventually make the Camino Journey yourself some day, after all... buen camino! ☀
By far the most beautiful and inspiring video about walking the Camino I've seen. I have wanted to do the Camino for years and hope to walk the way very soon, so you've provided a moving glimpse into the pilgrim journey. Thank you.
@@storiestellr have just returned from Spain after 3 months, did 1 700lm,5 Caminos , Your summary at the end is Profound, Special and You are very Gifted with Words, Love the Way You say it as it Is
Clive, thank you, that's a kind thing to say! I'm glad to hear that as someone who just did a 1700 km Camino, my thoughts at the end resonated with you in the way they did! I Can't imagine what a state of mind one is in after that distance... I mean, I can, but.. it must be quite deep.
Never been on such a high/altitude in my Life, but i does come with the Freedom Blues from walking a Camino,, I hope you share You thoughts once You have settled down at Home. Must be homiest the Only thing keeping me going, is Planning for Next Years Walk, either VLP or De Norte , we will see or both lol
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your thoughtful commentary. My wife and I were a week ahead of you (4/27/24-6/5/24) walking the Camino Francis this past Spring and have so many memories and stories that we regularly talk about. My thoughts and experience were very similar to yours as I caught the Norovirus in Villafranca del Birezo and could only taxi ahead for three days :(. We also had an extremely difficult journey over the Pyrenees with high winds, driving rain and sleet on that first day! I could not agree more on your thoughts of carrying your backpack to have the true pilgrim experience along with the difficulty of the tourist element from Sarria to Santiago. We are missing our experience and the people we met very much and plan on another Camino (maybe the Portuguese?) in the future. I appreciate the effort, time and insight you have put into the videos and it takes me back to that joyful journey where we felt as if we were riding the crest of a wave of happiness even through the physical difficulties! Thanks again-Hugh!
Hugh, “we felt as if we were riding the crest of a wave of happiness despite the physical difficulties”: that’s beautifully put, and maybe you let me use that phrasing in the future - because I love it. It pretty much nails the experience. We share so many things, even a nasty virus! thank you for your thoughts, and maybe we’ll bump into each other on the next one… buen camino! ☀️
I, actually, like your approach and narrative…a fresh intake. Can not cope with any more videos of people showing their accommodations and food choices. Thank you!
I want to walk this route myself. I'm interested why you want to walk the same route 3 times ?. I just finished the Portuguese camino and last year walked the short camino Ingles and they were both amazing in their own ways. I will plan this route when I can take the time away for so long. To me & many others, camino is pure meditation.
good question, one to which I don't really have an answer to... to me, the Frances is in such a sweet spot of duration, landscape variety, and number of people you meet, that it seems to hit a certain spot that vibes with me... I hope you find the time! I need to check out the others, too. buen camino! ☀
Dankjewel, voor het late naar bed gaan gisteren (ruim 3 uur gekeken) en het vroege opstaan vandaag (weer een stukje kijken). Ik moest werken vanmorgen en eenmaal thuis gelijk weer op play gedrukt. Het eind van jouw verhaal bereikt nu. Ik heb de Portugese route 3 keer gelopen, 1x vanaf Lissabon (in mei) en 2x vanaf Porto (beide keren in december en januari). Door naar Muxia en naar Finisterre. Op mijn verlanglijstje staat 'de weg vanaf huis'. Ongeveer 2300 km. Ik mag bijna met pensioen en ik kan haast niet wachten.. Hele fijne film, mooi gesproken ook. Dank voor je eerlijkheid en wie weet komen we elkaar ooit tegen!
hello Olga, thank you for your nice feedback! I’m happy to read that my movie made you come back again and again. And I agree, a very long Camino is so tempting! Maybe we’ll run into each other some day… buen camino! ☀️
Walking from Serria is over 100 km which for many is a huge undertaking and would be a once in a lifetime experience. Im of a certain age doing my first Camino de Santiago next year. Having various injuries & time restraints I’m opting for the short route. I seek the same spiritual experience as you. I want that connection with nature and I crave it without the hustle & bustle from others. Unfortunately it is a popular route for many reasons. I’ve excepted it will be extra challenging with unwanted noise and bodies blocking my way! I crave for that alone time like you. But Isn’t this just part of the journey’s obstacle along the way. I liked this video but there’s a bit of snobbery going on about Tourist vs Pilgrims. We are all craving the same enlightenment. We are all human beings. I wish my body would carry me to do my first Camino the whole 500 miles, maybe one day I will do it but I won’t be harsh & judgemental on ppl doing the shorter route because everyone has their reasons. Many of us have jobs, kids,pets, aging parents, injuries and aren’t available to do the whole thing even if we would like to. Many ppl haven’t the confidence to do the Camino by themselves either hence the need to walk with others. I guessing solo travellers talk to others along the way?!!
Hey there! I totally get what youre saying about the "tourist vs pilgrim" debate - after walking multiple Caminos, I've learned that every journey is valid, no matter the distance - even if it may come across as snobbery. On the leg from Sarria - despite the crowds, I had some of the most days of the walk. I did this by walking a rhythm that avoided the regular stops, and the regular starting times (early morning). It's a great way to have the "real" experience, but also avoiding the crowds coming in for one leg by bus! Consider a strategy like that. Sarria - Santiago de Compostela can be great. I am sure you will love it. The Camino meets us exactly where we are, and thats the real magic of it. buen Camino!
Wow ! Simply superb, you made my day , peach , refresh my younger days, as i was born in hills state of India , really missing , these stuffs , howcome you listen my wish ... great all the best , stay healthy.. I will touches with you ...
You beautiful man. I've watched quite a few utube videos of people's treks. Something was missing. There was never anyone stopping to smell the flowers.
Well done on your wonderful Camino Video full of heartfelt reflections. I’m heading to start my 4th Camino on 17th Sept so I’m full of nervous excitement. There is one point that you have voiced your opinion on that I have to disagree with you on & that is the carrying of your own back pack to label you a ‘True Pilgrim’. When walking my first Camino in 2017 I too had knee problems (following that nasty descent into Zubiri) that nearly put an end to my Camino. Again, taking medical advice I started sending my main pack on keeping with me in a smaller backpack with my essential items for the day. 4yrs later I still suffer from the damage done to the knees & in time will face surgery etc. I’m now 70yrs & a female solo walker & not as fit as I once was due to osteoarthritis but still want to do my Camino as a pilgrimage for spiritual reasons. I know you stated that if one has health issues then of course avail of the transport services however, quite often pilgrims challenged me along the way as to why I don’t carry my backpack & implied I was cheating. I walked every step of the way from St Jean PdP to Finisterre without skipping stages using taxis or public transportation. Does that make me more or less of a pilgrim? When I do have the patience to answer these pilgrims as to why I don’t carry my full backpack I ask them “Did St James carry his own sack? or did he maybe have his disciples/ followers walk ahead with pack donkeys & set up camp at the end of each day?”. He didn’t have to worry about finding accommodation or the amount of time it took to get to Santiago. I expect he spent much time in contemplation & solitude & was guided by the stars! I’m sorry that I am offloading in this comment box however I honestly wish & hope that attitudes change a little & that pilgrims be a little less critical & more kinder when walking their Camino. Again, congrats on a wonderful video. Clare
hello Clare, thank you for your thoughts on this matter - I really appreciate them. To be sure, I did qualify my thoughts on carrying the backpack by saying something like “if for some reason you are physically unable to carry it, by all means send it ahead”. It goes without saying. My point was that if you *can* carry it, you should. But i catch your drift… in my experience, most people were very kind, backpack or not. great points about St James, hadn’t thought about it that way yet… thanks! cheers
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Yes! I do plan on walking the Camino. Just turned 55 a few days ago, I am a recovering people pleaser and I believe that an experience like this can change your life. Wonderful video, thank you for sharing with us this adventure. Greetings from Canada 🙂
What a shame about your comment only now being shown to me by YouTtube... - and yes, the Camino has such a special way of helping us shed those people-pleasing habits...Hope you make it out there soon - 55 is the perfect age to take this journey of self-discovery! buen Camino! ☀️
Hey Gerrit, I just finished my first Camino Frances from St Jean till Fisterra. I wanted to thank you for the inspiration you gave me with all you films. I didn't try to copy you, but it for sure gave me the strength, from my very first Camino on, to leave the beaten track. Sometimes with fantastic results, but also some alternativ roads where absolute shit and I got even half eaten by bedbugs three day before arriving in Santiago. I had three wonderful Camino families and composed two songs. One about the lights in the Spanish toilets that make you shit in the dark. We had a hell of a time. Next time, try Casa Susi and El Beso. The best two albegues we had on our trip. I wish you a very 'Buen Camino' and if you pass Duisburg, get in contact!
Hey Berten, Wow, what an incredible journey you must have had! Congratulations on completing your Camino Frances all the way to Fisterra. I'm truly touched and humbled that my films played a part in inspiring your adventure. I love that you embraced the spirit of forging your own path. That's exactly what the Camino is all about - finding your own way, both literally and figuratively. Those fantastic results you mentioned are the treasures that make the journey so special. And hey, even the not-so-great experiences, like those bedbugs (the h*te!), become part of the story you'll tell for years to come. Your Camino families sound wonderful. Isn't it amazing how quickly you form deep connections on the trail? And composing two songs? That's fantastic! I'd love to hear your toilet light song someday - it sounds hilarious and so relatable to anyone who's walked the Camino. And yes I’ve been bewildered by the wild timings of those lights - what difference does it make if an LED is on for another minute? Surely, the on-and-off cycles are more damaging to the thing than anything else. Odd. Just…odd. Thanks for the tips about Casa Susi and El Beso. I'll definitely check them out on my next Camino. It's always great to have personal recommendations from fellow pilgrims. If I'm ever near Duisburg, I'll get in touch (I was on the road and actually drove right through it the other day, but on a train). It would be great to swap Camino stories in person. Until then, keep that Camino spirit alive Buen Camino IRL, my friend! Gerrit
I get what you are sharing with us. One must do one's own pilgrimage hike - but if a tough long hike - go two or 4 at the most but agree to special quiet times 😊
I enjoyed your posting. I cannot point it out what and how it is different from other Camino films, but it feels different. On a more technical side, I like the colour, it feels like one from Fujifilm camera like.
hi there, thank you! I'm happy to read this... because I tried to make the internal monologue part of an external film. For the color, I shot on iPhone in BlackMagic app, in LOG format, and massaged the color in a way that made it look.. the way it looks :)
@@storiestellr how did you manage the file sizes on trail? Your video inspired me to go down rabbit hole on this whole ProRes thing. Lol. I see video influencers talk about external ssd drives and cages and usb c splitters for audio and I’m like - damn . Heavy for hiking 🥾
haha yeah - i’m a “keep it simple” scholar. I’d die if i had to connect all this gear to my iphone. And i only had 256GB of storage (& icloud). the only difference when using log is the format, file size stays the same. It’s still x.265. ProRes, while technically superior, eats your storage in a few minutes. the footage looks flat when you watch it, but you once you apply a LUT in LumaFusion (or other editing app), it looks delicious. What really improved the audio was using the external audio recorder Roland DR-07 & a deadcat. not for everything, but you can capture sound much better. no wind noise etc. I might eventually do a video on the gear that I used because it was really limited, but very focused at the same time .
It should be a silent pilgrimage , as people chatter they are oblivious to their surroundings and their body . It is very simple enlightening to listen to our own internal chatter and recognise our own likes and dislikes and realise how little of this internal stuff arises voluntarily. Thank you.
I walked last year from SJPP to Santiago in October and November for 32 days. Your video, your words, how you tell about your feelings and opinions, your body pains, it made me remember so much, even smells. I met many people who walked El Camino more than one time. I didn't understand why. One guy told me El camino goes under your skin. More than ones when I was walking under the rain, chilled to the bond in the mud I said to myself never again. But el Camino went under my skin. I'm going to walk again, during the same time of the year, this year, in a little more than a month I'm going to be walking again, but now I'm planning to do it in 40 days. I want to have more time to enjoy and suffer el Camino.
hi there, yes that’s a good way to describe it: the Camino gets under your skin. And it stays there. From the outside, people may think “ok once you ‘achieved’ walking the 800km, that’s it’ - but the opposite is true… - thank you for your kind comment! I’m glad my movie resonated with you the way it did. Enjoy number 2! buen camino! ☀️
Would be interested to know what is in your backpack on this third Camino and what has come out since your first. Do you take books? Also what device you record on as lovely audio.
it looks like you've seen my Camino Packing video, right? if so, I stuck pretty much to the recipe, as it worked very well for my first two Caminos. Glad you caught the audio! I recorded it on a Roland R-07 - small, solid, great to use, excellent sound. That might have been my biggest upgrade in terms of gear.
I know exactly how you felt when you had to bus it to Leon. I had to do the same from Logrono to Burgos and I suspect the water from a stream. Being in an albergue sick was the worst.
I have hiked it 6 times. Going to not hike it again for maybe 5 years because I found myself getting jaded and bored with it. I knew what was coming up in the next towns and paths and the excitement of newness was gone. Maybe I'll do the full Norte route. .
6x is a lot - but I understand the desire to do so. I’m not sure yet what my next camino will be - it would be my fourth Frances. but there are other options.
@@storiestellr From having done the "del Norte" four times now (always with my daughter) I can highly recommend taking the coastal route. I'm not getting bored with it yet, but will take the Frances next time (also thanks to your input), so that I can get an idea of which way is better for me. I can also recommend starting some way away. The longest one we have done began in Lübeck / Germany in 2020 due to Corona restrictions (Via Scandinavica to Eisenach, then across Germany to Frankfurt and up the Rhine valley towards Mulhouse), followed by the way through France in 21 to San Sebastian, and again the "del Norte" in 22, which feels like "home" now.
Great video, I watched bits every day with head phones on. Probably watch it again when I get the itch to walk again. I have walked the Frances twice 2016 and 2022. They were both totally different from each other. I share the same thoughts about the last 100km as you do. I also ask the question, is riding a Camino on a bike a true Camino? Who knows, I had many near misses with cyclists on the Meseta. My whole mindset changed about life after my first Camino in 2016. Last year I walked the "Via de la Plata" from Seville. I'm glad I like my own company because it was a very solitary experience. I did meet some very interesting people who still keep in touch. I travel to Italy in October to walk the last 420km of the VF to Rome. At the age of 70 I have to keep going before my body tells me otherwise. Buen Camino Pilgrim.
hi David, thank you for sharing your interesting points! I’m Via de la Plata-curious, too, but one thing I really enjoy about the Frances is the people you meet. It’s always been super special. It’s great that you keep up the walking, and the VF to Roma is a tempting one, too! buen camino! ☀️
I’ve watched several Camino videos, enjoyed yours with the voice over. I’ve hiked and backpacked a lot but this route is too much road walking and too crowded for me I think. I would love to do the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne (HRP), which runs parallel to the Camino but is more rugged and remote and requires tent camping and carrying food and water.
It depends when you walk it. Plus it's not the only camino to Santiago. Del Norte is a beauty & you have a mix of on & off road. That can link with the Primitivo in Oviedo, which is more rugged & skirts the Picos.
Ive lost the red line of spirituality in life, i used to love everything now 8 years i dont even leave my apartment and no contact with friends or familly, 99% infront of the stupid computor so maybe this could be what helps me find happiness in life again... I traveled 6 month/year since 1998 untill i totally crashed 8 years ago.. This is not the life i wanted
@@MindTrippin-SinceBirth Maybe €40 per day for a budget/basic experience? The municipal hostels (albergues) cost €8-10 per night, whereas private ones cost €15-20 (you might not have a choice if the munis are booked up). The sheer number of calories burned means you'll need at least €20 for food and snacks; the 'pilgrim menu' is usually great value, and bonding with fellow pilgrims over drinks is part of the experience. You don't need to do the whole thing at once: many people do it in sections; but it takes a week to get into the flow, so I'd recommend 2 weeks at least!
You said, “who am I to judge”? I agree…el Camino is a personal journey…why all the criticism of those who are “tourists”? That’s their journey. It’s like criticizing tourists at St. Peter’s Basilica for not being there to celebrate mass. Focus on your journey and stop criticizing the motivations of others. Actually, I didn’t know they had tours for that so I may check it out. I’ve always wanted to visit northern Spain.
I was moved by how you translated what you saw on the Camino and made it palpable for your viewers. Beautiful and I love your musings. I have a question please you are obviously passionate about your opinion that peregrinos should carry their backpack and do the “work”. I understand your point but I believe at least according to Scripture that when the apostles were sent out walking vast distances our Lord Jesus 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts- 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. My point is that we probably carry too much all while failing to believe that the Camino provides or rather that GOD will provide. All the best -Ana
I’m pleased you got the fact that my comment elsewhere about drowning oneself at Finisterre in order to gain enlightenment was dark humour. Although, it IS true that the older I get and thus closer to the end, the more I know in terms of facts but the less I actually know. I expect to finally exit through the unseen door with a head full of knowledge but in total bafflement. Something like the Herbert Selby quote about what he expects “I knew that some day I was going to die…etc “. I think your selfie thumbnail is perfectly acceptable. So many videos have click bait titles and absurd thumbnails. So tiresome. I wonder how long the cult of Selfie will continue. At least selfie sticks are heading towards extinction now.
Love your reflection about knowing more yet understanding less - that hit home! On my Caminos I kept filling up my notes with "profound" thoughts only to realize later that the simplest moments were actually the most meaningful (often, anyway). 😅 buen Camino! ☀️
I discovered this last night. Watched the entire video from start to finish today. It is difficult to find the words to describe what I felt during the film. It is part catharsis, part inspiring, part what dreams are made of. Wow. Thank you for sharing this journey.
if that’s not a beautiful compliment, I don’t know what is! 🤩 thank you so much… and i’m very happy to read that my Camino movie spoke to you in this deep way ☀️
@@storiestellr It was a pleasure to watch it, to get a glimpse of what your Camino was. I have not yet experienced it for myself and so the film has a profound effect on me :)
Hi - this was, by far, the most influential video I’ve seen to date to inspire a trip to the Camino. I have been planning a trip to the Camino in April/May 2025, because it has been “calling me” for a while now (already inspired). However, my husband watched many videos with me, but he refused to come with me because “it just didn’t grab him.” I therefore have planned the trip with my son. Then he watched your video. He loved the authenticity; the industrial shots; the scenery snaps; and your philosophical insights. He now has done a complete 360* turn and wants to join us. He said your videos were so different to all the others; causing him to have see from your unique perspective. Thank you so much. There will now be three of us going.
wow, this is *so* great to read… thank you so much for your feedback. Sometimes, making these little movies seems like screaming into the void - but when I read comments like yours, I know that people are actually listening, and that feels great. I’m so happy to hear that the three of you will now be going! You’ll love it 😊 - buen camino! ☀️
We just came back, only walked from Sarria as a trial to test our endurance level. It took me a long time to convince my husband to do it with me, the moment he agreed I immediately booked the flight to Madrid so he can’t change his mind. Now that we completed it, he loved the experience so much and said we will be going back to complete the whole Camino Frances
Well, if your husband did a 360 degree turnaround, he!s right where he started…😁 Try to get him to a 180…
Thank you for this beautiful and thoughtful video. At 62 years old, I will finally get to do my Camino beginning 12 March, 2025. Twenty years ago, I was nearly, completely bedridden with several forms of rheumatoid and osteo arthritis. They told me I would never get better, only worse. My dreams of the Camino were gone but, I fought for my health and am ambulatory, now. Trying to go off season to avoid the tourists and hopefully, enjoy a more quiet experience. Turning the sacred Camino De Santiago into a "Disneyland" experience for tourists seems terribly profane, to me and something to be avoided. My journey will begin in Ponferrada, ending in Cabo Finesterre, going at my own pace. Just so thankful to be able to have the opportunity and for people, like you, who provide such graceful content.
hi Alexandra, if you knew how much pleasure I get out of reading comments like yours, You would have big smile on your face right now 😊 The resilience you have in order to finally walk the Camino is amazing, and in spite (or because of) the hardships, it will undoubtedly present, I’m sure you will love it. just make sure to bring sufficient cold-weather gear. and please follow up once you have walked it.
buen camino! ☀️
@@storiestellr Thanks, so much! I will do my best and let you know how it goes.
Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina. I absolutely love your video. I began my journey through the Camino Frances in late March and completed a wonderful experience on the 26th of April. You have highlighted the Camino through a very special lens. A lens that is sometimes overlooked because you might be in a rush. I totally felt your pain when you got stuck in Leon. I rushed myself to the hospital in Logroño due to a severely bad foot infection on both my big toes and at the hospital they had to drill through my toe nails to extract the infections out. I was told to give myself a rest and I did, but needed to keep going. I marvel at the wonderful places you have visited and there are some places that I don't recall and would definitely love to visit the next time around. The one place however, that you mentioned with so much care was Casa Cantadora. I will never forget this place. I jumped into the river on April 19th and there were only 2 others as adventurous as I was, to plunge into the icy waters. It was so refreshing. I met Knut and you are right, he has dedicated his life to being a great hospitalero. I will forever cherish the great memories I made, the wonderful people that carried me along the way, the absolutely beautiful landscape, the food and drinks, the spiritual connection I had and most important, I recognize that the human body is capable of so much. I was able to celebrate my 50th birthday in Spain! Thanks so much for your great introspection and keep the videos coming. Saludos.
hi, yes, isn’t Casa Cantadora a great place? I love it. I’m not sure I would have dared to go into the cold water in April, as you did, but I am hoping that I would have. Knut is a force of nature. It’s amazing how our bodies get into these painful states, and yet, we carry on, because that’s what you do, on the Camino… and how our experiences were similar in that regard! Thank you so much for your kind comment, I’m glad you saw your Camino represented in the way I filmed and narrated it. I’ve been to Lexington, NC a few times! :) buen camino! ☀️ !
I look forward to viewing it all. I so enjoyed your live video-blog as you walked and suffered your Camino. I really felt I was traveling with you. Buen Camino.
hey, glad to see you again, and Thank you so much for the nice words!
Superb!
The best Camino video ever made. You speak everything I have thought. Thank you for your thoughts, insights, and contemplations. Your knee injury brought you to a higher plane. We are so grateful for this. This one video deserves multiple viewings. Thank you.
😃 that’s some high praise, thank you very much! 😎
I’m very glad to hear my thoughts are resonating with you… enjoy watching it again! 👌🏼 buen camino! ☀️
I'm so excited for your new video! I have recently watched all your other videos on your Camino journey and I loved them. I have been waiting in anticipation for this one. I have been wanting to do the Camino for many years but it has never been the right time but I'm really hoping to go next year. I really enjoy how you capture the essence of the Camino. My coffee is ready and I'm about to start this new video😃
thank you so much Cathy! This is very flattering to hear… but even better is the idea that you’ll actually be waking yourself! At least, you might. I hope you’ll find the time - i’m sure you’ll love it… buen camino! ☀️
Beautiful the part with the ambient sound! Great!😍🙌🏾
thank you! glad you liked that part in particular
I have really enjoyed your videos about the Camino, especially this one. In the mornings while I drink my coffee I watch a part of your video. It is very nice to listen to your story with that calm voice and your reflections make me feel very identified with situations like the importance of appearing in front of the camera and the feeling of vanity. I understand it perfectly, I also struggle with that feeling but I think it is important to put a face to it and I feel that it does add value. I also really liked your reflection on carrying your backpack and the feeling of nakedness or how unfair it is in front of other pilgrims. It is like hearing my thoughts in many moments of your Camino. I received the call to do the Camino a couple of months ago out of the blue, it just happened and I can't stop thinking about this. That's how I came across your video and many others. I hope in a few years to do the primitive Camino, I am from Chile in South America it is very far but I think there is some reason for this call so I look forward to the day I can fulfill it. Thank you very much for recording your Camino, you have done a wonderful job, it has helped me a lot. A big hug and Buen Camino...
Wow, thank you so much for your message! It warms my heart to hear that my videos have resonated with you so deeply. I'm especially touched that you've made watching them part of your morning routine - what a wonderful way to start the day!
And you're absolutely right - putting a face to our stories does add value, even if it feels uncomfortable at times.
Your connection to the backpack analogy and the sense of "nakedness" on the Camino is spot on. I catch a lot of flak on that topic, but so be it.
I'm thrilled to hear that you've received the call to walk the Camino! It's fascinating how it can come out of the blue like that. It did for me, too. Even though Chile is far, when the Camino calls, it's hard to ignore. I have no doubt that when the time is right, you'll find your way there.
Thank you for your kind words about my work. Knowing that it has helped you means the world to me. That's exactly why I do this.
Wishing you all the best on your Camino journey, whenever it may happen. Buen Camino, right back at you from Germany!
So beautiful. Thank-you. I have longed to do the Camino. The focal point to your film was the isolated wispy high clouds of fair weather juxtaposed against a cloud that produced a cold precipitation, ice crystals, and the concern of electrical fields producing lightning. It would serve me well to know the many cloud types before setting out. The poppies, just looking at them, induced a drowsiness and a dream. Poppies a symbol of remembrance. The creatures were very dear. Maybe we are not seeking meaning for life. Maybe we are seeking the experience of being alive. Disconnected from everything, as you said. In watching your film I felt that rapture of being alive.
“maybe we are seeking the experience of being alive”, I like that. thanks for watching, and for your insightful comment!
I'm so enjoying my daily dose of this video and your journey .I watch a little each day so it's not over too soon😂. I love the way you are taking it slower and I love the way you take time to just be in nature and the way you capture all the animals along the way and to just take time to listen to the wind. It really speaks to my soul. I'm craving to be back in nature again! I'm enjoying the way you just tell the story as it is in the moment. I feel like I am on the walk with you. Thank you for making this wonderful video.
dear Cathy, that’s so nice of you to say! ☀️ as the creator this feels like receiving an Academy award - because this is the kind of feedback that I love to hear from viewers. I want my videos to resonate in exactly this way. Ended vindicates my approach of making these videos while actually walking. I really do think that especially the sound and narration recorded on the spot make the entire experience for the viewer much more immediate. So thanks! 🙏
What a captivating Camino video. Do look forward in viewing this. Hope to one day be able to go on the Camino.
i’m glad you like it - and you’ll like walking the camino even more ☀️
This film is a work of art. Next week I am going for a pilegrimage in the south west of Norway. I will be completely alone on the road doing so. After finding this film I feel that I have company, someone to mirror the thoughts with, reminding me of what I am doing. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. Thats right brother you are the camino. This is the way
it its! :)
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
…that’s a great observation… thanks!
This has just popped up on TH-cam tonight and I'm very happy it did
😁 the algorithm knows us eerily well… enjoy!
I have walked the Camino eight times. Three different routes, eight times. I was over fifty years old the first time I walked it.
Obviously, I love walking it and, in that sense, it changed my life, but it isn't very austere, and it will only "break you" if you walk it in poor physical condition. All the spirituality and meditative stuff aside, you have to get in shape before you walk it and to walk it within your limitations. As far as mentally challenging, again it's only mentally challenging if you are in poor physical condition to walk it. Otherwise, it's just walking. Long walks between towns and cities in Spain. No overnight camping outdoors and you don't have to carry food for several days in your pack and at the end of every walking day there is a bed, a bathroom and shower and a hot meal and for me a cold beer. If you don't dig the communal living thing in Albergue's you can always book private accommodations. There are hotels, Pensiones etc. in every major city and town.
yes i agree… it didn’t ‘break’ me, either. i just had a few very rough days (& it made for a good thumbnail catchphrase 🤪). Agree with your points. thanks!
You speak truth kind sir. ❤❤❤❤
🎉 it's long but a rewarding experience to feel and to lead. I am loving it
It really is, thanks! 😊
I did my third Frances this past Spring also. I was a day or so ahead of you. I totally agree with your sentiments about the crowds and the incessant chatter. It was hard to find a moment of peace. I tried leaving earlier and then later to no avail. I don't mind meeting people and chatting some times, but there are times when I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts or to embrace and enjoy the sounds of nature. I found it hard to do. I was so very tempted to leave and return home. So very different from my first in 2018. My paln is to return next year. However, if I find it the same, I will switch to another less traveled route. I've watched all of your videos. Well done. Judith
Thanks for sharing your experience! I totally get what you mean about the constant chatter - its definitely a different vibe from just a few years ago. I found myself walking off-rhythm just to walk in peace for a couple hours, and those moments became really precious. Maybe we should start a "silent Camino" movement haha! If youre looking for quieter alternatives, I've heard amazing things about the Primitivo. buen camino! ☀
Congratulations (again) on completing another Camino. After watching your second Comino, I was amazed you had no issues with your feet or legs like so many other pilgrims experience. And not that I wanted to see you struggle, I had the thought with regard to your struggles that you are older; your body is older and you need to better prepare for your next Camino! I loved some of your philosophical thoughts, especially silence is not the absence of noise, just man-made noise. You had a lot of clips of cows and running streams/rivers. I'm not sure what they are telling us (haha). But I live vicariously through your Camino and other similar videos. I realized that I may never make my own Camino to Santiago de Compostela, but I am on a religious journey discerning becoming a Catholic deacon. As part of this, I am taking a philosophy class, and your thoughts are similar to mine in searching for the ultimate answer of one's life. My journey is just the day-to-day grind of work, family, school, and church. But it is what it is, and like your favorite phrase from your 2nd Camino, the future's uncertain, and the end is always near (Jim Morrison), so we need to just make the most out of it each day. God Bless. Looking forward to your next trip.
Hello again Dave, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I truly appreciate your kind words and insights. It’s always a joy to hear how my journey resonates with others, especially those like you who are on their own meaningful paths. Preparation is indeed key, and I’ve learned that listening to my body is just as important as the physical training (or, in this case, lack thereof). I’m thrilled that you connected with my philosophical musings, particularly about silence. It’s fascinating how nature can speak volumes without uttering a single word, isn’t it? The cows and rivers are just bits of the simple beauty around us... Your journey toward becoming a Catholic deacon sounds like an interesting journey! And maybe you'll eventually make the Camino Journey yourself some day, after all... buen camino! ☀
Really enjoying your Camino video. Brings back many fond memories and insights. I like the immersive feeling, buen Camino 😊
Glad you enjoyed it, buen camino! ☀️
By far the most beautiful and inspiring video about walking the Camino I've seen. I have wanted to do the Camino for years and hope to walk the way very soon, so you've provided a moving glimpse into the pilgrim journey. Thank you.
hi there Tyler, thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it, and that it gave you an idea of what the Camino is like
This was a truly lovely piece of quiet, audiovisual introspection. Your wording at times sounded like poetry. So calming, soothing, and contemplative.
Thank you so much! this gives me great pleasure to read…
was excited to see this pop up on the feed! 😊
Hope you enjoyed it! ☀️😃
❤ beautiful journey and journaling it with all emotions... Hope 1 day i will also walk this route. Puray for me
thank you! ☀️ and you can make it happen, even if it takes a while…
Thank You for Sharing. Wonderful commentary, Thoughts and vids/photos. Loved it
Glad you enjoyed it so much! 😊☀️
@@storiestellr have just returned from Spain after 3 months, did 1 700lm,5 Caminos , Your summary at the end is Profound, Special and You are very Gifted with Words, Love the Way You say it as it Is
Clive, thank you, that's a kind thing to say! I'm glad to hear that as someone who just did a 1700 km Camino, my thoughts at the end resonated with you in the way they did! I Can't imagine what a state of mind one is in after that distance... I mean, I can, but.. it must be quite deep.
Never been on such a high/altitude in my Life, but i does come with the Freedom Blues from walking a Camino,, I hope you share You thoughts once You have settled down at Home. Must be homiest the Only thing keeping me going, is Planning for Next Years Walk, either VLP or De Norte , we will see or both lol
@@clivewright5437 yes I think I’ll do a video about that: Post-Camino Syndrome :)
I am planinig to take Camino this year. Thank you for sharing.
you’ll love it… buen camino! ☀️ !
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your thoughtful commentary. My wife and I were a week ahead of you (4/27/24-6/5/24) walking the Camino Francis this past Spring and have so many memories and stories that we regularly talk about. My thoughts and experience were very similar to yours as I caught the Norovirus in Villafranca del Birezo and could only taxi ahead for three days :(. We also had an extremely difficult journey over the Pyrenees with high winds, driving rain and sleet on that first day! I could not agree more on your thoughts of carrying your backpack to have the true pilgrim experience along with the difficulty of the tourist element from Sarria to Santiago. We are missing our experience and the people we met very much and plan on another Camino (maybe the Portuguese?) in the future. I appreciate the effort, time and insight you have put into the videos and it takes me back to that joyful journey where we felt as if we were riding the crest of a wave of happiness even through the physical difficulties! Thanks again-Hugh!
Hugh, “we felt as if we were riding the crest of a wave of happiness despite the physical difficulties”: that’s beautifully put, and maybe you let me use that phrasing in the future - because I love it. It pretty much nails the experience.
We share so many things, even a nasty virus! thank you for your thoughts, and maybe we’ll bump into each other on the next one… buen camino! ☀️
@@storiestellr Of course you can use the phrase! I would be honored...
thanks! i’ll be quoting you. not sure when I will get around to using it, but it will happen for sure ☀️
I started on April 26th. Stayed overnigh at Borda. There was storm so bad crossing over to Roncesvalles we could barely move.
@@iluvturtles0229 the storms this year were next level...
I, actually, like your approach and narrative…a fresh intake. Can not cope with any more videos of people showing their accommodations and food choices. Thank you!
that’s some great feedback right there. thanks! 😊
Enjoying this at work… did the Frances in 2019. Will be doing the Northern route soon.
a good distraction i hope 😄 buen camino! ☀️
ahhh… over 5h of mind blowing input 😎👍..
“get your mind blown for 5 hours+” - storiestellr 😝
very good.Thanks.
Thank you too!
I want to walk this route myself. I'm interested why you want to walk the same route 3 times ?. I just finished the Portuguese camino and last year walked the short camino Ingles and they were both amazing in their own ways. I will plan this route when I can take the time away for so long. To me & many others, camino is pure meditation.
good question, one to which I don't really have an answer to... to me, the Frances is in such a sweet spot of duration, landscape variety, and number of people you meet, that it seems to hit a certain spot that vibes with me... I hope you find the time! I need to check out the others, too. buen camino! ☀
Dankjewel, voor het late naar bed gaan gisteren (ruim 3 uur gekeken) en het vroege opstaan vandaag (weer een stukje kijken). Ik moest werken vanmorgen en eenmaal thuis gelijk weer op play gedrukt. Het eind van jouw verhaal bereikt nu. Ik heb de Portugese route 3 keer gelopen, 1x vanaf Lissabon (in mei) en 2x vanaf Porto (beide keren in december en januari). Door naar Muxia en naar Finisterre. Op mijn verlanglijstje staat 'de weg vanaf huis'. Ongeveer 2300 km. Ik mag bijna met pensioen en ik kan haast niet wachten.. Hele fijne film, mooi gesproken ook. Dank voor je eerlijkheid en wie weet komen we elkaar ooit tegen!
hello Olga, thank you for your nice feedback! I’m happy to read that my movie made you come back again and again. And I agree, a very long Camino is so tempting! Maybe we’ll run into each other some day… buen camino! ☀️
Walking from Serria is over 100 km which for many is a huge undertaking and would be a once in a lifetime experience. Im of a certain age doing my first Camino de Santiago next year. Having various injuries & time restraints I’m opting for the short route. I seek the same spiritual experience as you. I want that connection with nature and I crave it without the hustle & bustle from others. Unfortunately it is a popular route for many reasons. I’ve excepted it will be extra challenging with unwanted noise and bodies blocking my way! I crave for that alone time like you. But Isn’t this just part of the journey’s obstacle along the way.
I liked this video but there’s a bit of snobbery going on about Tourist vs Pilgrims.
We are all craving the same enlightenment. We are all human beings.
I wish my body would carry me to do my first Camino the whole 500 miles, maybe one day I will do it but I won’t be harsh & judgemental on ppl doing the shorter route because everyone has their reasons. Many of us have jobs, kids,pets, aging parents, injuries and aren’t available to do the whole thing even if we would like to. Many ppl haven’t the confidence to do the Camino by themselves either hence the need to walk with others. I guessing solo travellers talk to others along the way?!!
Hey there! I totally get what youre saying about the "tourist vs pilgrim" debate - after walking multiple Caminos, I've learned that every journey is valid, no matter the distance - even if it may come across as snobbery. On the leg from Sarria - despite the crowds, I had some of the most days of the walk. I did this by walking a rhythm that avoided the regular stops, and the regular starting times (early morning). It's a great way to have the "real" experience, but also avoiding the crowds coming in for one leg by bus! Consider a strategy like that. Sarria - Santiago de Compostela can be great. I am sure you will love it. The Camino meets us exactly where we are, and thats the real magic of it. buen Camino!
Wow ! Simply superb, you made my day , peach , refresh my younger days, as i was born in hills state of India , really missing , these stuffs , howcome you listen my wish ... great all the best , stay healthy..
I will touches with you ...
My pleasure 😊
Thank you!! ❤
You beautiful man. I've watched quite a few utube videos of people's treks. Something was missing. There was never anyone stopping to smell the flowers.
😅 that's a nice little observation, Debbie.... thanks! 🌸💐
Well done on your wonderful Camino Video full of heartfelt reflections. I’m heading to start my 4th Camino on 17th Sept so I’m full of nervous excitement. There is one point that you have voiced your opinion on that I have to disagree with you on & that is the carrying of your own back pack to label you a ‘True Pilgrim’. When walking my first Camino in 2017 I too had knee problems (following that nasty descent into Zubiri) that nearly put an end to my Camino. Again, taking medical advice I started sending my main pack on keeping with me in a smaller backpack with my essential items for the day. 4yrs later I still suffer from the damage done to the knees & in time will face surgery etc. I’m now 70yrs & a female solo walker & not as fit as I once was due to osteoarthritis but still want to do my Camino as a pilgrimage for spiritual reasons. I know you stated that if one has health issues then of course avail of the transport services however, quite often pilgrims challenged me along the way as to why I don’t carry my backpack & implied I was cheating. I walked every step of the way from St Jean PdP to Finisterre without skipping stages using taxis or public transportation. Does that make me more or less of a pilgrim? When I do have the patience to answer these pilgrims as to why I don’t carry my full backpack I ask them “Did St James carry his own sack? or did he maybe have his disciples/ followers walk ahead with pack donkeys & set up camp at the end of each day?”. He didn’t have to worry about finding accommodation or the amount of time it took to get to Santiago. I expect he spent much time in contemplation & solitude & was guided by the stars! I’m sorry that I am offloading in this comment box however I honestly wish & hope that attitudes change a little & that pilgrims be a little less critical & more kinder when walking their Camino. Again, congrats on a wonderful video. Clare
hello Clare, thank you for your thoughts on this matter - I really appreciate them. To be sure, I did qualify my thoughts on carrying the backpack by saying something like “if for some reason you are physically unable to carry it, by all means send it ahead”. It goes without saying. My point was that if you *can* carry it, you should. But i catch your drift…
in my experience, most people were very kind, backpack or not.
great points about St James, hadn’t thought about it that way yet… thanks! cheers
Did you walk? Will you walk? It’s the best thing I’ve ever done 😅.
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Yes! I do plan on walking the Camino. Just turned 55 a few days ago, I am a recovering people pleaser and I believe that an experience like this can change your life. Wonderful video, thank you for sharing with us this adventure. Greetings from Canada 🙂
What a shame about your comment only now being shown to me by YouTtube... - and yes, the Camino has such a special way of helping us shed those people-pleasing habits...Hope you make it out there soon - 55 is the perfect age to take this journey of self-discovery! buen Camino! ☀️
Hey Gerrit, I just finished my first Camino Frances from St Jean till Fisterra. I wanted to thank you for the inspiration you gave me with all you films. I didn't try to copy you, but it for sure gave me the strength, from my very first Camino on, to leave the beaten track. Sometimes with fantastic results, but also some alternativ roads where absolute shit and I got even half eaten by bedbugs three day before arriving in Santiago. I had three wonderful Camino families and composed two songs. One about the lights in the Spanish toilets that make you shit in the dark. We had a hell of a time. Next time, try Casa Susi and El Beso. The best two albegues we had on our trip. I wish you a very 'Buen Camino' and if you pass Duisburg, get in contact!
Hey Berten,
Wow, what an incredible journey you must have had! Congratulations on completing your Camino Frances all the way to Fisterra. I'm truly touched and humbled that my films played a part in inspiring your adventure.
I love that you embraced the spirit of forging your own path. That's exactly what the Camino is all about - finding your own way, both literally and figuratively. Those fantastic results you mentioned are the treasures that make the journey so special. And hey, even the not-so-great experiences, like those bedbugs (the h*te!), become part of the story you'll tell for years to come.
Your Camino families sound wonderful. Isn't it amazing how quickly you form deep connections on the trail? And composing two songs? That's fantastic! I'd love to hear your toilet light song someday - it sounds hilarious and so relatable to anyone who's walked the Camino. And yes I’ve been bewildered by the wild timings of those lights - what difference does it make if an LED is on for another minute? Surely, the on-and-off cycles are more damaging to the thing than anything else. Odd. Just…odd.
Thanks for the tips about Casa Susi and El Beso. I'll definitely check them out on my next Camino. It's always great to have personal recommendations from fellow pilgrims.
If I'm ever near Duisburg, I'll get in touch (I was on the road and actually drove right through it the other day, but on a train). It would be great to swap Camino stories in person. Until then, keep that Camino spirit alive
Buen Camino IRL, my friend!
Gerrit
Thank you!
my pleasure 😀
I get what you are sharing with us. One must do one's own pilgrimage hike - but if a tough long hike - go two or 4 at the most but agree to special quiet times 😊
going alone is great - the rest then just falls into place
I enjoyed your posting. I cannot point it out what and how it is different from other Camino films, but it feels different. On a more technical side, I like the colour, it feels like one from Fujifilm camera like.
hi there, thank you! I'm happy to read this... because I tried to make the internal monologue part of an external film. For the color, I shot on iPhone in BlackMagic app, in LOG format, and massaged the color in a way that made it look.. the way it looks :)
teh coloring is so gorgeous!
thanks!
@@storiestellr love your reflections- great video. Now you’ve got me wanting to use log on my iPhone .
log is a bit of a game changer - and I ‘only’ used poor man’s log (the x265 variant, but it’s plenty good). and thanks!
@@storiestellr how did you manage the file sizes on trail?
Your video inspired me to go down rabbit hole on this whole ProRes thing. Lol.
I see video influencers talk about external ssd drives and cages and usb c splitters for audio and I’m like - damn . Heavy for hiking 🥾
haha yeah - i’m a “keep it simple” scholar. I’d die if i had to connect all this gear to my iphone. And i only had 256GB of storage (& icloud).
the only difference when using log is the format, file size stays the same. It’s still x.265. ProRes, while technically superior, eats your storage in a few minutes.
the footage looks flat when you watch it, but you once you apply a LUT in LumaFusion (or other editing app), it looks delicious.
What really improved the audio was using the external audio recorder Roland DR-07 & a deadcat. not for everything, but you can capture sound much better. no wind noise etc.
I might eventually do a video on the gear that I used because it was really limited, but very focused at the same time .
6 Stunden! Love you. And never gonna watch this. 😘
🥳🤩 🫡 🤜🏼🤛🏼
It should be a silent pilgrimage , as people chatter they are oblivious to their surroundings and their body . It is very simple enlightening to listen to our own internal chatter and recognise our own likes and dislikes and realise how little of this internal stuff arises voluntarily. Thank you.
yes… quiet = good
@@storiestellr😂
I walked last year from SJPP to Santiago in October and November for 32 days. Your video, your words, how you tell about your feelings and opinions, your body pains, it made me remember so much, even smells. I met many people who walked El Camino more than one time. I didn't understand why. One guy told me El camino goes under your skin. More than ones when I was walking under the rain, chilled to the bond in the mud I said to myself never again. But el Camino went under my skin. I'm going to walk again, during the same time of the year, this year, in a little more than a month I'm going to be walking again, but now I'm planning to do it in 40 days. I want to have more time to enjoy and suffer el Camino.
hi there, yes that’s a good way to describe it: the Camino gets under your skin. And it stays there. From the outside, people may think “ok once you ‘achieved’ walking the 800km, that’s it’ - but the opposite is true… - thank you for your kind comment! I’m glad my movie resonated with you the way it did. Enjoy number 2! buen camino! ☀️
Nice job great work
Thank you! Cheers! 🥂
I hope found my way...
Would be interested to know what is in your backpack on this third Camino and what has come out since your first. Do you take books? Also what device you record on as lovely audio.
it looks like you've seen my Camino Packing video, right? if so, I stuck pretty much to the recipe, as it worked very well for my first two Caminos. Glad you caught the audio! I recorded it on a Roland R-07 - small, solid, great to use, excellent sound. That might have been my biggest upgrade in terms of gear.
Thank you
You're welcome ☀️
Buen Camino 🇵🇷🚶🏻♂️➡️⛰️⛪️🙏🏻
😅🚶🏻♂️ buen camino! ☀️
I know exactly how you felt when you had to bus it to Leon. I had to do the same from Logrono to Burgos and I suspect the water from a stream. Being in an albergue sick was the worst.
yes...awful. but these things happen, and we have to deal with them, one way or another...
Ok I;m starting to watch your journey,
Deep
I have hiked it 6 times. Going to not hike it again for maybe 5 years because I found myself getting jaded and bored with it. I knew what was coming up in the next towns and paths and the excitement of newness was gone. Maybe I'll do the full Norte route. .
6x is a lot - but I understand the desire to do so. I’m not sure yet what my next camino will be - it would be my fourth Frances. but there are other options.
@@storiestellr From having done the "del Norte" four times now (always with my daughter) I can highly recommend taking the coastal route. I'm not getting bored with it yet, but will take the Frances next time (also thanks to your input), so that I can get an idea of which way is better for me. I can also recommend starting some way away. The longest one we have done began in Lübeck / Germany in 2020 due to Corona restrictions (Via Scandinavica to Eisenach, then across Germany to Frankfurt and up the Rhine valley towards Mulhouse), followed by the way through France in 21 to San Sebastian, and again the "del Norte" in 22, which feels like "home" now.
Been on 3 Caminos. No changes experienced except for other travellers.
the other travelers are what makes it special
Great video, I watched bits every day with head phones on. Probably watch it again when I get the itch to walk again. I have walked the Frances twice 2016 and 2022. They were both totally different from each other. I share the same thoughts about the last 100km as you do. I also ask the question, is riding a Camino on a bike a true Camino? Who knows, I had many near misses with cyclists on the Meseta. My whole mindset changed about life after my first Camino in 2016. Last year I walked the "Via de la Plata" from Seville. I'm glad I like my own company because it was a very solitary experience. I did meet some very interesting people who still keep in touch. I travel to Italy in October to walk the last 420km of the VF to Rome. At the age of 70 I have to keep going before my body tells me otherwise. Buen Camino Pilgrim.
hi David, thank you for sharing your interesting points! I’m Via de la Plata-curious, too, but one thing I really enjoy about the Frances is the people you meet. It’s always been super special. It’s great that you keep up the walking, and the VF to Roma is a tempting one, too! buen camino! ☀️
I’ve watched several Camino videos, enjoyed yours with the voice over. I’ve hiked and backpacked a lot but this route is too much road walking and too crowded for me I think. I would love to do the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne (HRP), which runs parallel to the Camino but is more rugged and remote and requires tent camping and carrying food and water.
those sound great, too…
thank you for your thoughts!
It depends when you walk it. Plus it's not the only camino to Santiago. Del Norte is a beauty & you have a mix of on & off road. That can link with the Primitivo in Oviedo, which is more rugged & skirts the Picos.
What do you have planned for 2025? We did San Salvador/Primitivo in 2024. Both are recommended but the SanSalvador is challenging with mountain hiking
not sure yet... so many options. I'd love to walk Le Puy to Finisterre, but... we'll see...
A feast. I am flying to Porto in the morning and onward to Santiago. I have a lot of time………
now there’s a piece of serendipitous timing! that’s awesome… and also: I’m jealous… buen camino! ☀️
@@storiestellr indeed. Thank you 👍🏻
When did you walk this camino, which month?
early march to june
Ive lost the red line of spirituality in life, i used to love everything now 8 years i dont even leave my apartment and no contact with friends or familly, 99% infront of the stupid computor so maybe this could be what helps me find happiness in life again... I traveled 6 month/year since 1998 untill i totally crashed 8 years ago.. This is not the life i wanted
walking for a month does wonders sometimes…
@@storiestellr About how much would it cost roughly? Not including going there
@@MindTrippin-SinceBirth Maybe €40 per day for a budget/basic experience? The municipal hostels (albergues) cost €8-10 per night, whereas private ones cost €15-20 (you might not have a choice if the munis are booked up). The sheer number of calories burned means you'll need at least €20 for food and snacks; the 'pilgrim menu' is usually great value, and bonding with fellow pilgrims over drinks is part of the experience. You don't need to do the whole thing at once: many people do it in sections; but it takes a week to get into the flow, so I'd recommend 2 weeks at least!
You said, “who am I to judge”? I agree…el Camino is a personal journey…why all the criticism of those who are “tourists”? That’s their journey. It’s like criticizing tourists at St. Peter’s Basilica for not being there to celebrate mass. Focus on your journey and stop criticizing the motivations of others. Actually, I didn’t know they had tours for that so I may check it out. I’ve always wanted to visit northern Spain.
yes, enjoy!
I was moved by how you translated what you saw on the Camino and made it palpable for your viewers. Beautiful and I love your musings. I have a question please you are obviously passionate about your opinion that peregrinos should carry their backpack and do the “work”. I understand your point but I believe at least according to Scripture that when the apostles were sent out walking vast distances our Lord Jesus 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts- 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. My point is that we probably carry too much all while failing to believe that the Camino provides or rather that GOD will provide. All the best -Ana
that's an interesting observation.... thanks for sharing! Food (or foot) for thought indeed.....
Is it possible to make this without narrative, pure sounds, like meditation? It is a beautiful peace of mastery.
thank you…!
theoretically, original sound only is possible
Beautiful! Can you turn it into YT Short please, I don't have 5 hours
🤣 1 second per day, done! ✅
@@storiestellr😂
I’m pleased you got the fact that my comment elsewhere about drowning oneself at Finisterre in order to gain enlightenment was dark humour. Although, it IS true that the older I get and thus closer to the end, the more I know in terms of facts but the less I actually know. I expect to finally exit through the unseen door with a head full of knowledge but in total bafflement. Something like the Herbert Selby quote about what he expects “I knew that some day I was going to die…etc “. I think your selfie thumbnail is perfectly acceptable. So many videos have click bait titles and absurd thumbnails. So tiresome. I wonder how long the cult of Selfie will continue. At least selfie sticks are heading towards extinction now.
Love your reflection about knowing more yet understanding less - that hit home! On my Caminos I kept filling up my notes with "profound" thoughts only to realize later that the simplest moments were actually the most meaningful (often, anyway). 😅 buen Camino! ☀️
Hi Gareth,
How are you going.
I'm thinking of going back in 2025 April May
that’s a great idea… i don’t think this was my last camino 😄
790km ist the Frances not 800km
... może się mylę ale przez 6 godzin narracji nie usłyszałem ani razu zwrotu Bóg .... taki znak czasów....
Boring video,talking too much about nothing, noise in the background. Not good my friend. Before was way better
This film is a work of art. I'm sorry to learn that you don't apprehend it.
@@espengya6912 that is your assumtion and its ok. I respect that. Wishing you all the best! 🙏❤️
noted! :)