The Camino Cafe's intro and outro song with thanks to fellow Pilgrim, Jackson Maloney. Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Singer, Musician, and Songwriter. Connect with Jackson: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fdQsSqq9pDSwKcWlnBHKR
Speaker 1:
Hello Pilgrims, and welcome to the Camino News Update. It is Wednesday, april 10th, and we have a packed show for you today. It is an international show, and what? What is that? Is that sunshine? We have a great show for you today. We're coming from all over the world John is in Malta, rocco is in Japan, lindsay's been on the Invierno and I'm here in beautiful, sunny Santiago. Now I've got to say this city is beautiful when it's drenched with rain and it's beautiful when it's sunny. I've been out here just watching pilgrims come in, and what a joy it is to see their faces. The Way my Way is coming to cinemas across Australia on May 16th. Next Tuesday, though. They begin a national screening tour, and it is sold out in several locations. Here's a sneak peek of a podcast interview coming out next week where I spoke with filmmaker Bill Bennett. I wanted to see how he's feeling this close to his big movie premiere.
Speaker 2:
But first let's just take a moment to look at parts of the movie trailer. I see this walk as an 800 kilometer long cathedral.
Speaker 3:
This is the Camino. Miracles happen all the time.
Speaker 4:
Safe journey. Welcome Eh welcome.
Speaker 5:
Welcome. Yes, sweetheart.
Speaker 3:
I'm a pilgrim.
Speaker 1:
What would you say is your mission with this movie?
Speaker 4:
Like why did you want to make it? I didn't want to make it.
Speaker 1:
Lee you to make it. You didn't want to make it, okay, so did you want to write the book that that it was based on oh yeah, I wonder, I want to write the book.
Speaker 4:
And the reason I want to write the book was because I came back from that first camino, the camino frances, really confused and I thought that the book might help, um, ameliorate that confusion. You know, I needed to find out why I had put myself through that whole ordeal and in writing the book, I hoped that, um, that that would meet that, meet that need, and it did in a way. But then what happened was a distributor, a film distributor, uh, read the book and it had a deep impact on him. And he contacted me and he said, bill, I think there's a movie in this. And I said, no, there's not. He said, bill, this book, I know this book is going to turn into a movie and it's going to be really great. You know, the book really impacted me and if you can get the book onto the screen, then you're going to have a movie that people are going to want to see. And I said I can't do that.
Speaker 1:
I can't make a movie about myself, it's just not possible and how do you feel right now, sitting here knowing that it's premiering next week, when you didn't even want to do it, yet you did it?
Speaker 4:
um, well, number one, I feel, if I can say I feel a sense of achievement in actually completing it.
Speaker 4:
You know, because it's really hard to make a film on the Camino, and I realize now why there hasn't been an English language movie, not a documentary, but a movie made on the Camino since the way, which was in 2011, I think, you know, something like 13 years. And the reason that there hasn't been is because to mount a full-scale movie production, you know, and to do it on the Camino in its entirety, which is what I wanted to do, I wanted to traverse the entire Camino is, I mean, it's really hard. You've got trucks, you've got infrastructure. You know you can't shut down the Camino because you're making a movie, you know. So I had to find a way to work within the rhythm and the life force and the energy of the Camino, if you like, you know, to tap into it, not to stop it, not to try you know, to tap into it, not to stop it, not, not, not to try hmm, I love that to tap into it rather than to stop it.
Speaker 4:
I mean, basically, I want to get to a point of invisibility where we melded into the energy and that, so that that current, that life force, current of the Camino, we needed to meld into it and become invisible, so that we became a part of it, if that makes sense.
Speaker 1:
Yes.
Speaker 4:
And that's really hard to do.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and do you feel good about the outcome?
Speaker 4:
I do. Yeah, look, I've got to say I'm very proud of the film. I think it's a beautiful film, you know. I think we have managed to capture the true transcendent beauty of the Camino, and in that beauty, of course, lies the spirituality, because God lives in nature.
Speaker 7:
Hello everyone. This is John in a very rainy Santiago and, as you can see from the weather forecast for the next week, it's going to be dull. Thankfully the rain is going to stop, they tell us, and thereafter the weather will improve. However, the weather hasn't put off the pilgrims and they continue to pile into the city 37,000 pilgrims this year so far. That's 31% more than in the same period last year. Now the graph tells us that the pilgrim numbers have gone up and they haven't come back down yet, as we expected after Easter time. But the schools have been on holiday, so have parents, they're now going back children to school, parents back to work, and we think that the numbers will come down. But we'll see.
Speaker 7:
I have, however, have not been in the rain. For the last week I've been on the beautiful island of Malta. Now, the island of Malta was the headquarters for some considerable time of the medieval order, the Knights of St John, who were formed to protect pilgrims and to care for pilgrims. So a little later I'll tell you more about my visit to Malta and the new Camino route there.
Speaker 1:
And here's Rocco.
Speaker 6:
Two plane rides, four trains and now just got off a bus from Kitenabe and I'm here in Takejiri, which is where the trailhead begins for the Nakahechi, the version of the Kumano Kodo, which I will be undertaking this week. There we go Along the way. At key sites there are these wonderful little wooden shelters that are set up to hold the stamps that you stamp, your booklet, to show progress along the way and when we get to the end of the pilgrimage, to qualify for our dual pilgrimage status. To qualify for our dual pilgrimage status, signs as to where to go are all fine and dandy, but the Kumano Kodo folks take it to another level and actually put up signs where you are not on the Kumano Kodo, and you should look around and see where the real path is.
Speaker 6:
Incredible singing of frogs. One of the elements that adds to the challenge of walking the Kumano Kodo and that obviously slows you down are just the kilometers worth of exposed route. So you have to watch your footing at all times. And this isn't a race, it's a pilgrimage. Embrace the moment and enjoy.
Speaker 3:
Simply awe-inspiring sunset here from my room at the Kirinosato Takahata Organic Lodge. End of my short but steep first day and, given jet lag and all of the travel in the last 72 hours, this was just what the doctor ordered. 72 hours this was just what the doctor ordered. Now off to dinner.
Speaker 1:
Here's Lindsay.
Speaker 2:
Hi there, lindsay, here again. As you can hear, I've arrived in sunny Santiago Today. I've enjoyed watching pilgrims arriving in this ancient city. Today, I've enjoyed watching pilgrims arriving in this ancient city. Recently, a number of people have asked me for advice as they are contemplating doing the Camino in Vienno at some point in the future. I say great, if you have more Caminos in you, the in Vienno is a must.
Speaker 2:
Today, I thought I'd put together some things you need to know before heading off. These are my top five picks. One for the Galician Zunta albergues even though they have a kitchen, they do not have any kitchen utensils, which includes cutlery. However, they all have microwaves. 2. The Zunta albergues do not have blankets, so you are likely to need a sleeping bag. 3. Some days are quite long between services, so be prepared to carry sufficient food and water. 4. On the invierno, cash is king. Take lots of smaller denominations, as Donativos won't be able to break 50 euro notes. 5. Most private albergues are able to be booked via WhatsApp, which, combined with Google Translate, makes the whole process easy if you're not confident with your Spanish language skills. The invierno is definitely one of my top favorite routes. It's easy enough, beautiful and the people are very friendly. I do hope you enjoy it Until next time. Buen camino.
Speaker 1:
Here's Johnny Walker.
Speaker 7:
I'm here on this very beautiful island of Malta, my first visit there. But not my first encounter with my old friend James Portelli, who's the chairman of the local pilgrim association Sheer Kamini here on Malta, and they've developed a Camino route Camino Maltese, james. Could you tell us about it?
Speaker 5:
Sure thanks for the invitation. It is one of the youngest but also one of the longest caminos, because it starts in the old town of Rabat and Medina in Malta, but then crosses Malta, crosses Sicily, Sardinia, and through Barcelona, through the Catalana Ragonese, onto the Frances, all the way to Santiago. So it's 3,600 kilometers.
Speaker 7:
How much of this Camino have you walked? I've walked.
Speaker 5:
Malta, I've walked Sicily, I've walked part of Sardinia and I walk part of Spain. So this spring I'll be continuing part of Sardinia again, and in summer I'll continue part of Spain.
Speaker 7:
And James. A number of associations are developing cabina routes in their own country, for example. In England they've invented the way of St James, but it's not an extraordinary work. I understand that your work here is very authentic.
Speaker 5:
Yes, it started with a pilgrim in the 17th century. Yes, yes, indeed, it did. The pilgrim's name was Don Juan Benegas de Cordoba. He was the custodian of St Paul's Grotto in Rabat, just outside the old city of Medina, and Grand Master Alaphina Court in the very early 1600s granted him a credential, basically a document of safe passage, to travel from Malta all the way to San Giacomo in Galicia that's what the document says for him to visit the tomb and the sanctuary of St James.
Speaker 2:
And.
Speaker 7:
James, this is very much the home of the altar of St John, and they were funded to welcome pilgrims and provide support to pilgrims, and all I've got to say is thank you for your hospitality to me as my first customers to Malta.
Speaker 5:
Thank you very much, always a pleasure.
Speaker 1:
All right for our calendar of upcoming events. The online Santiago de Compostela Book Club will have their next monthly meeting on April 27th. This meeting is with Steve Walther, author of Sacred Blisters. He's so much fun you don't want to miss this one. There's a link in the show notes to join the group. Now here's a public service announcement for all English-speaking pilgrims. Pilgrim Mass in English is with Father Manny. It's held daily at 10.30 am, except on Wednesdays. Camino Companions is open daily now from 10.30 am to 5 pm. Both are located in the pilgrim office where you get your. Compostela pilgrim house on ruanova is now open from 10 am to 6 pm daily, except they're closed on wednesdays and sundays. Well, that's it for this week. Pilgrims hope to see you in santiago soon.