Azuelos, house in El Burgo Ranero, 2011
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Yesterday I finally saw "The Way" with Martin Sheen, and it reminded me that I have not posted my promised post-Camino comments on this blog, so I shall use the movie as an introduction to my comments about the Camino in 2011. "The Way" was released in the US while I was still on the Camino, and catching somewhat obscure movies (anything that is not a Maul Movie--any film not made for 14-year old boys) in the slurbs of Northern Virginia, especially films more than a few weeks beyond their theatrical release date, can be difficult. Fortunately the local quasi-art house theatre (Cinema Arts Fairfax) opened it yesterday, and my wife and I were first in line to see it at its first show there.
The film was good entertainment, although like almost all movies a little implausible in places (the bag in the river, the gitano festival in Burgos, ...) and with at times a seriously deranged geography. It was redeemed by good acting, a good story line, attractive scenery and a number of details about walking the Camino that certainly rang true. The quartet of characters more or less randomly thrown together matched the demography I encountered with lots of Irish, Dutch, and Canadian pilgrims and rather few from the United States. I would have added a Scandinavian, French or German to the mix, but movies have neither the screen time nor the budget to do everything that might be interesting. Some commentators have objected to the brisk pace at which Sheen's character walked the Camino, but almost his age and probably in worse physical condition, I managed to walk from Pamplona in 32 days with few problems beyond the usual sore muscles. The motivations of those walking the Camino were cleverly addressed with the recognition that stated objectives and actual motivations are often not coincidental. The film is an entertaining and thought provoking two hours viewing for anyone who has walked or is contemplating a walk on the Camino Frances, and I plan to buy the DVD when it becomes available in order to show it to friends and to see it again.
In its penultimate act, "The Way" includes some scenes at the cathedral that are not presently possible including entry through the holy door, not until the next Holy Year, and a good view of Master Mateo's Portico of Glory. To see that magnificent sculptural assemblage in its original form was one of my motivations, knowing far more about it now than when I walked the Camino in 1998 and 2001. Alas, when I finished my Camino in October, the Portico was mostly covered with scaffolding and only small parts were visible as restoration work is in progress. Placing one's hand on the statue is not presently allowed, and I heard rumor that ancient tradition has been permanently halted due to damage to the carving. Ironically, when I was in London a year ago I made a special trip to the Victoria and Albert to view the cast of the Portico in that museum's famed plaster cast collection, but the exhibit hall was also closed for renovation, so for now I have to be content with pictures in books.
I ended my Camino with a bus trip to Fisterra (Finisterre) but did not go to Muxia. The scenes in "The Way" made me wish I had, for I had already been to the end of the earth in 2001 at the end of my Camino that year. A reason to make yet another pilgrimage!
Over the next several weeks I plan to post several additional brief commentaries about the Camino and my 2011 walk. Keep tuned!
