Batman & Robin Walk the Camino?

I came across Tim Drake's "review" of his Camino in an online newspaper. For those who don't follow Batman, Tim Drake is the third orphan that Bruce Wayne picks up to be his sidekick (after Dick Grayson grows up and Jason Todd gets killed). I'm pretty sure that the author of this article is a different Tim Drake, though. He is clearly a professional writer, as the story is long on words and short on content, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Anyway, the newspaper is the National Catholic Register, so the article is more religious than others. It gives one of the versions of how St. James' relics (i.e. remains) ended up in Compestella. The story seems to be a bit too "legendary" for my tastes, much like the story about the discovery of King Arthur's tomb at Glastonbury. Pope Leo XIII supposedly addressed the issue in the 1884 Papal Bull Omnipotens Deus, but I have not been able to find a translation to see what his justification was.

A Guide

I bought a gift for my brother and myself. I got us each a copy of John Brierley's A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino Portugués. Now that some money has been actually poured out on Portugal, I guess that's solidifying the decision to take that route even more.

I've not actually read the full book yet, but have rather flipped through the pages. It looks like a good resource but the author puts notes of his personal spiritual journey at each town listing. This bothers me, because I want this to be my camino, not John Brierley's camino. Even worse, i feels to me that he actually dares to try to tell me what I should be reflecting on.

As I read it, I'm reminded by the movie I mentioned a while back, The Way. In that movie, the character are joined by a writer named "Jack, from Ireland".  Jack just happens to write guidebooks for the Camino, and has strong viewpoints what it takes to be a "true pilgrim." At one point Martin Sheen's character goes off on "Jack-ass from Ireland", calling him an arrogant boor.

It so happens the John Brierley lives in Dublin, and I can't help wondering if he's "Jack, from Ireland."

I'll know more after I finish reading the guide.

The Way

Like most Americans, my brother had never heard of the Camino before. After he agreed to go with me in principle, I wanted him to have a fuller idea of the Camino experience. I wanted that experience to come from someone other than me, because what do I know? I've never walked the Camino. So I asked him to watch an indie (if you can call Emilio Estevez "indie") film called The Way. Fortunately it is/was available for streaming on Netflix, so he agreed.
I think it's a great movie. It's definately a drama with some comedic moments. If you want all your movies to have lots of action, this isn't the film for you. One reviewer called it a "thinking man's movie". Having said all that, I recommend it:

After seeing the film, my brother is more psyched than ever to walk the Camino with me.