Diem Burden's Blog, page 2
May 11, 2023
My 'Road to Damascus' moment on the Camino de Santiago
OK, I wasn't actually walking the camino frances, but I live in a village on the camino, and spend a lot of time on it and I'm constantly involved with services to pilgrims.
One routine evening in 2021, really strange things began to happen to me and around me. My life began filling up with dozens of new friends, all of whom 'followed Jesus.' Two weeks later, a supernatural event happened to me near to the free wine fountain. Over the next 3 months, events in my life became inexplicable to me. My 55 years of avid atheism withstood the onslaught for as long as was possible. I change beyond belief. Below are two pictures from that time. One is BC, the other AD.[image error][image error]Above: Diem Burden, 6 months apart.
The complete story of what happened to me that summer is available in my award-winning book, Come to the Table. Complete with input from many of those involved, stunning photographs and extracts from the journal of witnesses.
This book will bring tears to your eyes and, quite possibly, change your life forever.
Click here for a definition of a 'Road to Damascus' moment...
May 9, 2023
The 1000-year history behind the FREE wine fountain on the Camino de Santiago (Camino Francés)
There is little else that rankles people more than seeing photos of pilgrims filling up large bottles of wine at the free wine fountain near Estella. So, before you choose to do the same, here’s a post of perhaps why you should show more respect…
LOCATION
As you leave the city of Estella, you walk through an outer village called Ayegui. At the end of Ayegui you have to cross the road out into the countryside, where you pick up the trail again. Immediately on your right you will spot the Forge of Ayegui, a blackmith’s workshop, on the right hand side of the camino (you can’t miss it). This shop sells beautiful handmade metal necklaces & mementos of the camino.
Two hundred metres further up, again on the right, is the free water and wine fountain (one tap for each). The attached bodega (winery) gives away 100 litres of cheap wine per day. It is of very low quality (obviously), and anybody who tells you otherwise does not know their wine! When the 100L has gone, it remains empty until it is refilled the following day.
WHY IS THERE FREE WINE HERE?
Sadly, most people don’t know the answer to this question, and just see it as a jolly jape, and fill their water bottles to overflowing with the wine, thus depriving other pilgrims of a taste of it. (Seriously, if you need a litre or two of wine, get it from the supermarket at no more than €3 per bottle! It is much better quality!)
The story of the wine is one of the most interesting stories on the camino, and it goes back to the year 1034 (approximately). This was the year that a young boy was admitted to the adjacent monastery (monasterio de Irache), which is located opposite the free wine location, to train as a Benedictine monk. His name was Veremundo, and he was just 14 years old.
VEREMUNDO
The young monk was born in Villatuerta, a
village on the camino just before you enter Estella (although the village of Arellano also claims him - it's possible that each of his parents came from each of these villages). The local church in Villatuerta has a statue of him outside, and a plaque on the wall above a drinking fountain, stating (in Spanish) that ‘the water is to quench your thirst, but at the next stage there is the strength of a good wine’.
MONASTERY OF IRACHE
The origins of the monastery date back to the 8th C. It was one of the traditional stopping places for pilgrims, who would be provided a small bed, cheese, bread and wine for free. It also became the first pilgrim hospital in Navarra. The young Veremundo so loved the pilgrims that he was soon in trouble for providing them with too much food and drink. Whenever he went to feed them, senior monks would require him to open his robes to see what he carried beneath. The extra food miraculously converted into flowers or firewood.
ABBOT PERIOD AND MORE MIRACLES.
At 24, Veremundo was elected Abbot of the monastery, and under his guidance, it grew enormously. Later, whilst travelling nearby, Veremundo saw an image of Santa Maria del Puy in a field. The King of Navarra duly arrived and founded a new city at the site (Estella). The camino was adapted to come into Estella, and you are now given an option to follow the original camino, thus by-passing Estella, if you so wish.
Veremundo also caused wine to gush from a fountain nearby to feed the pilgrims, and fed a group of approximately 10,000 starving villagers with a flock of birds from heaven.
He once asked a group of pilgrims what they had seen on their camino so far, and they replied, ‘Nothing.’ Veremundo was indignant at their ignorance of the splendour of God’s creation, and exclaimed, ‘I see the world!’ He then turned the pilgrims into windmills, who were condemned to turn for eternity, without arriving anywhere, and never changing their point of view.
Veremundo died in the 1090s.
FROM MONK TO SAINT VEREMUNDOThat 14-year-old trainee monk eventually became the Patron Saint of Pilgrims in Navarra, and the free wine is provided in honour of his memory.
Take a shell, or use the palm of your hand, and slurp a taste of wine in honour of the saint, but don’t quaff loads. He is watching you, and he might just turn you into a windmill, too!
THE NEARBY MONASTERY OF IRACHE & WINE MUSEUM
Don't now walk on, as there is more to see at this place! The monastery is beautiful (and free), and the guy on the door speaks English (the entrance is from the small green in front of the museum). Deep inside, you’ll find a stunning church, containing some relics of Saint Veremundo (it was whilst looking at these relics in 2021, that something weird happened to me which led me on a 3-month journey, taking me from being a lifelong, uncompromising atheist, to a follower of Jesus, which all 'coincidentally' happened on the camino in this area. That incredible story is told in my book.)
The wine museum doesn’t look much from the outside, and the ground floor contains some interesting relics from the winery, but the best part is underground, TWO MORE LEVELS, where you can see authentic wine making installations, not to mention a wine cellar carved out of bedrock, containing hundreds of ancient bottles of wine! The receptionist doesn't show much interest, but it is well worth ten minutes of your time.
Both locations have credential stamps.
OPENING HOURS AND PILGRIM ISSUESOne of the biggest issues with the wine fountain is the proximity to Estella. As Estella is the major stop before the fountain, most pilgrims arrive far too early and well before the fountain has been refilled (it's just half an hour walk from Estella). As the fountain is a highlight for many pilgrims, if you are setting off from Estella, you might want to plan to arrive there around 10am, as not only will the wine be running by then (and hopefully not all drunk up), but also ther nearby monastery and museum open up around that time too, and both are free to enter.
Buen camino, and don't be a windmill!
(Originally posted on Facebook group, Camino de Santiago All Routes.)
Which way now?
Walking along a path that is a 1000 years old invariably means that the course has been altered many times over the years, often resulting in a sudden choice for the unwary pilgrim: left or right?
Some have fully prepared and know which path to choose, others make a decision when suddenly confronted with the choice (and usually follow the crowd), whilst others fail completely to see the spilt and walk on, often ending up someplace they weren't expecting ie lost!
DO YOUR PREPARATION
I test out many of the Apps on the camino, and one I particularly like is called Buen Camino. I like it because it advises you of such splits when you plan the next day's route, allowing an informed decision to be made.
The choice of path you take can have a big impact on your pilgrimage. I'll give you an example: shortly after leaving the Monastery of Irache (and wine fountain) in Navarra, you come upon one such split. It is well-signposted, but I have met one pilgrim who missed it completely. The 'main' path turns 90º to the right and heads (mostly along paved roads/paths) to Villamayor. If you don't see it and walk straight on, you end up in a village called Luquin, as indeed did she. I bumped into her when she arrived at the beginning of the village, and saw that she was very worried.
"Isn't this Villamayor?" she asked me, clearly confused by the village sign stating otherwise.
"No," I answered, "You missed the split and took the wrong turn. Villamayor is about 4km over there."
She immediately deflated and looked like she might start crying. She was exhausted, starving, full of blisters, and ready for a shower, and had been hoping to be remedying these issues at this point in time. To have to now find the willpower to walk on for another hour or so was too much for her. Fortunately, she'd met somebody who could help her out quite quickly, and I dropped her off at the albergue in Villamayor.
HOW DO I CHOOSE?
No two routes are identical in length, so if you are struggling, choose the shortest. Some routes take in a city (like Estella), whilst the alternative bypasses the city. One route might take you along a scenic riverwalk, the alternative up a hill to a chapel. And of course, there are the monuments you want to see along the way, and accommodation choices etc. The case above meant that the lady was a long way from her intended albergue for the night. And then there is your mode of transport: bike or foot?
There are numerous variations and therefore choices, but the important thing is to know what options each choice offers you, and preferably beforehand.
VILLAMAYOR OR LUQUIN?
I've walked and ridden the Villamayor section and know it well, with approximately 1.5km of it on tarmac. The signpost clearly states that the Luquin route is shorter by 1km. Both paths rejoin shortly after Villamayor/Luquin, and head to Los Arcos 17km away.
The right path takes in two villages, whereas Luquin is just one. Each village is small and pretty, with an albergue or two, and one bar each. There is little to differentiate between them. I chose Luquin just to experience the route, and I'm so glad I did.
First, 95% of the pilgrims that day were taking the route to Villamayor (I have no idea why - probably just following the crowd). There were few walking to Luquin, which pleased me as I wanted to be away from the crowds and noise.
I took the path and was led up into the woods on the side of the hill. With no other pilgrims around, I was surrounded by the wonder of nature and the sound of bird song. I slowed down to a very slow crawl, and meditated on God's splendour as I did so. It was one of the most magical moments of my week long walk across Navarra.
I was eventually passed by a handful of pilgrims, who were genuinely concerned for me due to my slow pace. My glowing face reassured them that all was well with me.
CONCLUSION
Please, spend a few minutes checking tomorrow's route for the splits, research them and make an informed choice, and maximise your camino experience!
Buen camino!
PS: If you go to Luquin, the bar at the pool complex does the best tortilla I have ever tasted!
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
-Isaiah 30:21
(Originally posted on https://www.facebook.com/groups/54476...)May 2, 2023
Award-winning author available for after-dinner speeches on the Camino de Santiago, Spain.
More and more people are doing the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) in larger, organised tours. They usually stop overnight at designated places where they have meals together, often booking a dining room just for them. It is during such meals that an excellent opportunity arises for guest speakers to attend.
I live in Viana, Navarra (on the camino francés), and I'm a British native speaker. I am accustomed to speaking to large groups of people and I have a remarkable story to share, which certain groups might like to hear of, whilst on the camino.
It is the story of how a 55-year, obstinate atheist, was found by God, over a three-month period, along the Camino de Santiago in Navarra, Spain. It was my 'road to Damascus' moment.
It is a truly remarkable story, and one that I love sharing. As an author, I could also offer signed copies of the book of my story.
If you are interested in hearing my tale, and would like me to speak at one of your gatherings whilst on your pilgrimage, please contact me for further details.
The camino provides!
I've lost count the amount of times I have heard this phrase from pilgrims who have experienced something special happening on the camino. It is often used to explain the inexplicable, to help stop pondering why something good happened out of nowhere, and just when needed.
A perfect example is my friend Ed. He walked the camino in 2020, just as Covid was talking off. Camping, and walking through knee-deep snow, he was often frightened, cold and hungry. Once morning, having camped in the middle of nowhere, he opened his tent to discover a breakfast tray had been placed there for him, with hot coffee and bread, cheese and ham.
THE CAMINO PROVIDES!
Camino is the Spanish word for 'way' or 'path'. But let's get real: the camino is just a well-trodden path through Spain. It is forest paths, gravel tracks, road walks, city pavements etc. It is a non-living thing. The 'thing' cannot provide you with anything, anymore than device you are reading this on can provide you with morning coffee! (If only it could...). There has to be something other, a greater power, at work on the camino.
So how does such magic happen routinely on the camino? Let's look at the Bible, to the Gospel of John specifically, where Jesus stated:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
In Spanish, this is translated as:
"Yo soy el camino y la verdad y la vida. Nadie viene al Padre sino por mí."
"Yo soy el camino..."
I am the camino...
Jesus is the camino..!
So, next time you hear somebody explain away inexplicable goodness along the pilgrimage route, simply claiming that "the camino provides," gently remind them who the camino actually is.
Jesus is the camino.
April 21, 2023
"I have a sense we were meant to meet today..."
I've just got back to my home in Viana, Navarra. My afternoon was spent sitting at a table at my favourite café, conveniently located on the Camino de Santiago, having a coffee and reading. As I was sitting there, a middle-aged, Dutch pilgrim sat at the next table along.
I'd watched him earlier as he trudged into town, tired and weary, having walked 35km from Estella. He'd gone to the albergue nearby, showered and changed, and had just sat down for a well-deserved beer.
We made small talk and chatted for about ten minutes, talking about his life and mine. He told me about a time in Mexico when he had entered a church which had been set up for the natives, the walls of which were covered in paintings. The congregation was deep in worship, and he felt a surge of emotion and had burst into tears.
He told me he believed in God, but he didn't like religion. I explained, very briefly, how I have a personal relation with Jesus and don't go into churches to worship, as He is everywhere I go, and that I constantly chat with Him.
He got up after finishing his beer to go back to the albergue. He suddenly stopped and looked at me.
"I don't know why, but I have a feeling, a strange sense, that we were meant to meet today..."
As I walked off, I called after him, telling him that I prayed God would show him why, as he continued on his pilgrimage.
April 13, 2023
Walking the Camino de Santiago
Since 2012, I have lived in Viana [vee-AN-na], Navarra, Spain, where the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James) passes straight through the heart of the village. For the first 9 years I was far too busy working in the nearby city of Logroño [le-GRON-yo] to pay any attention to the weary pilgrims, as they hobbled up into the old, fortified town I now call home. That all changed in 2021, when I found myself working from home and single again.
I began to hang out in a local café called The Pilgrims' Oasis in Viana, which is focussed on serving pilgrims and their needs. They also offer christian advice and support. As an avowed and uncompromising atheist, I made it clear that I wanted no part of any God speak!
Over that summer my life was turned upside when God came after me. Over a three month battle I eventually gave up and accepted Jesus as my Saviour, something that is, in itself, a miracle. The fact that these events 'coincidentally' occurred along the camino in Navarra between Pamplona and Logroño is evident of God's hand in all of this. Sometime during those three months, I walked from Saint Jean Pied de Port in France (the traditional starting point for pilgrims on the Camino Francés route) across the Pyrenees into Roncesvalles [ron-sess-VAI-yes] in Spain, stopping for the night at Orisson up in the mountains. This two-day hike gave me a taste of the camino and a desire to continue walking all the way to the ocean 'at the end of the earth'.
A year later I was able to escape for another week and so headed to Roncesvalles, where I picked up my camino and walked home. I walked with an action plan: God was in control. As a 55-year atheist, I was used to wearing my own crown and doing what I wanted to do. It was hard for me to give that roll up and hand it over to God, so that is precisely what I did. And what a week it turned out to be! So much so that I have decided to write a short, free ebook of that week walking with God, called GET UP AND WALK.
In 2023, I was able to walk for another week, so I set off from home in Viana and walked to Burgos, some 145km (90 miles). I again set an action plan, this time it was to pray with people/over people/for healing, as this is something I shy away from doing. I camped for the first two nights, struggled with colder and colder nights, wild boar visits, and dreadful blisters, and when I finally reached the stunning city of Burgos for (Semana Santa) Easter weekend, God set in motion an amazing ending to that arduous week-long pilgrimage. What an ending that was! So much happened over that week that I decided it would be another ideal short book to write, adding it to the series GET UP AND WALK. So you'll have to wait and see just what happened!
I'm planning to do my next section in September, picking up from Burgos and walking to Leon. I need an action plan for that week too, and have yet to come up with an idea, but I'm sure God will show me what I need to do for that week.
Meanwhile, I have decided to use this blog to write about events and experiences on the camino as they happen in my daily life.
Feel free to check in and see what it is like to live on the Camino de Santiago!
January 22, 2021
2020 - my best year became my worst year
At the beginning of 2020, I was so excited at the thought of giving up the day job and semi-retiring to focus solely on writing my books. It was all I’d ever dreamed of. OK, so the pandemic put me in lockdown and brought my day job to a close much sooner than I’d expected, and I got so much done regarding my writing.
And then the unthinkable happened. My two eldest brothers were diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks apart. Michael, my elder brother, is currently undergoing his chemo and radiotherapy treatment. We are praying it is successful.
Paul, my eldest brother, had been admitted to hospital initially with suspected ‘long Covid’, only to be told he had in fact got advanced lung cancer. Two weeks later he was dead. The shock and trauma this has caused my family is hard to put into words. It was all so sudden and unexpected.
Paul was the strongest man I knew, and the most generous person you could wish to know. He was the lynch-pin back home. He lived with my younger, disabled brother, who had a heart-attack the year before. He looked after him, took him everywhere and made sure he wanted for nothing. He also visited our 80-year-old mother every day, taking her shopping, walking her dog, having dinner with her, and taking her out on trips at the weekend. He was so involved in their lives, and they in turn were so dependent on him.
I live in Spain, and can’t do much for them back here, although I am now thinking of returning to the UK. My elder brother can’t help, as he is receiving aggressive treatment this year, and my youngest brother works away a lot.
The only good news to come out of all of this was that I was able to get back home for Paul’s funeral and read a tribute to him.
I remember that awful Sunday clearly. The sudden diagnosis of my two brothers had made me feel my own mortality, so I decided to start jogging and get into better shape. I hate running and hadn’t run for decades.
As I was preparing to go, I got the dreaded news we’d been fearing, and all hope vanished: Paul only had days to live. I ran and ran for about 6km in the hills around my home, trying to make sense of what was happening. I screamed, and I cried, and I cursed into the wind. I would never see my brother again.
I got home, showered and sat down. The phone rang. Paul had died whilst I was out running. I haven’t stopped running since.
I now intend to run a marathon and raise money for cancer charities in Paul’s name. I have chosen to run the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James), a 800km pilgrimage route across Spain, in preparation. I’m doing this virtually through the Conqueror app.
I have also set up a Facebook page to raise funds in his name. If you’d like to donate something, no matter how small, I’d really appreciate it. This is the link: https://www.facebook.com/donate/463219428020203/3413233532133160/
I miss you brother.
#runningforpaul
