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Why? Why am I setting out on this strange journey? It is a long story, with a detour…
Many years ago, in my 20s, I read a book by James A. Michener, ‘The Drifters’. In it was described, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. It became an ambition of mine, to run with the Bulls when I turned 50. I knew it was a seemingly pointless act, but something about the irrational, senseless act was attractive, especially to a logically driven engineer. Fast forward to a new century, I am divorced, re-married, and the father of 8 year old twins. It is not reasonable to risk life and limb for an irrational goal with young children, so scratch that ambition.
The detour, well my wife was born in Portugal, and comes from a family called Coelho (Rabbit). Browsing in a bookstore, I came across a Brazilian author called Coelho, Paulo Coelho. On a whim, I bought one of his books. ‘The Alchemist’ if I recall correctly, and from there a succession of his books. They are mystic/spiritual books with a message, and a good read. One of these books, I read 3-4 years ago, is called ‘The Pilgrimage’, and describes his journey along an ancient Pilgrim’s trail in the North of Spain to Santiago. This started an interest in the Pilgrim’s Trail known as the ‘Camino de Santiago de Compostela’.