Saw Blessing of Animals

[David hiking El Camino de Santiago]

> So, where is Taize exactly?

Taizé is a microscopic village in Burgundy and the home of the ecumenical
religious community founded by Brother Roger after WWII.
It's just a few miles north of Cluny, a small town not on the Camino but very
important in the historical development of the pilgrimage.

I first heard of Taizé at my church and found the Taizé-style worship
services to be very meaningful.    So I decided Taizé is a very appropriate
place for a modern pilgrim to begin - a quiet center of living spirituality that
is having a greater current effect on the world at large than, say,
Le Puy or Vezelay, neither of which I had
heard until I started learning about the Camino.     And conveniently
enough, a guidebook has just been published (in French) describing a route
from Cluny to Le Puy, though there are other GR routes available; some
links are on my web site http://camino.oakapple.net

As a Protestant I like the idea of starting at an ecumenical center;
as a western-hemispherean
I like the idea of getting over jet lag in a quiet way before
starting my 30km days.

> What do you know about that way? what is there to be seen?

Some parts of the Camino are more historic than others, and some are more
scenic than others, but there aren't too many sections that are completely
devoid of interest, I trust - the people who've actually done it can probably
chime in with some suggestions.    I suppose the worst is going along modern
roads through modern cities, but even some of that is essential from time
to time when you need to buy something you can't obtain out in the countryside.
As I indicate on my website, if I have to cut something out make my schedule,
it will be the Meseta in Spain, and even that is said to be quite attractive
in the spring.    I tend to favor small villages over big cities, but of
course the big cities usually have the biggest cathedrals and museums.

> I am actually looking for the path that brings me into the most contact with nature

One thing I'm wondering about is whether to cross the Pyrennees at Roncesvalles -
very historic - or make a detour over Somport - very scenic.

A website with a touch of humor
that I just found on Googol that might be of interest to a few of the
pathologically inclined:

http://www.siapec.it/congressi/allegati/Santiago%20Brochure.htm