[Gocamino] Santiago, Coelho

[Blaroli@aol.com]

Hello you all,
As  reported in the Santiago newspapers yesterday the "Comision Asesora del 
Casco Historico de Santiago de Comnpostela"  (The political and social group 
that watches over the integrity and preservation of the "Casco", that is, the 
medieval old center of the city), has approved some changes to be made to the 
"Casa del Dean", which is the centuries-old  building wherein the Pilgrims 
office is located at No.  Vilar Street.  The commission has approved the alteration 
of the inner courtyard area to include showers for the pilgrims and a place 
for pilgrims'  bicycles.
As you know, the Pilgrims' Office opened a facility, a couple of doors down 
the street, for pilgrims to leave their backpacks while they go to get the 
Compostela, or visit the Cathedral, or rest awhile.
The original petition to the Commission for alterations to the Casa del Dean 
included a bar.... but this was not approved.  Only the showers and the 
bicycle facilities.  Work on these changes will commence soon.

For the first time ever, the hundred-years-old Botafumeiro has left the 
Cathedral and been taken to Madrid to be repaired by super-foundry-specialists and 
jewelers (?).  You may remember that it kind-of cracked at the beginning of 
the last Holy Year and had to be replaced with the temporary substitute which is 
still in use.  Beginning in Easter, that botafumeiro will soar away at every 
Pilgrims' Mass, and special  occasions, until the end of the summer.

The newspapers also carry a story about a Norwegian who has relocated to 
Santiago for the purpose of having an Internet site that will provide extensive 
information about the Camino in English.  The fellow's name is Ivar Revke, and 
while he has not been a pilgrim, his wife has.  He met his wife, a Spaniard 
from Lugo, while they were both taking postgraduate courses at the University of 
Washington State in the U.S.  (It is a small world, indeed). After living in 
the U.S. for a while they decided to move permanently to Santiago and establish 
a Camino informational web site in English  about trains, buses, the weather, 
etc... The site also offers a sort-of electronic p.o.box for pilgrims and a 
bulletin board.
the address is:     
                                               www.santiago-today.com

Lastly, Paulo Coelho, whose book (more-or-less) related to the Camino has 
sold more than 30 million copies all over the world, has just finished walking 
the last stages of the Camino with his wife  (he did not complete it 22 years 
ago, when he walked part of it and used his experience as the source of his 
fantastically popular book) and was at Santiago's Corte Ingles yesterday 
autographing copies of the book.  I expect that a new Camino-based book  may be in the 
offing.  While his book has been royally and endlessly criticized up and down 
by Camino purists, specially Spaniards, it cannot be denied that it has 
contributed significantly to the resurgence of world-wide interest in the Camino.   
a couple of years ago his Camino book was being reintroduced in Italy  (with a 
gorgeous cover).  I happened by a bookstore in Florence when he was giving a 
talk, in flawless Italian, about the book.  He struck me as being quite 
charming, earnest about the Camino, and personally very attractive..... but of 
course!  Isn't he Brasilian?

Warm regards,

Rosina