Publisher's Synopsis
2020 was an extraordinary year for most people, with major restrictions due to the Corona pandemic. In March, just as the pilgrimage season was starting, the Coronavirus spread across Europe. Pilgrims, who may have only known about the outbreak in Wuhan, China, and some cases in Italy when they left their homes, were surprised by the Spanish Guardia Civil as they marched along the Camino de Santiago. They explained to the pilgrims, sometimes in tears, that they had to leave the country within a few days. Almost everywhere in Europe, the infamous lockdown took place. While Germany got through the first wave relatively well, almost 30,000 people died in Spain.In the summer, the situation in Europe improved and the Spanish Way of St. James reopened in July under strong security measures. On 31.07.2020 I started the 780 km long Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela. In the beginning I went to my limits and only thanks to the help of other pilgrims I could continue my way. During our time together in Spain, a strong community developed between us, as many hostels were closed and only 10% of the pilgrims were on the road compared to normal times. During that month I was able to learn a lot about myself and I developed my own goals in life.In this book, I describe my experiences on the Camino de Santiago and tell the pilgrimage stories that particularly moved me. I also write about the restrictions of the Corona Pandemic during this time. Because pictures say more than 1000 words, you will find my most beautiful photos from Spain in this book.About the author: Tobias Orsowa is Project Manager and Coach in Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). He loves sport, personal development and traveling during his free time
