Herman's Way, introduction

	Last update 31 March 1996

		Introduction About two years ago, Herman, a good friend of mine, started preparations to someday walk the old pilgrims route to Santiago de Compostela. He had been to the Pyrenees a few times on vacations, and these beautiful mountains held a special fascination for him. He wanted to get to know them better and climb the higher mountains. Also, having crossed the half-century line, he needed a new fysical and mental challenge. 'Taking the cockle' seemed a good way to do that. So he became a member of the Dutch Society of Saint Jacob, read everything he could find about it, bought the lightest tent and sleeping bag that existed, filled his backpack with the absolute minimum to be self-supporting, and set out for a few trials in Limburg and Belgium, and later in the northern part of the Netherlands. Some of his equipment needed readjustment, but otherwise all went well. His feet looked terrible after a few weeks of walking, but it seems you get used to that! After making arrangements at home for an absence of about 6 months, in March 1996 he was ready to go. Jol, his girlfriend, and I will accompany him to his starting-point Vézelay in France to see him off. I took it upon myself to put his experiences on Internet, so people can follow him on his way. If you have questions or you want to give him some support (which he will need!), please write me a message and I will forward it to him. Also you can find an enormous amount of information on the Camino de Santiago at jacobeo.net
	14 March 1996	Departure from The Netherlands A little before 8 a.m. I arrive at Herman's place, where Jol and Herman are ready to pack the luggage in the car. The weather is fine, a clear sky, but a cold wind, still no Spring and at 8 o'clock sharp we're off for France. Herman is driving, a little nervous I guess, making Jol check his pockets (which he probably did already ten times at home) for all the necessary papers. Vézelay in the Bourgogne will be his starting point. Some 700 km and ten hours later we can see it, built on top of 'La colline éternelle', the eternal hill. Nowadays it is a small village with no more then 600 inhabitants. In the Middle Ages at the height of the pilgrimages there used to live 15000 people! After checking into hotel 'Le Compostelle' (how appropriate!), we climb to the top of the hill, to take a quick look at the basilica Sainte Marie-Madeleine. A last delicious French meal together, with a nice glass of wine, and we are all ready for bed.
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