上星期曾到西班牙西北部城市 Santiago de Compostela 玩了三天。對於西班牙西北部本來認識不多,只知道 Santiago de Compostela(以下簡稱為 Santiago) 有一座很宏偉的大教堂, 有很多朝聖者前來朝拜。下機後,在坐公共汽車前往市中心時已留意到路上有不少像背包客的人往市中心走。下車後往舊城進發時,沿途遇見更多人背著大背包,手持爬山用手杖, 他們樣子很累不過很集中精神往前走,不像我這個遊客,看看東,看看西。
在舊城的街上,有個英國人忽然走過來搭訕,他說他在從倫敦來的航班上見過我,想問我是不是也是來參與 camino (後來才知 camino 是在 Santiago 聽得最多的字)。我問他,「什麼是 camino?」,他哈哈大笑, 然後告訴我,「camino 就是英語裡的 pilgrimage (朝聖)啊。」我們在街上談了好一會,他告訴我一些關於來 Santiago 朝聖的事。原來除了羅馬梵蒂岡和耶路撒冷, Santiago 是第三個最多天主教教徒前往朝聖的地方, 因為相傳耶穌十二門徒之一的聖雅各福群 (英文為 St James, 西班牙文就是 Santiago)死後被埋葬在這小城的教堂裡,所以這千多二千年來不斷有朝聖者從西班牙南部、意大利或法國前來 Santiago 朝拜。那個英國人說他本來從法國北部出發, 但走了不久就由於工作關係而中斷了行程回到英國,可是回去不到一會,還是覺得要完成這個旅程, 便毅然再放下工作, 先坐飛機到 Santiago, 然後坐旅遊車到法國里昂 (Lyon), 希望在那裡可以重遇之前一同出發的朝聖者, 然後一塊兒徒步走回 Santiago。我問他要走多久,他說大概要五個星期。我想,要背著這麼重的背包,我一天也走不上,何況是五個星期呢。
筆者自稱 greedy traveller (貪心的旅遊者),顧名思義十分愛吃,貪心是因為又想吃這樣,又想吃那樣,但肚子只有一個。第二天因為早上只是喝了杯咖啡,到了中午已經很餓,便走到舊城裡的 Abastos 市場逛逛。由於 Santiago 離大西洋不遠,市場裡有很多不同的海鮮賣。那裡有一家小餐廳, 他們收取很少的費用便會把客人從市場買回來的海鮮煮好。 我自己一個人,竟然買了海螯蝦、蟶子、一些不知名字的海螺,還叫餐廳準備點麵包和沙律。這還不止,餐廳附近有個檔子賣當地有名的 pulpo a la Gallega, 是在煮熟了的切片特大八爪魚上淋上橄欖油和香料,我看見了貪心又起,買了一碟。
在餐廳坐下不久, 快要上菜時,有個男子走進餐廳,他也是獨自來吃午飯,問我能否一塊坐, 我心想,這也好,可以問他要不要幫忙吃一點我點了的菜。當侍應把菜端上時,同檯的男子真的嚇了一跳,難以置信地問我,「這些都是你點的嗎?你真是自己一個人來吃午飯?」。由於他自己只是買了八爪魚,我便請他吃蝦、螺和蟶子。那個男子穿著擋風外套和爬山鞋, 我便問他是不是來朝聖。他告訴我,他是意大利人, 住在佛羅倫斯附近, 可能人到中年, 感覺人生迷失了方向, 便掉下工作, 先坐車到法國, 在里昂附近開始朝聖之旅, 希望這個旅程能給他一些啓發。雖然在西班牙西北方的 Santiago 是朝聖者的終點站, 但一般人會先到更西面的 Cape Finisterre (西班牙文為Fisterra)然後才拐回東面走向Santiago,因為相傳聖雅各福群在耶路撒冷死後, 信徒們從海路把他的遺體運到 Cape Finisterre 登陸後才用陸路送達 Santiago。在Santiago 到處也見到有扇貝貝殼賣的商店,而朝聖者身上都一定掛著貝殼,我便問意大利男子知不知道貝殼的意思。他告訴我在 Cape Finisterre 一帶的海岸有很多扇貝,關於貝殼和聖雅各福群有不同的傳說,總之從古時開始的朝聖者就喜歡拾貝殼來作紀念品, 慢慢地貝殼就成為朝聖之路的象徵。到了現在,雖然有好幾條通往 Santiago 的朝聖之路,但沿路也會見到貝殼的蹤影。
我們邊吃他邊繼續告訴我,他從法國走過來, 本來是一個人走的,但很容易地在路上遇到不同的人,不少是歐洲人,也有不少是從美國等地來的, 他更遇過幾個韓國人。巧合地那個早上才在大教堂裡看到一群韓國人在一個韓國神父的帶領下做彌撒。雖然朝聖者中什麼身份的人也有,但在朝聖之路上無分貧富,人人平等,每天早上出發,走到晚上便沿路上找叫做 albergue de camino 的旅館。這些旅館專為朝聖者而設,一般由志願團體或當地政府經營,只有最基本的床位、公眾浴室等設施, 花十歐元左右便有一晚住宿。有一天,他走到黃昏, 看見一家朝聖者旅館便叩門,怎料旅館當晚已客滿,當時還有兩個美國女孩子同時到達, 他們便三人一行走往下一個小鎮的朝聖者旅館,誰不知也是客滿,他們結果多走了十多公里才找到一家還有床位的旅館棲身。在出發時他從當地的教堂領取了一張叫 credencial 的東西,就好像一個朝聖者的護照。在西班牙,教堂多得如亞洲城市裡的便利店一樣,他在沿途的教堂裡往朝聖者護照上蓋印花。到達 Santiago 後,他前往朝聖者辦事處, 職員檢查過他的朝聖者護照後便發給他一張 compostela - 朝聖者證書。他最後告訴我,有空一定要在大教堂外的大廣場 Praza do Obradoiro 坐一會,在那裡可以真正感受朝聖者到達終點那種氣氛。午飯後我們道別,我便走到那個大廣場坐一會。那偌大的廣場,不斷有剛抵達的朝聖者走進來,他們有些在那裡重遇在旅途上認識的人, 大家都興奮莫名地擁抱起來, 然後細心欣賞那宏偉的大教堂。加上那裡每天也有一個街頭音樂家站在一角吹風笛,讓整個廣場瀰漫著一種很祥和的氣氛。
雖然只是短短三天的旅程,但我也學習到不少新知識。 Santiago 位處 Galicia 省, 那裡除了海鮮還盛產蔬果,有不少美食和葡萄酒,剛回到倫敦的我又已經盤算著何時再在到那裡一遊。
在舊城的街上,有個英國人忽然走過來搭訕,他說他在從倫敦來的航班上見過我,想問我是不是也是來參與 camino (後來才知 camino 是在 Santiago 聽得最多的字)。我問他,「什麼是 camino?」,他哈哈大笑, 然後告訴我,「camino 就是英語裡的 pilgrimage (朝聖)啊。」我們在街上談了好一會,他告訴我一些關於來 Santiago 朝聖的事。原來除了羅馬梵蒂岡和耶路撒冷, Santiago 是第三個最多天主教教徒前往朝聖的地方, 因為相傳耶穌十二門徒之一的聖雅各福群 (英文為 St James, 西班牙文就是 Santiago)死後被埋葬在這小城的教堂裡,所以這千多二千年來不斷有朝聖者從西班牙南部、意大利或法國前來 Santiago 朝拜。那個英國人說他本來從法國北部出發, 但走了不久就由於工作關係而中斷了行程回到英國,可是回去不到一會,還是覺得要完成這個旅程, 便毅然再放下工作, 先坐飛機到 Santiago, 然後坐旅遊車到法國里昂 (Lyon), 希望在那裡可以重遇之前一同出發的朝聖者, 然後一塊兒徒步走回 Santiago。我問他要走多久,他說大概要五個星期。我想,要背著這麼重的背包,我一天也走不上,何況是五個星期呢。
筆者自稱 greedy traveller (貪心的旅遊者),顧名思義十分愛吃,貪心是因為又想吃這樣,又想吃那樣,但肚子只有一個。第二天因為早上只是喝了杯咖啡,到了中午已經很餓,便走到舊城裡的 Abastos 市場逛逛。由於 Santiago 離大西洋不遠,市場裡有很多不同的海鮮賣。那裡有一家小餐廳, 他們收取很少的費用便會把客人從市場買回來的海鮮煮好。 我自己一個人,竟然買了海螯蝦、蟶子、一些不知名字的海螺,還叫餐廳準備點麵包和沙律。這還不止,餐廳附近有個檔子賣當地有名的 pulpo a la Gallega, 是在煮熟了的切片特大八爪魚上淋上橄欖油和香料,我看見了貪心又起,買了一碟。
在餐廳坐下不久, 快要上菜時,有個男子走進餐廳,他也是獨自來吃午飯,問我能否一塊坐, 我心想,這也好,可以問他要不要幫忙吃一點我點了的菜。當侍應把菜端上時,同檯的男子真的嚇了一跳,難以置信地問我,「這些都是你點的嗎?你真是自己一個人來吃午飯?」。由於他自己只是買了八爪魚,我便請他吃蝦、螺和蟶子。那個男子穿著擋風外套和爬山鞋, 我便問他是不是來朝聖。他告訴我,他是意大利人, 住在佛羅倫斯附近, 可能人到中年, 感覺人生迷失了方向, 便掉下工作, 先坐車到法國, 在里昂附近開始朝聖之旅, 希望這個旅程能給他一些啓發。雖然在西班牙西北方的 Santiago 是朝聖者的終點站, 但一般人會先到更西面的 Cape Finisterre (西班牙文為Fisterra)然後才拐回東面走向Santiago,因為相傳聖雅各福群在耶路撒冷死後, 信徒們從海路把他的遺體運到 Cape Finisterre 登陸後才用陸路送達 Santiago。在Santiago 到處也見到有扇貝貝殼賣的商店,而朝聖者身上都一定掛著貝殼,我便問意大利男子知不知道貝殼的意思。他告訴我在 Cape Finisterre 一帶的海岸有很多扇貝,關於貝殼和聖雅各福群有不同的傳說,總之從古時開始的朝聖者就喜歡拾貝殼來作紀念品, 慢慢地貝殼就成為朝聖之路的象徵。到了現在,雖然有好幾條通往 Santiago 的朝聖之路,但沿路也會見到貝殼的蹤影。
我們邊吃他邊繼續告訴我,他從法國走過來, 本來是一個人走的,但很容易地在路上遇到不同的人,不少是歐洲人,也有不少是從美國等地來的, 他更遇過幾個韓國人。巧合地那個早上才在大教堂裡看到一群韓國人在一個韓國神父的帶領下做彌撒。雖然朝聖者中什麼身份的人也有,但在朝聖之路上無分貧富,人人平等,每天早上出發,走到晚上便沿路上找叫做 albergue de camino 的旅館。這些旅館專為朝聖者而設,一般由志願團體或當地政府經營,只有最基本的床位、公眾浴室等設施, 花十歐元左右便有一晚住宿。有一天,他走到黃昏, 看見一家朝聖者旅館便叩門,怎料旅館當晚已客滿,當時還有兩個美國女孩子同時到達, 他們便三人一行走往下一個小鎮的朝聖者旅館,誰不知也是客滿,他們結果多走了十多公里才找到一家還有床位的旅館棲身。在出發時他從當地的教堂領取了一張叫 credencial 的東西,就好像一個朝聖者的護照。在西班牙,教堂多得如亞洲城市裡的便利店一樣,他在沿途的教堂裡往朝聖者護照上蓋印花。到達 Santiago 後,他前往朝聖者辦事處, 職員檢查過他的朝聖者護照後便發給他一張 compostela - 朝聖者證書。他最後告訴我,有空一定要在大教堂外的大廣場 Praza do Obradoiro 坐一會,在那裡可以真正感受朝聖者到達終點那種氣氛。午飯後我們道別,我便走到那個大廣場坐一會。那偌大的廣場,不斷有剛抵達的朝聖者走進來,他們有些在那裡重遇在旅途上認識的人, 大家都興奮莫名地擁抱起來, 然後細心欣賞那宏偉的大教堂。加上那裡每天也有一個街頭音樂家站在一角吹風笛,讓整個廣場瀰漫著一種很祥和的氣氛。
雖然只是短短三天的旅程,但我也學習到不少新知識。 Santiago 位處 Galicia 省, 那裡除了海鮮還盛產蔬果,有不少美食和葡萄酒,剛回到倫敦的我又已經盤算著何時再在到那裡一遊。
I spent a few days in Northwest Spain last week, visiting the city of Santiago de Compostela. Although I have been to Spain many times but up till then I hardly knew a thing about the Northwest, my knowledge only stretched to knowing that Santiago has a famous cathedral where pilgrims visit. Even on the way to the city centre by bus from the airport, I saw scores of pilgrims who were in full backpacker gears - huge backpacks, hiking boots and hiking sticks. The only thing that differentiates them from standard backpackers is that they always carry scallop shells, either hanging off their backpacks or worn around their necks.
Once settled in the hotel, I went out for lunch and had lovely tapas in a modern tapas bar just outside Abastos market, the local market inside the old town. Afterwards I went for a wander in the old town, when an Englishman suddenly came up to me and said he had seen me earlier in the flight from London, and was wondering if I am on the camino. Perplexed, I asked him what camino is (later on I realised camino is the most heard of word in Santiago). He laughed told me camino is the Spanish word for pilgrimage. After the Vatican and Jerusalem, Santiago is the third most popular place for Christian pilgrims to visit. Santiago is the Spanish word for St James, one of Jesus' twelve apostles, and it is said that he is buried in Santiago's cathedral. So for over a thousand years pilgrims have been coming to Santiago. The Englishman and I carried on chatting for a bit and he told me that he had initially started the camino somewhere in France, but work commitment cut short his journey and he returned to the UK upon which he felt an urge to complete the camino. So he immediately bought a ticket to fly to Santiago and was hoping to catch a long distance bus the next day to head to Lyon so he could catch up with the people he started the camino with. I asked him how long the trip would take for him to head from Lyon to Santiago on foot and he said it would take a good few weeks. I wished him all the best and we parted ways, and I thought to myself, phew, I wouldn't even last a day having a 10+kg backpack on my back and have to walk 10 hours, let alone 4 or 5 weeks!
I call myself the greedy traveller, because especially when I am travelling, I always want to sample local delicacies, ordering this, trying that, and I always eat till I am about to explode. It happened again while I was in Santiago. On the second day, since I only had a coffee in the morning, by noon my stomach was rumbling so I went to search for food. I had read somewhere about a little restaurant inside Abastos market which would cook food bought in the market for a small fee, so I was keen to try it out. I found the restaurant, then set off to get some ingredients. After checking out several stalls, I ended up buying langoustines, razor clams and barnacles. After bringing the ingredients to the restaurant, I spotted a pulpo (octopus) stall nearby. Pulpo a la Gallega is a famous Galician dish and of course I felt compelled to try it so I ordered one plate. On top of all that I ordered bread and salad too. I had absolutely no idea how I could possibly finish all the food, and just when the waiter was about to dish out everything I had ordered, a guy came into the restaurant, and as he was eating alone as well, he asked if he could join. I immediately nodded as I was sure he wouldn't mind helping me out to finish all the food!
After spending a day in Santiago, I could already distinguish the people on the camino from those who aren't. He obviously looks like he is on the camino, so I asked where he has travelled from. Turned out he is an Italian from Tuscany, but he had travelled to France to start the camino. He had been on the roads for about five weeks, and had walked all the way to Cape Finisterre, the westernmost end of Spain, which legend has it that it was where the body of St James landed after being transported by sea from Jerusalem. I asked him about the meaning of the scallop shell, and he told me that it is a symbol of the camino as all along the route one can find scallop shells to guide the way. There are different stories as to why the scallop shell came to become the symbol of the camino, but the Italian guy reckoned that since there is an abundance of it along the coast, perhaps the early pilgrims took the shells home as memento. During the camino, he had been staying in albergue de camino, these are like backpacker hostels, but only cater for pilgrims. One day he was in a small town, it was late afternoon when he went to look for an albergue to stay for the night, but the only one in the town was full. There were two American girls in the same predicament so the three of them set off to the next town. Unfortunately it was the same story, and they ended up walking an extra 20kms to the third town to find an albergue with beds available. He said he was pretty glad he had finally completely the camino, for he would now go and stay in a nice hotel to relax.
We chatted and somehow managed to finish all the food. Before we parted ways, he reminded me to try to attend a mass in English as I could see the botafumeiro (a thurible in which incense is burnt and swung during a mass), and I should definitely spend some time sitting in Praza do Obradoiro, the large plaza outside the cathedral. While I had already missed the time for the English mass for the day and I didn't really feel religious enough to attend one anyway, I did go and sit in Praza do Obradoiro. This is where pilgrims congregate, and one can see all sorts of emotions on the faces of these pilgrims. On the one hand they are exhausted, but they are also extremely delighted to have finally arrived Santiago. Many of them are reunited with new friends they have made along the camino, after hugs they admire in awe the greatness of the cathedral.
While I cannot say if I will ever be religious enough to embark on the camino, the delicious seafood, the amazing tapas, all the tarts and cakes and local produce, not to mention local Galician wines have already won my heart and I am sure I will be back to this wonderful corner of Spain some day.
Once settled in the hotel, I went out for lunch and had lovely tapas in a modern tapas bar just outside Abastos market, the local market inside the old town. Afterwards I went for a wander in the old town, when an Englishman suddenly came up to me and said he had seen me earlier in the flight from London, and was wondering if I am on the camino. Perplexed, I asked him what camino is (later on I realised camino is the most heard of word in Santiago). He laughed told me camino is the Spanish word for pilgrimage. After the Vatican and Jerusalem, Santiago is the third most popular place for Christian pilgrims to visit. Santiago is the Spanish word for St James, one of Jesus' twelve apostles, and it is said that he is buried in Santiago's cathedral. So for over a thousand years pilgrims have been coming to Santiago. The Englishman and I carried on chatting for a bit and he told me that he had initially started the camino somewhere in France, but work commitment cut short his journey and he returned to the UK upon which he felt an urge to complete the camino. So he immediately bought a ticket to fly to Santiago and was hoping to catch a long distance bus the next day to head to Lyon so he could catch up with the people he started the camino with. I asked him how long the trip would take for him to head from Lyon to Santiago on foot and he said it would take a good few weeks. I wished him all the best and we parted ways, and I thought to myself, phew, I wouldn't even last a day having a 10+kg backpack on my back and have to walk 10 hours, let alone 4 or 5 weeks!
I call myself the greedy traveller, because especially when I am travelling, I always want to sample local delicacies, ordering this, trying that, and I always eat till I am about to explode. It happened again while I was in Santiago. On the second day, since I only had a coffee in the morning, by noon my stomach was rumbling so I went to search for food. I had read somewhere about a little restaurant inside Abastos market which would cook food bought in the market for a small fee, so I was keen to try it out. I found the restaurant, then set off to get some ingredients. After checking out several stalls, I ended up buying langoustines, razor clams and barnacles. After bringing the ingredients to the restaurant, I spotted a pulpo (octopus) stall nearby. Pulpo a la Gallega is a famous Galician dish and of course I felt compelled to try it so I ordered one plate. On top of all that I ordered bread and salad too. I had absolutely no idea how I could possibly finish all the food, and just when the waiter was about to dish out everything I had ordered, a guy came into the restaurant, and as he was eating alone as well, he asked if he could join. I immediately nodded as I was sure he wouldn't mind helping me out to finish all the food!
After spending a day in Santiago, I could already distinguish the people on the camino from those who aren't. He obviously looks like he is on the camino, so I asked where he has travelled from. Turned out he is an Italian from Tuscany, but he had travelled to France to start the camino. He had been on the roads for about five weeks, and had walked all the way to Cape Finisterre, the westernmost end of Spain, which legend has it that it was where the body of St James landed after being transported by sea from Jerusalem. I asked him about the meaning of the scallop shell, and he told me that it is a symbol of the camino as all along the route one can find scallop shells to guide the way. There are different stories as to why the scallop shell came to become the symbol of the camino, but the Italian guy reckoned that since there is an abundance of it along the coast, perhaps the early pilgrims took the shells home as memento. During the camino, he had been staying in albergue de camino, these are like backpacker hostels, but only cater for pilgrims. One day he was in a small town, it was late afternoon when he went to look for an albergue to stay for the night, but the only one in the town was full. There were two American girls in the same predicament so the three of them set off to the next town. Unfortunately it was the same story, and they ended up walking an extra 20kms to the third town to find an albergue with beds available. He said he was pretty glad he had finally completely the camino, for he would now go and stay in a nice hotel to relax.
We chatted and somehow managed to finish all the food. Before we parted ways, he reminded me to try to attend a mass in English as I could see the botafumeiro (a thurible in which incense is burnt and swung during a mass), and I should definitely spend some time sitting in Praza do Obradoiro, the large plaza outside the cathedral. While I had already missed the time for the English mass for the day and I didn't really feel religious enough to attend one anyway, I did go and sit in Praza do Obradoiro. This is where pilgrims congregate, and one can see all sorts of emotions on the faces of these pilgrims. On the one hand they are exhausted, but they are also extremely delighted to have finally arrived Santiago. Many of them are reunited with new friends they have made along the camino, after hugs they admire in awe the greatness of the cathedral.
While I cannot say if I will ever be religious enough to embark on the camino, the delicious seafood, the amazing tapas, all the tarts and cakes and local produce, not to mention local Galician wines have already won my heart and I am sure I will be back to this wonderful corner of Spain some day.