Beautiful Bruma
“But something, somehow, had made all these paths converge…” -Sarah Dessen
Two Camino Ingles routes?
Bruma is the convergence point of two Camino Ingles routes, one in A Coruña and one in Ferrol. Both routes are ancestral to pilgrims from Northern Europe, though mostly from Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Albergue Hospital de Bruma (upper left) was once a hospital for pilgrims who may have arrived depleted from their walk combined with their voyage by sea. It also served those making their return, as their “Way” went both ways.
As I mentioned before, I chose to begin in A Coruña because of my Celtic ancestry as it’s dubbed “the Celtic Camino.” This fit with my plot line for Wayward best because it’s the shortest, the wee one, the underdog. It also shaped the narrative, allowing Liam to have a more authentic backstory with a tour company based in Ireland.
Many pilgrims doing the Celtic Camino route begin the first thirty kilometers of their pilgrimage in Ireland to obtain their pilgrim certificates or Compostella. I began mine in Canada. Those who prefer not to authenticate a thirty-kilometer “pre-Camino” often choose to begin in Ferrol as it fully qualifies for the 100 km minimum needed to obtain one. Ferrol is a smaller city, not considered as beautiful a route to begin in, and a bit more challenging. Still, I would be interested in trying it as well.
It wasn’t until recent history that minimum distances were put in place. Before that, people made the pilgrimage from wherever was home to Santiago de Compostella. The distance was measured in the heart for the benefit of your soul. The minimum may have been set the routes became more of a holiday experience for some than a pilgrimage, taken more for secular purposes than spiritual ones. Or it may have been done to cut back on the administration of the thousands of Compostelas that need to be given out to pilgrims seeking them on their arrival.
The grounds of the Albergue are beautiful and it was so peaceful and restful when I arrived. There wasn’t a pilgrim in sight. In fact, I hadn’t yet met another pilgrim on the road, only at the Casa Egoa where I’d been staying.
The water feature (upper right) drew me near and invited me to take out my notebook and write awhile. It was a good thing I did. Bruma - and the grounds - contributed to a perfect mid-point for my screenplay. The Albergue became the spot where Dora and Pietro do a bit of matchmaking, staying behind so that Farren and Liam head off on their own.
What comes to mind when you see a lovely stream or waterfall? A sense of peace or nostalgia? Romance?
What about the convergence of paths, coming together or splitting apart?
Write about it.
Ultreia! Forward, together.
