[One Day Ten Thousand Steps] People Walking 800km on the Santiago... Question Marks Turn into Exclamation Marks

The Santiago Pilgrimage Trail is a walking pilgrimage that starts from various routes across Europe and ends at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. While there are religious pilgrims, many people come for trekking and interest. Completing the 800 km route takes about 30 to 40 days, or even longer. As it has become synonymous with pilgrimage trails, guidebooks and experience stories related to this route are continuously being published.

Author Lee Haesol captured the serendipitous moments experienced while walking the 800 km Santiago Pilgrimage Trail over 31 days in . The author walked 500 km from Burgos to Santiago de Compostela on the first pilgrimage just before graduating from university. Five years later, the second pilgrimage covered 800 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. The author said, "The confidence to overcome hardships in life often comes from past experiences of achieving something," adding, "I also wanted to create the experience of completing the entire 800 km Santiago Pilgrimage Trail while focusing inward." When asked why they went twice, the author replied, "The first pilgrimage was about people and the reason for life, and on the second pilgrimage, I was there."

Byun Hyewon, who runs the handmade jam brand ‘Manyeojam,’ recorded the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail with a unique perspective of a jam maker and a keen curiosity about food culture in . The biggest driving force that enabled the author to complete the long and arduous pilgrimage was ‘food.’ The author developed Korean-style recipes of Spanish dishes tasted in Santiago to soothe the ‘Camino Blue’?the longing for the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail. Along with the author's cooking tips, 26 ‘Santiago recipes to enjoy in Korea’ were compiled.

People Walking the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail [Asia Economy DB]

Author Kim Dohoon’s is a pilgrimage to find the answer to the question, ‘Who am I?’ The author, about to graduate from university, experienced a 30-day trip to Europe and a 38-day Santiago pilgrimage. He said, "When I set out on the pilgrimage, I couldn’t shake off the fear of ‘Can I really do this alone?’ But when I arrived in front of the Santiago Cathedral a month later, I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride, and I became a much better person, which made me love myself more."

Bangmen (Bang Taehyun), the representative of the publishing house ‘Bang’ and a walking traveler, published the photo essay . The author said, "Although I walked nearly 400 km, the fact that there is still more left pushes me to the bottomless depths of despair, but I don’t want to make excuses for not finishing this path," adding, "‘Trying hard’ is an excuse, and ‘doing well’ is proof. On this path, or rather becoming this path, I want to be a small but solid proof. I want to walk well beyond just trying hard. That’s all I want."

Traveler and travel creator Park Eungyeol, who published , decided to walk the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail with the mindset of leaving everything behind after a long career and walking to his heart’s content. Interestingly, the more he walked, the more he reflected on his past and met new connections, gradually shifting from ‘traveler mode’ to ‘pilgrim mode.’ Walking 915 km over 34 days, the author saw and felt many things. Even now, after completing the long journey, he shares his experiences with those around him and recommends the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail.

Traveler and travel creator Cho Daehyun provides information for pilgrims who plan to walk a short distance within 300 km in . Especially for office workers or those who have started social life, it is important not only to walk the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail but also to check the available time they have. Information on how to arrive at Le?n, Ponferrada, or Sarria to start the pilgrimage is more important. Since the pilgrimage does not start from Paris but from Madrid, the capital of Spain, one must arrive in Madrid and then move to Le?n, Ponferrada, or Sarria to begin. The author said, "The Santiago Pilgrimage Trail is not a path to compete on," adding, "There is no content written on the certificate of completion because it doesn’t need to be. The thrill and emotion of receiving the certificate is the charm of the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail." He added, "The emotional connection and mutual help shared with pilgrims from all over the world is something that is hard to find anywhere else in today’s world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.