dive trips

hi. i'm rick steves, back with more of thebest of europe. this time we're all getting pumped up to run with the bulls in pamplona...andif i survive that, we'll join the pilgrims - gratefully - as they hike to santiago innorthwest spain. thanks for joining us. the camino de santiago - literally the "wayof st. james" - is europe's ultimate pilgrimage route. since the middle ages, pilgrims havewalked hundreds of miles across north spain to pay homage to the remains of st. jamesin the city named for him, santiago de compostela. and in our generation the route's been rediscovered,and more and more pilgrims are traveling this ancient pathway. in this episode we'll enjoy a raucous festival,survive a stampede, witness drama in the arena,

join pilgrims as they trek across spain, pondermagnificent romanesque art, attend a swingin' mass, and share in the jubilation of a pilgrimagecompleted. during medieval times, spain became an importantpilgrimage destination. pilgrims from all over europe journeyed to santiago de compostelain the northwest of spain. we'll join the main route, starting in the pyrenees at st-jean-pied-de-port,stopping in pamplona, burgos, leã³n, and on through the region of galicia to santiago. while dedicating a month of your life to walkthe camino may be admirable, it doesn't work for everyone. but any traveler can use thisroute as a sightseeing spine and as an opportunity to appreciate some of the joys and lessonsthat come with being a pilgrim.

just five miles before the spanish borderstands the french basque town of st-jean-pied-de-port. traditionally, santiago-bound pilgrims wouldgather here to cross the pyrenees and continue their march through spain. visitors to thispopular town are a mix of tourists and pilgrims. at the camino office, pilgrims check in beforetheir long journey to santiago. they pick up a kind of pilgrim's passport. they'll getit stamped at each stop to prove they walked the whole way and earn their compostela certificate. walking the entire 500-mile long route takesabout five weeks - that's about 15 miles a day, with an occasional day of rest. the route is well-marked with yellow arrowsand scallop shells. the scallop shell is the

symbol of both st. james and the camino. commonon the galician coast, the shells were worn by medieval pilgrims as a badge of honor toprove they made it. the traditional gear has barely changed: a gourd - for drinking water- just the right walking stick, and a scallop shell dangling from each backpack. pamplona, the historic capital of the provinceof navarre, with its imposing ramparts, is the first major city pilgrims encounter. traditionallythey enter the city through this gate. at its peak in the middle ages, navarre wasa grand kingdom that controlled parts of today's spain and france. today pamplona has a distinctenergy - with its rich traditions and famous festival.

we're here in early july for the festivalof san fermã­n - and that means the running of the bulls - one of europe's most exuberantfestivals. for nine days each july, throngs of visitors - most dressed in the traditionalwhite with red sashes and kerchiefs - come to run with the bulls and a whole lot more. the festival, which packs the city, has deeproots. for centuries the people of this region have honored saint fermã­n, their patron saint,with processions and parties. he was decapitated in the second century for his faith and thered bandanas you see everywhere are a distant reminder of his martyrdom. and y'know...idon't think anyone on this square knows, or even cares.

but at the church of san fermã­n [actuallychurch of san lorenzo], it's a capacity crowd...and there's no question what to wear for thismass. to this day, locals look to their hometown saint for protection. back out on the streets, it's a party foryoung and old. there's plenty of fun for kids. and towering giants add a playful mystiqueto the festivities. the literary giant, ernest hemingway, is celebratedby pamplona as if he were a native son. hemingway first came here for the first timefor the 1923 running of the bulls. inspired by the spectacle, he later wrote his bullfightingclassic the sun also rises. he said he enjoyed seeing two wild animals running together:one on two legs, and the other on four.

hemingway put pamplona on the world map. whenhe first visited, it was a dusty town of 30,000 with an obscure bullfighting festival. now,a million people a year come here for one of the world's great parties. after dark, the town erupts into a rollickingparty scene. while the craziness rages day and night, the city's well organized and,even with all the alcohol, it feels in control and things go smoothly. amazingly, in justa few hours, this same street will host a very different spectacle. the running of the bulls takes place earlyeach morning. spectators claim a vantage point along the barrier at the crack of dawn. earlyin the morning? nope, for many of these revelers...it's

still late at night. the anticipation itself is thrilling. securitycrews sweep those not running out of the way. shop windows and doors are boarded up. fencingis set up to keep the bulls on course and protect the crowd. the runners are called mozos. while many arejust finishing up a night of drinking, others train for the event. they take the ritualseriously, and run every year. at 8:00, a rocket is fired and the mozos takeoff. moments later a second rocket means the bulls have been released. they stampede halfa mile through the town from their pens to the bullfighting arena. at full gallop, itgoes by fast.

bulls thunder through the entire route in just twoand a half minutes. the mozos try to run in front of the bulls for as long as possible- usually just a few seconds - before diving out of the way. they say on a good run youfeel the breath of the bull on the back of your legs. cruel as this all seems for the bulls - whoscramble for footing on the cobblestones as they rush toward their doom in the bullring- the human participants don't come out unscathed. each year, dozens of people are gored or trampled.over the last century, 15 mozos have been killed at the event. after it's done, people gather for breakfastand review the highlights on tv. all day long,

local channels replay that morning's spectacle. the finale of the event each day is in theevening when crowds fill the bull ring. pamplona's arena, the third biggest in the world (aftermadrid and mexico city) is sold out each day of the festival. one by one the bulls thatran that morning explode out of the gate to meet their matador - first the picadores...thenthe banderilleros...and finally the matador in his sparkling suit of light. while cruel brutality to many, others stillconsider bullfighting an art form. it's hard for me to appreciate, but to the spaniardswho pack this arena, there's a nobility to the beast and an elegance to the fight. good matadors are like rock stars - they performwith drama, daring, and grace. with each thrilling

pass, the crowds cheer until the bull meetshis predictable end. if the fight is deemed a good one, the people wave kerchiefs andcall for a trophy to be awarded. for this fight, the matador is given an ear from hisvictim and struts triumphantly around the arena. the festival's energy courses through thecity. overlooking the main square, the venerable cafã© iruã±a pulses with music and dance.enjoying the scene, with its delightful 1888 interior, i'm impressed by the joyful enthusiasmthe people of this town have for their festival of san fermã­n. after the commotion of pamplona, getting backon the pilgrimage trail brings a welcoming

peace. from here the hills give way to spain'svast high plain. a day's walk west of pamplona, the town of puente de la reina (or "the queen'sbridge") retains a pilgrim's vibe. its graceful bridge dates from the 11th century, and pilgrimshave been crossing it ever since. narrow main streets are typical of caminotowns. they were born as a collection of pilgrim services flanking the path - places to eat,sleep, heal, and pray. this 12th-century church, with a stork's nestguarding its steeple, is thought to be founded by the knights templar, who came to protectpilgrims along the route. its stark romanesque interior features a distinctive y-shaped crucifix- likely carried all the way across europe to this spot by pilgrims from germany. i canimagine how, six or seven hundred years ago,

the weary faithful would sit right here, gazeup at their savior, and be inspired to carry on. a five-day walk - or a two-hour drive forus - brings us to our next stop: burgos. it's a pedestrian-friendly city straddling itsriver. stately plane trees line the riverside promenade, giving shade through the hot days.its main square seems designed to bring the community together. today's burgos feels workaday,but with a hint of gentility and former power. like so many towns here in the north of spain,it became important during the reconquista - that centuries-long struggle to push themuslim moors back into northern africa from where they came. its position on the caminode santiago and as a trading center helped

it to flourish. for five centuries burgoswas the capital of the kingdom of castile. it's dominated by an awe-inspiring gothiccathedral - designed by french architects in the 13th century, with its lacy spiresadded by german architects in the 14th. the ornate exterior is matched by its lavishand brightly lit interior. in spain, the final flowering of the gothic age was the elaborateplateresque style. as was typical of gothic churches, it's ringedby richly decorated chapels built over the centuries by, and for, wealthy parishioners. this chapel is dedicated to saint anne, thevirgin mary's mother. its 15th-century altar features the tree of jesse. a sleepy and apparentlyvery fertile jesse slumbers at the bottom

sprouting a lineage that connects him to theholy child and virgin. this sumptuous chapel marks the tomb of aregional governor and his wife under a brilliant star-shaped vault. it's striking for its gracefulnessand femininity. inspirational as this cathedral is, the pilgrimshave a long trek ahead of them. the slow pace and need for frequent rest breaks provideplenty of opportunity for reflection, religious and otherwise. for some, leaving behind astone symbolizes unloading a personal burden. the first person to make this journey wassaint james himself. after the death and resurrection of christ, the apostles traveled far and wideto spread the christian message. supposedly, st. james went on a missionary trip from theholy land all the way to this remote corner

of northwest spain. according to legend, in the year 813 st. james'remains were discovered in the town that would soon bear his name. people began walking thereto pay homage to his relics. after a 12th-century pope decreed that the pilgrimage could earnforgiveness of your sins, the popularity of the camino de santiago soared. the camino also served a political purpose.it's no coincidence that the discovery of st. james' remains happened when muslim moorscontrolled most of spain. the whole phenomenon of the camino helped fuel the european passionto retake spain and push the moors back into africa.

but by about 1500, with the dawn of the renaissanceand the reformation, interest in the camino died almost completely. then, in the 1960s,a handful of priests re-established the tradition. the route has since enjoyed a huge resurgence,with 100,000 pilgrims trekking to santiago each year. eight days further down the trail is leã³n,a sizable city with an enjoyable small-town atmosphere. founded as a roman camp in thefirst century, leã³n gradually grew prosperous and was the capital of its own kingdom forcenturies. today's leã³n is the youthful leading city of one of spain's biggest provinces. its 13th-century gothic cathedral, toweringdramatically over the town center, must have

stoked the spirit of medieval christians. through the middle ages, the steady flow ofpilgrims from all across europe inevitably resulted in a rich exchange of knowledge,art, and architecture. that's one reason why today, all along the camino, you'll find magnificentchurches and exquisite art. just down the street, the relatively humblechurch of san isidoro houses some of the most sublime medieval art in all of spain. this"royal pantheon," nicknamed the "sistine chapel of the romanesque age," is the final restingplace of 20 kings of leã³n. painted around the year 1100, this is a rareopportunity to see romanesque frescoes in situ (where they were originally intended).the art shows a realism and movement rare

in romanesque art. stepping under these vaults,i can imagine the pilgrim centuries ago awe-struck by this mystic beauty. the angel announces to mary, with billowingrobes, she'll give birth to the messiah. all of nature - including goat herders in 11th-centuryattire - celebrates the news. the story of christ's life unfolds from there ending withthe events leading up to the crucifixion: after jesus is condemned, simon helps carryhis cross. pontius pilate washes his hands of the whole business, and jesus is crucified.finally, christ returns, triumphant over death, sitting on a rainbow and blessing those 20royal tombs. further along the camino, the terrain changes.pilgrims pass through rolling hills blanketed

with vineyards. the path leads to the smalltown of villafranca del bierzo, where they reach the 12th-century church of st. jameswith its famous gate of forgiveness. the pilgrimage was an arduous trek and noteveryone succeeded. five hundred years ago, thanks to a compassionate pope, it was decidedthat anyone who made it this far and got sick and couldn't complete the journey over therugged last stretch to santiago could stop here and call it a successful pilgrimage anyway. next to the church is a classic camino albergue.this 80-bed hostel is run by volunteers and provides 10,000 pilgrims a year with nearlyfree beds. at regular intervals all along the route,humble hostels like this give trail-weary

pilgrims a place to tend their needs - fromnursing sore feet, to doing laundry. volunteers cook and serve communal meals. a wonderfulcamaraderie percolates, as a multi-national community - young and old and of all beliefs- is created. the challenging journey encourages introspectionand each pilgrim has their own motivation. rick: so, why have you taken this journey?pilgrim 1: for me, i suppose it's a bit kind of corny or cheesy but um, to find thingslike a bit of balance again in life, you know i spend a lot of time in my job working inan office, its sales, it's stressful, it's money-money-money, so it's nice to get outon the open road, live out of a rucksack, just forget about cars and computers and motorways.you know i was getting a bit tired and worn

down by all that so for me hopefully, i'lltake back kind of a feeling of regeneration, renaissance.pilgrim 2: to learn just to live with the silence of the nature around you. and youreally feel ascent into a world that most of the time doesn't exist in big towns likeberlin or new york or other towns because there is always something around you thatdistracts you. but when you are in villages like this here, yeah, and you only see thechurch and there's nobody on the street, it's really calming.pilgrim 3: i think that you feel closer to god doing this camino. you feel closer toyour own soul because you have time to think about yourself, about your problems, aboutthe things that you left at home and you feel

closer to god, closer to your own soul. the final leg of the journey leads throughlush and green galicia. and the gateway to galicia is the rustic hamletof o cebreiro, perched high on a ridge. the town welcomes pilgrims with ancient and characteristicstone huts. the church, founded in the ninth century,is one of the oldest on the camino route. pilgrims are sure to stop in for another stampon their camino credential. green and densely forested galicia shattersvisitors' preconceptions of spain. pilgrims pass ghostly castles, simple farmhouses withslate roofs, and sleepy medieval villages. here, it's easy to see the celtic heritagegalicians share with their cousins just across

the sea in ireland. after over a month on the trail, spirits arehigh as well-worn pilgrims reach their final stop: the city of santiago de compostela. santiago has long had a powerful and mysteriousdraw on travelers. this neat and sturdy city is built of granite. its arcaded streets area reminder that winters here are cold and wet. strolling across its squares and underits grand churches, you can imagine a time when the city was a religious and culturalpowerhouse. santiago's heyday was the 12th century, whenthe notion of europe was still in its infancy. it served as a place where people from allcorners came together, shared ideas, and then

dispersed. in some ways, the very idea ofeurope as a civilization jelled during this age. and santiago played an important role. apart from all the pilgrim action and itsvenerable architecture, santiago is a workaday town. its vibrant market offers a fine opportunityto sample the essentials of its hearty cuisine. farmers sell their produce. the shapely cheesesare enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. and the seafood is as fresh as can be. a galician specialty is octopus...preparedlocal style, or a la gallega. after the tenderized octopus is boiled in a copper pot, it's snippedinto bite-size pieces. it's topped with a mix of sweet and spicy paprika, sea salt,and olive oil, then served on a wooden plate.

eat it with toothpicks, never a fork. people here have their own distinct language:galego - it's a mix of spanish and portuguese. galicia's ancient celtic roots are particularlyevident in its music. with wailing pipes and thundering drums, the celtic heritage announcesitself loud and clear. but nothing can distract the pilgrims as theytake the final steps of their long journey. around the last corner, they reach the destinationof a thousand years of pilgrims: the cathedral that holds the tomb of st. james. as millions of weary and exhilarated pilgrimshave done before them, they stand before the cathedral and are filled with jubilation.

but the religious climax for many lies withinthe cathedral. imagine you're a medieval pilgrim: you've just walked 500 miles - your journeyis done. worshipping before the altar, you give thanks to st. james for a safe passage,and you reflect on the lessons of your journey. and, if you're here on a festival day, themass culminates with an enormous swinging incense burner. gazing at the spectacle ofthis 120-pound burner flying through the air, you're awe-struck by the wonder of god. finally, you climb the stony staircase behindthe altar to the statue of st. james - studded with precious gems. embracing him from behind,you take a moment to celebrate your spiritual - or personal - triumph.

our journey across northern spain remindsme we all have choices. some will run with the bulls, others will trek with the pilgrims.whatever path you follow, don't forget to enjoy the journey. i'm rick steves. till nexttime, keep on travelin' and buen camino! credits: rick: hi i'm rick steves back with more ofthe best of europe. buenos tardes, buenos tardes! rick: don't forget to enjoy the journey. i'mrick steves. until next time keep on travelin'.