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On Foot to the End of the World
"I felt that if I could reach the end of the continent, I would find the answer to some important question there," writes Paul Auster in Moon Over Manhattan. "I had no idea what this question might be, but the answer to it was already preconceived in my steps. I only had to keep going in order to discover that I had left myself behind and was no longer the same person as before."
Only when you reach the edge of the continent having walked along the Way of St James, which pilgrims of former times thought to be the end of the world, only then do you realize that the old pilgrim's saying is true: the journey does not end in Santiago. The journey begins in Santiago. In this vivid travelogue René Freund not only introduces the Armchair Traveller to the overwhelming natural beauty he encountered along the way, but also lets them share in his experience of reaching his own physical and psychological limits while travelling on foot to the end of the world.
Only when you reach the edge of the continent having walked along the Way of St James, which pilgrims of former times thought to be the end of the world, only then do you realize that the old pilgrim's saying is true: the journey does not end in Santiago. The journey begins in Santiago. In this vivid travelogue René Freund not only introduces the Armchair Traveller to the overwhelming natural beauty he encountered along the way, but also lets them share in his experience of reaching his own physical and psychological limits while travelling on foot to the end of the world.
188 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 12, 2015
Freund and his wife walked the Camino years ago, before Shirley Maclaine published her book about it and long before the movie The Way.* They started in Le Puy, in late September: a longer, colder, and wetter walk than that of pilgrims who begin farther along the (a) route in the summer.
I've read a lot of Camino memoirs by now and appreciated some of them more than others, and this one...well, I liked it until I didn't. It feels pretty low-stakes all the way through (Will they get rained on again? Will they ever run into Ursula?), but it's pleasantly witty:
Today, on our second hiking day, we have succeeded in getting lost for the very first time. It is a bit of an achievement, since the paths are labelled very well with red and white themed marking.... So it really is idiot proof.
Well, almost. (14)
Outside it's raining even more than usual, which pleases us since two days ago Henri told us that: 'The rain that comes down today won't come down tomorrow.' (37)
He prays a lot while he walks and because it makes him inattentive, he gets lost every few hundred metres. This seems to contradict the popular belief that prayer stops you from straying from the right path. (117-118)
(Collecting stamps seems to be the most popular activity for pilgrims. One could almost think they are going on a rubber stamp search instead of a pilgrimage.) (126)
A lot of that still rings true today—you would not believe how easily I got lost, even when there were arrows every ten feet; plenty of people lust over interesting stamps and so on. But...I lost interest. Freund gets a bit dramatic (screaming and weeping and so on at the weather and his various aches and pains; regularly giving the impression that the hostel appeared just as they were about to die from exhaustion and/or being rained on), and...well. This isn't a trip on foot to the end of the world. As he notes in a letter included at the end of the book (pages 188–189), they accepted 363 kilometers of rides. That's not a crime (and tons of people get rides, bus through the Meseta, etc.), but it's a little misleading. I could let it go—except, to add insult to injury, they took a bus to from Santiago to Finisterre, the 'end of the world'.
Hmm.
Anyway. Still a lot of fun. I got a kick out of the notes Ursula left in the books. I found their return letter to her at the end of the book a bit condescending, although I expect that's just my cranky interpretation. I ran into this one by accident (in the remainders section of Waterstones, about two days after I finished the Camino), and it was worth the read...which felt like a nice coincidence.
*I haven't read/seen either of those, for what it's worth.
I've read a lot of Camino memoirs by now and appreciated some of them more than others, and this one...well, I liked it until I didn't. It feels pretty low-stakes all the way through (Will they get rained on again? Will they ever run into Ursula?), but it's pleasantly witty:
Today, on our second hiking day, we have succeeded in getting lost for the very first time. It is a bit of an achievement, since the paths are labelled very well with red and white themed marking.... So it really is idiot proof.
Well, almost. (14)
Outside it's raining even more than usual, which pleases us since two days ago Henri told us that: 'The rain that comes down today won't come down tomorrow.' (37)
He prays a lot while he walks and because it makes him inattentive, he gets lost every few hundred metres. This seems to contradict the popular belief that prayer stops you from straying from the right path. (117-118)
(Collecting stamps seems to be the most popular activity for pilgrims. One could almost think they are going on a rubber stamp search instead of a pilgrimage.) (126)
A lot of that still rings true today—you would not believe how easily I got lost, even when there were arrows every ten feet; plenty of people lust over interesting stamps and so on. But...I lost interest. Freund gets a bit dramatic (screaming and weeping and so on at the weather and his various aches and pains; regularly giving the impression that the hostel appeared just as they were about to die from exhaustion and/or being rained on), and...well. This isn't a trip on foot to the end of the world. As he notes in a letter included at the end of the book (pages 188–189), they accepted 363 kilometers of rides. That's not a crime (and tons of people get rides, bus through the Meseta, etc.), but it's a little misleading. I could let it go—except, to add insult to injury, they took a bus to from Santiago to Finisterre, the 'end of the world'.
Hmm.
Anyway. Still a lot of fun. I got a kick out of the notes Ursula left in the books. I found their return letter to her at the end of the book a bit condescending, although I expect that's just my cranky interpretation. I ran into this one by accident (in the remainders section of Waterstones, about two days after I finished the Camino), and it was worth the read...which felt like a nice coincidence.
*I haven't read/seen either of those, for what it's worth.
May 15, 2012
I was very pleased with this book. It is about the Way of St. James. I thought it would be very "holy" but it is much more about hiking and the journey which I think brought me to a reflective place in a less overt way. I didn't even know about these pilgrimages, which became popular LONG ago. I also got this book from my 83 year old church friend. He is very "holy" and I admire his faith...I was afraid at first to read this thinking it would be only about St. James...and I can only do so much of that. Try it!
April 5, 2012
A delightful little book to hold. A personal diary, not filled with philosophical or existential twaddle, simply a record of a walk that both tempts and inspires. At the same time it warns and warms. I'm seriously considering taking the first step...
January 11, 2013
I'm fascinated by El Camino and this was an interesting read, although a bit disappointing in regards.
October 15, 2020
A travel memoir told using the author’s daily diary from the trip and letters his wife wrote to others as they walked the Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James, through France and Spain. It presents an authentic armchair travel experience, but as an authentic experience, it’s not particularly entertaining. They walk, sometimes it rains, they reach another town. There are trees to look at. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes they stop for coffee. They usually stay at pilgrim hostels, called a gite d’etape in France and refugio in Spain. I don’t recall that they explained much about these places, but from the account I’m not sure they were either staffed or that they cost money. On occasion they also stay at inexpensive hotels or in the equivalent of a bed & breakfast.
The author is German, and this book was translated from German. I wondered if, as a European, the experience wasn’t as unique as it might be for someone form a New World country. The writing is solid, but isn’t terribly distinctive. Their aren’t any beautiful descriptions that help you imagine you’re there. The author shares almost nothing about himself—his background, or his thought and feelings. They also never give any particular reason for the journey—in fact, they say there was no particular reason. They’re not Catholic or, it seems, very religious. It’s not a spiritual journey. Nor do they seem particularly interested in the places they’re going. The only reason for the trip is their landlord decided he wanted to live in their apartment, and they unexpectedly found themselves homeless. They wanted to take a trip at some point, so they put their furniture in storage, and spent two months walking the route of medieval pilgrims because they could, I suppose.
They meet a few people along the way, mostly other pilgrims, but none are described in enough detail to make their personalities very distinct. They go to historic places, but very little information is given about any of them. Nothing particularly exciting happens. Like their journey, the book just plods along to the end. I can’t say it was bad, it’s competently written, and it’s a short book. I think it was that it was a rather relaxing read, a distinctly unexciting book, that kept me reading. But I don’t think I could recommend this, even as a reference for someone planning to make this journey. They walked back in 1999, so the information would be too out of date to be relevant.
The author is German, and this book was translated from German. I wondered if, as a European, the experience wasn’t as unique as it might be for someone form a New World country. The writing is solid, but isn’t terribly distinctive. Their aren’t any beautiful descriptions that help you imagine you’re there. The author shares almost nothing about himself—his background, or his thought and feelings. They also never give any particular reason for the journey—in fact, they say there was no particular reason. They’re not Catholic or, it seems, very religious. It’s not a spiritual journey. Nor do they seem particularly interested in the places they’re going. The only reason for the trip is their landlord decided he wanted to live in their apartment, and they unexpectedly found themselves homeless. They wanted to take a trip at some point, so they put their furniture in storage, and spent two months walking the route of medieval pilgrims because they could, I suppose.
They meet a few people along the way, mostly other pilgrims, but none are described in enough detail to make their personalities very distinct. They go to historic places, but very little information is given about any of them. Nothing particularly exciting happens. Like their journey, the book just plods along to the end. I can’t say it was bad, it’s competently written, and it’s a short book. I think it was that it was a rather relaxing read, a distinctly unexciting book, that kept me reading. But I don’t think I could recommend this, even as a reference for someone planning to make this journey. They walked back in 1999, so the information would be too out of date to be relevant.
March 28, 2025
In two minds about this. If this was written now, it would be a blog. There's very little attempt at developing themes, or giving insight into the travelers themselves, and sometimes the translation is a bit shoddy. At one point Freund writes "one really needs to like this cuisine to enjoy it" at the end of an entry — I don't know if the German for that is better, or if it was originally as feebly tautological a way to end an entry.
Also, whilst I'm at it, the copyright page is the only one I've ever sent that's blatantly wrong, stating a publishing date of 1990 (twice) directly opposite the first page proper — which opens with "Spring, 1999".
But... it's a beautiful little book printed on fancy paper and with a lovely foldout map at the start, and it's just kind of *nice* to read something which is so simple and tension free about people doing something that's got a baseline level of being intrinsically interesting.
Also, whilst I'm at it, the copyright page is the only one I've ever sent that's blatantly wrong, stating a publishing date of 1990 (twice) directly opposite the first page proper — which opens with "Spring, 1999".
But... it's a beautiful little book printed on fancy paper and with a lovely foldout map at the start, and it's just kind of *nice* to read something which is so simple and tension free about people doing something that's got a baseline level of being intrinsically interesting.
December 7, 2019
Brisk, wonderfully written account of a couple's epic walk on the Way of St. James during October-November in 1998. The sights and experiences along the journey more than compensate for the minor difficulties encountered. The walk covered 1500km/932 miles, 727km/452 miles in southern France, 774km/481 miles across northwest Spain, an incredible distance, yet the writers report that some pilgrims walk the return route as well, or walk it again at a later date. The writers note that the destination, for them, became much less important that the walking itself, an existential experience. "The path is the path," they write," and we are grateful for all the adventures it gave us" (182). This book will encourage readers to venture onto the Camino de Santiago as soon as possible.
August 23, 2019
Not a great book compared to others written since 1998, (eg "The Year We Seized the Day"} but it is interesting to see how much things have changed on this route (and how little in other respects) in the 20 years since. have only given it 4 stars because of memories it evoked.
July 7, 2015
A gem, an uplifting travelogue replete with hilarity and wisdom.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews