Local women complete Camino de Santiago walk

Louise Carroll
·4 min read

ELLWOOD CITY ― Jean Barsotti of Ellwood City walked the approximately 160-mile Camino de Santiago in 2019 and just did it again.

The Comino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of St. James, is a network of spiritual pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle St. James, where tradition says his remains are buried.

On this trip, she was joined by her sister-in-law Marilyn Barsotti of North Sewickley Township, Jean's sister, Janice Pollina of Doylestown, and Janice's friend Kim McLaughlin of New Hope. They left April 24 and returned home May 17.

A group of western Pennsylvania residents pose in a small town in the Provicia de La Corona, Portugal, while walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago. Pictured are, left to right, Marilyn Barsotti, Janice Pollina, Kim McLaughlin and Jean Barsotti
A group of western Pennsylvania residents pose in a small town in the Provicia de La Corona, Portugal, while walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago. Pictured are, left to right, Marilyn Barsotti, Janice Pollina, Kim McLaughlin and Jean Barsotti

The women flew from Newark to Lisbon and began their walk at Porto, traveling and crossing the five main rivers as they followed the Portuguese Way. The Comino de Santiago quickly became the Comino.

Jean Barsotti said the Comino calls to you and you go.

The typical day began early in the morning with coffee and some type of breakfast, yogurt, fruit, croissant with meat and walking by 7:30.

The women stayed together, only talking to point out something of interest.

A group of western Pennsylvania residents recently walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago pose in front of the Cathedral in Santiago. Pictured from left to right are Janice Polllina, Jean Barsotti, Marilyn Barsotti and Kim McLaughlin.
A group of western Pennsylvania residents recently walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago pose in front of the Cathedral in Santiago. Pictured from left to right are Janice Polllina, Jean Barsotti, Marilyn Barsotti and Kim McLaughlin.

"Our goal was to do 10 to 12 miles a day. Just getting up and get going, get from point A to Point B and plan for the next point A. We made most of our walk before noon, before the sun got hot and before we got tired," Barsotti said.

Marilyn Barsotti, who was walking it for the first time, said she didn't know what to expect.

"I just hoped I would make it but thinking about it was worse than doing it. It wasn't as hard as I had thought. We got our rhythm," she said.

Noon was the big meal of the day and usually in a hostel with food or a restaurant, they enjoyed the Portuguese cuisine including Iberico pork which is a delicacy because it comes from special black Iberian pigs that are fed only acorns giving it a unique flavor.

The women agreed that the food was the best, fresh fish and vegetables, and outstanding sweets.

As they walked through the villages and towns they could appreciate how the people lived and were able to experience some of their culture including celebrating five Portuguese holidays.

"Art is everywhere, places you wouldn't expect it. It is just a part of Portugal. It was exciting to be part of the art and culture," Marilyn Barsotti said.

One is many of the signs that a pilgrim will find while walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago.
One is many of the signs that a pilgrim will find while walking the 160-mile Camino de Santiago.

They described the people as kind and helpful. Once a man stopped his car and although he didn't speak English he was able to let them know they were going the wrong way and going the wrong way could add many miles to their trek.

"The Comino takes care of you," Jean Barsotti said.

They had many extraordinary moments that they will not forget. Marilyn Barsotti described walking for six miles through a shaded forest as magical.

The walk along the coast was memorable and particularly stopping at Nazarre, a place for professional surfers with waves 100 feet high. These surfers leave their surfboards and they have a lot of graffiti.

"Some was good and some wasn't. Not much to read mainly drawings," Jean Barsotti said.

Other highlights include following the canal with Portugal on one side and Spain on the other and one day they took a taxi to the top of a high hill to Villa Nova De Cervera known as the village of the Portuguese stag which is commemorated with a large statue of a stag that also comes with folklore.

A large stag statue sits at the top of a high hill to Villa Nova De Cervera known as the village of the Portuguese stag along the Camino de Santiago.
A large stag statue sits at the top of a high hill to Villa Nova De Cervera known as the village of the Portuguese stag along the Camino de Santiago.

Each pilgrim is given a long narrow piece of paper called a credential that they got stamped at every one of the more than 60 required stops. At the end of their adventure, each credential was carefully checked before they received a certificate that they had completed the Comino. Interestingly one of the volunteers checking their credentials was from Reading, Pa., proving it is a small world. They also got Latin names; Jean become Joan and Marilyn became Miriam.

In 13 days they did the more than 160-mile walk meeting people from most of the Christian countries.

The El Comino is totally personal. A person can walk as little or as much as they wish or they can bicycle or ride in a car.

At any given time there are 60,000 to 100,000 people on the Portuguese and Spanish Cominos.

The women agreed they would probably not walk the El Comino again but would like to explore more of Portugal.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Western PA women complete Camino de Santiago walk