Blog del Instituto Cervantes de Sídney

By Jenny Heesh

The Cervantes Institute in Sydney hosted a cultural and film afternoon for Sydney pilgrims, families and friends on Saturday, 27 April and was attended by 45 people. The event was jointly organized by Sandra Collier, Sydney Co-Coordinator of the Pilgrims in Sydney and Maria Margariños Casal, Librarian at the Institute.

The afternoon began with a meeting in the Institute’s Library where an impressive collection of Camino de Santiago books were on display, followed by a welcome speech from Maria.  Maria gave an outline of the aims of the Institute and the resources available, of which there are many, including language courses, cultural activities and access to the Institute’s library.

Sandra then gave a briefing on the afternoon and on general  Pilgrim  in Sydneymatters. In April there are six first time pilgrims walking in Spain; three repeat pilgrims, one walking on the Camino Frances, one walking from Granada (reading Ailsa Piper’s ‘Sinning Across Spain’ each day), and 82 year-old David, who is also walking north. Also three of our group will soon be volunteers on the camino.

A film on the Camino was then shown in the Institute’s Auditorium, including scenes of albergues that were familiar to many in the group.  Everyone enjoyed the film in a most interactive way there were exclamations of “I was there!” “I stayed there!” “I met that hospitalio!” Ï have that stamp” were greeted with much laughter from the audience.

Afternoon tea provided everyone with an opportunity to discuss the film and to catch up on all things, ‘Camino ‘everything from the unusually cold Spring in Northern Spain to the best hiking sandals, now that the Northern Hemisphere Summer is shortly to be upon us!

A large selection of information booklets on the various Camino routes were available for everyone to take home and Maria was able to answer questions and discuss in greater detail the various resources of the Institute, Spanish course and help with bus and train timetables for Pilgrims.

The afternoon concluded at 5.30pm.

Our thanks to Sandra and Maria  and the Institute for a particularly enjoyable event.

Contributor:  Jenny Heesh

Jenny has walked the Camino Frances and is an active member of “Pilgrims in Sydney”.

Note:  Sydney Pilgrims for 2013 Meetings

Australian Friends of the Camino home page  www.afotc.org

The Confraternity of Saint James home page www.csj.org.uk