The Story Behind the Book

The Story Behind the Book

Before writing this book, I never considered myself a plant enthusiast. I had little interest in plants, knew almost nothing about botany, wasn’t into photography, and couldn’t even keep a cactus alive. However, in 2019, during my first Camino de Santiago – the Camino Francés, a path spanning about 800 kilometers across northern Spain – I was captivated by the stunning countryside and the vibrant colors of the flowers swaying in the wind and sprouting from rock crevices along the way.                                                            

In 2021, the Camino called to me again when I sought solitude and healing from a significant personal loss. Despite setting out burdened with sorrow, I soon found myself enchanted by the dazzling blossoms along the path. With each passing kilometer, my spirits rose. When I finally stood, weary and relieved before the magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, I knew I had been changed, as all pilgrims are. The flowers of the Camino had captivated and uplifted me, and I made a personal promise: should the Camino call to me again, I would capture its beauty by photographing the flowers along the way.

In 2023, fate played its hand, bringing me back to the Camino to fulfill this promise. Quite unexpectedly, my wife, Margo, who had previously shown little interest in the Camino, enthusiastically proposed that we embark on the journey together. On a clear and calm April morning, we set out from the charming town of St. Jean Pied de Port for her first Camino and my third. As we ascended the steep slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain, I pulled out my trusted cellphone and began taking pictures.

I had no grand plans for the pictures I took along this Camino Francés. My intention was simply to store the photographs so I could occasionally revisit them when reminiscing about the Camino. Yet, while organizing my many pictures, I grew increasingly curious about each flower and began using online software to identify them (forgive me if I misidentified any). Unsatisfied with merely identifying them and learning their names, I embarked on a deeper quest to uncover their historical significance, their place in folklore and mythology, their roles in traditional medicine and culinary arts, and their many other intriguing uses and anecdotes. After countless hours of research, I realized I had compiled a book that has brought me immense joy.

I’m delighted to share with you the “Flowers of the Camino Francés.” My wish is that you too find your way along the Camino and that this book surprises, entertains, or simply makes you pause to more deeply appreciate the beauty of the flowers lining your path.