First in this year’s cycle of cultural presentations organised by Din l-Art Helwa is a highly illustrated talk by Adrian Strickland which takes place on Thursday 11 January. His Fifty-three days from Lourdes to Santiago will give an account of the extraordinary experiences gained last May while undertaking the walk with two other friends.

All were attending the Order of Malta’s pilgrimage with their volunteers and their sick. From Lourdes they walked the 1,000 kilometres to Santiago de Compostela, over three mountain ranges and across the Spanish Mesa, sleeping in dormitories, eating pilgrims’ fare, meeting the strangest people from all over the world, forming a few of the 150,000 or so that participated last year, to commune with nature and share in this spiritual experience, this personal renewal.

Collectively the group of three took some 3,000 photographs.

During this ‘power-point’ presentation, Adrian Strickland will draw on this joint collection of photographs, and tries to give some of the background, and convey some of the experiences encountered, the stunning scenery and amazing wild life, as well as to explain feelings that often make the pilgrim undergo subsequent “Caminos”.

The talk will take place at the Judge Caruana Curran Hall at 133 Melita Street, offices of Din l-Art Helwa and will commence at 6pm. Those wishing to attend are advised to be seated by 5.45p.m.

Adrian Strickland is author of A Look at Malta Insignia and general editor of Malta from The Hague in the 18th Century, in collaboration with others.