Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[Hermanita]

I just returned from walking the Camino Frances and only met a handful of Americans ( I kept count..I met only 10 in 35 days). I was not surprised , but disappointed.
Most Americans I talk to never heard of the Camino and look at me like I have 3 heads when I mention it.

What is it with us Americans from the USA???

No..we don't speak the language...but neither do the French and they are there in record numbers.
Yes, we are loud and demanding, but so are the Germans, and they are also there in record numbers.

I think we have become a nation of couch potatoes and mindless consumers.

I am seriously trying to figure it out. Not trying to start a war, or an American bashing contest, but any thoughts??

[WolverineDG]

I guess it depends upon where you are. I ran into many Americans, including one guy from Texas & 3 different women from Seattle. Many more than I've encountered before too.

Kelly

[MermaidLilli]

There are a bunch of couch potatoes and mindless consumers in Europe as well. Just because we are not there in record numbers does not mean we are not doing something over here. My trails are full of walkers, the parks full of people picnicing(?) and playing games, the tennis courts have waiting lines, the streets with joggers and walkers..... it's just that we're not Europeans and do not know about the Camino. Some of us do.
No war, just peace
LOVE
Lillian

Not to mention the thousand dollar round trip ticket.

[sillydoll]

It costs a lot more to fly thousands of kms to Spain or France to do a walk.
Many pilrims from European countries walk a section of the camino every year. They can hop on a train or cheap flight and walk for a week or so. It wouldn't be worth it for me to do that - the flight cost is high and the rate of exchange is exhorbitant.

[lynnejohn]

You're right, Sil. We have to make our time really worthwhile because of the cost of a flights to Spain (we walk every other year). I envy those in Europe who can "hop on / hop off". Wouldn't that be nice! It's easier for those of us who are retired, but the young folks here in Canada who can't get much time off from work find it next to impossible (financially) to do a couple of weeks each year. The cost of flights are hideous.

Not to speak of the "Taxes, Surcharges and Fuel Charges":

Heathrow: $445. CDN
Madrid: $335. CDN
Paris: $335.CDN

It takes me days, every time, to figure out the relative cost of flying to London and then EasyJet or RyanAir, or just flying to Madrid.

lynne

[sillydoll]

I converted 445 CAD to ZAR (South African Rand) and it came to R3 217
This year I paid R8 296 to fly to Toulouse. This is 1 147 CAD.
It is a little cheaper to fly to Madrid or to Pamplona - about R7 500 (1037 CAD)

Our money is Mickey Mouse money compared to the Euro. At today's rate we pay R11.50 for one Euro. That means that things are more than 10 times as costly for us when we travel to Europe.

[lynnejohn]

Actually it's about the same I think (despite the good showing the CDN dollar is making right now - 1 Euro = 1.59 CDN).

Those numbers were just for the surtaxes, airport charges and fuel charges, so these fees plus the actual flight are about what I pay. I never learn - always get excited when I see a flight for 600 bucks or so until I realize the surcharges I'm going to have to add..:

So here are the totals for these destinations - pretty much what you pay:
Madrid $1225 CDN
Paris $1300 CDN
London $1100 CDN

Bear in mind these are prices right now for the lowseason.

I've always walked April to June, but have always paid a lot for the return flight in June, so I'm thinking that maybe September might be lower cost. On the other hand I freeze half the year here so am never anxious to pay money to go to another country to freeze.

Here's hoping the Canadian dollar and the Rand improve!

lynne

Clarification: I didn't mean the exchange was the same -just the relative cost of flights are pretty close.

[Hermanita]

All good responses.

I do realize that we as Americans do not have the luxury of 4-6 weeks vacation like most Europeans do, and that it is much further for us to travel to do the Camino.

As far as expense, I don't know...My husbands ticket was $429.US That is pretty cheap considering that Americans pay close to that for a night out to a ball game (including tickets, food and drink and parking... last time I went to Boston for a game it was $50 just to park !!)

[viajero]

I am an American. I also met very few Americans on my Caminos. When I was younger, I traveled a lot in SE Asia and I rarely met Americans there either. I think it is the inability to get 4 weeks of vacation time more than anything else.

[newfydog]

American students all go to Costa Rica. Or SE Asia. They don't do the Europe on $5 a day thing so much any more.

Middle aged Americans get a couple weeks of vaction, and since they don't live near their families, they spend their meager time visiting family.

Older Americans finally have some time so they go see Paris and London

If sportiv Americans do go to Europe, they go cheer Lance Armstrong in the Tour. They were all over the place for that, and frankly, it is just fine to me if they stay off the Camino.

Newf (American & Canadian)

[surlechemin]

I do realize that we as Americans do not have the luxury of 4-6 weeks vacation like most Europeans do, and that it is much further for us to travel to do the Camino.

Although nearly every German is entitled to 30 working days of vacation a year, it is practically impossible to get more than three weeks off at the same time. Most Germans who walk all of the camino do it between jobs, after retirement, after completing a stage of education and/or before starting to work. Others do it in stages, i.e. two to three weeks per holiday. The low cost of transportation - even if you don't fly for ecological reasons - makes it possible.

I was able to get a sabbatical and therefore could walk to Santiago from my home, so I only had the costs of transportation from Santiago back home

[falcon269]

In 2008, the number from the U.S. dropped a little, about 2,200. The number of Canadians grew some to 1,933. The population of Canada is a little more than 10% of the U.S., so Camino participation is much larger from Canada. Catholics are the largest religion in the U.S., but that does not mean there is a tremendous pilgrimage urge! Profit and celebrity drive Americans. No one is likely to find profit in a pilgrimage, but make the Camino a reality show, and thousands of American would follow.

[KiwiNomad06]

On a backpacking trip in Europe in 2006, I met many young American students, especially around the time of 'spring break' and once the college year was over in June. Mostly though you would only meet these young Americans in the 'famous places' like Florence, Paris etc. There are also some young Americans studying for a semester/year somewhere in Europe, and you will tend to find them in all sorts of 'odd' places when they have a few days off. So they are there, but just not on the Camino.
Margaret

[WolverineDG]

I wish I could get a fare that low as your husband did. However, unless you live on the East Coast, air fares to Europe are going to be much higher than $425.

Kelly

[Caminando]

Nos somos todos americanos....Hugo Chavez.

[newfydog]

In 2008, the number from the U.S. dropped a little, about 2,200. The number of Canadians grew some to 1,933. The population of Canada is a little more than 10% of the U.S., so Camino participation is much larger from Canada. .

The statistic you don't have in there, is how many of those Canadians are from Quebec. When I started from LePuy, there was a big group from from Les Amis de St Jacques de Quebec. People from towns such as St. Jacques, Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, etc... The number of from Canada is simply a reflection of their heritage.

[Artemisofephesus]

I agree about the plane ticket prices point - I know that mine cost me almost $2000 AUD, a return flight from Brisbane to London. Still have to get from London to Roncesvalles!

But on the other hand, I'm still going.

[omar504]

I've only ever met one American and that was on the Le Puy route ansd she referred to herself as German/American as she had German ancestry and lived had lived there many years. I'm envious of how cheap it is to fly from the US! It's normally about double from Australia-maybe even more from NZ (our poor cousins to the east).
I've seen several reports concerning how many Americans own passports.Apparently estimates range from 7%-22% which seems very low.Reasons given vary from the unkind-they think the world is the US to lack of holidays.

[MichaelB10398]

The problem in the US is complex. There is certainly a distinct lack of vacation time in the US compared to Europe and elsewhere. Often people have at most two weeks vacation per year making international travel the activity of the well-to-do. This is a broad statement and there are exceptions of course.

In addition, the US has only recently began to encourage foreign language studies in schools. This makes many Americans left speaking only English and fearful of being in foreign lands unable to communicate with the locals.

Foreign travel is viewed as being expensive and before even thinking of going they discount their ability. The US does have travel agents that encourage traveling economically such as Rick Steves' Travel through the Back Door. However, Americans are still slow to travel.

Lastly, so many Americans hardly know their own country and seldom travel beyond their own state lines. It is a large country and much to see. Canada and Mexico also beckon US travelers and are much enjoyed.

Pilgrimage is still the choice primarily of the religious minded and those who hear the persistent call to come. Come and tread the same path of those who have gone before.

Michael

[johnBCCanada]

Hello

I know the Camino is well known in Quebec but not only Quebec in Canada. The small western town I live in (about 8,000 in our town/area) has had at least 15 or so do the Camino at least once with several doing it more than once or intending to. It seems that once one person enjoys the experience they tell their friends and so on.

I wonder if some of the Americans are a bit hesitant not knowing what kind of reception they are going to get in Europe. It is easy to mistake people's dislike for one's government for dislike for individuals especially if you haven't travelled too much. That being said the majority of the Americans I met last year were in two groups rather than individuals. I seem to remember that Rick Steves was doing something about the Camino. He has a wide audience in the states and might encourage more Americans to try the Camino in the future.

John

[WolverineDG]

Just a note on passports, until this year, you did not need a passport if you traveled by land to Canada or Mexico, so even those of us who live along the border didn't get them unless we went elsewhere. Now we need passports to go across to Mexico or Canada for dinner (!), so the percentage of Americans with passports or passport cards is already rising substantially.

Kelly

[Hermanita]

....Profit and celebrity drive Americans. No one is likely to find profit in a pilgrimage, but make the Camino a reality show, and thousands of American would follow.

Good point and sad but so true.

Maybe this new movie that Martin Sheen is making will prod the imagination of Americans.

[Hermanita]

Nos somos todos americanos....Hugo Chavez.

And he is absolutely right...but it was Castro who first said that many years ago, and I think he may have stole it from Che.

In the body of my statement I did qualify that by saying "we Americans from the USA"

[Hermanita]

I wish I could get a fare that low as your husband did. However, unless you live on the East Coast, air fares to Europe are going to be much higher than $425.

Kelly

Kelly
We got real lucky with that price. It only lasted a few days. There is a thread somewhere here when a bunch of us were watching fares every day. They went from about $900 down to that $429, which I only saw once and grabbed it, then immediately went up again. When my daughter bought her ticket only a few weeks later, the price had gone back up to $789. with a stop in London. Hubby got a direct flight for that low price.

But when I travel I am a hawk for looking for low fairs and keep checking almost daily. Sometimes the airlines sneak a low fare in after the first of the month, for just a day or 2 then they go up again. You have to jump on it right away when you see it.

[lynnejohn]

There are a number of sites that will alert you to changes in prices of a number of trips you have entered. I use http://www.farecompare.com and find it very useful.

lynne