Camino Dating

[Luka]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino. A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury...

But instead of developing a dating app for pilgrims, it might just be better to let the Camino provide and to accept that you get what you need and not what you want.

 

[nycwalking]

When I was 27/28 I asked God to send me a man: named Ken (to my Barbara/Barbie), 6’2”, 190lbs, single, well-educated, never-married, no children.

When I was 40 on my second camino I met him in Roncesvalles at the pilgrim’s dinner. He lived on east side of Central Park in NYC, I resided on the west. Ken had every box checked.

However, he was a Jesuit Catholic priest at table with two other priests. By Santiago I met three more Catholic priests and a Bishop from Germany.

God’s got jokes!

So, I guess I am still hoping.

BTW: In 2014, camino number four, I witnessed a young German woman and American guy meet, and fall in love. They married a year after meeting and have a little girl. I have lost touch with them. Pray all is well in their lives.

 

[dick bird]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino. A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury...

But instead of developing a dating app for pilgrims, it might just be better to let the Camino provide and to accept that you get what you need and not what you want.

¨He¨?

 

[Tincatinker]

I’ve been in a relationship with Camino since 2012. Still together

 

[davejsy]

Well I definitely didn't go on the Camino looking for love, and there was nothing at the end, but there might have been something in between.

But yes, I share the romanticism of finding love on the Camino, and why not, and some do.

I blogged my Camino for family and friends, and some of the posts that generated the most laughs were me jokingly talking about a Pilgrim Tinder dating app I was developing with various additional pilgrim-centric swipe functionality.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino. A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury...

But instead of developing a dating app for pilgrims, it might just be better to let the Camino provide and to accept that you get what you need and not what you want.

I did mention the Camino on my online dating profile and folks would often mention it when messaging me generally along the lines ‘I would like to do that’. In fact it acted as a good ‘filter’ to see if we we were potentially suited. Some nearly fainted when I mentioned dorms and communal bathrooms and some seemed as they may embrace it!

 

[TravellingMan22]

Well I definitely didn't go on the Camino looking for love, and there was nothing at the end, but there might have been something in between.

But yes, I share the romanticism of finding love on the Camino, and why not, and some do.

I blogged my Camino for family and friends, and some of the posts that generated the most laughs were me jokingly talking about a Pilgrim Tinder dating app I was developing with various additional pilgrim-centric swipe functionality.

I have thought about that too!!! Even the economic benefits (sharing a private room costs) may get a few people interested.

 

[Al the optimist]

In 2013 near the end of my first Frances I met a spanish lady and we dated for 9 months. Now just friends. She lives near Madrid so I see occasionally when I walk.

 

[David]

Not meeting on Camino but one year I met a young Texican couple. Good upbringing, good schools, perfect teeth, etc (oh, and they were really good, intelligent, positive, and nice people too). They had been childhood sweethearts .. did school together .. college together .. and then were going to get married but the chap drew back and when she asked why he said that they had had stress-free rather perfect lives so how could they possibly know how they would get on in a marriage, together all the time, in possibly stressful situations - so they decided to find out by doing a Camino together - from St Jean.

When I met them on Camino and heard their story, two years after their 'test' Camino - they had married and were back, from St Jean again - they had chosen that second Camino as their honeymoon. Awww.

I found that pretty romantic.

Note: expect to see their children on Camino in a few years

Luka - can we also have a 'nope' on that list?

 

[David]

¨He¨?

I think that she is writing about herself, looking for that he - don't you think?

 

[Luka]

¨He¨?

In my case it would be a 'he', but for someone else everything is possible.

 

[Luka]

Luka - can we also have a 'nope' on that list?

I can't adjust that poll anymore I am afraid...

 

[Luka]

I have thought about that too!!! Even the economic benefits (sharing a private room costs) may get a few people interested.

True. A Bumble kind of app could work. You could look for all kind of things: pilgrims to share a room with, pilgrims to walk with, fellow vegetarian pilgrims to have lunch of cook with, pilgrims to practice your Spanish (or any other language) with and well... if that app is there anyway, you might as well add a meeting option for single pilgrims...

 

[davejsy]

Having trawled through my blog I have found some of my Pilgrim Tinder ramblings!!

Please note this is NOT intended to cause any offence to anyone and is merely a creation of my very bad sense of humour.

"This got me thinking about my pilgrim tinder

app thing, and I came to the conclusion that you really need 3 potential options as the pilgrims come at you. Obviously swipe right for the really cool interesting and potentially compatible (if you're hypothetically on the Camino to find love - which I'M NOT), then for just people in general who you don't really want to chat to you swipe them left. Now, I'd spent a lot of time the previous day on my 5 hour detour worrying about what you do with the other people who you really like, are really interesting to talk to, but obviously they aren't a swipe right. I was worrying that my new app might make people using it look shallow and very un-pilgrim like. So introducing to my pilgrim tinder

app the new functionality of SWIPE UP, yes anyone who you really like but not in a swipe right kinda way you can now swipe up. The idea is that this kind of means you really like them in a spiritual way and hope they go to heaven (or where it is they believe in, and obviously not immediately the minute you swipe up)."

 

[OzPeter]

Maybe a Swipe Down option for people you really don’t want to meet?

 

[JabbaPapa]

It's rare -- but just occasionally, pilgrims do find each other along the Way.

 

[henrythedog]

Is there an option for just ‘married’?

 

[davejsy]

Maybe a Swipe Down option for people you really don’t want to meet?

This was considered but deemed just too un-pilgrim like.

 

[davejsy]

Is there an option for just ‘married’?

I am worried why you are not going with the "Happily married" option

*edit I have come to the conclusion this is a very witty response (hopefully).

 

[Former member 104756]

There was a thread on a similar topic about 5 years ago and I wrote about my story then. We did ‘find each other’ on the Camino. But I can’t vote yes for #1. Ours was a camino friendship, not a romance. That came later.

Post in thread 'Tales of love found on the Camino??'
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...of-love-found-on-the-camino.55188/post-620013

But I can’t imagine setting out on a camino looking for love or a relationship of any kind. The idea was certainly not in my mind, or his. Yet, almost 10 years later, we are still together and happily married. As I wrote in the earlier thread, the Camino has given me many gifts, but none so wonderful or entirely unexpected. ❤

 

[HBS60]

I haven’t done my first Camino yet (it will be in August of this year), but I certainly wouldn’t mind finding romance…but it’s complicated.

I lost my SO to cancer 10 years ago, and I’ve been grieving since then, but it’s time to find a way to move on. I’m doing much better these days, and I feel better to the point that it’s time to open up to others.

I’ve always been shy, introverted, and dating has always been too awkward for me. I’m not into bars, and I’ve heard too many horror stories about dating apps that I’d rather not go that route.

While my Camino’s focus is about healing and learning to move on, and romance is not my main priority, I do think a situation like these, where I get to meet people from all backgrounds might help me learn how to navigate social interactions, and, who knows? Meeting the love of my life under those circumstances would probably be more organic than conventional dating, and maybe more successful. I might not get a long term relationship out of the experience, but at least I might get better about breaking the ice.

I also trying to figure out how much or how little to share about my past life with other people, because it’s a bit turbulent and complicated. I want to learn to feel comfortable with people’s reactions, whether positive or negative.

I do think that, if I am successful in completing the Camino, that would boost my confidence, and yes, there’s an allure to being a pilgrim that has walked across Spain with just a backpack. I might even try out a dating app just so I can put that in my profile! But in all seriousness, what I am more hopeful is to have the opportunity to have interesting, meaningful conversations with fellow pilgrims, get new perspectives, learn something, and enrich my life, while hopefully contributing something good to others with whom I might cross paths.

So, we’ll see how it goes. I hope I can learn to avoid expectations while at the same time being open to whatever happens.

 

[J Willhaus]

Hmmn...I don't really see it. I'm sweaty and wearing the same clothes day after day. I am sleeping in a dorm with a lot of other people. I'm not worried about being attractive and I don't usually find others physically attractive either in this setting. People are nice and I enjoy talking with them, but some don't bathe themselves or their clothing often enough for me to want to get closer.

Phil and I make time for romance in our lives, but on the Camino that isn't usually an intimate date until maybe the end of the trip or a pre-planned overnight at a Paradore for our anniversary enroute or something. Volunteering at an albergue two weeks and then walking a couple of hundred miles does not really lend itself to a romance novella for me.

 

[Former member 104756]

A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury..

And I can say @Luka that, in my case, that has turned out to be true.

 

[JerryStroebele]

On our first Camino my daughter met "a handsome French man." Two years later he proposed at Finestere at the end of our Portuguese Camino. They married the following year. A year ago Julien walked the Camino Mozarabe with my wife and me. (He is fluent in Spanish and English.) This past October we walked together on the Chemin Arles and the Camino Aragones. The Camino wonderfully provided. Buen Camino

 

[t2andreo]

¨He¨?

Man plans - God laughs.

I have found over time that God has a sublime sense of humor.

In the end, we each receive what we need, not necessarily what we were praying for.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[TravellingMan22]

Having trawled through my blog I have found some of my Pilgrim Tinder ramblings!!

Please note this is NOT intended to cause any offence to anyone and is merely a creation of my very bad sense of humour.

"This got me thinking about my pilgrim tinder

app thing, and I came to the conclusion that you really need 3 potential options as the pilgrims come at you. Obviously swipe right for the really cool interesting and potentially compatible (if you're hypothetically on the Camino to find love - which I'M NOT), then for just people in general who you don't really want to chat to you swipe them left. Now, I'd spent a lot of time the previous day on my 5 hour detour worrying about what you do with the other people who you really like, are really interesting to talk to, but obviously they aren't a swipe right. I was worrying that my new app might make people using it look shallow and very un-pilgrim like. So introducing to my pilgrim tinder

app the new functionality of SWIPE UP, yes anyone who you really like but not in a swipe right kinda way you can now swipe up. The idea is that this kind of means you really like them in a spiritual way and hope they go to heaven (or where it is they believe in, and obviously not immediately the minute you swipe up)."

Anyone who has used a dating app will know that you often swipe right when you mean to swipe left and vice versa so adding a third option in maybe a recipe for disaster !

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It's rare -- but just occasionally, pilgrims do find each other along the Way.

I saw this happen on my first Camino. We sometimes were staying at the same albergue as a young, very attractive gal with an interesting Bohemian style of clothing. Other times in various albergues we saw a handsome young man with a definite hippie "look". Finally after weeks, we saw them together in Santiago a few times, strolling hand in hand; they had "found" each other and became a couple. I have no idea how, or if, their lives evolved afterward, but they looked so cute together.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Hmmn...I don't really see it. I'm sweaty and wearing the same clothes day after day. I am sleeping in a dorm with a lot of other people. I'm not worried about being attractive and I don't usually find others physically attractive either in this setting. People are nice and I enjoy talking with them, but some don't bathe themselves or their clothing often enough for me to want to get closer.

Phil and I make time for romance in our lives, but on the Camino that isn't usually an intimate date until maybe the end of the trip or a pre-planned overnight at a Paradore for our anniversary enroute or something. Volunteering at an albergue two weeks and then walking a couple of hundred miles does not really lend itself to a romance novella for me.

Oh you can meet folks anywhere!! I once met a girl when I was at the top of Mount Vesuvius overlooking the crater. I was just off an overnight train in old clothes! She was behind me gasping for breath as she had walked more than she normally does. I asked her if she was ok. We were both from London so had a chat and the went separate ways. Back down on the ground she on the with a huge suitcase (she was changing hotels), so I helped her with it and we went for a few drinks and dated a few times after. I guess I should have realised that her being out of breath after a short walk meant she wasn’t for me!

 

[trecile]

.I don't really see it. I'm sweaty and wearing the same clothes day after day. I am sleeping in a dorm with a lot of other people. I'm not worried about being attractive

Sounds like the perfect way to get to know someone and have a connection that's more than superficial.

 

[Former member 104756]

Sounds like the perfect way to get to know someone and have a connection that's more than superficial.

From my own experience I very much agree. And *he* and I have often said as much. Sweaty clothes, muddy clothes, same clothes, albergue living, all the ups and downs, the falling down, the fatigue, the tears (mine) … and on it goes. And that’s even before the language barrier and cultural differences. It would be safe to say there was nothing remotely attractive about either of us from the outside.

PS. We feel very blessed that we met and got to know each other in the way that we did. I suspect that our friendship, and the love we found later, would not have happened if either of us were ‘looking for love’ on the camino.

 

[Luka]

Sounds like the perfect way to get to know someone and have a connection that's more than superficial.

Exactly. And if you like each other in sweaty pilgrims clothes, you don't have to worry much about what to wear anymore...

 

[Luka]

There was a thread on a similar topic about 5 years ago and I wrote about my story then. We did ‘find each other’ on the Camino. But I can’t vote yes for #1. Ours was a camino friendship, not a romance. That came later.

Post in thread 'Tales of love found on the Camino??'
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...of-love-found-on-the-camino.55188/post-620013

But I can’t imagine setting out on a camino looking for love or a relationship of any kind. The idea was certainly not in my mind, or his. Yet, almost 10 years later, we are still together and happily married. As I wrote in the earlier thread, the Camino has given me many gifts, but none so wonderful or entirely unexpected. ❤

Aaahhh, you should have voted for the 1st option! In the end you met on the Camino, right?

 

[Luka]

While my Camino’s focus is about healing and learning to move on, and romance is not my main priority, I do think a situation like these, where I get to meet people from all backgrounds might help me learn how to navigate social interactions, and, who knows? Meeting the love of my life under those circumstances would probably be more organic than conventional dating, and maybe more successful. I might not get a long term relationship out of the experience, but at least I might get better about breaking the ice.

So, we’ll see how it goes. I hope I can learn to avoid expectations while at the same time being open to whatever happens.

Couldn't agree more
Buen Camino!

 

[Former member 104756]

Aaahhh, you should have voted for the 1st option! In the end you met on the Camino, right?

Yes, we did. But no romance on that camino where we met. That happened later after we ‘Camino friends’ decided to meet again to walk the Primitivo together. So, ok, I guess i can vote for the first one

 

[Sarah Jane Taylor]

I met my partner on my first Camino. We were together for two years, but he has some behaviours that were well outside my boundaries so I had to leave sadly for my own sanity. I was walking for compound grief and he for a holiday and exercise. No regrets, just sad and let down.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Like @HBS60, I lost my wife to cancer. Which, ironically, led me to the Camino. (I say ironically because it transpired that she knew about, and was interested in, the Camino- I’d never heard of it)

Am I seeking romance? Nope.

Am I open to it? Heck yes. And if it was someone who shares my newfound passion -

 

[Luka]

Yes, we did. But no romance on that camino where we met. That happened later after we ‘Camino friends’ decided to meet again to walk the Primitivo together. So, ok, I guess i can vote for the first one

Definitely!

 

[Former member 104756]

Exactly. And if you like each other in sweaty pilgrims clothes, you don't have to worry much about what to wear anymore...

After getting to know each other while walking on two Caminos, we decided we wanted to try to build a shared life. A few months later, when *he* first came to ‘the other end of the world’, as he described it, I was wearing a summer dress and sandals, my hair was clean AND brushed, I even had eyeliner and lip gloss. Then I thought - how will he recognise me? Maybe I need to hold up one of those signs you see at the airport. But, I didn’t hold up a sign and he did recognise me.

 

[jungleboy]

After getting to know each other while walking on two Caminos, we decided we wanted to try to build a shared life. A few months later, when *he* first came to ‘the other end of the world’, as he described it, I was wearing a dress and sandals, my hair was clean AND brushed, I even had eyeliner and lip gloss. Then I thought - how will he recognise me? Maybe I need to hold up one of those signs you see at the airport. But, I didn’t hold up a sign and he did recognise me.

He was still in his pilgrim gear I guess

 

[Former member 104756]

He was still in his pilgrim gear I guess

How did you know? . No, that’s unfair … not quite in pilgrim gear. But he had been on a long flight … just saying

 

[davebugg]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino.

The Romance-A-Grino Camino.
To be eligible for a Compostela, a Romance-A-Grino must have walked 880 consecutive kilometers while making continuing progress to Santiago de Compostela along an established and accepted route. The Romance-a-grino Credencial must have 6 sellos/stamps per day beginning with day 1.

Ivar's Store sells a special edition "Romance-a-grino Credencial" for only 2 Euros, plus VAT and shipping. It is strongly suggested to also purchase the accessory elastic strap to go along with it as keeping this 50-meter long document neatly folded while walking can be a bit fussy.

Ivar does include the Romance-a-grino Credencial free of charge with the purchase of the 2024 updated guide, "Of Blisters, Chocolates, and Condoms: The Love Boat Camino Frances.

At journey's end and having arrived in Santiago de Compostela, the Romance-A-Grino will line up for their Compostela at the Pilgrim Office. When finally standing at the reception counter, the assigned volunteer will ask the reason for your journey: "Was it for Religious, Spiritual, Cultural, or Matchmaking purposes".

The Credencial has no fee. However, after receiving your Credencial there is a separate area where you have the chance to purchase souvenir certificates suitable for framing that also match the look of your Credential. For only 12 Euro, the Romance-A-Grino can purchase a special Souvenir Package consisting of both a Distance Certificate and a 'Body Count' certificate.

 

[C clearly]

Is there an option for just ‘married’?

Yes, that modifier raised complicated philosophical questions that stopped me from answering!

I am worried why you are not going with the "Happily married" option

No need to worry. After 40 or 50 years together, one realizes that things are not so simple.

 

[Blister Bill]

I was taught a gentleman never tells but let's just say the camino provides. People I walked with met, fell in love and are now married with children. You get a good sense of a potential partner after a thousand km of walking a camino. You already have at least one thing in common!

 

[Luka]

Ivar does include the Romance-a-grino Credencial free of charge with the purchase of the 2024 updated guide, "Of Blisters, Chocolates, and Condoms: The Love Boat Camino Frances.

 

[davebugg]

Saw this cute couple near Najera in Fall of 2018.

 

[davejsy]

Saw this cute couple near Najera in Fall of 2018.


View attachment 166945

Najera 2023! Ok maybe not pilgrims as such (as far as I was aware) but still one of the cutest things to see and something to aspire to.

 

[60LifeChange]

I haven’t done my first Camino yet (it will be in August of this year), but I certainly wouldn’t mind finding romance…but it’s complicated.

I lost my SO to cancer 10 years ago, and I’ve been grieving since then, but it’s time to find a way to move on. I’m doing much better these days, and I feel better to the point that it’s time to open up to others.

I’ve always been shy, introverted, and dating has always been too awkward for me. I’m not into bars, and I’ve heard too many horror stories about dating apps that I’d rather not go that route.

While my Camino’s focus is about healing and learning to move on, and romance is not my main priority, I do think a situation like these, where I get to meet people from all backgrounds might help me learn how to navigate social interactions, and, who knows? Meeting the love of my life under those circumstances would probably be more organic than conventional dating, and maybe more successful. I might not get a long term relationship out of the experience, but at least I might get better about breaking the ice.

I also trying to figure out how much or how little to share about my past life with other people, because it’s a bit turbulent and complicated. I want to learn to feel comfortable with people’s reactions, whether positive or negative.

I do think that, if I am successful in completing the Camino, that would boost my confidence, and yes, there’s an allure to being a pilgrim that has walked across Spain with just a backpack. I might even try out a dating app just so I can put that in my profile! But in all seriousness, what I am more hopeful is to have the opportunity to have interesting, meaningful conversations with fellow pilgrims, get new perspectives, learn something, and enrich my life, while hopefully contributing something good to others with whom I might cross paths.

So, we’ll see how it goes. I hope I can learn to avoid expectations while at the same time being open to whatever happens.

It would appear we are in the same club. Lost my first wife in 2001, reconnected with my high school sweetheart 2 years later and had the absolute best years of my life, but she finally passed last year in 23. Both to cancer.
For me? The Camino is a new chapter, and I am framing it as a "new adventure" along with the rest i hope to accomplish. I think the more you open up, the more surprised you will be with people. At least on the Camino, as most people are soul searching there as well.

And while you are on your Camino? what else? What other adventure can you have, when? Where? And get those gears turning. For me? i have a bucket list a mile long that i hope to see. But for now? One day at a time. See what the Camino offers. I am doing my best to put my expectations aside and just see what happens. Kind of like jumping off the high dive into the pool.. exciting, scary, thrilling and sploosh.. a lot of fun.


Buen Camino!

 

[mattythedog]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino. A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury...

But instead of developing a dating app for pilgrims, it might just be better to let the Camino provide and to accept that you get what you need and not what you want.

While walking the Camino in 2017, I met a lady from Ireland who, while walking as a pilgrim about 2 years prior, fell in love with a Spanish man. I have encountered her on every trip to Spain since then. Last year when I met her for the 6th time, she announced they were finally getting married....and it would be wonderful if I could come to the wedding. I interrupted my walk the following week to travel back and attend her wedding. Coincidentally, that couple lives in the same village where Taylor Estevez, while traveling the Camino with his grandfather, met his wife-to-be. Taylor asked his father, Emilio, to make a movie about the Camino, and you know the way that went.....

 

[CWBuff]

¨He¨?

I believe that is from Luca's perspective and is a perfectly acceptable as it should be
If it was me making the same statement, the word would be 'she'

 

[lovelyshell]

I met a man on the Camino. We just kind of ended up walking together after Rabanal. I had just walked the Meseta alone so I was happy, but somewhat reluctant, to have company. By the time we got to Triacastela we were “coupled up”. Being the fiercely independent person I am, I was insistent I was spending my final day walking alone. I wanted to walk into Santiago alone, just like how I started in Saint Jean alone. By the time we got to O’Pedrouzo we were annoyed with each other and stayed in separate places. I walked my last day alone, and I was really sad and lonely. We reconnected, as friends, back in Santiago after we both walked to Finisterre separately. We had lunch at the monastery. We remain friends and met up at a pub in London a few years ago. And last year when I walked the Portuguese and was having a tough time, I reached out to him and his encouragement helped me through.

(Fundamentally, this relationship would never have worked because he was British and hated the way Americans, like me, pronounced his name.)

 

[Robo]

I think it's actually an interesting topic. Well done on the Poll.

Though another Poll on the flip side might be good to.

"If you walked with your Partner, are you still together"?

Pat and I joked prior to our first Camino together, that we did not want to end up like that couple featured in a story here. On opposite sides of the road in a village, hurling their packs and insults across the road at each other!

We got close a couple of times...............

 

[jungleboy]

(Fundamentally, this relationship would never have worked because he was British and hated the way Americans, like me, pronounced his name.)

The suspense is killing me — what’s his name???

 

[Luka]

Though another Poll on the flip side might be good to.

"If you walked with your Partner, are you still together"?

That is also an interesting question, haha! I would add a couple of variants to 'partner' (friend, family member, inlaws...) and then ask if you arrived in Santiago with the same person/people you set out with...

 

[DoughnutANZ]

True. A Bumble kind of app could work. You could look for all kind of things: pilgrims to share a room with, pilgrims to walk with, fellow vegetarian pilgrims to have lunch of cook with, pilgrims to practice your Spanish (or any other language) with and well... if that app is there anyway, you might as well add a meeting option for single pilgrims...

I have met a couple of "couples" who were walking and staying together because it was convenient and useful (one of each pair had strong Spanish language skills).

I don't know if they were romantically connected as I never asked as it was none of my business but in both cases at least one of each pair was married to someone else.

I generally stay in shared room albergues and that environment isn't generally conducive to romance because there is very little privacy.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I had someone propose marriage to me once on one trip but you would need to buy me more than three four glasses of wine before I told you the full story about how that transpired and how it ended.

 

[Barbara]

Well, that's all very sweet (mostly) All I would ask is that if romance develops into action would you please get a room, I once spent some considerable time as a hospi calming a "situation" involving inappropriate behaviour in a bunkroom and an elderly unwilling observer who was trying to have a siesta.

 

[jungleboy]

I had someone propose marriage to me once on one trip but you would need to buy me more than three four glasses of wine before I told you the full story about how that transpired and how it ended.

If emojis count we can all chip in and top four easily. Spill the beans!

 

[jmaher]

Go stay in Casa Susi in Trabadelo and you'll hear a very romantic story of how Susi and Fermin met on the Camino, (Susi owned the Albergue, Fermin was walking it as a pilgrim). The story goes he stayed there one night then on the next day he couldn't find accommodation in the next town, he rang Susi, who collected him and brought him back where he's been ever since.

I should add they are fantastic hosts and its a lovely albergue, they serve truly great food as well. I think like all things if you go looking for love on the Camino you might be disappointed, but if it develops organically, then that's another story.

The Camino I've found is like an accelerated form of romance, if it develops because you spend so much time with that person that you cover a lot of ground in getting to know each other in such a short space of time.

 

[Luka]

Go stay in Casa Susi in Trabadelo and you'll hear a very romantic story of how Susi and Fermin met on the Camino, (Susi owned the Albergue, Fermin was walking it as a pilgrim). The story goes he stayed there one night then on the next day he couldn't find accommodation in the next town, he rang Susi, who collected him and brought him back where he's been ever since.

I know a similar (very recent) story about Anna, the owner of albergue Aves de Paso on the Norte. She took that albergue over last year. A couple of months into her first season there was a spark between her and a pilgrim who stayed there. This second season they are running the albergue together.

 

[WayWalker]

My son's best friend decided to walk the Camino after my husband did our first one. He met a French Canadian woman and now lives in Montreal and thy have one child and are currently expecting twins!

 

[NorthfaceJohn]

Not a very serious topic, but I just realised how ideal it would be to find romance on the Camino. A fellow pilgrim seems like the perfect match: he likes walking, he likes Spain, he does his own laundry, he gets up early, he shares similar pilgrim values, he doesn't care too much about luxury...

But instead of developing a dating app for pilgrims, it might just be better to let the Camino provide and to accept that you get what you need and not what you want.

I would imagine a lot of people do the Camino for the opposite reasons, to get away from relationships. Seriously though, having a few weeks just to yourself without any obligations is a rarity, why would you waste that on extra baggage...

 

[maladjusted]

I met a couple who found love on the Camino Frances in October 2018, a young German man (whose name I can’t remember) and an Australian lady called Maria. They walked with an American man named Lee. There was a bit of an age gap between them but that made them all the more endearing as a couple. I often wonder what happened to them????

 

[Shazzza]

¨He¨?

?

 

[Caligal]

I have thought about writing our Camino love story, this gives me the perfect opportunity. On May 1st, 2023 I was walking ( my 3rd) just out of Ledigos when Dudley came up from behind and we started the usual conversation, where are you from? He San Diego Ca, me Ojai Ca 180 miles apartwe walked to Sahagun where we quite accidentally wound up sharing a room! The next morning I took the train to Leon, he kept walking. It took him 10 days to catch up to me in Samos! The next day we walked together to Barbedelo, I fell in love over a bowl of lentil soup. We walked to Santiago together where I had a medical emergency and he was there to take care of me. He changed his flight so he could make sure I got back to LA safely. We carried on a long ( actually pretty short) distance relationship for 5 months after which I quit my job and moved to live with him in San Diego. As i write this we are sitting in bed drinking our coffee and preparing for our Portuguese Camino starting April 16, hoping to be in Santiago on our 1year meeting anniversary. Heres our pic at the 100 km marker, we were the “ cute” old couple!

 

[Shazzza]

I have thought about writing our Camino love story, View attachment 167019this gives me the perfect opportunity. On May 1st, 2023 I was walking ( my 3rd) just out of Ledigos when Dudley came up from behind and we started the usual conversation, where are you from? He San Diego Ca, me Ojai Ca 180 miles apartwe walked to Sahagun where we quite accidentally wound up sharing a room! The next morning I took the train to Leon, he kept walking. It took him 10 days to catch up to me in Samos! The next day we walked together to Barbedelo, I fell in love over a bowl of lentil soup. We walked to Santiago together where I had a medical emergency and he was there to take care of me. He changed his flight so he could make sure I got back to LA safely. We carried on a long ( actually pretty short) distance relationship for 5 months after which I quit my job and moved to live with him in San Diego. As i write this we are sitting in bed drinking our coffee and preparing for our Portuguese Camino starting April 16, hoping to be in Santiago on our 1year meeting anniversary. Heres our pic outside of Melide, we were the “ cute” old couple!

This is amazing!!! Clearly meant to be. Thank you for sharing!!

 

[Former member 104756]

How wonderful @Caligal and Dudley. A lovely photo. Welcome to the (small?) club. The serendipity of meeting is one thing - but when someone touches your heart, it’s the willingness to step forward (like changing your flight to support an injured friend) and the courage to take a risk (like moving cities or countries) that makes a shared future possible. Happy anniversary. Our anniversary of meeting is coming up in April too - 10 years. Love your story.

 

[WGroleau]

It would appear we are in the same club. Lost my first wife in 2001, reconnected with my high school sweetheart 2 years later

It was in Spain (as hospitalero) that it seemed like God was saying that it was time to stop nursing the pain of losing my wife eight years earlier. My response was, “OK, but if You want me to re-marry, You have to arrange it.” I kept the whole matter to myself. Upon arriving back in the USA, I opened one of my storage boxes, and right on top was a letter from the girl I had lost track of 45 years earlier. I was back in Spain when I proposed by telephone, married in Oregon three months later and returned to Spain for a sort of “honeymoon."

Surprised again – Happy Hobo

happyhobo.net

 

[davejsy]

I would imagine a lot of people do the Camino for the opposite reasons, to get away from relationships. Seriously though, having a few weeks just to yourself without any obligations is a rarity, why would you waste that on extra baggage...

Well, having spent my whole life gleefully collecting "extra baggage" I'm definitely not going to break the habit of a lifetime for the Camino

 

[davejsy]

I fell in love over a bowl of lentil soup.

 

[jmaher]

I know a similar (very recent) story about Anna, the owner of albergue Aves de Paso on the Norte. She took that albergue over last year. A couple of months into her first season there was a spark between her and a pilgrim who stayed there. This second season they are running the albergue together.

So the moral of the story is go buy an Albergue if you're looking for love on the Camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have thought about writing our Camino love story,

What a sweet story. Your picture is adorable and you really look like you "go together"! Almost like brother and sister!

 

[rogersoncharles1951]

I’ve been in a relationship with Camino since 2012. Still together

Here here since 2011

 

[Phil W]

Hmmn...I don't really see it. I'm sweaty and wearing the same clothes day after day. I am sleeping in a dorm with a lot of other people. I'm not worried about being attractive and I don't usually find others physically attractive either in this setting. People are nice and I enjoy talking with them, but some don't bathe themselves or their clothing often enough for me to want to get closer.

Phil and I make time for romance in our lives, but on the Camino that isn't usually an intimate date until maybe the end of the trip or a pre-planned overnight at a Paradore for our anniversary enroute or something. Volunteering at an albergue two weeks and then walking a couple of hundred miles does not really lend itself to a romance novella for me.

You are always attractive to me!

 

[Phil W]

I think it's actually an interesting topic. Well done on the Poll.

Though another Poll on the flip side might be good to.

"If you walked with your Partner, are you still together"?

Pat and I joked prior to our first Camino together, that we did not want to end up like that couple featured in a story here. On opposite sides of the road in a village, hurling their packs and insults across the road at each other!

We got close a couple of times...............

Yes, still together, still walking, and still hospitaleroing.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

If emojis count we can all chip in and top four easily. Spill the beans!

Nice try, catch me on Camino at some stage and buy real wine or better still come visit Aotearoa New Zealand at some stage and I will share some Kiwi hospitality with you and we can reminisce in person

 

[jungleboy]

Nice try, catch me on Camino at some stage and buy real wine or better still come visit Aotearoa New Zealand at some stage and I will share some Kiwi hospitality with you and we can reminisce in person

Deal! I come from the West Island after all

 

[Blister Bill]

Deal! I come from the West Island after all

Ahhh it all makes sense now

 

[Blister Bill]

I'm glad this topic has engendered such interest. I've been on at my partner for some time now to compile a series of stories of people meeting and falling in love on the camino (for clarity the long term ones). There certainly are a lot of great yarns just from the people we've met and clearly the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

 

[David Tallan]

I had someone propose marriage to me once on one trip but you would need to buy me more than three four glasses of wine before I told you the full story about how that transpired and how it ended.

So I won't be able to get the story from you over Passover and will have to wait until next Purim.

[At the Passover seder it is customary to drink four glasses of wine. At Purim - just passed - it is customary to drink until you can no longer distinguish between the names "Haman" and "Mordechai".]

 

[Blister Bill]

So I won't be able to get the story from you over Passover and will have to wait until next Purim.

[At the Passover seder it is customary to drink four glasses of wine. At Purim - just passed - it is customary to drink until you can no longer distinguish between the names "Haman" and "Mordechai".]

And the Donkey's not talking either !

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Deal! I come from the West Island after all

Hint

A great deal of water has flowed under this bridge since then

 

[Luka]

So the moral of the story is go buy an Albergue if you're looking for love on the Camino!

It looks like a very lazy way of dating. They just pass by your house every day.

 

[andywild]

My favourite albergue is Casa Susi in Trabadelo. It is owned and ran by an Aussie (Susi) and a Spaniard (Fermin). They met on the Camino several years back and decided to open an albergue together. They got married this year.

 

[catheriam]

I met a man on the Camino. We just kind of ended up walking together after Rabanal. I had just walked the Meseta alone so I was happy, but somewhat reluctant, to have company. By the time we got to Triacastela we were “coupled up”. Being the fiercely independent person I am, I was insistent I was spending my final day walking alone. I wanted to walk into Santiago alone, just like how I started in Saint Jean alone. By the time we got to O’Pedrouzo we were annoyed with each other and stayed in separate places. I walked my last day alone, and I was really sad and lonely. We reconnected, as friends, back in Santiago after we both walked to Finisterre separately. We had lunch at the monastery. We remain friends and met up at a pub in London a few years ago. And last year when I walked the Portuguese and was having a tough time, I reached out to him and his encouragement helped me through.

(Fundamentally, this relationship would never have worked because he was British and hated the way Americans, like me, pronounced his name.)

"..never would have worked ..." I mean! Married to a Scot (never to be mistaken for a "Brit") and eye-rolling familiar with how both sides of the pond get their argy-bargy up over correct pronouncements of the naming of things and the (im)proper use of fork and knife, I think you were well away. A stone is at Cruz du Ferro for the Scot, bless his heart.

 

[catheriam]

Romance ... Fell briefly in thrall with a blue-eyed Irishman who presented as in dire need of an emotional, spiritual and psychological "fixer-upper": at the time, my specialty! (Ask any of my husbands.) The Camino is one fine opportunity for the stunning clarity it awards the pilgrim with distance from the familiar and the absence of distractions. A moment in Burgos when I absolutely, positively beheld that familar pitfall of man-saving, laughed and laughed (at and with myself) ... and walked a Way.

 

[David]

 

[babikeski]

Yes, in 2022 I met someone on the first day from St Jean who lived in Spain and myself in the US. We ended up walking the entire Camino together. Over the next year, we saw each other twice for @ 30 days, and finally, we walked the Portuguese from Lisbon in 2023. Eventually, the distance ended the relationship a few months ago. Neither of us was in a position to move.

 

[antepacem]

Romance ... Fell briefly in thrall with a blue-eyed Irishman who presented as in dire need of an emotional, spiritual and psychological "fixer-upper": at the time, my specialty! (Ask any of my husbands.) The Camino is one fine opportunity for the stunning clarity it awards the pilgrim with distance from the familiar and the absence of distractions. A moment in Burgos when I absolutely, positively beheld that familar pitfall of man-saving, laughed and laughed (at and with myself) ... and walked a Way.

Haha oh damn. This resonated.

 

[antepacem]

I've had a number of 'dalliances' on the Camino (and fended some off as well), but I don't think there has ever been a camino I've walked where I haven't witnessed people falling in love and, in a number of cases, staying that way. Last summer's walk, it was a couple who initially couldn't stand each other, but who have since built a life together despite being from Ireland and Idaho! I'm rooting for those crazy kids.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Last summer's walk, it was a couple who initially couldn't stand each other, but who have since built a life together despite being from Ireland and Idaho!

It must be working because they had the "I"s in common.

 

[Jackypetal]

There was a thread on a similar topic about 5 years ago and I wrote about my story then. We did ‘find each other’ on the Camino. But I can’t vote yes for #1. Ours was a camino friendship, not a romance. That came later.

Post in thread 'Tales of love found on the Camino??'
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...of-love-found-on-the-camino.55188/post-620013

But I can’t imagine setting out on a camino looking for love or a relationship of any kind. The idea was certainly not in my mind, or his. Yet, almost 10 years later, we are still together and happily married. As I wrote in the earlier thread, the Camino has given me many gifts, but none so wonderful or entirely unexpected. ❤

 

[Jackypetal]

¨He¨?

I didn't find love..I've yet to do my first one in September, but my partner did..short lived no intimacy, they shared a majical 4 days..I understood..

 

[Luka]

That's 7 'still togethers' already!

 

[Adlr]

I met a boy on the Camino in June 2016. We walked and talked all day and night for about a week until we got to Santiago. We call it the longest and most in-depth first date ever. After spending another couple days in Finisterre, we ultimately went our separate ways, not expecting it to be anything more than a Camino spark. We got in touch again almost a year later, dated long-distance, moved in together, and got married in 2022. A few months ago we had our first baby, a boy named Santi

 

[Jackypetal]

Beautiful

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

That's 7 'still togethers' already!

Hope for us yet!

 

[davejsy]

I met a boy on the Camino in June 2016. We walked and talked all day and night for about a week until we got to Santiago. We call it the longest and most in-depth first date ever. After spending another couple days in Finisterre, we ultimately went our separate ways, not expecting it to be anything more than a Camino spark. We got in touch again almost a year later, dated long-distance, moved in together, and got married in 2022. A few months ago we had our first baby, a boy named Santi

How beautiful

 

[steve392]

@Peterexpatkiwi suggested on another post that I tell the story of how I met my wife on the camino.

Incidentally, I think it's fair to say this beautiful story

belongs on another (lighthearted) thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-dating.85855/post-1238501

So rather than just a quick paragraph I thought I'd bore you all with the details.
The easiest way of doing this, is to share with you the statement (edited) that I made to the authorities when I applied for my visa to move to Australia to be with Alex.
It is a bit long (and maybe a bit self indulgent) but hopefully you'll enjoy our tale.

"On September 5th 2016 I departed on an adventure that turned out would change my life. I had decided to walk the Camino de Santiago, an 800km pilgrimage across the north of Spain. I was at a low point in my life and needed to try to put a few ghosts to rest and give myself time to think and decide how to move forward with my life. Upon arriving at the starting point of St Jean pied de port in southern France I went to the Pilgrims office to register and get my official credential which I would get stamped at each stop on the way. There was a lot of people around but I did notice Alexandra taking photos of the street that we were on but thought nothing of it.

On the first day of the walk (6th Sept 2016) I met an Australian guy, Pete, from Melbourne, who is now a good friend, and we got talking as we walked up and over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain. We walked together for the next two days and on the 8th September we met an American woman called Jennifer who was walking on her own and we started chatting as we walked. The next stop was for a break at a café in Zuriain. We bought ourselves coffees and snacks and sat down to eat when Jennifer disappeared for a second and came back to the table with another woman who sat next to me to my right and introduced herself as Alexandra. We immediately started talking and it felt easy and very comfortable chatting with her. We then all decided to walk on together into Pamplona and the chatting and laughter didn't stop for the next 10 or so kilometres.

(First time I met Alex in Zuriain)

Alex and I felt very comfortable in each other’s company from the very moment we met so when I had to leave her on the way into Pamplona to find my hotel it was a bit of a wrench as I didn't want the fun to stop. We had agreed to meet later in Pamplona and had exchanged contact details. Later that day I returned to Alex’s hostel and we watched from Alex’s room window as a festival took place in the square below.

I had only planned on staying in Pamplona for one night. I had arrived in France with a heavy cold and sore throat and new that if I rested too long I wouldn't want to carry on walking. On the other hand Alex was staying in Pamplona for two nights to have a rest day and I didn't want to go on walking and be a day ahead of her and risk never seeing her again. So I decided to stay on another day and rest up to see if I could throw off my cold and of course this meant staying with Alex in a beautiful city with great weather. I had also made a good friend in Pete so I didn't want to split up our happy little band. We spent our rest day touring the city, laughing and joking. After a while Pete left us so Alex and I sat outside a café for a few hours chatting and laughing and getting to know each other more. During one of our conversations it occurred to me that Alex was the woman I had seen outside of the pilgrims office in St Jean pied de port taking photos so I mentioned this to Alex. We also discovered that we had been on the same flight from London to Biaritz and even had sat on the same row, me on 2F and Alex on 2A. We laugh, shrugged it off and didn't give it another thought.


(Outside the café in Pamplona)

Whilst in Pamplona we decided that we would continue walking together as we all enjoyed each other’s company and I really didn't want to leave Alex. So we spent the next few days walking and having a great adventure. The first stop after leaving Pamplona was at a small town called Puenta la Reina. Alex, Pete and I were sharing a room together at our hostel and on arrival myself and Pete went for a beer to give Alex a chance to shower and have some privacy. Once done, Pete showered next and I sat with Alex talking and flirting for a while until Pete returned. It felt right and as though we had known each other for years not days. Myself and Pete went to the bar at one point and I turned to notice Alex looking at me, I gave her a cheeking wink and she winked back and smiled. It was then that I knew for certain that we were attracted to each other. The following day we got up and got ready to walk on. I was full of energy and really wanted to walk alone and pick up my pace. I told Alex and Pete that I would meet up with them at the next stop and walked on at a fast pace leaving them behind. After a few hours I arrived at the hostel and booked myself in, showered and lay on my bed to rest. Later Alex and Pete walked into the room and I saw that Alex was searching the room looking for me. I purposely kept quite to see if she would spot me and when I knew she couldn't see me I coughed to see if she would react. She heard me, recognising my cough and immediately spotted me. She came over and lay on my bed with me and gave me a hug. I kissed Alex and said that I'd been wanting to do that for a while but hadn't because of my cold. It felt good to have made a move toward us being together and we laughed, hugged and then I kicked Alex off of my bed as she was soaking with sweat and hadn't had a shower. I told her to come back when she had. After this we were only ever apart when either of us decided to walk alone, we were basically inseparable.

We arrived in Ventosa on September the 14th. The hostel that we tried to get into was fully booked so we had to get the last two rooms in the only hotel in the village. As there was only one double room and one twin room available it was a little awkward as to the sleeping arrangements. I of course wanted to be with Alex in the double room but was aware that we hadn't actually become a couple yet. So I arranged with Pete that if at any time Alex felt uncomfortable that she or I could join him in his twin room. This we were all happy with so we settled in and had a wonderful dinner with two Canadian couples who were staying there as well. Francine and Gilles were celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and we all joined in the fun. At one point in the evening Francine asked how long Alex and I had been together and when we replied that we had only just met everyone around the table couldn't believe it and commented that they all thought that we had been together for years. Francine then told us that in French/Canadian culture it is usual to have two wedding rings. Before leaving for the Camino, Francine wasn't going to wear both rings but felt that she had to. She then said that she now new why and that Alex was meant to have one of her rings, as she could see the love that we both had for each other and that we looked like old souls together. Everyone around the table couldn't believe what had just happened and it quickly became a very emotional moment. Alex still wears the ring to this day.


(Dinner in Ventosa and Alex with Francine)

Pete left us not long after Ventosa as he felt that he needed to follow his own journey and didn't want to get wrapped up in ours. This we fully understood and wished him all the luck. I was more than happy for him to go his own way, even though I would miss him, as it meant that Alex and I could continue on together on our own. We spent the next 4 or so weeks walking on through Spain enjoying each other’s company and supporting each other through tough and emotional times. As time passed I realised that this wasn't going to be a holiday romance and it was something much more.

Along the way we met and made a lot of new friends. Not least of all Kevin and Sarah who live in Queensland and have become great friends. We also met back up with Poul and Sonia, who we had first met in Ventosa, and Noemi and Rain who we had met earlier, and finished the last 2 or so weeks of the walk together as a group of great friends.


(Our happy little band)

On arrival in Santiago the question of "where we go from here" came up with the realisation that we only had a couple of days left together before heading home. We had been putting this off so we could enjoy the journey but now was the time to discuss it properly. At the time there was no way I could afford to move to Australia and the fact that I hadn't even been there was an issue, after all I may not have even liked it. I was the first to leave Spain on October 14th. It was a very emotional moment leaving all the good friends that we had made. Alex walked with me to the bus station so we could say goodbye in private. It was very upsetting to have to leave her after spending weeks together in a very intense way. We both cried and I was pained to have to get on the bus and watch her walk away. The only saving grace was that our friends had sworn they would look after Alex for me until she had to leave the following day. Once at the airport in Santiago I rang Alex straight away to see if she was ok and because even though we had only been apart for an hour or so I missed her and wanted to hear her voice before I left Spain. The journey home was full of emotion for me as I had just achieved a journey of a life time by walking the Camino de Santiago (something that I am very proud of to this day) and I had met the person who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and didn’t know how our relationship would or even could move forward.


(Arrival in Santiago) (Me saying goodbye to everyone, a very emotional Alex)

Once Alex arrived back home in Melbourne we started to video call each other via Facebook messenger at least twice a day. This became the normal routine as being so far apart it is the only way we can really spend time together. On one of these calls Alex told me that she had been editing her photos that she had taken on the Camino and sent me a photo that she had taken. It was the photo she took outside the pilgrims office in St Jean Pied de Port before we had even met. I couldn’t believe it, Alex had taken a photo of the first time I had seen her and neither of us had known until now.


(The photo Alex took in St Jean)"

After many visits to Australia and of Alex flying to the UK, walking the Camino Finisterra together in 2018, many discussions of how we were going to be together and a long visa application process, I literally threw away my life in the UK and moved to Australia in 2019. I walked through Melbourne airport with just one suit case and a carry on bag. As far as I was concerned my life is with Alex, so moving to the other side of the planet was a small step to take.

In September 2019 we were married. Pete was my best man and our camino family were guests of honor. We have a wonderful life together (still with life's up and downs of course), have been lucky enough to travel to many parts of the world together and tour the great country that is Australia.

(Our wedding)

Next year I will be returning to do the Camino once again on my own and Alex is planning on walking the via Francigena in the near future. Our camino continues.

So that's our tale. I hope you're all still awake.

Take care and Buen camino in life.

Steve and Alex.

 

[Bristle Boy]

@Peterexpatkiwi suggested on another post that I tell the story of how I met my wife on the camino.


So rather than just a quick paragraph I thought I'd bore you all with the details.
The easiest way of doing this, is to share with you the statement (edited) that I made to the authorities when I applied for my visa to move to Australia to be with Alex.
It is a bit long (and maybe a bit self indulgent) but hopefully you'll enjoy our tale.

"On September 5th 2016 I departed on an adventure that turned out would change my life. I had decided to walk the Camino de Santiago, an 800km pilgrimage across the north of Spain. I was at a low point in my life and needed to try to put a few ghosts to rest and give myself time to think and decide how to move forward with my life. Upon arriving at the starting point of St Jean pied de port in southern France I went to the Pilgrims office to register and get my official credential which I would get stamped at each stop on the way. There was a lot of people around but I did notice Alexandra taking photos of the street that we were on but thought nothing of it.

On the first day of the walk (6th Sept 2016) I met an Australian guy, Pete, from Melbourne, who is now a good friend, and we got talking as we walked up and over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain. We walked together for the next two days and on the 8th September we met an American woman called Jennifer who was walking on her own and we started chatting as we walked. The next stop was for a break at a café in Zuriain. We bought ourselves coffees and snacks and sat down to eat when Jennifer disappeared for a second and came back to the table with another woman who sat next to me to my right and introduced herself as Alexandra. We immediately started talking and it felt easy and very comfortable chatting with her. We then all decided to walk on together into Pamplona and the chatting and laughter didn't stop for the next 10 or so kilometres.
View attachment 169461
(First time I met Alex in Zuriain)

Alex and I felt very comfortable in each other’s company from the very moment we met so when I had to leave her on the way into Pamplona to find my hotel it was a bit of a wrench as I didn't want the fun to stop. We had agreed to meet later in Pamplona and had exchanged contact details. Later that day I returned to Alex’s hostel and we watched from Alex’s room window as a festival took place in the square below.

I had only planned on staying in Pamplona for one night. I had arrived in France with a heavy cold and sore throat and new that if I rested too long I wouldn't want to carry on walking. On the other hand Alex was staying in Pamplona for two nights to have a rest day and I didn't want to go on walking and be a day ahead of her and risk never seeing her again. So I decided to stay on another day and rest up to see if I could throw off my cold and of course this meant staying with Alex in a beautiful city with great weather. I had also made a good friend in Pete so I didn't want to split up our happy little band. We spent our rest day touring the city, laughing and joking. After a while Pete left us so Alex and I sat outside a café for a few hours chatting and laughing and getting to know each other more. During one of our conversations it occurred to me that Alex was the woman I had seen outside of the pilgrims office in St Jean pied de port taking photos so I mentioned this to Alex. We also discovered that we had been on the same flight from London to Biaritz and even had sat on the same row, me on 2F and Alex on 2A. We laugh, shrugged it off and didn't give it another thought.

View attachment 169464 View attachment 169465
(Outside the café in Pamplona)

Whilst in Pamplona we decided that we would continue walking together as we all enjoyed each other’s company and I really didn't want to leave Alex. So we spent the next few days walking and having a great adventure. The first stop after leaving Pamplona was at a small town called Puenta la Reina. Alex, Pete and I were sharing a room together at our hostel and on arrival myself and Pete went for a beer to give Alex a chance to shower and have some privacy. Once done, Pete showered next and I sat with Alex talking and flirting for a while until Pete returned. It felt right and as though we had known each other for years not days. Myself and Pete went to the bar at one point and I turned to notice Alex looking at me, I gave her a cheeking wink and she winked back and smiled. It was then that I knew for certain that we were attracted to each other. The following day we got up and got ready to walk on. I was full of energy and really wanted to walk alone and pick up my pace. I told Alex and Pete that I would meet up with them at the next stop and walked on at a fast pace leaving them behind. After a few hours I arrived at the hostel and booked myself in, showered and lay on my bed to rest. Later Alex and Pete walked into the room and I saw that Alex was searching the room looking for me. I purposely kept quite to see if she would spot me and when I knew she couldn't see me I coughed to see if she would react. She heard me, recognising my cough and immediately spotted me. She came over and lay on my bed with me and gave me a hug. I kissed Alex and said that I'd been wanting to do that for a while but hadn't because of my cold. It felt good to have made a move toward us being together and we laughed, hugged and then I kicked Alex off of my bed as she was soaking with sweat and hadn't had a shower. I told her to come back when she had. After this we were only ever apart when either of us decided to walk alone, we were basically inseparable.

We arrived in Ventosa on September the 14th. The hostel that we tried to get into was fully booked so we had to get the last two rooms in the only hotel in the village. As there was only one double room and one twin room available it was a little awkward as to the sleeping arrangements. I of course wanted to be with Alex in the double room but was aware that we hadn't actually become a couple yet. So I arranged with Pete that if at any time Alex felt uncomfortable that she or I could join him in his twin room. This we were all happy with so we settled in and had a wonderful dinner with two Canadian couples who were staying there as well. Francine and Gilles were celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and we all joined in the fun. At one point in the evening Francine asked how long Alex and I had been together and when we replied that we had only just met everyone around the table couldn't believe it and commented that they all thought that we had been together for years. Francine then told us that in French/Canadian culture it is usual to have two wedding rings. Before leaving for the Camino, Francine wasn't going to wear both rings but felt that she had to. She then said that she now new why and that Alex was meant to have one of her rings, as she could see the love that we both had for each other and that we looked like old souls together. Everyone around the table couldn't believe what had just happened and it quickly became a very emotional moment. Alex still wears the ring to this day.

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(Dinner in Ventosa and Alex with Francine)

Pete left us not long after Ventosa as he felt that he needed to follow his own journey and didn't want to get wrapped up in ours. This we fully understood and wished him all the luck. I was more than happy for him to go his own way, even though I would miss him, as it meant that Alex and I could continue on together on our own. We spent the next 4 or so weeks walking on through Spain enjoying each other’s company and supporting each other through tough and emotional times. As time passed I realised that this wasn't going to be a holiday romance and it was something much more.

Along the way we met and made a lot of new friends. Not least of all Kevin and Sarah who live in Queensland and have become great friends. We also met back up with Poul and Sonia, who we had first met in Ventosa, and Noemi and Rain who we had met earlier, and finished the last 2 or so weeks of the walk together as a group of great friends.

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(Our happy little band)

On arrival in Santiago the question of "where we go from here" came up with the realisation that we only had a couple of days left together before heading home. We had been putting this off so we could enjoy the journey but now was the time to discuss it properly. At the time there was no way I could afford to move to Australia and the fact that I hadn't even been there was an issue, after all I may not have even liked it. I was the first to leave Spain on October 14th. It was a very emotional moment leaving all the good friends that we had made. Alex walked with me to the bus station so we could say goodbye in private. It was very upsetting to have to leave her after spending weeks together in a very intense way. We both cried and I was pained to have to get on the bus and watch her walk away. The only saving grace was that our friends had sworn they would look after Alex for me until she had to leave the following day. Once at the airport in Santiago I rang Alex straight away to see if she was ok and because even though we had only been apart for an hour or so I missed her and wanted to hear her voice before I left Spain. The journey home was full of emotion for me as I had just achieved a journey of a life time by walking the Camino de Santiago (something that I am very proud of to this day) and I had met the person who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and didn’t know how our relationship would or even could move forward.

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(Arrival in Santiago) (Me saying goodbye to everyone, a very emotional Alex)

Once Alex arrived back home in Melbourne we started to video call each other via Facebook messenger at least twice a day. This became the normal routine as being so far apart it is the only way we can really spend time together. On one of these calls Alex told me that she had been editing her photos that she had taken on the Camino and sent me a photo that she had taken. It was the photo she took outside the pilgrims office in St Jean Pied de Port before we had even met. I couldn’t believe it, Alex had taken a photo of the first time I had seen her and neither of us had known until now.

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(The photo Alex took in St Jean)"

After many visits to Australia and of Alex flying to the UK, walking the Camino Finisterra together in 2018, many discussions of how we were going to be together and a long visa application process, I literally threw away my life in the UK and moved to Australia in 2019. I walked through Melbourne airport with just one suit case and a carry on bag. As far as I was concerned my life is with Alex, so moving to the other side of the planet was a small step to take.

In September 2019 we were married. Pete was my best man and our camino family were guests of honor. We have a wonderful life together (still with life's up and downs of course), have been lucky enough to travel to many parts of the world together and tour the great country that is Australia.
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(Our wedding)

Next year I will be returning to do the Camino once again on my own and Alex is planning on walking the via Francigena in the near future. Our camino continues.

So that's our tale. I hope you're all still awake.

Take care and Buen camino in life.

Steve and Alex.

Lovely...positively lovely! This has brightened my day.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks for sharing your adorable love story!