great all we need now is Madonna or Bono to walk from Sarria no doubt with a lackey carrying the bags and that will be it, the worlds largest theme park - official!!! The crass comercialisation and branding of the Camino experience might be it's downfall for serious pilgrims of the future. We should avoid all these stupid badges, tacky souvenirs and shirts with arrows on etc etc, they trivialise and dilute a very special experience, or at least they give the true contemplatives more frustration than we need when undertaking our Pilgrimage.
Wow! You have just perfectly described a frustrated medieval pilgrim's view of the camino! Seems some things never change!
The museums are full of old Santiago souvenirs - valuable and tacky. Every Christian shrine (like Lourdes today) had its own souvenir or badge and it was essential to buy one to prove that you had actually been there. Some were made of silver, but most were just cheap metals. I saw a tray full of 13th - 15th C scallop shell souvenirs in the Museum of London in 2002 - many unearthed on the banks of the River Tames.
The Royalty, the wealthy, ecclesiastic and military people all trekked to Santiago with their horses, donkeys, mules and lackeys carrying their bags etc. Large numbers from the north sailed to A Coruna, Ferrol or Vigo and trekked the few miles overland to Santiago.
Scouts waited for pilgrims outside large large towns, advertising their wares and touts tried to persuade them to part with their money to stay in various inns or taverns.
There were robbers, highwaymen, bandits, thieves and murderers lying in wait for pilgrims at every turn!
El camino has never provided a solitary, silent, meditative experience. It has always welcomed the sick and well, Catholics and pagans, Jews, Heretics, beggars and the indigent, and embraced all like brothers.