sillydoll
Veteran Member
- Nov 2, 2004
- 6,743
- 2,283
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2002 CF: 2004 from Paris: 2006 VF: 2007 CF: 2009 Aragones, Ingles, Finisterre: 2011 X 2 on CF: 2013 'Caracoles': 2014 CF and Ingles 'Caracoles":2015 Logrono-Burgos (Hospitalero San Anton): 2016 La Douay to Aosta/San Gimignano to Rome:
I have permission to post this Irish pilgrim's feelings about his/her walk on the camino which was posted on another forum.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi all,
hope you´re enjoying your Camino or, if you´re planning to do it, you´re getting everything ready with happy anticipation. Maybe this would suit a blog more, but I haven´t got one. So here is my honest take on the whole camino... I´m on the Camino at the moment. I´m currently in Palas de Rey actually. I just feel I want to get my experience of the camino off my chest so far.
It´s not as fun or as interesting as I thought it would be. I am doing it with a companion and we both feel the same. People aren´t that friendly and often tend to be in groups, doing their own thing. I can get by in Spanish but my companion hasn´t a word of it, and it has been difficult for her to communicate with and get to know anyone. Whoever said the camino is very friendly must never have inter-railed around Europe! I have and stayed in hostels and met lots of great people (and am still in touch with some). However, on this camino, I find most people either keep to themselves or already have a group.
It´s mostly Spaniards doing it, followed by Germans. I´d say it´s two thirds Spanish, one quarter German and then I´ve met a handful of French and Americans, oh and one Italian. I´ve met absolutely no British or Irish and no Eastern Europeans either. Any cyclists seem really serious about the whole thing in their Lycra and they´re almost exclusively young and male. Walkers tends to be older. In my opinion, the camino tends to attract a slightly eccentric set (especially walkers), though this probably is to be expected.
I honestly think the whole camino is a bit gimmicky and lots of businesses make money off it, in what would be otherwise a very unvisited part of Spain by tourists. Thank God for St James, eh! You´d think the Galicians in their bars and shops would be a bit friendlier too, given that they depend on tourism, but they´re not exactly brimming with warmth either.
What doesn´t help things is I´ve got severe blisters on both feet, which were partly acquired in Madrid (damn sandals!), even before I started the camino! As for footwear, I wouldn´t recommend boots and sandals; rather I´d advise that pilgrims wear trainers/runners/sneakers for the trek and then simply flip-flops in the evenings to relax.
I can´t go any further because of my blisters, so we are heading to Lugo to get the bus back to Madrid. Maybe I´ll attempt the camino another time. But I just wanted to balance all utterly positive slant that is to be found on the internet about the camino and give my own personal experience. I´ve been bitten by some bugs on this pilgrimage, but the camino bug isn´t one of them.
Yes, I'll probably give it another chance, as I enjoy walking in the countryside and being at one with nature. However, I simply wanted to balance the reporting of a palsy-walsy community spirit by some others, that isn't really there in my own opinion. No harm in that but just want to give a realistic picture to others who haven't yet done it.
I found many Galicians apathetic, indifferent or even rude, but that still won't deter me. One exception to this was the staff at the centro médico in Palas de Rei, who was utterly professional, welcoming and friendly. It was great to recieve health treatment that was also free of charge.
Hi all,
hope you´re enjoying your Camino or, if you´re planning to do it, you´re getting everything ready with happy anticipation. Maybe this would suit a blog more, but I haven´t got one. So here is my honest take on the whole camino... I´m on the Camino at the moment. I´m currently in Palas de Rey actually. I just feel I want to get my experience of the camino off my chest so far.
It´s not as fun or as interesting as I thought it would be. I am doing it with a companion and we both feel the same. People aren´t that friendly and often tend to be in groups, doing their own thing. I can get by in Spanish but my companion hasn´t a word of it, and it has been difficult for her to communicate with and get to know anyone. Whoever said the camino is very friendly must never have inter-railed around Europe! I have and stayed in hostels and met lots of great people (and am still in touch with some). However, on this camino, I find most people either keep to themselves or already have a group.
It´s mostly Spaniards doing it, followed by Germans. I´d say it´s two thirds Spanish, one quarter German and then I´ve met a handful of French and Americans, oh and one Italian. I´ve met absolutely no British or Irish and no Eastern Europeans either. Any cyclists seem really serious about the whole thing in their Lycra and they´re almost exclusively young and male. Walkers tends to be older. In my opinion, the camino tends to attract a slightly eccentric set (especially walkers), though this probably is to be expected.
I honestly think the whole camino is a bit gimmicky and lots of businesses make money off it, in what would be otherwise a very unvisited part of Spain by tourists. Thank God for St James, eh! You´d think the Galicians in their bars and shops would be a bit friendlier too, given that they depend on tourism, but they´re not exactly brimming with warmth either.
What doesn´t help things is I´ve got severe blisters on both feet, which were partly acquired in Madrid (damn sandals!), even before I started the camino! As for footwear, I wouldn´t recommend boots and sandals; rather I´d advise that pilgrims wear trainers/runners/sneakers for the trek and then simply flip-flops in the evenings to relax.
I can´t go any further because of my blisters, so we are heading to Lugo to get the bus back to Madrid. Maybe I´ll attempt the camino another time. But I just wanted to balance all utterly positive slant that is to be found on the internet about the camino and give my own personal experience. I´ve been bitten by some bugs on this pilgrimage, but the camino bug isn´t one of them.
Yes, I'll probably give it another chance, as I enjoy walking in the countryside and being at one with nature. However, I simply wanted to balance the reporting of a palsy-walsy community spirit by some others, that isn't really there in my own opinion. No harm in that but just want to give a realistic picture to others who haven't yet done it.
I found many Galicians apathetic, indifferent or even rude, but that still won't deter me. One exception to this was the staff at the centro médico in Palas de Rei, who was utterly professional, welcoming and friendly. It was great to recieve health treatment that was also free of charge.