Blame me....

[mlhhome]

Go ahead and blame me.
During the past few weeks I have spoken to four groups about the Camino. I have shared a marvelous PowerPoint presentation of the Camino Frances and the Plata, passed around my Sellos/Compostelas and revealed the joys of solitude, the closeness of Camino families and personal growth. I have shared resources, tips and even offered to be a coach as they trained or prepared their backpack.

Unfortunately, most, if not all of the questions were about hotels (no interest in albergues), forwarding luggage (not necessarily backpacks), travel agency recommendations.

If you ever wonder if the Camino will reach 500,000 pilgrims in a year; don’t fret as they are coming.

You can blame me.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can blame me.

I still am going to blame Jacotrans...

 

[t2andreo]

We KNOW it is coming. In 2017, there were about 303k pilgrims processed at the Pilgrim Office. This ONLY includes folks who requested Compostelas or visitation certificates.

The Pilgrim Office moved for 2016 partially so they would have additional space to accommodate projected numbers. The informal growth projection is for about 40k - 50k more pilgrims annually. That suggests an annual total of about 350k for 2018.

There are some, myself included, who believe that in 2021, the next Holy Year, the volume WILL exceed 450k and could easily hit 500,000.

So, plan early, reserve early, and bring extra money...

Hope this helps.

 

[Gilmore Girl]

Go ahead and blame me.
During the past few weeks I have spoken to four groups about the Camino. I have shared a marvelous PowerPoint presentation of the Camino Frances and the Plata, passed around my Sellos/Compostelas and revealed the joys of solitude, the closeness of Camino families and personal growth. I have shared resources, tips and even offered to be a coach as they trained or prepared their backpack.

Unfortunately, most, if not all of the questions were about hotels (no interest in albergues), forwarding luggage (not necessarily backpacks), travel agency recommendations.

If you ever wonder if the Camino will reach 500,000 pilgrims in a year; don’t fret as they are coming.

You can blame me.

I did forward my backpack quite a bit as I had a knee problem and it relieved it to walk with less weight at times. However, I am so glad I stayed in albuerges as it was often where I met so many interesting people, had a sense of being alongside my fellow pilgrims and not just on the trail.

 

[lt56ny]

I know the expression that everyone has a right to their own camino. But as I am anonymous, (and I do not wish to upset anyone), I believe that all Peregrinos walk the camino but not every walker is a Peregrino. I am also not very excited by the idea of people biking the Camino but that is another story for another day. I start Camino 4 this September in Iron and hope to be in Muxia in about 6 weeks. I will never walk the Camino Frances again except maybe the dead of winter. I love this forum because it gives me so much information about so many other less traveled. I am sure there are many who start out as a tourist and somewhere along the camino something really special or even profound may occur but I seek that road less traveled and a quieter and more reflective experience. Another example of the power of the Camino. There is a Camino for all of us. September 2018 Norte, September 2019 who knows and January (maybe February) 2020 Camino Frances. The wonder of it all!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

not every walker is a Peregrino

Which is why the Pilgrim Offices has three categories: religious, religious/cultural, and only cultural. They agree with you.

 

[wanderfrau]

Actually they have a „spiritual“ category as well.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Religiosa
Religiosa-Cultural
Solo Cultural

Translate the Pilgrim Office as you wish

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Here's one not to blame, Lydia Smith, the filmmaker that did the documentary Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago. After deciding to walk the Camino we went to a screening of the film that she was presenting. Prior to showing the film she asked for a show of hands of those who wanted to walk the Way. After the film she asked again. In our case fewer hands went up. She said that she sometimes gets more and sometimes fewer.

Ivar's store sells a DVD of the documentary.