Beware the Germans are coming

[SYates]

The book of the German comedian Harpe Kerkeling, I am off then ..., has been made into a movie whose premiere was Christmas Eve. Reception and critiques were so-so BUT

The German guide to the Camino Francés http://www.amazon.de/dp/3866864248/ from the publisher Outdoor is at the moment amongst the 500 most sold books at Amazon in Germany. Which is huge. Even considering that a lot of arm chair travellers might bought it, prepare for the German avalanche on the CF. Buen Camino, SY

 

[NualaOC]

Not the worst type of avalanche, by a long shot

I quite enjoyed this book.

 

[SYates]

If Germans aren't (speaking as a German myself) who is? Speaking firmly tongue in cheek and foot in mouth obviously ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[scruffy1]

I was not impressed by the book, not as bad as the one written by Shirley McClain but not my cup of tea. The Danish televison personality, Mikael Bertelsen, brought in hundreds of new Scandnavian pilgrims with his pilgrimage series. Much more to my taste. Celebrities are welcome but please try and leave your devastating ego at home.

 

[SYates]

I do so agree @scruffy1 the book is slightly better in the original, perhaps it lost something in translation? Never mind it seems it has huge impact on the German arm chair traveler crew and some of them might even get off the couch and make it to the CF. Buen Camino, SY

PS Do you have any link to the Mikael Bertelsen series? I would be interested in it ...

 

[Robo]

The book of the German comedian Harpe Kerkeling, I am off then ..., has been made into a movie whose premiere was Christmas Eve. Reception and critiques were so-so BUT

The German guide to the Camino Francés http://www.amazon.de/dp/3866864248/ from the publisher Outdoor is at the moment amongst the 500 most sold books at Amazon in Germany. Which is huge. Even considering that a lot of arm chair travellers might bought it, prepare for the German avalanche on the CF. Buen Camino, SY

Will we now be reaching our lodgings after a long days walk............only to find 'towels' on all the beds



Sorry, for the non Brits I might need to explain.

Back in the early days of overseas holidays for those living in the UK, in the 60s and 70s, the beaches and resorts of Spain were 'the' destination being the first 'package' or 'low cost' overseas holidays.

Probably a bit of an urban myth in all fairness.......as these things often are.... But....

It was customary to reserve your deckchair by the pool by placing your beach towel on it. An unwritten 'rule' as it were....

The 'joke' was, that German tourists abiding by this 'rule' would dash out before breakfast and place their towels on all the deck chairs


No offence meant! I love the German people and actually lived there for 4 years

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Will we now be reaching our lodgings after a long days walk............only to find 'towels' on all the beds



Sorry, for the non Brits I might need to explain.

Back in the early days of overseas holidays for those living in the UK, in the 60s and 70s, the beaches and resorts of Spain were 'the' destination being the first 'package' or 'low cost' overseas holidays.

The 'joke' was, that German tourists abiding by this 'rule' would dash our before breakfast and place their towels on all the deck chairs

No offence meant! I love the German people and actually lived there for 4 years

Never mind the 60s and 70s, this is still modus operanti all over Mexico and the Carribbean... Alas...

 

[Robo]

Never mind the 60s and 70s, this is still modus operanti all over Mexico and the Carribbean... Alas...

Ooops. Sorry to hear that

 

[scruffy1]

I do so agree @scruffy1 the book is slightly better in the original, perhaps it lost something in translation? Never mind it seems it has huge impact on the German arm chair traveler crew and some of them might even get off the couch and make it to the CF. Buen Camino, SY

PS Do you have any link to the Mikael Bertelsen series? I would be interested in it ...

Mikael Bertelsen and his Camino were on the Danish Television Network homepage three(?) years ago, something like 11 parts. I looked now and there is only a mention that he had walked and that there is such a series but no link, sorry. Googled and couldn't find it either. Perhaps we have a Danish cominante who can help.

 

[Lachance]

Don't mention the war.

Eine kleine joke, Fawlty Towers.

 

[Kanga]

I have always found Germans great companions on my caminos - obviously individual temperament is more important than nationality but those I have met have been inclusive, generous, good tempered, and fun. So I don't mind at all.

 

[Ekelund]

Perhaps we have a Danish cominante who can help.

It is not possible to watch Bertelsens caminoshow on Danish Television any longer. I have seen adds for a DVD you can buy but I think it is in Danish. If you search for Bertelsen and Camino on Youtube, there is a video - with Danish speak.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I would love to see his book updated with at least a preface noting that 15 years ago things were 'a bit different'. I recently reread the book and was laughing at what the conditions were then compared to now. Were anyone getting there introduction to the Camino via this book it may well scare them off! Then again, Shirley Maclaine's book (which I read after the Camino) made me wonder at how I missed all the 'fun' times she was having

 

[KinkyOne]

It is not possible to watch Bertelsens caminoshow on Danish Television any longer. I have seen adds for a DVD you can buy but I think it is in Danish. If you search for Bertelsen and Camino on Youtube, there is a video - with Danish speak.

Part 1:

 

[domigee]

I have always found Germans great companions on my caminos - obviously individual temperament is more important than nationality but those I have met have been inclusive, generous, good tempered, and fun. So I don't mind at all.

Just goes to show you can't generalise... The Germans I camino-ed with weren't that great! Even down to refusing to share a bottle of wine (free with the meal) with the rest of the table. Sigh. Capital sin for a French person!

Before you think I am anti-german, nooooo, my maternal grand-mother (who brought me up) was German

PS I also met some HORRIBLE French pilgrims

 

[SYates]

Don't mention the war.

Eine kleine joke, Fawlty Towers.

Guess what the S in my forum name stands for ... SY

 

[scruffy1]

It is not possible to watch Bertelsens caminoshow on Danish Television any longer. I have seen adds for a DVD you can buy but I think it is in Danish. If you search for Bertelsen and Camino on Youtube, there is a video - with Danish speak.

That's a shame since the series which then appeared from the television site had English subtitles.

 

[RobertS26]

I met my German wife on the Camino thanks to Mr. Kerkerling's book which inspired her to walk. So I could kiss him on the forehead.

 

[SYates]

Brought a smile on my face ;-) Thanks for sharing! SY

 

[spursfan]

Guess what the S in my forum name stands for ... SY

Sybil!

 

[Frank66]

The book of the German comedian Harpe Kerkeling, I am off then ..., has been made into a movie whose premiere was Christmas Eve. Reception and critiques were so-so BUT

The German guide to the Camino Francés http://www.amazon.de/dp/3866864248/ from the publisher Outdoor is at the moment amongst the 500 most sold books at Amazon in Germany. Which is huge. Even considering that a lot of arm chair travellers might bought it, prepare for the German avalanche on the CF. Buen Camino, SY

The book was so-so too in my opinion. . . .

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Love the shirt and tie in the Danish Youtube clip!

 

[t2andreo]

What lounge chairs??? I don' need no stinkin lounge chairs!!! I am a pilgrim. I sit or lounge on my towel on the ground!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Part 1:

LOVE the scene where is he is spinning around at the Leon gas station wondering where the Carbajalas albergue is: I did the EXACT same thing first time I arrived in Leon. But as I watched the video I kept hoping I had rcognised the location well, so happy to have then recongnised the cobble stones, chairs by the corner restaurant and the the albergue's front door... Or my Camino ego would have been bruised. Funny how we are when it comes to "Camino knowlege" - here I was having a ... contest with myself

 

[BrienC]

Oh, I don't know. I liked MacLaine's book, though I read it 15 years ago. And I liked Kerkeling's book. My travel buddy bought at the Santiago train station as we were leaving this past July and shared it with me later. Guess I'm a sap for the trite.

 

[CanPete]

Being born and raised Dutch (now Canadian) I do recognize and think that certain nationalities come with the tendency to certain traits, but more than that it has to do with one's upbringing and culture. I have traveled quite a bit over my 50 years on this earth and lived in different countries and married a Portuguese lady; being exposed to different cultures allows one to reflect on your own POV and biases. Over the years this has been a huge learning curve to me and has changed the way I look at other people in general.
On the camino (and in day to day life for that matter) I'd suggest we should all try to be a force of change, promoting that other folks on the camino to learn from each other and see the bigger picture. The earlier post on some Germans refusing to share a bottle of wine is a good example; teach them it can be different and there is a lot of value to sharing by getting another bottle of wine and offering them some . ..

Buen Camino para todos !
Peter.

 

[tomnorth]

I read the book and didn't care for it. He seemingly walked the entire Camino with a cloud hovering above his head. He seemed to be angry to entire time. His derisive observations about the people he met along the way definitely did not jibe with my experience on the Camino Frances this fall.

 

[dariosilva]

Agree with CanPete. All cultures have their quirks as well as their wonderful Spirits. I would hope that anyone planning on doing the Camino would not load up their emotional back pack with critical judgemental stuff and load up with curiosity and loving Spirit. Met lots of Germans on the Portuguese this summer (may-june). They were delightful. Anna where are you...you were a good match for my son.

 

[Annette london]

Just goes to show you can't generalise... The Germans I camino-ed with weren't that great! Even down to refusing to share a bottle of wine (free with the meal) with the rest of the table. Sigh. Capital sin for a French person!

Before you think I am anti-german, nooooo, my maternal grand-mother (who brought me up) was German

PS I also met some HORRIBLE French pilgrims

Yes, people are people wherever you go. I must say however that we have rarely met a "horrible" German. We travelled. with klaus some years ago on the Norte and a nicer man you could not meet. We were on holiday in Germany for the first time 4 years ago and found the people to be the nicest, kindest and genuinely most helpful people we have ever met. And they were also extremely polite. I don't understand that when we tell others this, they are surprised. We have however spread the word!! Take people as we find them I suppose, and not where they come from. Happy new year to everyone and" may the road rise to meet you. The wind be always at your back. The sun shine bright upon your face. The rain fall soft upon your head. And until we meet again, may God hold you all in the palm of His hand"

 

[Devon Mike]

One of the best friends I met on the Camino this year was German.

One of the nicest little cafes I stopped at was German too.

 

[SYates]

BTW, that original post was meant firmly tongue in cheek, I am German myself SY

 

[Anemone del Camino]

And I don't think the post has any sense of negativity towards a people or culture, just that a new wave, no matter its quirks, might be on it's way. As for my beef with Germans? Stores close in the early afternoon on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays so there is no such thing as sleeping in on a Saturday morning. Mind you, this was a good 17 years ago, so perhaps consumerism has made its way there as well.

 

[fraluchi]

[...] Even considering that a lot of arm chair travellers might bought it, prepare for the German avalanche on the CF.[...]

The Germans have traditionally numbered many, after the Spanish (obviously) and the Italians. Perhaps they'll beat the latter ? More Sauerkraut and less spaghettate ? Not bad for a change

 

[Urban Trekker]

If Germans aren't (speaking as a German myself) who is? Speaking firmly tongue in cheek and foot in mouth obviously ;-) Buen Camino, SY

You know,we kept running into the same 3 Germans on the Portuguese route. Every time we saw them they were marching in lock step. I guess is was German precision at work. Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[t2andreo]

Riffing on Urban Trekker's thread above, he REALLY MEANS lock step. These people were likely walking in train or tandem, not abreast.

I have noticed this phenomenon with both the Dutch and German pilgrims walking in a small group. One person (looks to me like the fittest person with the longest legs [duh!]) sets a pace and cadence. The others seem to invariably fall into that step, hence walking in lockstep...

In 2014, I encountered five members of a Dutch family walking this way (mom, dad and three kinder), coming out of Logrono. I asked them why they were all walking so fast. I was told that they belonged to a walking club back home and did regular 40-50 KM DAILY WALKS on the weekends! Yikes!!!

They told me that their youngest son, about nine-years old was about to join the next age group, so his day walks would kick up from 30 to 50 Km per day. UNBELIEVABLE! Then the kid told me, in perfect English, that no, it was true. He was using this Camino as a training walk for THAT effort..go figure...

Then I commented that must be relatively easier to do as the Netherlands is mostly flat. I was promptly told politely by mom that, no, we live in Limburg Province, in southeastern Netherlands, near Maastricht, surrounded by Belgium, Germany, and the Ardennes Forest. There we have real hills and low mountains.

Sheesh! You learn something everyday. I lived in the mostly table-flat Flemish region of Belgium for two years and forgot about the eastern provinces of both Belgium and Holland.

Anyway, I remain in admiration. Then there was Peter, who I also met in 2014 late on a Sunday evening, as he arrived where I was staying, having walked 51 Km nonstop from Fromista that day, across the hot and sunny Meseta. Yup, he was from Germany... I walked 31 Km that day and felt whipped. He was fresh as a daisy. A smelly daisy, but still a lot fresher than me.

This all makes my 4 kM/ comfortable pace seem sluggish by comparison. So, I keep telling myself, "The Journey IS the Destination..."

 

[SabsP]

Yeah for the Maastricht and Limburg hills...my training spot too...but will never get those amount of kilometres done.

 

[Felipe]

More people, more fun.
But be prepared for some pilgrims demanding that windows rest a bit open, even in the worst of winter.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

More people, more fun.
But be prepared for some pilgrims demanding that windows rest a bit open, even in the worst of winter.

My kind of pilgrim !

 

[domigee]

And I don't think the post has any sense of negativity towards a people or culture, just that a new wave, no matter its quirks, might be on it's way. As for my beef with Germans? Stores close in the early afternoon on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays so there is no such thing as sleeping in on a Saturday morning. Mind you, this was a good 17 years ago, so perhaps consumerism has made its way there as well.

I walked the length of the Donau ratweg last year - my avatar pic was taken when the Donau is just a pond ... - and it was just fabulous : magnificent scenery, wonderful food and most of all lovely people. Even the dogs were well-behaved...
I loved it! Well....except for the weather
Oh and yes, you can find food on Sundays even in the smallest towns, so things have changed.

 

[ajadedmug]

The book of the German comedian Harpe Kerkeling, I am off then ..., has been made into a movie whose premiere was Christmas Eve. Reception and critiques were so-so BUT

The German guide to the Camino Francés http://www.amazon.de/dp/3866864248/ from the publisher Outdoor is at the moment amongst the 500 most sold books at Amazon in Germany. Which is huge. Even considering that a lot of arm chair travellers might bought it, prepare for the German avalanche on the CF. Buen Camino, SY

Obwohl, der neue Film eine neue Welle Deutscher Pilgerinnen zwar auslösen könnte, war es aber das ursprüngliche Buch, das vor zehn Jahren den Weg in Deutschland sehr beliebt machte. Sie sind immer unterwegs und, ein paar Beispiele ausgenommen (so ist es bei allen Nationalitäten, meiner eigenen auch), halte ich die Deutschen auf dem Weg (und überall) für ganz toll. Sie schreiben auch für den Pilger, bzw. die Pilgerin, die besten Reiseführer .

Happy New Year Pilgrims!

 

[Former member 2537]

What's this thread supposed to be about? The book of the German comedian Harpe Kerkeling or The German guide to the Camino Francés?

The subject of this thread has evolved and has become very confusing and I fear is doing a disservice to the fairly new German language Camino guide to the francés by Raimund Roos, very soon to be released in a paper English language version. The initial submission was, I think, primarily about the guide and the thread quickly devolved into commentary on the Kerkeling and then to German pilgern in general. Many if not most of the remarks here are not all that complimentary and do not make it clear that they are directed at the Kerkeling, not to the guide. The guide is superb.

 

[SYates]

Hi @Gene_781
As I started the thread I will answer you also ;-) It was simply a light-spirited post high-lighting the fact that the Camino, again, has gathered a lot of attention in the German speaking world. I mentioned the guide because it counts, at the moment, amongst the 500 most sold books on amazon.de which is huge and means that a lot of people contemplate the idea of walking the Camino. Threads have always a tendency to go off onto different tangents and I am happy with that because it shows we are alive and thinking and creative.
Buen Camino, SY

PS I agree the guide by Raimund Joos is very well done.

 

[Stivandrer]

Regarding the Bertelsen Camino videos . Some Blödkopf at the Danish Raio and Tv has discontinued the reruns of the video series on their web page. So most of the clips on Youtube are trailers. It was running all 24 days of December that particular year, and might have brought a lot of Danes . It was merely portraying a sympathetic newbie on the Camino and in the end he was fed up at being follwed and did a runner from the entire tv crew for a couple of days. But a nice narrative tone and some fine air shots taken from a motorized paraglider (though it would have made a lot of noise for the people on the ground).
It gives you the taste of being there , like when Jamie Oliver does a flan, but the real feeling is missing....

 

[Stivandrer]

Incidentally; walking in step!!
If I join my son or my brother for a walk, and in the old days with my father, - we all join in the same step, and I always took that a sign of organic walking. It makes it easier to talk together and it gets you in a good rhythm and gives you a lighter feeling of just gliding along. And I never did military service, but somehow the rest of mankind sees that as teutonic, when in fact it can be a very good friend and a beautiful invention....

 

[vgen5122]

Since we all walk the Camino for different reasons and at different paces, the fact that we are German or English ect doesn't really matter to me. We are on this journey together for this short period of time and the friendships that you develop sometimes last way beyond the Camino.
Now as far as the Shirley MacLaine book goes, I have read that one too.
It seems that through most of her Camino she was meditating on a past life. She was also worried that people would recognize her along the way. I did not care for the book. I've seen her being interviewed about her Camino and I think she was misleading. She tells everybody that on the Camino, pilgrims are forbidden from talking. Personally I wouldn't speak to anybody in prayer or meditation, but forbidden to speak? No. That is not the case on the Camino. Don't get me wrong. I like Shirley MacLaine, but just not the book. I could go on but I won't.
As far as there being more Germans on the Camino this year, it is not important one way or another. I am sure that in the days of St. James their were Germans, English, French ect all walking the Camino with one goal in mind and that was to get to Sanitago...Buen Camino.

 

[Robert V J Varman ofs]

The book was so-so too in my opinion. . . .

Kerkeling's book was great until about half way through when it became more about his relationship with two or three other walkers. Also it seemed to me that he would avoid the refugios/albergues as much as possible.

 

[Robert V J Varman ofs]

I welcome more Germans on the Camino. I don't know any Spanish to speak of but I know some conversational German. In my travels I found most Germans to be interesting people and always considerate.

 

[Texasguy]

Will we now be reaching our lodgings after a long days walk............only to find 'towels' on all the beds



Sorry, for the non Brits I might need to explain.

Back in the early days of overseas holidays for those living in the UK, in the 60s and 70s, the beaches and resorts of Spain were 'the' destination being the first 'package' or 'low cost' overseas holidays.

Probably a bit of an urban myth in all fairness.......as these things often are.... But....

It was customary to reserve your deckchair by the pool by placing your beach towel on it. An unwritten 'rule' as it were....

The 'joke' was, that German tourists abiding by this 'rule' would dash our before breakfast and place their towels on all the deck chairs


No offence meant! I love the German people and actually lived there for 4 years

I do too, but let me tell you, there are still doing this in Gran Canaria!!!

Buen Camino,

Texasguy

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Hi @Gene_781
As I started the thread I will answer you also ;-) It was simply a light-spirited post high-lighting the fact that the Camino, again, has gathered a lot of attention in the German speaking world. I mentioned the guide because it counts, at the moment, amongst the 500 most sold books on amazon.de which is huge and means that a lot of people contemplate the idea of walking the Camino. Threads have always a tendency to go off onto different tangents and I am happy with that because it shows we are alive and thinking and creative.
Buen Camino, SY

PS I agree the guide by Raimund Joos is very well done.

If a book, any book can get people off to a trail and move a little is my type of book. We are way to sedentary as a society, at least in North America so kudos to the book and the writer. As far as German people, awesome. I was there 2 years ago for holidays and I can't say enough of how well we were treated. The food and the beer was outstanding, love to go back.

 

[SYates]

If you like Germany, you might want to check out the http://www.oekumenischerpilgerweg.de A bit like the CF in the good old times! Buen Camino, SY

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Hi SY

That's a great trail. Thanks for the link. Have you done that route?
That Camino France's is my first Camino and I'm beginning to see that this will lead to more. I have been looking a the Portuguese way as my next adventure, unfortunately I can only take so much time away from work. Work seriously interferes with my life.

Chris

 

[SYates]

Yes, I walked it in April last year and can really recommend it, Buen Camino, SY

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Thanks SY
I have been looking at the trail on line, really nice landscape. One of the reasons Germany calls my attention is because the city I live in used to be called "Berlin" as it was founded by Germans, later in 1916 the name was changed to "Kitchener" for political reasons but its population was mainly German and today that heritage still alive. We have a really large Bavarian festival (Oktoberfest) every year where we all became Germans for a week (I'm Spanish)... We welcome approximately 1 million visitor during this festival, so is an important event and brings lots of revenue to this area.

Chris

 

[SYates]

It is a very interesting pilgrims way and also full of cultural (and culinary) highlights. Plus the pilgrims infrastructure is very well done. Guten Weg! SY

 

[peregrina2000]

Ok, this new German film based on Hape Kerkeling's book is now second at the box office. http://hoycinema.abc.es/noticias/20160118/abci-pelicula-alemana-sobre-camino-201601151357.html

Consider this: The Way with Martin Sheen was a fairly unsuccessful film at the box office and it engendered an enormous increase in North American pilgrims. Imagine what a huge hit in Germany will do to traffic!

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Has this film been realized in North America? I have nor heard of it around here (Canada). I would love to see it, perhaps it can be streamed? Any thoughts?

Chris

 

[Rob the Slob]

Back in the early days of overseas holidays for those living in the UK, in the 60s and 70s, the beaches and resorts of Spain were 'the' destination being the first 'package' or 'low cost' overseas holidays.

Probably a bit of an urban myth in all fairness.......as these things often are.... But....

It was customary to reserve your deckchair by the pool by placing your beach towel on it. An unwritten 'rule' as it were....

The 'joke' was, that German tourists abiding by this 'rule' would dash our before breakfast and place their towels on all the deck chairs

I've observed the same habit among Italian families on Mediterranean cruises and Ozzie twenty-somethings in Indonesia. It's probably of all cultures and all ages. I'm sure the Romans complained about the
Ancient Britons coming into their baths and hogging all the benches.

 

[SYates]

Has this film been realized in North America? I have nor heard of it around here (Canada). I would love to see it, perhaps it can be streamed? Any thoughts?

Chris

It is a German movie and as far as I know there are no plans to dubb/subtitle it into English, SY

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Thanks SY, my German is practically non existent. A shame really because I live in a predominantly German community and I work with Germans. Oh well, life in the big city.
Chris

 

[Peder Hjuler]

It is not possible to watch Bertelsens caminoshow on Danish Television any longer. I have seen adds for a DVD you can buy but I think it is in Danish. If you search for Bertelsen and Camino on Youtube, there is a video - with Danish speak.

Without english subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZeJeY1ui9bQaa7lBXACQiTYIH3frCcDV