Blame me....

mlhhome

Active Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

CF (X3), VDLP, Madrid ‘12-‘22

• Jun 16, 2018

• #1

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.

 

D

Deleted member 3000

Guest

• Jun 16, 2018

• #2

mlhhome said:

You can blame me.

Click to expand...

I still am going to blame Jacotrans...

 

t2andreo

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2013 - 2018 , Pilgrim Office volunteer 2014 - 2022

• Jun 17, 2018

• #3

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.

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2018

G

Gilmore Girl

Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2017

• Jun 17, 2018

• #4

mlhhome said:

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.

Click to expand...

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

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

2023 Vasco, Meseta, Portugues Coastal

• Jun 17, 2018

• #5

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!

 

D

Deleted member 3000

Guest

• Jun 17, 2018

• #6

lt56ny said:

not every walker is a Peregrino

Click to expand...

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

 

wanderfrau

Member

Time of past OR future Camino

May 2018 Camino Frances
May 2019 Camino Portugués

• Jun 17, 2018

• #7

Actually they have a „spiritual“ category as well.

 

D

Deleted member 3000

Guest

• Jun 17, 2018

• #8

Religiosa
Religiosa-Cultural
Solo Cultural

Translate the Pilgrim Office as you wish

 

Rick of Rick and Peg

Veteran_Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Us:Camino Frances, 2015 Me:Catalan/Aragonese, 2019

• Jun 17, 2018

• #9

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.