Bob Odenkirk Walks the VdlP

[bsewall]

Bob Odenkirk, the actor who portrays Saul Goodman (Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) apparently walked the VdlP. You have to wade through the article almost until then end to read the references to Spain: https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/06/16/inenglish/1497624226_412654.html?rel=mas

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Bob Odenkirk walked the VdlP.

I'd love to see how he plotted his stages to walk 16-23 km a day.

 

[C clearly]

I'd love to see how he plotted his stages to walk 16-23 km a day.

The article says he "spent three weeks walking... He walked between 16 and 23 kilometers a day, making stops in Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Sanabria and other cities..."
So he apparently didn't walk the entire VDLP, and thus he skipped the longer stages.

By the way, I have no idea who he is, although "Breaking Bad" sounds familiar to me!

 

[amancio]

That odd figure of 16 to 23 km is a rounded conversion of 10 to 15 miles, it seems. In any case, he seems happy enough with Salamanca! Great series, by the way.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

That odd figure of 16 to 23 km is a rounded conversion of 10 to 15 miles, it seems. In any case, he seems happy enough with Salamanca! Great series, by the way.

Have you found many places where you could walk those distances, even on average?

 

[Kathar1na]

That odd figure of 16 to 23 km is a rounded conversion of 10 to 15 miles, it seems.

Well spotted! "15 to 20 km" would probably convey the meaning in a better way (see also below).

Have you found many places where you could walk those distances, even on average?

Rules in the Age of the Internet :

1. Never trust a single news article.
2. Always retrieve the primary (original) source.

He spent a couple of weeks in Spain in April 2017, partly to promote the new TV series and also to visit places including the Via de la Plata. About 200 km. Some on foot, some by bus. Hemos recorrido a pie unos 20 kilometros diarios, eso si, ayadados por un autobus.

A full interview here (he does not speak Spanish, so that article is already a translation): http://teleprograma.diezminutos.es/series-tv/2017/abril/protagonistas-de-better-call-saul-en-Madrid

Also: http://www.elconfidencial.com/cultu...b-odenkirk-breaking-bad-jimmy-mcgill_1368062/

Quite interesting to read what he says about the impact that these "old" places had on him and his attitude to faith. I cannot really imagine what it's like if you have never seen such a density of old monuments before - monuments that are testimony not only to the Christian religion in Europe but also to its immense historical / cultural / political / social influence throughout the ages.

 

[hel&scott]

Fascinating stuff, but not sure I like the popularising of this route, good for the local economy I guess, but we loved the long distances and remoteness of the vdp... Call me selfish but I'd like it to stay that way.

 

[Tigger]

Fascinating stuff, but not sure I like the popularising of this route, good for the local economy I guess, but we loved the long distances and remoteness of the vdp... Call me selfish but I'd like it to stay that way.

I didn't like some of the poverty I saw!

 

[amancio]

Have you found many places where you could walk those distances, even on average?

uhm.... no, not in the VdlP, it really sounds like a ballpark figure, indeed! Good point.

 

[amancio]

Fascinating stuff, but not sure I like the popularising of this route, good for the local economy I guess, but we loved the long distances and remoteness of the vdp... Call me selfish but I'd like it to stay that way.

I would not see VdlP becoming a popularly unbearable space. It is quite challenging. Perhaps that is why I love it so much. Still, it has a broad margin for growth, but, in my opinion, the big problem is seasonality - if such a word exists. Via de la Plata has "spring" written in its DNA, it is the natural route for cattle and sheep to go up North and avoid dry, scorching hot South after a mild winter in Extremadura. It will stay that way, because the average Spaniard will not venture in the Camino out of July-August, and in July-August the inmense mayority of Spaniards woudl simply avoid Scorching Extremadura (I for one, definitely!)

To me, walking north of Seville, Guillena to Zafra, even to Cáceres, is a most lively experience, it means feeling spring, the new life, the lambs, the calves, the rabbits, the black piglets, the millions of differente flowers, life is born again after a long winter... it is a unique feeling, and I hope that won't be lost!

 

[amancio]

I didn't like some of the poverty I saw!

interesting point, indeed, I appreciate a lot seeing how people from so far away perceive Spain, you are very brave in coming all the way from Australia, indeed. I just would like to know which parts of the VdlP you would see as being poor country, I do not feel offended at all as a Spaniard, but I would like to see my nation through different eyes. I have only done Sevilla-Salamanca, and I would find maybe the Bejar area a bit more depressed, like Calzada de Bejar is a place with a bleak future, possibly, but other than that, I cannot recall a place that I would find as particularly poor.

 

[Tigger]

interesting point, indeed, I appreciate a lot seeing how people from so far away perceive Spain, you are very brave in coming all the way from Australia, indeed. I just would like to know which parts of the VdlP you would see as being poor country, I do not feel offended at all as a Spaniard, but I would like to see my nation through different eyes. I have only done Sevilla-Salamanca, and I would find maybe the Bejar area a bit more depressed, like Calzada de Bejar is a place with a bleak future, possibly, but other than that, I cannot recall a place that I would find as particularly poor.

I am not sure how to do this
Camino exploitation big business ?

anyway I just made comment about this on the thread about exploitation on the Camino. It was comment #27

 

[Tigger]

interesting point, indeed, I appreciate a lot seeing how people from so far away perceive Spain, you are very brave in coming all the way from Australia, indeed. I just would like to know which parts of the VdlP you would see as being poor country, I do not feel offended at all as a Spaniard, but I would like to see my nation through different eyes. I have only done Sevilla-Salamanca, and I would find maybe the Bejar area a bit more depressed, like Calzada de Bejar is a place with a bleak future, possibly, but other than that, I cannot recall a place that
I would find as particularly poor.

sorry I couldn't get the link to work.

I said

I couldn't agree more.
This April/May I walked parts of both the Via de la Plata and the Frances from Sarria.
The contrast in facilities was amazing.

Around Villanueva de Campeán north of Salamanca, there were almost deserted villages, some run down, overgrown and derelict with mainly old people, no young people, children or families and only the albergues and usually one bar/restaurant keeping them going. They are surrounded by farming communities, many of which struggle for a living. We walked through in drought, yet I am hopeful the weather turned and they got rain later in May. We stayed in one place where there was one dim light bulb in each room and no glass in some of the windows. In another place I had the feeling that (although we paid for it so they could buy more) the food we ate would have been allocated for the family and the standard was very meagre, though we were grateful at the time.
I am hoping some of this wealth will also flow to those areas like they have done for the Camino Frances.

 

[C clearly]

I didn't like some of the poverty I saw!

I would never suggest that there isn't any, but I have to say that I don't remember seeing any more poverty there (Seville to Astorga) than I do in my own affluent country.

 

[Tigger]

I would never suggest that there isn't any, but I have to say that I don't remember seeing any more poverty there (Seville to Astorga) than I do in my own affluent country.

On the stretch north of Salamanca on the Sanabres from about El Cubo Del Vino to Puebla de Sanabria there are very sad 'ghost towns' in between the bigger towns where there were uninhabited houses, fraying infrastructure, overgrown gardens and playgrounds and we only saw old people shuffling about to the one or two commercial business, usually the albergue and bar combining shop and administration functions. Even the churches were run down though with one beautiful ruin in Villaneuva de Campean ( forgive spelling)

Here in Australia there may be towns shrinking due to urban draw but I don't see ghost towns even in the outback. There are few good reviews for these towns on the PDF of accommodation for the route on here and one can only hope that with slightly more interest in the Via de la Plata, this will come as has happened on other Caminos.

 

[C clearly]

there are very sad 'ghost towns'

I don't deny that, and it is a sad situation to see these villages decline and be abandoned. However, I don't see a ghost town as being a place of extreme poverty (if nobody is there, they are not living in poverty). Certainly there are social issues that don't have easy solutions, and I hope that the Camino can alleviate them.

 

[Tigger]

I don't deny that, and it is a sad situation to see these villages decline and be abandoned. However, I don't see a ghost town as being a place of extreme poverty (if nobody is there, they are not living in poverty). Certainly there are social issues that don't have easy solutions, and I hope that the Camino can alleviate them.

I don't wish to argue with you, as you and I usually see clearly together, but it is obvious that if people abandon their homes and villages that there is poverty involved. This certainly was in evidence in some of the villages that I saw. Spain is not a third world country and it is mostly quite prosperous except in some rural communities and I think we both agree that interest and money from peregrinas/os on Caminos such as ourselves can be a life saver to some of these places. I might add that some of the farms did not look too flash, and several farmers resisted our attempts to photograph them, their homes, animals and their work, I assume out of pride. I felt like a fat rich tourist at times, I have to say that I can only report what I experienced in those places.

 

[KinkyOne]

...where there were uninhabited houses, fraying infrastructure, overgrown gardens and playgrounds and we only saw old people shuffling about to the one or two commercial business, usually the albergue and bar combining shop and administration functions. ...

I completely agree with @C clearly in above post. And no disrespect @Tigger of course.

If there is nobody living in abandoned houses how could that be poverty? Overgrown gardens are just that, overgrown either people living next to them or not. Old people are just old people not necessary poor. And when you see that woman dressed in dirty robe that hasn't been washed for ages, dealing with herd of cows and in rubber "boots" walking through all that dung... It's just life she's completely used to. OK, most of them may not have huge retirement payments but they simply don't give a flying s...t about fashion. So it was with my grandparents with garden mended and house well kept

I think we somehow lost our compass these days. If there aren't any "progress" we think it's just ruins. I don't think that anyone should crop or earn up to 10, 20, 50% more than the year before in order to be a happy person. The same is more than enough to make everyone more than happy when we know our real needs. More than this doesn't hurt of course but could we be the same personalities then???

Wish you all a very nice day

 

[Tigger]

I completely agree with @C clearly in above post. And no disrespect @Tigger of course.

If there is nobody living in abandoned houses how could that be poverty? Overgrown gardens are just that, overgrown either people living next to them or not. Old people are just old people not necessary poor. And when you see that woman dressed in dirty robe that hasn't been washed for ages, dealing with herd of cows and in rubber "boots" walking through all that dung... It's just life she's completely used to. OK, most of them may not have huge retirement payments but they simply don't give a flying s...t about fashion. So it was with my grandparents with garden mended and house well kept

I think we somehow lost our compass these days. If there aren't any "progress" we think it's just ruins. I don't think that anyone should crop or earn up to 10, 20, 50% more than the year before in order to be a happy person. The same is more than enough to make everyone more than happy when we know our real needs. More than this doesn't hurt of course but could we be the same personalities then???

Wish you all a very nice day

Have a read.


ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=4438&langId=en
The area I walked through is specifically mentioned in the EU report on rural poverty in Spain.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=rural+poverty+in+Spain&ie=&oe=

a. Geographical location
As stated in previous sections, the regions with a higher risk of poverty in Spain are those located in inland and
mountainous territories that show a low productive structure and a low population density. Although it is not possible
to identify a unique area with these characteristics, the regions where rural poverty is more likely to appear
are in, Castilla La-Mancha, some regions of Extremadura, and Castilla y León, apart from other and isolated mountainous
areas all over the geography. The main problems associated with these regions are related to the reduction
of economic activity, since agriculture has reduced its importance as a source of income and no other activity has
fully replaced it, in part because it is difficult for low population density areas to switch to a service based economy
(industry is not even an option). Besides, the public sector in these regions faces serious difficulties providing
social services, therefore, increasing the risk of poverty for their inhabitants.

 

[Tigger]

No disrespect taken, however the very fact that people have had to leave the homes in which their ancestors may have lived for hundreds of years and the villages are not viable, not just aesthetically, then this is evidence of rural poverty.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Truth is that people are more educated these days, and not many people want to do hard manual labour like their grand parents did. Someome with an interest in the arts is not going to stay in a tiny village and farm, or tend the local bar. Someone who wants to practice medicine or be an engineer will have to move away from the country to,go to uni, and will then stay where the population density creates more interesting employment. This is true in Spain as it is everywhere else in the world.

When I think back to the farms we walked through on VDLP, there is a whole lot of capital invested there. Those fighting bulls don't come cheap. Iberico doesn't either, nor do all the quality artesan/organic foods grown/raised in the area. Or those vineyards, or cork trees.

This being said, I have to admit I was stunned on the Primitivo to see people still living above the barn, but to each his own. I also think the need to keep up,with the Joneses is not as great as it is in North America, and bank accounts may be fatter than ours, and credit debt inexistant.

 

[Kanga]

I have removed a couple of posts. If you want to know why, please read this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/peace-and-love-on-the-forum.49570/

 

[Kanga]

If my plea is ignored and the argument continues the posts will be deleted and/or the thread locked.

Back to the original topic please.

 

[Kathar1na]

the very fact that people have had to leave the homes in which their ancestors may have lived for hundreds of years and the villages are not viable, not just aesthetically, then this is evidence of rural poverty.

It's evidence of what is commonly called rural exodus, ie migration from rural areas to urban areas, and it is something that has been happening in Europe for centuries, since the Middle Ages at least, albeit at different times in the different regions of our diverse continent. Reasons are developments such as industrial revolution, industrialization of agriculture, now globalization - inequality of income. To stop it or change it, you could try to create new employment opportunities in rural areas, or improve road and train infrastructure so that people can commute for hours every day to urban centers etc. I think what is happening in Spain in some areas, is that people, with increasing disposable income and more leisure time, renovate their family homes in distant rural areas and return for weekends and holidays. There is now even something called weekend agriculture.

Bob Odenkirk does not mention anything of this sort in his interviews with Spanish journalists about his upcoming TV series which has nothing to do with travelling or pilgrimage or Spain for that matter. Broadcasting of the series on a specific channel was about to start in Spain when he visited. He is not exactly promoting the VdlP and it seems that he did not walk that much. He is obviously smitten with Merida, Puebla de Sanabria, Cacares, Santiago of course, and Salamanca which is cuatra veces Cambridge - four times Cambridge. I guess he means Cambridge in the USA? Perhaps he should visit Cambridge in the UK next time - not that bad either .

 

[hel&scott]

It's evidence of what is commonly called rural exodus, ie migration from rural areas to urban areas.... Bob Odenkirk does not mention anything of this sort in his interviews with Spanish journalists about his upcoming TV series which has nothing to do with travelling or pilgrimage or Spain for that matter... He is not exactly promoting the VdlP and it seems that he did not walk that much. He is obviously smitten with Merida, Puebla de Sanabria, Cacares, Santiago of course, and Salamanca....

Who wouldn't be smitten with these places... I thought Salamanca was made out of Russian fudge it was so gorgeously golden. But my memories of the vdp will always be dominated by the wide open spaces (and pigs), yes rural exodus is a world wide problem, but our experience of the vdp was the final push to spur us to give up the rat race and buy a nut farm... I remember passing an old couple burning leaves and collecting nuts on the way, the old women was yelling at her old man to come in for his lunch, he smiled at us and shuffled in as he was told, Scott turned to me and said: "That's us!"

 

[amancio]

Ghost towns and rural exodus do happen in Spain, people move to towns in less prosperous areas, that is a sad truth. Population is aging, and the young do not want to live in the middle of nowhere with very few hopes of a bright future. It is a big problem in Spain, indeed. I do not know the VdlP north of Salamanca, I am hoping to go there soon and see by myself!

 

[hel&scott]

Ghost towns and rural exodus do happen in Spain, people move to towns in less prosperous areas, that is a sad truth. Population is aging, and the young do not want to live in the middle of nowhere with very few hopes of a bright future. It is a big problem in Spain, indeed. I do not know the VdlP north of Salamanca, I am hoping to go there soon and see by myself!

Happens everywhere... Hope you get past Salamanca soon.

 

[long trails]

WOW! How random. Saul Goodman on the VDLP!

 

[Greg Petropoulos]

I enjoyed the Character Saul on Breaking Bad! I'm looking forward to enjoying the vdlp next Spring, I'm certain as much as Bob O.

When visiting the shrinking village in central Peloponnese, Greece, the birthplace of my Paternal Grandfather, I experienced "rural exodus" there in 1992. It was sad to see these homes abandoned, for "better educatiinal & economic opportunities in the larger cities". Something I had never seen growing up here in western/coastal US, with the exception of mining "boom" towns that were abandoned when the ore had become scarese.

Greg

 

[Kathar1na]

there are very sad 'ghost towns' in between the bigger towns where there were uninhabited houses, fraying infrastructure, overgrown gardens and playgrounds and we only saw old people shuffling about to the one or two commercial business, usually the albergue and bar combining shop and administration functions. [...] Here in Australia there may be towns shrinking due to urban draw but I don't see ghost towns even in the outback.

As others have said, here and in similar recent threads, this is a complex issue with no easy solutions and messages about it can easily fall foul of the "no politics" rule. Trying to understand socio-economic conditions, or traditions, or attitudes through their eyes and from their points of view, instead of on the basis of what one knows from home is very very difficult.

I put subsistence agriculture Australia into Goggle and one of the first links that came up indicated the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as source. It delivers an answer to the question "Is Australia involved in mostly subsistence or commercial agriculture?" The answer is: "Australia primarily is involved in commercial agriculture; two thirds of its production is exported."

In this answer lies one of several reasons for what you see in Extramadura or in Galicia or in Leon y Castilla (away from the narrow strip of the Camino Frances) and not in Australia. It's not commercial agriculture, much of it is subsistence agriculture with very small holdings and due to local, regional, national, European and global forces, it is not competitive and no longer sustainable.

 

[Kanga]

I have edited some posts and deleted others that should more properly be taken to a PM.

 

[alexwalker]

...I think we somehow lost our compass these days. If there aren't any "progress" we think it's just ruins. I don't think that anyone should crop or earn up to 10, 20, 50% more than the year before in order to be a happy person. The same is more than enough to make everyone more than happy when we know our real needs...

In these areas (also), The Camino is a great teacher.

 

[alexwalker]

This thread has made me deciding to do the VdlP once again, from Merida this time. But first, I have to do a CF this autumn (I need another fix), so it will have to wait for next (2018) spring. It is a great/lovely walk, but the first days are hard.

Coming back to the OP's Odenkirk figure: I have no clue who he/she is and what importance he/she may have to the Camino/this forum: Could take him with me on some serious walking with this 63 years old chap, though...

I suspect some hangarounds in here are much more important on/to the Camino, but I couldn't care less: I know what I know. The Camino taught me some lessons. Especially my first Camino (CF), which was a real eye-opener into myself.