It's been a long time since I last walked the CF, from Le Puy, and also from Jaca. Especially in France, I hardly met another pilg. In Spain I met many more, but never, even in July/August was there a bed problem (or bedbug problem) even tho' there were a lot less refugios. The nearest figures I remember are that around my time of walking, about 3000 got a compostela. This might be wrong but near enough? Since then, my main caminos have been VDP and CP, and there were few people on the way. With the VDP I can see why - it's tough.
Yet when I read this site today about the CF, it seems to be characterised by litter, turds and toilet paper: there is a race for beds, there are bugs; many pilgs seem to be carrying all sorts of phones, laptops, Ipods, tablets etc. (I wryly think of P. Cousineau's words, "To get out on pilgrimage is to throw down a challenge to everyday life"). And on this site there is an over interest in brand names and equipment. On the CF there are mobile tea vans, groups of cyclists, runners, costume pilgrims, and people who have paid someone to take them on pilgrimage, which they could have done much better by themselves. On the CP, there was a group of cycling evangelists, leafleting the hapless Portugese in their homes with ridiculous tracts. Arrriving in SDC cath. , the candles are coin-in-a-slot and electric, and the priests applaud and flash photograph the botafumiero. In Porto, there are day tripper bus excursions to SDC with a visit to the Pilgrim Mass thrown in. The rubbishy trinkets for sale in SDC are only rivalled by the appalling junk seen in Lourdes, like Bob Dylan's "flesh-coloured Christs that glow in the dark". 5 years ago when motorcycle riding to Morocco and adjacent to some of the CF, there was a long line of pilgs stretching as far as I could see, over the horizon, forced to compete for the next refugio bed.
I'd like to walk the CF again, for it is a gem, but I will have to go in winter to avoid the circus. I don't mind this, but would prefer a bit of warmth, as you do; I have done the CP in November, and hope to do the Inglés soon, so winter's ok. If I do the CF in winter, I can expect some refugios to be closed, even if listed as open. Of course now I know this, it's less of an issue, and I will make other arrangements. But what a difference!
Perhaps LovingKindness's type of pilgrimage from Trondheim is the model for the future.
Is it time for the CF to be abandoned by those who want to avoid crass commerce, competition, heaving crowds, cyclists, runners et al? Or is it just me? Or you?
Yet when I read this site today about the CF, it seems to be characterised by litter, turds and toilet paper: there is a race for beds, there are bugs; many pilgs seem to be carrying all sorts of phones, laptops, Ipods, tablets etc. (I wryly think of P. Cousineau's words, "To get out on pilgrimage is to throw down a challenge to everyday life"). And on this site there is an over interest in brand names and equipment. On the CF there are mobile tea vans, groups of cyclists, runners, costume pilgrims, and people who have paid someone to take them on pilgrimage, which they could have done much better by themselves. On the CP, there was a group of cycling evangelists, leafleting the hapless Portugese in their homes with ridiculous tracts. Arrriving in SDC cath. , the candles are coin-in-a-slot and electric, and the priests applaud and flash photograph the botafumiero. In Porto, there are day tripper bus excursions to SDC with a visit to the Pilgrim Mass thrown in. The rubbishy trinkets for sale in SDC are only rivalled by the appalling junk seen in Lourdes, like Bob Dylan's "flesh-coloured Christs that glow in the dark". 5 years ago when motorcycle riding to Morocco and adjacent to some of the CF, there was a long line of pilgs stretching as far as I could see, over the horizon, forced to compete for the next refugio bed.
I'd like to walk the CF again, for it is a gem, but I will have to go in winter to avoid the circus. I don't mind this, but would prefer a bit of warmth, as you do; I have done the CP in November, and hope to do the Inglés soon, so winter's ok. If I do the CF in winter, I can expect some refugios to be closed, even if listed as open. Of course now I know this, it's less of an issue, and I will make other arrangements. But what a difference!
Perhaps LovingKindness's type of pilgrimage from Trondheim is the model for the future.
Is it time for the CF to be abandoned by those who want to avoid crass commerce, competition, heaving crowds, cyclists, runners et al? Or is it just me? Or you?