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That is not a grafiti but the sign that often replaces the yellow arrows on the Primitivo..... because it would have a special place reserved there (and / or in jail) for the hoodlum who is spray-painting this graffiti all over signs, walls, Camino directional markers, etc. on the otherwise stunningly beautiful Camino Primitivo.
It doesn't appear to be an official sign because I saw the officials trying to clean it off two places today, one directly over the the whole front of the Galician mileage/directional marker and the other on a wall. They were grinding it off with a metal brush. I've also seen it on top of yellow arrows.That is not a grafiti but the sign that often replaces the yellow arrows on the Primitivo.
Hummm... I can agree that it does not belong on buildings, etc., bit wjen I walked the P. you could find your way around using either... Maybe someone has decided to "troll it?It doesn't appear to be an official sign because I saw the officials trying to clean it off two places today, one directly over the the whole front of the Galician mileage/directional marker and the other on a wall. They were grinding it off with a metal brush. I've also seen it on top of yellow arrows.
.... because it would have a special place reserved there (and / or in jail) for the hoodlum who is spray-painting this graffiti all over signs, walls, Camino directional markers, etc. on the otherwise stunningly beautiful Camino Primitivo.
It doesn't appear to be an official sign because I saw the officials trying to clean it off two places today, one directly over the the whole front of the Galician mileage/directional marker and the other on a wall. They were grinding it off with a metal brush. I've also seen it on top of yellow arrows.
How funny, I took lots of pictures of the graffiti and I felt it was just a much a part of the scenery as trees, cathedrals, rocks, and anything else. Most of the graffiti was unique art that I was happy to see and take pictures of. A lot of it contained supportive, cheerful words of encouragement. Some didn't, but that's okay, because it reflected someone's pain, political agenda, or mental state -- all a part of the human (and Spanish) landscape. I was actually disappointed that so much graffiti seemed to be whitewashed the closer I got to Santiago, as though the "tourism police" had to clean it up for the pilgrims. I can understand how in some places (private property for example) graffiti is unwelcome, but on the Camino, under highway overpasses outside town, or on the markers, rocks, whatever, I thought most of it was a reflection of some people's need to leave a mark. Personally, I preferred to leave no mark whatsoever, but that's just my way..... because there would be a special place reserved in hell (and / or in jail) for the hoodlum who is spray-painting this graffiti all over signs, walls, Camino directional markers, etc. on the otherwise stunningly beautiful Camino Primitivo.
When I worked for Dover council there was a problem with keeping an underpass clear. One of our cleansing managers brought a graffiti artist down from London and he got the local school involved. The kids decided what the design would be and he taught they how to spray without getting it all over themselves.Spain has a massive challenge with youth unemployment. A fact which I see as highly related to the large amount of graffiti, especially in towns and cities. Graffiti is a form of expression and protest for those that lack other means to do so. So we should consider the underlying problem, rather than just being outraged by the messy appearance it creates.
I am going to have to assume that Turk, who wrote "Turk's was here 9/2016" on every mileage pillar from Melide to Santiago was not a poor, 18 year old unemployed fish monger from Valencia. It's the graffiti left behind by pilgrims that I referred to. The "underlying problem" was more likely that his parents didn't bother to teach him simple social skills.Spain has a massive challenge with youth unemployment. A fact which I see as highly related to the large amount of graffiti, especially in towns and cities. Graffiti is a form of expression and protest for those that lack other means to do so. So we should consider the underlying problem, rather than just being outraged by the messy appearance it creates.
Desire paths are as old as mankind. You'll never stop them.The useless advertisements pasted over useful information irritate me more than graffiti, although both are barbaric. I was also irritated to think how many pilgrims it must have required to make a meter-wide hard dirt path through a farmer's crops just to make their camino a mere hundred meters shorter. (And this was only three hundred meters past the place where the farmer had put a barrier and a "stop ruining my crops" sign on another shortcut through the same field.)
Is that on the Frances? I remember a field that everyone was cutting through instead of around it. When I saw it, it was after harvest. I don't remember exactly where it was, though?The useless advertisements pasted over useful information irritate me more than graffiti, although both are barbaric. I was also irritated to think how many pilgrims it must have required to make a meter-wide hard dirt path through a farmer's crops just to make their camino a mere hundred meters shorter. (And this was only three hundred meters past the place where the farmer had put a barrier and a "stop ruining my crops" sign on another shortcut through the same field.)
Ugh. Humans….The useless advertisements pasted over useful information irritate me more than graffiti, although both are barbaric. I was also irritated to think how many pilgrims it must have required to make a meter-wide hard dirt path through a farmer's crops just to make their camino a mere hundred meters shorter. (And this was only three hundred meters past the place where the farmer had put a barrier and a "stop ruining my crops" sign on another shortcut through the same field.)
So are guard dogs. People have absolutely no excuse, none, for defacing something that doesn’t belong to them, and are irresponsible beyond words to damage other people’s property, especially their livelihood. I hope karma finds everyone who tramples a farmer’s crops, leaves open their livestock gates, or helps themselves to fruit and gives them deep foot blisters, painful knees, and diarrhea.Desire paths are as old as mankind.
I’m not a farmer, just a recent transplant to a rural farm/ranch area, but I believe many farmers plant fall/winter crops as well as spring/summer so it’s possible to trample crops through much of the year. Not sure about Spain but I’d just stay out of the fieldsIs that on the Frances? I remember a field that everyone was cutting through instead of around it. When I saw it, it was after harvest. I don't remember exactly where it was, though?
Since this thread has resurfaced,An interesting article about graffiti on the Toro de Osborne in Santa Pola.
Yeah, wasn't asking for advice on rural living, lol. Was inquiring about the location of the field mentioned in the previous comment.I’m not a farmer, just a recent transplant to a rural farm/ranch area, but I believe many farmers plant fall/winter crops as well as spring/summer so it’s possible to trample crops through much of the year. Not sure about Spain but I’d just stay out of the fields
Hey, do you think there might be some tinker juice running in your veins? That’s a hearty curse to lay on the careless and feckless- even if they’ve got it comingI hope karma finds everyone who tramples a farmer’s crops, leaves open their livestock gates, or helps themselves to fruit and gives them deep foot blisters, painful knees, and diarrhea.
Yeah, I never said I was gentle. No one accidentally pulls fruit from tree or vine to shove into their mouth, or mistakenly climbs over a fence with a “no trespassing” sign. A few days sidelined would give them needed time to reflect, and give the farmers a break as the walkers bus ahead a few stages. Win win.Hey, do you think there might be some tinker juice running in your veins? That’s a hearty curse to lay on the careless and feckless- even if they’ve got it coming
I think it was between Villamayor de Monjardín and Los Arcos, but looking for it in aerial photos, I couldn't find it. First time I passed it, there was a pile of stones at the point where people had been leaving the path. Crops were completely gone on the "shortcut." Second time, the sign was there instead of the rocks, and there was a new trampled "short cut" across the next corner of the field. The people making the new shortcut had passed the sign asking them not to only minute or two before. Grrr!Is that on the Frances? I remember a field that everyone was cutting through instead of around it. When I saw it, it was after harvest. I don't remember exactly where it was, though?
Both times I saw it the field was already harvested, just dirt, no crops at all. I could not imagine anyone taking a shortcut through a field of crops. I never saw anybody walk through a field of crops on any of my Caminos. Only the occasional sunflower some silly person went into a field to put a smiley face on.I think it was between Villamayor de Monjardín and Los Arcos, but looking for it in aerial photos, I couldn't find it. First time I passed it, there was a pile of stones at the point where people had been leaving the path. Crops were completely gone on the "shortcut." Second time, the sign was there instead of the rocks, and there was a new trampled "short cut" across the next corner of the field. The people making the new shortcut had passed the sign asking them not to only minute or two before. Grrr!
The one I saw did have crops, except on the packed path where they had been trampled out. And the sign is evidence the intrusion was unwelcome.Both times I saw it the field was already harvested, just dirt, no crops at all. I could not imagine anyone taking a shortcut through a field of crops. I never saw anybody walk through a field of crops on any of my Caminos. Only the occasional sunflower some silly person went into a field to put a smiley face on.
I suppose the open field lends itself to that temptation that one filled with crops would not. One person does it, the new path is visible and others in the herd follow suit. Not excusing it, simply voicing my theory of how it happens.