Queuing for the compostela

[Maverick]

Well, just a small thought here about the "pilgrim experience."
Last month I arrived at the pilgrim's office in Santiago - pouring with rain, so those awaiting their compostela were hunched under the archway before the dash to the office door. In a "kind-of" queue. Now, I just wished to visit the pilgrim toilets, at the rear of the yard, and so excused myself past the waiting (wet) pilgs. Well, what a shout went up from them all, thinking I was trying to jump the queue for compostela. Surely, by the time one has walked 100 to 800 kms,, one has taken on a bit of understanding, and, dare it be said, patience?? (I was soaked, as well, and needing the loo)
My point: just because we are so-called "pilgrims" doesn't make us better than anyone else.
Unlike some other posts on this forum.

 

[freescot]

"Kind-of" queues are very common in continental Europe. It has taken me a long time to learn to wait. I remember one of my children was with me in a boulangerie in France where the queue was moving very slowly because everone was talking with each other and kissing each other six times - three at the "hello" and three at the "aurevoir". "You'd think that these people had all day, the way they talk and talk," I said. "But you've got all of today as well," said my little boy.
Another time in a doctor's surgey the wait was always over an hour, sometimes two. This was because the doctor - there was only one - took all day with each patient, usually singing opera while diagnosing. Again this was in a village in France.
One time I said to him,"Have you thought of some sort of appointment system?" He looked directly at me saying, "Why should I do that?" "Because your patients come here and wait for hours. They even come early so they are queuing long before you get here." "Ah!!" he said. "You think they get cured in here. No! No! No!, most of the healing takes place out there in the waiting room. Most of them only come to chatter away with each other. They need that more than they need me."

That's not on topic, but if you've waited, reading so far:

I agree with you that it is to be hoped that as a benefit of the camino we all slow down enough to be able to wait and even use the waiting well. Maybe the ability to wait peacefully is a virtue. It's not, however, one that many pilgrims train for on the camino where getting going early and arriving early all as fast as possible is not unknown. I suppose if you'd peed in the bushes most wouldn't have noticed, few would have objected and all would have known what you wanted.