Record numbers walk the Camino

[sillydoll]

A forum member passed this link to me:

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/galicia/20 ... 6P6993.htm

El Camino totals ​​130,000 pilgrims so far this year.
Last night the number passed the barrier of 129,500, according to official data provided by the Archdiocese of Santiago. And that means that unless trends change, the exercise will conclude with some 184,000 pilgrims arrived in the capital of Galicia, the highest number of statistically in documented history. If the comparison is the dramatic exception record (272,135 people) registered at the close of Xacobeo 2010.
For now, competition in the road exceeds the cumulative 24.8% at this point in 2009 and even improves by 2.4 percentage points of the Jubilee 2004. Knowing these figures, the Regional Minister of Culture and Tourism declared yesterday: "O mais é Xacobeo more than ever a global phenomenon." Also, Roberto Varela noted the efforts of the regional government in the promotion and care of the route.

 

[Arn]

Sil,

This can only be good news for the Camino...gives added reason to maintain the current albergues well staffed and appointed and, possibly open additional a bit closer together on the CF and other developing Camino's.

TS

Arn

 

[sillydoll]

It seems that we are moving backwards in time - to a period where nearly every town and village had at least one pilgrim shelter
A register dating1594 at the hospice at Villafranca de Montes de Oca recorded 16,767 pilgrims that year, over 200 on some days! (They had at least 4 pilgrim hospices).
Burgos had 32 pilgrim shelters, Astorga had 21, Carrion de los Condes had 14 and Estella had 11 - and at one time there were 7 in Castrojeriz. Even small villages like Obanos and Viana had several pilgrim shelters.

Three years ago I wrote a post on my blog titled 'Back to the Past'
http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2008/10/back-to-past.html

 

[Portia1]

Can add 7 more to the number for September--we leave two weeks from today. Are the numbers across all the paths or predominately the French Route? I am curious whether we are going to encounter crowds on the Portuguese. When I walked the French two years ago in September, the numbers were staggering. Sometimes there were pilgrims as far as you could see before you and after you.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola

None of the other routes is ever as busy as the Camino Frances but numbers are increasing on the Camino Portuguese - however August is the busy month and pilgrims report that there were always beds on the route.

John

 

[Portia1]

That's good news, John. By the way, I am taking your Portuguese "booklet" and will make annotations along the way. I was unable to get it to print two sided so I slapped myself around a little about that for the double paper weight but I will get over it! Two weeks from now at this time I will be sitting in JFK waiting to board for Madrid!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Buen Camino - I'll see you in Santiago!

John

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Last night the number passed the barrier of 129,500, according to official data provided by the Archdiocese of Santiago. And that means that unless trends change, the exercise will conclude with some 184,000 pilgrims arrived in the capital of Galicia, the highest number of statistically in documented history. If the comparison is the dramatic exception record (272,135 people) registered at the close of Xacobeo 2010.

And by close of play last night the total was 130,791 ... and still they keep coming!

 

[andy.d]

According to Christopher Howse's new book, 6.1 million pilgrims visited Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in two days for her festa in December 2009.

 

[sillydoll]

Guadlaupe is the most visited Christian shrine in the world - even surpassing Rome and Jerusalem. (And most people don't carry a backpack or walk very far to get there!!)

 

[Priscillian]

That is extraordinary! And yet very few people outside of Spain ever visit the gorgeous and very floral little town of Guadalupe in Extramadura. Another black virgin and supposedly (as La Morena de Montserrat) carved by St. Luke. They don't look anything alike though.
Good news about the pilgrim stats. It might seem like the Camino is crowded but the more people who share our experiences, the more the magic of the Camino grows in stature.
Tereiexa (Tracy in Gallego!)

http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.com
http://www.pilgrimagetoheresy.blogspot.com

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Astorga

The town is very busy this weekend because of an annual festival. However, the San Javier albergue is only about 1/3 full. The Hotel Gaudi has suspended the Pilgrim Menu for the week to accommodate diners who will pay the full fare, which is 21 Euro. There are plenty of other places with lower prices, though.

The weather is cool and dry. My nylon sleeping bag liner was warm enough, but there are boxes of blankets for those who need them. No apparent bed bug problems. The hospitalera is a permanent pilgrim, volunteering at various albergues. She can speak six languages, so there is no language barrier here this week.

I was hoping for a SIM chip that would connect my smart phone to the internet, but both Orange and Vodafone closed at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, and will not reopen until Monday morning. The next possibility is Ponferrada. There are many WiFi signals around the city, but they all are locked. The albergue has only one internet connection working, but there are so few pilgrims that it is not hard to find it open.

Santa Catalina or El Ganso tonight depending on leg strength. I am getting worse about training, so the first week is a training week!

The Atlantic crossing took 7 hours. The bus from Madrid airport (T-4 terminal) to Astorga with a bus change in Valledeloid took about 8 hours. It went through very scenic but dry country. There were signs regularly that pointed to places along the Camino Frances, but it did not go to any, including Leon. It was a parallel track of mostly country roads.

Desayuno then walking. Buen Camino.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Falcon is in Spain walking from Astorga?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Rabanal

A great walking day, even with the sun directly overhead. Filled with Day One enthusiasm, I pushed ahead a bit. The Municipal albergue has WiFi, so I stopped in it in preference to the preferred Gaucelmo. For 4 Euro they offer the technology, too.

There is a municipal albergue abeam the Ecce Homo ermita leaving Astorga for those who want to stop thirty minutes after San Javier albergue.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Apparently so...I'm buying the beers on your arrival!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

El Acebo

It´s a deal.

Today I walked with a one-legged American. He uses two crutches called Canadian Crutches, with an arm band and a hand grip to bear the weight. He started in St. Jean Pied de Port, and spent twelve hours reachinn Roncesvalles. It is his first long distance hike, and he said that day was the hardest day of his life. He wears gloves, but still got blisters, which are calouses now.

Some of you may know that I am the slowest pilgrim on the route. I still am. He is faster than I.

I am staying in El Acebo for the first time. It is quite nice, and the weather has been great. The path between Cruz de Ferro and El Acebo is still the worst I know. The downhill is very fatiguing to the thigh muscles.

Everything else is about the same as the last time through. Two new places greet the walker at the top of El Acebo, and the competition is not friendly. One is just a tienda, the other an hostal, but they don´t seem to get along. Competition can make enemies of friends, I suppose.

Animo

 

[peregrina2000]

Falcon, you're the stealth pilgrim. Now that you've let us in on your secret that you're walking the camino right now, buen camino, and keep in touch! Any chance you'll try the Invierno detour?

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[lynnejohn]

Falcon! You're there! Buen camino!!

Go well and safely,

lynne

 

[ksam]

Falcon!! El Acebo..one of my favorites! ohhh the walk down from there...a bit rough..but doable in daylight..can't imagine walking that part late in the day! Looking forward to seeing where you end up next! Buen Camino