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The most REAL looking pilgrim

Tuesday Wildchild

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
I live next to the Grand Châtenet section
Living only 5 minutes from the route just ouside Saint-Jean-d'Angely I see many pilgrims during a year, mostly walking few cycling but the latest I saw whilst i was driving into town.

A true pilgrim?

 
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How lovely! It's ages since I've seen a donkey on the Camino. They used to be everywhere in Spain.
 
Kanga said:
How lovely! It's ages since I've seen a donkey on the Camino. They used to be everywhere in Spain.
Click to expand...
But I'm at least a 5 hour drive from Spain, donkeys are rare sight around here that I've seen.
 
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Wild child

Just curious living that close to a route, have you ever spoken to any of the pilgrims? The reason I ask is this fellow makes me very curious. I expanded the picture to try & get an idea why this particular pilgrim was carrying a pack as well as the Donkey. I suspect the donkey carries its own provisions. Just a guess, but from his pack vs the donkey pack his seems larger
Thank you for sharing!
Keith
 
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Hi Keith
No didn't get to speak as I was on my way to deliver some documents and on the way back i did see him but from distance along a part i care not to drve. I took our pair of collet out a bit later criss crossing the route but no sight of them.



To be honest he may not be a pilgrim just a traveller on part of the route.

I always say hello but unless they speak the English I'm stuck.
 
On my Camino I saw 3 pilgrims with donkeys. 1 was Spanish, he was walking back from Santiago to Bilbao, said its his (and donkeys') 5th Camino. He didn't have backpack, all was packed on the donkey + a small doggie was riding. 2nd was actually a group, they passed quickly while we were in a bar and the donkey decided to have some vino tinto too. 3rd was standing in front of the Cathedral, pilgrim posing for photos, donkey accepting cookies. Didn't get close enough to No2, but both others were happy to chat.
 
In September we saw several donkeys on the Le Puy route. The pilgrim carried his pack and the donkey carried its food.
 
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Tuesday Wildchild said:
A true pilgrim?
Click to expand...

ooooooh, careful with those adjectives "true" and "pure", Wildchild !!

Back on topic, I've seen or met quite a few donkey pilgrims, including where I live, near the French/Italian border, near the juncture of the Way of Provence with the coastal Way to Rome. One of my better online friends is a donkey (and foot and bike) pilgrim, who did his first Camino in 1965 (not with a donkey that time).

They tend to be very unusual men or women (or children), and they're certainly following in an ancient tradition of the Way, but the constant care and attention that the animals need as well as the very different hourly and daily pace that they impose does tend to keep them in a special area of their own, even among the crowds of the Francès.
 
fraluchi said:
I can't remember the year when I saw a man riding a donkey in front of a woman carrying a backpack.
Click to expand...

Most probably, either they took turns, or he was somebody with mobility problems. Or they were two people who met along the Way, or she had simply decided to walk carrying her own pack.
 
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How about this gent the human donkey - the cart is for his wife. I believe he was German. The pic was taken Obanos May 2013.
 
Last May I met a Spanish pilgrim on his way from Santiago to his home town.
He was walking with a donkey that was carrying his backpack and on top his dog.
We had a drink together and talked for a while. It was a very nice encounter .
Wish you all well, Peter.
 
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Derf said:
How about this gent the human donkey - the cart is for his wife. I believe he was German. The pic was taken Obanos May 2013.
View attachment 22308
Click to expand...

Am I the only one who wonders what romantic/tragic/heroic story might go with a man pushing his wife in a cart all the way across Spain (perhaps half of Europe) on a pilgrimage route? wait, no one else wonder....I'm rushing to find a publisher.
 
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