Day 34, Wednesday, September 25th, 2019: Lestedo to Melide
Took our time this morning to have breakfast after a very restful night. Found a quiet groove in the Camino with few others to ruin the experience until we hit Palas de Rei, where we were once again thrust into the crowds jamming the Camino. Most annoying were the “Escuelas-grinos,” bus-loads of arrogant and ignorant high-schoolers who have no regard for anyone but themselves. Play music through speakers and disturb the peacefulness of the Camino for others, crowd into shops where people are trying to make a living, to spend nothing and only selfishly take another stamp in their credentials. Disgustingly shuffle into a church, without a thought to prayer or reflection, but only to get their stamp.
I am heartbroken that an otherwise incredible experience has been cheapened by the commercialization of the Camino and the presence of so many who know, nor care, nothing of the true purpose of the Camino. How can you hear God in all this calamity and commotion?
And today we learned, thankfully from a friend, that the pilgrim office in Santiago has installed a “take a number” system and daily, ridiculously low limits to issuing the Compostelas. Imagine walking 550+ miles over 37 days, only to arrive in Santiago and be told “sorry, we’ve reached the limit today, so come back tomorrow.” It is apparent the Camino is no longer about the Peregrinos and they care only for themselves in the Pilgrim office effectively telling those who have walked the Camino “we don’t really care if you have to wait another day for your Compostela as long as we get home at a reasonable hour.” Great unselfish volunteers, eh?!?
I am truly disgusted and heartbroken by this latest dilution of the Camino and the lack of respect shown to Peregrinos who have sacrificed and endured so much to make the pilgrimage to Santiago.
We have fortunately made plans to stay over another night in Santiago. We did this to explore the city, and, thankfully, it will allow us to be in queue the next morning very early to ensure we receive our Compostelas. I think Peregrinos will learn and adjust.
I, for one, will never return here. The Sarria to Santiago “path of least effort” has soured me on the entire experience. It reeks of the dollar meaning more than the spiritual experience and Spain caring more about “getting theirs” than helping create a meaningful experience. This will eventually backfire and they will have built all these government-run and funded Albergues for nothing as people will eventually learn the Sarria to Santiago route is all Spain cares for and the least effort crowd will drive every one else away.
Sorry to complain, but I feel others need to be warned that this last leg is ruinous to the experience. I have learned much along the way and I have to find a way to hold on to the good and dismiss the bad as the popularization of a heretofore little known treasure that has ruined the last 100km of the way.
We arrived Melide and stopped short of our Albergue for a lovely lunch. We then walked up to our Albergue and checked in, purchasing some snacks for the evening and finding some excellent Cuban cigars to enjoy on our last evenings on the Camino along the way.
Don’t get me wrong. I am glad to be nearing completion of an awesome undertaking. I am just struggling to understand how to be tolerant of those who care not a thing for the spiritual experience and only focus on the selfish commercialization of a previously pure and simple pilgrimage. I will pray for understanding and be thankful to have learned what I have. I will also shift focus to us and our reasons and try to shut out the bad stuff as we arrive Santiago in 3 days!
Buen Camino.