Giving and Receiving

[Remi Loyer]

It's interesting that you mention this subject.  When I was on the Camino I
saw several instances of heavy drug & alcohol use.  In fact when I was in
Viana, a few unnamed pilgrims were smoking hash in the albergue, this also
occured in Los Arcos. The wine in Spain is beautiful I must admit.  However,
there were a few times when a few of my fellow pilgrims got so drunk that
they got sick in the Albergue and were yelling all sorts of obscenities at 2
- 3am, keeping all the others awake. This happened more than once.  I'm
certainly no angel, as I said... I thorougly enjoyed the wine.  However, I
found this conduct unreasonable under the circumstances as it disrupted so
many others.

As to the littered trail, I found it terrible that people would leave these
decorated little toilet paper trees.  Why not, just carry a little zip lock
and take the paper out?  Same goes with wrappers, and pop cans.  With the
ammount of pilgrims, it just becomes rather messy.  I'm not sure if it is a
lack of education or a lack of respect?  In any case, we often remarked on
the litter with sadness/disgust.

I think it is important to tread lightly and to respect both the environment
and its inhabitants.  I agree we need to give back to our hosts (as they
seem to be getting overwhelmed with the ammount of pilgrim traffic) and if
it is as simple as leaving things the way we found them or better, than that
is a small step forward.

Jennifer Bruce


Road to Santiago Pilgrimage wrote:
>After reading the many messages regarding the level of hospitality
>and help received by pilgrims along the camino, I was wondering what
>would be an appropriate way to give something back.
>
>I recently read an article written by a member of  the UK Confraternity
>of Saint James which referred to the increasing numbers of pilgrims
>and the associated problems encountered by those who live along the
>camino i.e. there were accounts of alcohol abuse along the way,
>increasing amounts of litter etc.
>
>Bearing in mind that this must surely (one would hope) be from an
>absolute minority of pilgrims, it would indicate that there exists a need
>for us to give something back to the camino.  Obviously appropriate
>personal conduct must go without saying - picking up litter along the
>way would also be a small token of respect for our Spanish hosts.  I've
>tried to think of other ways in which a humble, temporarily-homeless
>pilgrim might give thanks but haven't come up with anything
>substantial.  Just wondered what others might think.
>
>Dale M.
--
  Remi Loyer -- loyerracadvision.com