Giving and Receiving

[John Topping]

I feel it is just as important to give as receive and I agree that we should
all put thought into giving something back to the Camino.  the subject of
rubbish is one that I can relate to.  While we have been preparing for our
journey and doing a bit of walking we have often wondered how clean the
Camino will be.  We were in Nepal in 2000 trekking the Everest circuit.
Coming from New Zealand "Godzone" & more recently the home of "Middle Earth
& Hobbiton" - we had this notion that the Himalayas would be fairly clean.
We had been warned about the state of the tracks but were totally blow away
by the disgusting mess.  We found that even at 18000 feet it is better to
look up than down - there is excrement everywhere - decorated with the
bright pink toilet paper you can buy up there.  We were shocked that every
vantage point, rest stop and track had been turned into a toilet - there
were chocolate bar wrappers, spent batteries, soiled toilet paper, used ball
point pens and every sort of disgusting rubbish imaginable - I urge you to
pick up your rubbish - just take a zip lock bag and place your rubbish in
that - then dispose of it at the next appropriate place. It's about respect
really - respect for the route and your fellow travelers.
I have to say, though I'm really looking forward to he Spanish vino.
Marion

----- Original Message -----
From: Remi Loyer <loyerraCADVISION.COM>
To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 8:40 AM
Subject: Re: Giving and Receiving


> 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