August pilgrims

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
21,793 pilgrims received the Compostela last month  (1,149 more than last
August).  40.6% were females and 59.4% were males.
9,788 were under 30 years of age, 11,421 were between 30 and 60, 28 were of
inderterminate age and only 555 were over sixty.  (The horrendous European heat
wave seems to have had a serious effect not only on the French but also on
this age group).
Almost 71% of the pilgrims were from Spain.  6,380 pilgrims came from 71
countries outside of Spain; of these the largest number, by far, 2,431, came from
Italy, followed by 880 from Germany, 865 from France, 421 from Portugal, 189
from Austria, 182 from Belgium, 163 from the dear old UK, 152 from Holland, 126
from the USA and the rest from various other countries.
20,143 of the pilgrims professed a religious motive, the other 1,650 stated
cultural/educational reasons.
Students formed the largest number, 5,572; 3,036 were technicians, 3,009
professionals, 2,661 were teachers, 2,551 office workers and 2,126 blue-collar
workers.
As usual, most pilgrims started out in Sarria, 3,304;  2,530 in Roncesvalles,
2,176 in Cebreiro, 2,063 in Ponferrada, 1,773 in Leon, 1,380 in SJPP, 1,369
in Astorga, 648 in Villafranca, 612 in Pamplona, 503 in Tuy (the common
starting point in the Portuguese Way), and the rest in various other places, all more
than 100 kms from Santiago.

Almost 79%, 17,147, of the pilgrims walked, 4,568 rode bikes, 77 went on
horseback and one  pilgrim went on a wheelchair.

19,101 pilgrims followed the French Way, 1,118 the Northern Way, 1034 the
Portuguese Way, 508 the Silver Way and 32 the English Way.

Again, note that the above figures reflect only those pilgrims that either
walked/biked the last 100/200 kms. to Santiago and applied for the Compostela,
and not all the pilgrims that may be making the pilgrimage in stages.

I read a comment here that someone saw pilgrims jumping from a car to get
credentials stamped at an albergue, and the message implied that such people were
"cheating".  This is not necessarily so.  They may have meant, as I did, to
start walking at a site closer to Santiago and may have just wanted to get the
spaces in the credential filled up.  I got my credential in Pamplona and began
having it stamped right away while I meant to walk only from O Cebreiro.  The
credential itself has a space to specify where one begins walking.
I also read here that seals can be obtained in bars, etc., and that the
people at the pilgrims' office don't really care.  Again, this is not really so. At
the office they look at the sequence of places and dates of the seals for the
last 100 kilometers and where the seals were obtained.  The requirement for
the two seals per day contemplated getting one at the albergue and one at the
information (tourists'?) office that every little town with an albergue seems
to have.  Even O Cebreiro, with its less than twenty permanent residents has
such an office.
And,.... let's face it, how can one "cheat" God?  Cheat oneself and others,
yes... but God?   I personally don't understand why the Pilgrims'  office
bothers with this, but it seems to have been going on for a thousand years.

I've lots of interesting Camino things to tell you, but, I've got to go to
work.... shoot!.
 Meanwhile, do read the diary of that writer-cum-pilgrim that is walking,
right now, the English Way.  Pilgrims will find themselves in it and become
superbly informed.  go to
                                 caminoasantiago.com
it is also in English.
Very affectionate regards,
Rosina
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