[Gocamino] 650,000 pilgrims in Galicia

[Blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
Well.... the USA national quadrennial do is over.
The 49-plus million  of us who are disappointed, disillusioned, 
shell-shocked, heartbroken and fearfully uncertain about the future, have cried in our wine 
copiously, but it is time to pull up our sleeves and go forth.
To the 53 million of you who got your views and beliefs across the voting 
booths so successfully:  farewell fellow citizens, you voted loud and clear, you 
won the elections fair and square, and we recognize and hear you.  
And now, since we are all in the same USA boat, we'll do our darnest to get 
you winners to hear us losers equally well so that we can all row in the same 
direction. 
That said.....:
More than 650,000 Santiago pilgrims availed themselves of the publicly 
sponsored albergues between January and October of this year. Of these pilgrims, 
400,000 occupied the albergues on the French Way, 220,000 of whom were 
accommodated in "polideportivos" (sports facilities) and in Army and Civil 
Guard-provided tents and facilities.
The big surprise has been the impressive  number of pilgrims in other 
routes:: 65,000 on the Portuguese Way, 35,000 on the Via de la Plata and 26,000 on 
the Fisterra-Muxia Way, for instance.
(Since I and my companions added to the number by four, I'd like to note that 
the number of pilgrims over the Via de la Plata this year was more than 
45,000 by the end of September)
The above numbers do not reflect those pilgrims who did not use the publicly 
sponsored albergues, that is, those who stayed in privately run facilities, as 
a rule about 20%-25% of the others,
Because the next Xacobean Holy Year is significantly far off, it is expected 
that pilgrims will continue to pour into Santiago until the end of the year.
I made arrangements to go to Santiago for Thanksgiving  several months ago, 
but friends who have decided rather late to go to Santiago on the same date  
have been unable, so far,  to find accommodations;  so it seems that  the rush 
after the rush is on... in spades..
There are more Santiago news and facts to communicate than I can share a 
stick at..... and they will be sent on.... soon.
You all understand the delay, for sure.
Big hug!
Rosina