[Gocamino] Handicapped pilgrim; pilgrims's office in Muxia; visit to NYC

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,

Today’s “Correo” carries a story about a handicapped woman who made the 2,000 kms. Pilgrimage to Santiago with her dog, and no one else, from her native Holland.

The woman’s name is Babs Gotte; she is a 61 years old widow whose children “live far away”. She commenced the effort in her native Saint Jacobi by the North Sea and it took her three months to complete it.  She traveled in a specially fitted “cuadricio” (a very small vehicle similar to the little “smart” car that has begun to appear in the U.S. after being in use in Europe for more than ten years). The vehicle has space only for herself, her co-pilot dog, her bags and her mechanized wheel chair which looks pretty much like a three-wheeled moped.  As the woman arrived at Santiago she was prevented from driving up to Obradoiro because of the van on vehicular traffic there, but when an interpreter was procured from the pilgrims’ office she was allowed to go to the front of the Cathedral where she transferred to her wheel chair, as she is totally unable to walk.

During the three months of her trip she had to sleep in her car sometimes when she could not find help or accommodations at the albergues.  She has the highest praise for the pilgrims that she found along the way.

This admirable woman intends to go on to Lisbon and from there to Andalucia to visit Seville and Granada.

When she returns home she intends to create a blog to serve as center of information for pilgrims.

 

There is also an article about the Pilgrims’ Office in Muxia. Its manager relates that the office offers all sorts of services not only to pilgrims, but to everyone…. From the location of albergues and hotels, to recommended places to eat, and “not-to-be-missed” sites. The office manager, Daniel Haz Sanchez says that the most frequent foreign pilgrims come from Germany, followed by those from France and Italy,  The office has “wifi” internet facilities which they make available, and, for pilgrims, they even procure airplane, railroad or bus tickets for their journey home.

 

I mentioned before that the manager of the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago, Mari, will be in New York City from the 16th to the 23rd. of December.  The secretary of the Arch Confraternity, Susana, will accompany her.  It is my delight to count these two lovely young women as friends. Between them they speak eight languages, so I’m sure they will not have any trouble getting around in our polyglot city.  Both of them have unfettered access to the powers that be in Santiago and, therefore, again, if there is something that you wish to know, for sure, about changes, plans, etc., regarding the Camino pilgrimage it would be an ideal opportunity to find out what’s going on “from the horse’s mouth”, so to speak.

 

Hugs!

 

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