[Gocamino] This year pilgrims.... to July 31.

[Rosina]

Hello you all,

Pilgrims that have qualified for the Compostela this year up to July 31, 2008 totaled 64,797.

Of these, 37,584 were men and 27,213 women. 

22,785 of the pilgrims were under 35 years of age; 34,844 were between 35 and 65 years old and 7,168 were over 65 years of age.

Those undertaking the pilgrimage exclusively for religious reasons were 26,533; those pursuing religious/cultural motives were 32,877 and those who had only cultural reasons were 5,387.

Pilgrims from countries other than Spain, 35,469, were significantly in the majority. Of these, the largest number, 9,883,   came from Germany’; 3,770 from Italy; 3,648 from France; 3,167 from Portugal; 1,721 from the USA; 1,487 from Brasil; 1,447 from Austria; 1,398 from Holland; 1,085 from Canada; 939 from the UK; 894 from Ireland; 409 from Belgium; 358 from Mexico; 216 from Sweden; 185 from Korea and the rest, in lesser numbers, from 62 other countries.

 

Having just returned from my own pilgrimage to Bavaria to attend the Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, I am frankly surprised at the number of pilgrims that continue to go to Santiago from our American continent in view of the devastating loss of purchasing power of the USA dollar in Europe which I witnessed all too clearly.

 

But some things, like the Camino, are beyond money considerations, I suppose.

 

If you have any specific questions about the summarized data above, please let me know and I’ll try to find an answer.

 


Hugs!

 

Rosina