[Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago

[Glenn Jilek]

A couple of related thoughts...

    As Ana wrote, most of us, the pilgrims, are indeed the privileged, and I am sure that many Spaniards consider us so.  But I also know that many of us on the Camino have made real sacrifices to be there.  Even though I, like many others, am on a very tight budget when walking the Camino, I still have the feeling that many Spaniards think of me as a "Rich American".  A person I met in Fisterra once told me that she didn't think it right when she saw peregrinos buy some cheese, bread, and other food and sit out on the beach or a bench and eat because they should be spending money in the local restaurants.  I did not mention that I was one of those types because I could not afford to eat very many times in a restaurant, and even then it was the typical "menu del dia".  But privilege is relative, and we do, after all,  have enough resources and time to travel to that beautiful foreign land and walk the Camino.

The Economic Development thing is a different issue.

     The graffiti that I saw on the Camino Aragon was spray painted on the walls by and for the local consumption, not the pilgrims.  I or other pilgrims did not know what it meant when we saw "NO YESA" scribbled and splashed about.  I only found out a week or two later when I saw the petition that was for the pilgrims to sign.
     I worked for many years as a transportation planner and economic development is used as a prime reason for construction of infrastructure, but does not always lead to long term employment gains.  There is a real boost during actual construction sure, but then, many times the unemployment problem just shifts from one area to another.  There are a lot of "It depends" factors, and it is (at least here in the USA) far from being a sure fire solution to prosperity... although a very few people will get very wealthy from these types of projects.
     It should also be understood that constructing an industrial park or major transportation facility permanently changes the area.  So if you destroy areas of historical significance that are centuries or millennium old, you have to consider that you will never get it back again.  When I was walking on that long stretch of Roman road between Carrion de los Condes and Sahagun, I wondered what have we constructed that will still be around and functional 2000 years from now?  Modern economic development construction is by nature "short term".  Look at the ruins of the once great industrial city of Detroit, Michigan compared to what it was just 50 years ago.  I recall reading that around the time of World War One, when airplanes were increasing in importance, the British government considered dismantling Stone Henge because it was interfering with some air field.  The question for Spain and us, in general, is what significance, what importance, is historic preservation to all of us as a species.

Happy New Year to you all   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glenn


> Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:13:04 -0800
> From: ayoung2001 at yahoo.com
> To: gocamino at oakapple.net
> Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago
> 
> Indeed it is sad news, but (yes, there is a "but"), I'm afraid that according to every expert opinion, the particular economic news we hear now is not going to be quite as short-term as previous ones. I will miss the unsurpassed beauty of everything I saw as well as anyone, but the concerns of millions -- and eventually billions -- of unemployed and desperate people will surpass those of pilgrims -- now the privileged among us.
> 
> Bless all this special season.
> 
> Ana
> 
> --- On Sun, 12/26/10, Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > From: Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago
> > To: "GASpangler at hotmail.com" <gaspangler at hotmail.com>, "saintjames at yahoogroups.com" <saintjames at yahoogroups.com>, gocamino at oakapple.net
> > Date: Sunday, December 26, 2010, 8:15 AM
> > 
> > While walking the Camino Aragone in 2009 I saw a lot of
> > graffiti condemning the expansion of the Yesa Reservoir, and
> > later signed a petition about it that was circulating
> > through some refugios.  Wasn't the construction of that
> > industrial park around O Pino halted a couple of years ago
> > because of the uproar of Pro Camino people?
> >  
> > With the bad economic times facing Spain, it will be a
> > battle of money and employment vs historical
> > treasures.  I hope and pray that this organization of
> > Camino advocates can succeed because the short term concerns
> > about the economy usually wins those battles. 
> >  
> > I will be on the Camino again for almost 7 weeks starting
> > in late April, and I will appreciate every step through this
> > beautiful land more than ever now that I know how threatened
> > it is.
> >  
> > Glenn
> > 
> > 
> >     
> >         
> >           
> >   
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> 
> 
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