Fun Facts about My Camino

800 Kilometers later, here are some fun facts about my Camino…

The People…
I met and talked to people from 30 different countries (see list below) from teachers and bodyworkers to lawyers and bankers…and everyone in between.
The youngest pilgrim that I met was an 11-year old Italian boy who was walking with his dad and his 16-year old sister.
The oldest pilgrim that I met was an 84-year old French woman who was walking one week at a time, whenever she had someone who could walk with her (this time it was her niece).
The majority of Americans that I met came from California (why was I not surprised?) :)  Other states represented included PA, OH, MO, TX, WA, FL, TN, AR, NV, and HI.

The Places…
The path is filled with very authentic villages and places to stay- so many things to choose from!  The most authentic albergue where I spent the night was a parish hostel located in the upper floors of the annex to the adjoining church in Granon.  Most of us didn’t sleep all too well on the (very hard) floor, but we all agreed the next day that it was worth the experience :)

You often find volunteers (sometimes from all over the world) running the hostels, welcoming, and supporting the pilgrims in any way they can.  The most welcoming and giving hospitalera I ran into was Junkal– a woman in her late 40’s/early 50’s who left her home and family in North Eastern Spain for 2 weeks to come and run the municipal albergue in Calzada de los Hermanillos all by herself (despite her injured wrists).  She went for a walk with me to show me where the best source of drinking water in the village was and without speaking the same language, her humble and giving heart brought me to tears.

When I asked myself, which was my favorite overnight village/town, I realized what a hard decision that was.  So many beautiful, magical places along the way!
In terms of a larger city (only a few on the Camino), the choice was relatively easy.  I fell in love with Leon the moment I got there.  The city was lively, colorful, and young with many attractions for both pilgrims and tourists.  I suppose that the fact I got to witness a special celebration and festival while I was there also added to the charm.  The most impressive Cathedral, no doubt, is the one in Leon.  Its brilliant 125 stained glass windows will leave you speechless.
Two other, smaller overnight villages worth the note are Molinaseca and Villafranca del Bierzo.  Both towns (and many more) looked like a painting– an imaginary kingdom that a dreamy artist created in his/her mind.

The Experiences…
The best dinner was completely unexpected.  San Bol can be found (if you look carefully) between endless golden fields, a small grove, and a well somewhere in the middle of the Camino Frances.  Other than the lovely albergue (that can host 12 pilgrims max), there is really nothing around.  And so, six (mostly non-related) Italians, two Czech, one Brazilian, one Portuguese, one Israeli, and one South African all found their way to San Bol one boiling afternoon.  The hospiraleros prepared our dinner around a round wooden table with wine and candles (no electricity, in case I forgot to mention) and left the space for us to enjoy.  It was a night to remember.  We laughed, enjoyed, and learned about each other.  It was pure magic.

Most albergues had terrific atmosphere.  One that stood out was En El Camino in Boadilla del Camino, welcoming us with lively outdoor area and cafe, beautiful garden, and even a pool to escape the Spanish heat.  The garden included various Camino motifs and had a superb atmosphere.

All and all, it seemed to me that almost every little village or town had its treasures.  The more authentic places often provided more powerful experiences in the “spirit of the Camino”, offering donation-based hospitality and/or communal meals.

The 30 countries I met and talked to on the Camino:
Holland, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, United States, South Africa, Spain, Japan, Hungary, Finland, South Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Croatia, England, Sweden, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Portugal, Belgium, Curacao (Dutch), Argentina, Romania, Israel (!), Denmark, Mexico.