People come to do El Camino from all over the world. As you walk, you hear all kind of languages, some of them I recognize quickly, others, it takes me some time to figure out.

I always try first English as it is clear that it is the universal language. If you don’t speak English your possibilities of meeting people and engaging in a meaningful conversation are limited.

If you speak Spanish, along the Camino you are good for all the practical arrangements that you need to take care of yourself, such as lodging, eating, finding your place around the places where you are and meeting all the wonderful Spanish people that wish you well along the way all the time.

Yesterday I stop to take a few of the grapes that were so ripe and inviting from the grape vines along the way and all of a sudden, a Spaniard farmer came along and instead of scolding me for taking the grapes, he helped me take more of them!

Also along the way, you find fig trees and peach trees and pommegranates and wild black berries, zarzamoras, which are absolutely delicious! Yesterday morning a man was walking his dog and his god was so cute that I had to pet him. I noticed that the man was carrying some figs and bread, that he told me were for the ducks. I told him I love figs, so he gave me a bag full of them. The most delicious ones I ever tasted, even better that the ones I tried at my sister’s in France.

Later, walking with a tall British young man, we discovered several fig trees along the way and we eat some more. What a feast!

Many people back home got concerned that I was going to travel by myself. I knew I was gong to be okay, but I never expected to see so many people, particularly women, traveling by themselves.

Women are married, widowed, divorced, single, young and mature and some very mature, and mostly traveling all by themselves. They also come from all corners of the earth, except maybe people from Africa, although I met a mature lady from South Africa the first day and she was not black.

I see an unsual numbe of Brazilians and Germans and also Canadians. For the size of our country, I find it very remarkable. Someone told me that the registrar’s office in Saint Jean is issuing in the order of 300 ilgrim passports a day, but I also heard thst we are at this moment more than 350 thousand pilgrims on our way to Santiago.

Why is this happening? This is a question that everybody wants to know the answer and there’s no easy enswer to say the truth.

When you register officially in Saint Jean or Roncesvalles or Pamplona or Leon or wherever you decide to start your way, they ask you what your motives are. You can choose from the following: religious, spiritual, physical, tourism, adventure.

A few of the people I have met have told me it is for religious reasons, while most have chosen ‘spiritual’. The majority is looking to find out whi they are, if we could summarize it as such.

Young people are at crossroads, such as finishing one relationship, ending a job, finishing university, Master’s or even their doctorates.

Mature people, mostly are retired. They lost their partners because of divorce or death and suddenly they didn’t know what to do with themselves. Or they are celebrating special birthdays, 50, 60, 70, or 75, trying to get a fuller meaning of this life.

Whatever the reasons, most people would walk the 800 kms walk, for their own purposes, but a huge number of them will be presented with important obstacles, maknly related to blisters or accidents. Somey of them will take care of their feet by taking lne or two day off and then resume their walk, other may take a bit longer, but all of them want to resume their journey as soon as possible.

Some other people I have met, they got addicted to El Camino. They want to do it every year or as many times as they could possibly want. I met a man who has done it 10 times and he was on his number 11.

Today I am in Azofra. I am walkng with no blisters or agonies. I am enjoying the landscape, the food and the company and mostly, the fact that I have a place to shower and rest. I suffer the big inclines of the hills, but i concentrate in taking one step at a time.

A sign I saw today read, the tourist demands, the pilgrim is grateful. I am indeed grateful that I can take this journey.

Blessings