Where did all these people come from?

Day 11 of walking: Barbadelo to Portomarin, 18.2 km

Yesterday we passed through Sarria, where many pilgrims begin their walk. The kilometer marker here is 111 to Santiago. You only have to do these 111 in order to receive your certificate of completion, so many people who don’t have the time or the stamina or the ability to do the full 790 (or so!) begin here.

The town was full of bright backpacks, brand new shoes, and clean smelling people. We felt completely out of place and kept walking. Just like I had done last year, with an orthopedic boot and a shiny new pair of crutches. These were my first 4 kilometers once I began walking again!

When we arrived in Barbadelo last night, the first thing we saw was a tour bus and dozens and dozens of teenagers and luggage bags. It should have been our first clue as to what was to come today. Just a few days ago we were wondering if there were any other pilgrims on the Way. What a difference a couple of days makes!

The time changed over night so we got a late start. We remembered this from last year, that the time changes a couple weeks later in Spain than it does in America. But we were still out of our Albergue by 9 a.m. And instantly saw a sea of people.

Young women in spandex, talking nonstop chatter. Old women in velour pant suits and overdoses of perfume. Young men blasting their music, racing from one stop to the next. Old men intrigued by every plant, bug, farm, and cemetery. All with clean shoes and small backpacks, smelling of soap and other clean things.

We had to remind ourselves not to be irritated by this influx of people, who we’ve nicknamed “mall walkers.” Just because they didn’t start in Leon, or St. Jean Pied de Port, or even further away, doesn’t mean the Camino is any less of a commitment or a feat. We should applaud them for coming at all. Especially now, in this week leading up to Easter. And just because we are tired with blisters, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be encouraged by their fresh energy and enthusiasm.

It was a challenge, however. Especially when we stopped to take photos at the “100 km” marker. It was a particularly special moment for Rand, who has waited so long and worked so hard to get here. And yet while we took photos a dozen people passed by without so much as stopping to appreciate the marker. A very different experience from last year, in which I arrived here with several others who had started in St. Jean, and we celebrated with chocolate and photos and words of jubilation.

There was a bit of redemption at the 99 km marker, however. Rand stopped to take a photo, now that we are down to double digits! And a group of men came along and were also excited to see “noventa y nueve”.

“Animo!” I cheered them on. And when we saw them again later in Portomarin, they repeated this word of encouragement right back to us.