![]() ![]() People talk politics, poverty, fear of the future. I had conversations with farmers who all blame them for the absolute lack of rain everywhere they have been built. You can hear them, and they sound ominous. And that is not to forget the hundreds of wind turbines disfiguring a landscape that will never look the same. ![]() ![]() Many lovely places, from local cafes to hotels, had closed down. Same thing in some caf's whose redecoration is the opposite of what pilgrims are looking for on the Camino I am thinking for example of the little cafe next to Sarria's train station, all wooden panels and full of local history 5 years ago now, everything has been stripped down to the usual white walls and it looks as drab as a cantina, with a fairly bored looking owner stuck behind the bar on his mobile. Rooms were more expensive and when in new hotels or renovated places, they all had the charm of hospital rooms: walls painted intense white or grey, nothing decorative or pleasant to look at. We did a few Albergues that felt business-like. Some hospitaleros were rude, abrupt or not particularly friendly. People were happy to talk to each other if someone started a conversation, but it wasn't as effortless, spontaneous as before. There was a dullness in the air, something less joyful. In Navares and the Rioja in particular, the few pilgrims you'd encounter on the way were often uncommunicative, almost avoidant of each other and the Buen Camino you'd normally hear from any stranger on your path was actually quite rare. First, I immediately noticed a noticeable change in atmosphere. Both times were the happiest, most exhilarating experiences of my entire life. I did it twice first in June 2017 and the second time in July 2019 and both were full of pilgrims. Click to expand.I was there this last September, and I can confirm that the Camino was emptier than I have ever seen it. ![]()
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