Protest signs along the Camino near Santiago

[nedjinski]

I walked through one area that was full of protest banners like this one.
Does anyone know what this protest is about and might it affect Camino walkers?

 

[CaminoMonique]

I did a high level Google search and found this article: https://www.elcorreogallego.es/sant...lavacolla-incorporar-peticiones-90404112.html

It has to do with city planning and trying to meet the needs of the Camino flow but also the residents.

It’s in Gallego, so any attempt of doing some quality check on Google translations are out the window. But we get the idea.

 

[Tincatinker]

“All pilgrims are bums but not all bums are pilgrims”

If you’re a bit short of a school, a health centre, a care centre or any other facility that a poor rural population might find useful then €X million on signposts, turning the school you used to have into a bunkhouse for the seriously entitled, and further squandering on gravelling trackways and building nice bridges over arroyos that locals have never been able to cross after rain might just diss your gruntle.

But this is just local politics. Nothing of our concern

 

[MinaKamina]

“All pilgrims are bums but not all bums are pilgrims”

If you’re a bit short of a school, a health centre, a care centre or any other facility that a poor rural population might find useful then €X million on signposts, turning the school you used to have into a bunkhouse for the seriously entitled, and further squandering on gravelling trackways and building nice bridges over arroyos that locals have never been able to cross after rain might just diss your gruntle.

But this is just local politics. Nothing of our concern

From the report in El Correo Gallego (mentoned by @CaminoMonique ):

"We lack lighting, sanitation and sewage; and on top of that we have to bear the burden of the airport and the industrial estates," said the neighbourhood representative, who indicated that "if we want to protect the Camino we must start by taking these fundamental issues into account".

 

[CaminoMonique]

From the report in El Correo Gallego (mentoned by @CaminoMonique ):

"We lack lighting, sanitation and sewage; and on top of that we have to bear the burden of the airport and the industrial estates," said the neighbourhood representative, who indicated that "if we want to protect the Camino we must start by taking these fundamental issues into account".

Having never walked the Camino, I’ve always wondered how is the access to basic resources to the residents. I come from a country where rural means very little to no basic resources at all, so now I guess I know it is not different to my home country.

 

[RobertS26]

Actually, it says, "Death to pilgrims who rustle plastic bags while everyone else is trying to sleep."

 

[ratherbefollowingflechas]

But this is just local politics. Nothing of our concern

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals. The fact that you DON'T think that pilgrims should be bothered by this, really ticks me off. I have created a spreadsheet of how many folks get a Compostella all the way back to 2013, and the numbers have long bypassed those pre-COVID #s as you continually refuse to believe. In 2019, the average daily number of pilgrims from April to October was 1520. This year, we are 2279 per day. The lowest days have 1200-1400 people getting their certificates. The highest days this year have run from 3500 -3900 people which is seriously straining the resources available to the locals. In the week from August, 20-26, 18,178 got their Compostellas. That averages out to 2597 people per day. People are crapping in the yards of locals. Loosely chaparoned high school kids are chasing cows in the fields and destroying food stands set out by locals. Yes. I have photos of all three!!! If I lived along the way, trying to survive my day to day live and these self entitled yokels, then I would be fed up as well. Pilgrims are leaving trash, water bottles not worth refilling, and toilet paper everywhere. They're having picnics in the square, knocking on doors at all night long and singing loudly as they make their way up the main road to the cathedral. Of course, the true nay-sayers will say that those folks would never belong to this forum and just pass it off to a few bad apples. Not true. But, apparently, according to some as we are entitled to this bad behavior because we add money to the system, this just ain't our problem?

 

[RJM]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals. The fact that you DON'T think that pilgrims should be bothered by this, really ticks me off. I have created a spreadsheet of how many folks get a Compostella all the way back to 2013, and the numbers have long bypassed those pre-COVID #s as you continually refuse to believe. In 2019, the average daily number of pilgrims from April to October was 1520. This year, we are 2279 per day. The lowest days have 1200-1400 people getting their certificates. The highest days this year have run from 3500 -3900 people which is seriously straining the resources available to the locals. In the week from August, 20-26, 18,178 got their Compostellas. That averages out to 2597 people per day. People are crapping in the yards of locals. Loosely chaparoned high school kids are chasing cows in the fields and destroying food stands set out by locals. Yes. I have photos of all three!!! If I lived along the way, trying to survive my day to day live and these self entitled yokels, then I would be fed up as well. Pilgrims are leaving trash, water bottles not worth refilling, and toilet paper everywhere. They're having picnics in the square, knocking on doors at all night long and singing loudly as they make their way up the main road to the cathedral. Of course, the true nay-sayers will say that those folks would never belong to this forum and just pass it off to a few bad apples. Not true. But, apparently, according to some as we are entitled to this bad behavior because we add money to the system, this just ain't our problem?

No offense, but what exactly is your point and if you are saying there's a problem then what's the solution?

 

[ratherbefollowingflechas]

My point is that is seems like pilgrims should be concerned about what the locals along the Camino think about the situation. It seems like the locals are upset by the influx of disrespectful pilgrims that are being more demanding vs thankful. Seems like the solution is to be a bit more thankful and a lot less demanding...

 

[RJM]

It seems like the locals are upset by the influx of disrespectful pilgrims that are demanding vs thankful. Seems like the solution is to be a bit more thankful and a lot less demanding...

Without a doubt no place that is a popular destination for tourists, pilgrims etc is immune from the bad behavior of some of them. That's just human nature. It is what it is. You just have to take the good with the bad, and without a doubt the good far outweighs the bad. Besides, bad behavior by pilgrims or tourists etc isn't life and death.
I was born and raised in a city popular with tourists. Hundreds of thousands every year. Not all behaved nicely but nobody expected them to.

 

[C clearly]

I suspect that an attitude of gratitude from pilgrims is not the key solution. They want better urban planning to meet resident needs in the midst of the growing Camino industry.

 

[Silencio Por Favor]

My point is that is seems like pilgrims should be concerned about what the locals along the Camino think about the situation. It seems like the locals are upset by the influx of disrespectful pilgrims that are being more demanding vs thankful. Seems like the solution is to be a bit more thankful and a lot less demanding...

This grievance the locals have is with their local authority and the way they are spending tax payers money. They want money spent on various facilities that affect their lives first and foremost.

I imagine a reasonable amount of locals, maybe even a majority like what pilgrims add to the local economy. This is about where money is spent and not about behavior of pilgrims.

 

[Pelegrin]

I did a high level Google search and found this article: https://www.elcorreogallego.es/sant...lavacolla-incorporar-peticiones-90404112.html

It has to do with city planning and trying to meet the needs of the Camino flow but also the residents.

It’s in Gallego, so any attempt of doing some quality check on Google translations are out the window. But we get the idea.

What I understand from this article is Lavacolla as part of Santiago municipality is affected by a Council Plan for the Camino through the municipality. This plan affects building rules. So, neighbourgs won't be totally free to do what they want with constructions in their properties due in a certain way to the Camino.

 

[peregrino_tom]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern?

rbff: some of us older folks grew up in an era where irony didn't have to be signposted with a succession of winking and lol emojis. I actually think the point being made often loses its way by doing that.
Looking at what Tinker has expressed views on previously (as well as who has 'liked' Tinker's post) should give you a clue.
On a personal note - I tried to inject humour into a dry subject a few months ago with a deadpan comment (with no signalling emojis) and it didn't go well, and I won't do it again! But some others are more fearless...
Best wishes (sincerely, not ironically!), tom

 

[timr]

On a personal note - I tried to inject humour into a dry subject a few months ago with a deadpan comment (with no signalling emojis) and it didn't go well, and I won't do it again! But some others are more fearless...
Best wishes (sincerely, not ironically!), tom

Been there, done that!

 

[sugargypsy]

some of us older folks grew up in an era where irony didn't have to be signposted with a succession of winking and lol emojis. I actually think the point being made often loses its way by doing that.
Looking at what Tinker has expressed views on previously (as well as who has 'liked' Tinker's post) should give you a clue.

In response to your comment, I read Tincatinker's post again more closely and yes, now I've noticed the irony too.

But when I first read it, that wasn't the case. English is not my mother tongue.

And that's also the case with some more members here, so this might be one reason why such misunderstandings may arise.

 

[malingerer]

Without a doubt no place that is a popular destination for tourists, pilgrims etc is immune from the bad behavior of some of them. That's just human nature. It is what it is. You just have to take the good with the bad, and without a doubt the good far outweighs the bad. Besides, bad behavior by pilgrims or tourists etc isn't life and death.
I was born and raised in a city popular with tourists. Hundreds of thousands every year. Not all behaved nicely but nobody expected them to.

Your last sentence rankles! They should not have to put up with people behaving like louts simply because the louts believe they can get away with it because nobody cares!

Samarkand.

 

[peregrino_tom]

In response to your comment, I read Tincatinker's post again more closely and yes, now I've noticed the irony too.

But when I first read it, that wasn't the case. English is not my mother tongue.

And that' also the case with some more members here, so this might be one reason why such misunderstandings may arise.

sugargypsy, you make an excellent point. Because this is an English-speaking forum, some of us native speakers get a bit carried away sometimes displaying the subtleties, nuances and idioms of the language we grew up with. But actually there are many non-native English speakers on the forum that we should appreciate, as without them it would be a significantly less valuable and interesting place.

 

[Kathor1]

What I understand from this article is Lavacolla as part of Santiago municipality is affected by a Council Plan for the Camino through the municipality. This plan affects building rules. So, neighbourgs won't be totally free to do what they want with constructions in their properties due in a certain way to the Camino.

Thank you! Good to have someone on the forum who can read and understand both Spanish and Galician.

I was starting to doubt my reading abilities - what I was reading in the linked article and in similar articles about the local protests against this "Plan Xeral" seemed to be quite different from some of the interpretations in this thread.

So the protests are mainly about building regulations and building permissions in the towns of Lavacolla, Bando (San Marcos) and San Lázaro which are small towns on the Camino Francés just before Santiago - in short urban planning. These regulations are apparently designed to keep those areas pretty (or perhaps 'authentic') that are subject to the protection of natural and cultural heritage related to the Camino de Santiago. With the result that residents' building permissions for new building works may have to be shelved for two years and there is also a dispute about maximum heights of private buildings as I read in a similar article (6 or 7 metres maximum) and many other similar issues.

What does "plan xeral" actually mean? I see now that there is even a long entry in the Xacopedia (but it does not seem to be about urban planning ):

Plan xeral da obra - Xacopedia

Xacopedia

xacopedia.com

 

[RJM]

Your last sentence rankles! They should not have to put up with people behaving like louts simply because the louts believe they can get away with it because nobody cares!

Samarkand.

So what do you suggest be done with the "louts" for said behavior? Arrest them? Banish them? Lecture them?
Honestly you do none of the above. You take the good with the bad. Again, it's not life or death and there's no such thing as utopia.

 

[Kathor1]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals.

What you are missing? What you are missing is what the residents of Lavacolla are actually concerned about.

Instead of trying to find out what this protest is actually about you react to a single post on social media. I've now read a few news articles published by the regional press in Galicia. The word "peregrino" (pilgrim) rarely appears and their number or their behaviour or their interest or disinterest in local affairs does not appear to be the reason for the banners.

 

[Kathor1]

Just for info, here is a map of the "Camino Frances" between Arzua and Lavacolla - you see the area of the Lavacolla airport (bottom left).

The dark thick line is the Camino Frances trail where peregrin@s walk along. The darker area (Delimitación BIC) to the right and left of it is the "trazado" of the Camino Frances - an area that is under particular protection and subject to restrictions on building and construction and changes. The larger lighter area is called "Delimitación ambito de respecto" - I don't know what that means.

Lavacolla has a "historical Camino Francés" and a current Camino Francés. I don't know the difference. I guess that there was a significant change to the trail when the airport was built that many pilgrims use for travelling to Santiago or for leaving. Its presence is very apparent when you walk and you can see on the map how the Camino Frances trail turns sharply north just before the airport's outer fence.

 

[Kathor1]

What does "plan xeral" actually mean?

Ah, stupid me, I should have put it into Google Translate . xeral is Galician and it means general, correct?

So the banner says: Lavacolla and inhabitants: No to the General Plan ?

I noticed that the name of the town is spelled with a "b" and not a "v" on the banner.

 

[Pelegrin]

Ah, stupid me, I should have put it into Google Translate . xeral is Galician and it means general, correct?

So the banner says: Lavacolla and inhabitants: No to the General Plan ?

I noticed that the name of the town is spelled with a "b" and not a "v" on the banner.

Yes "Xeral" is "General"
The banner has another misspeling apart from "Labacolla". Correct would be in Galego:
"Lavacolla é dos veciños. Non ao Plan Xeral". Lavacolla belongs to inhabitants. No to the General Plan.
é ( with stress) means "is, belongs" but e (without stress) means "and" which doesn't make sense here.

 

[TrampingSanta]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals. The fact that you DON'T think that pilgrims should be bothered by this, really ticks me off. I have created a spreadsheet of how many folks get a Compostella all the way back to 2013, and the numbers have long bypassed those pre-COVID #s as you continually refuse to believe. In 2019, the average daily number of pilgrims from April to October was 1520. This year, we are 2279 per day. The lowest days have 1200-1400 people getting their certificates. The highest days this year have run from 3500 -3900 people which is seriously straining the resources available to the locals. In the week from August, 20-26, 18,178 got their Compostellas. That averages out to 2597 people per day. People are crapping in the yards of locals. Loosely chaparoned high school kids are chasing cows in the fields and destroying food stands set out by locals. Yes. I have photos of all three!!! If I lived along the way, trying to survive my day to day live and these self entitled yokels, then I would be fed up as well. Pilgrims are leaving trash, water bottles not worth refilling, and toilet paper everywhere. They're having picnics in the square, knocking on doors at all night long and singing loudly as they make their way up the main road to the cathedral. Of course, the true nay-sayers will say that those folks would never belong to this forum and just pass it off to a few bad apples. Not true. But, apparently, according to some as we are entitled to this bad behavior because we add money to the system, this just ain't our problem?

I believe there was just a tinge of sarcasm in the original comment...should be followed by "/s"

 

[Dennis Pack]

So what do you suggest be done with the "louts" for said behavior? Arrest them? Banish them? Lecture them?
Honestly you do none of the above. You take the good with the bad. Again, it's not life or death and there's no such thing as utopia.

Sadly, I think you have little empathy for those who have lived along the way all their lives. Obviously it is not "life and death" for you, but it just might be to the 90 year old great grandmother who has to constantly clean the rubbish and human waste from her property each day.
Considering the state of the world at the moment, I doubt there is an easy solution. The "louts" seem to have taken over and ruined most "things" ... but thoughtful discourse would be more valuable input.

 

[TrvlDad1]

My rule is to avoid all protests of any type in foreign countries, even if I think I can read the sign or understand the chats. My understanding of the issues is bound to be incomplete at best, and I don't know what went before that might trigger the authorities, and in any case, it's likely nothing I can have any meaningful input (i.e., vote) on. And besides, if I'm so inclined, there are endless causes, protests and agitations available in my home country.

 

[RJM]

Sadly, I think you have little empathy for those who have lived along the way all their lives. Obviously it is not "life and death" for you, but it just might be to the 90 year old great grandmother who has to constantly clean the rubbish and human waste from her property each day.
Considering the state of the world at the moment, I doubt there is an easy solution. The "louts" seem to have taken over and ruined most "things" ... but thoughtful discourse would be more valuable input.

Nah, you're 100% off course about me and my level of empathy.
Your fictitious and theoretical character of a 90 year old grandmother was added just for extremism in order to make your opinion sound more relevant. I'm going to guess you've never actually observed a grandmother picking up from her yard on a daily basis human waste from pilgrim's, nor do you know any. Is there waste and rubbish along the Camino? Absolutely. I've walked it several times and have seen it. There's always going to be rude, thoughtless pilgrims. Louts I suppose. Taken over and ruined the Camino? Nah, not hardly. If that was the case I'd never walk it again instead of planning my next one in the spring.

 

[henrythedog]

Happily many of those who post here for whom English is not their first language have a far better command of grammar than I.

It’s the native English speakers who seem to regard irony as ‘vaguely metallic’ that you’ve got to watch out for.

I would now insert a relevant emoji if I had the first idea what any of them are supposed to indicate.

 

[C clearly]

The "louts" seem to have taken over and ruined most "things" ...

I don't think they have taken over the Caminos, or ruined most "things.". Having over 400,000 people walking through a village means that good planning and management of infrastructure are very necessary, even if 399,000 of those people are nice and grateful people.

 

[RJM]

Nah, you're 100% off course about me and my level of empathy.
Your fictitious and theoretical character of a 90 year old grandmother was added just for extremism in order to make your opinion sound more relevant. I'm going to guess you've never actually observed a grandmother picking up from her yard on a daily basis human waste from pilgrim's, nor do you know any. Is there waste and rubbish along the Camino? Absolutely. I've walked it several times and have seen it. There's always going to be rude, thoughtless pilgrims. Louts I suppose. Taken over and ruined the Camino? Nah, not hardly. If that was the case I'd never walk it again instead of planning my next one in the spring.

That is a lot of people and right now I'm looking out my porch at the street in front of my house. I couldn't imagine just say 10,000 people walking by in the next six months or so, let alone 400,000.
It really is amazing when given some thought and overall the overwhelming vast majority of pilgrims do not behave badly. I would give the percentage of bad ones at less than 1%.

 

[isawtman]

Am I missing something? If you are going to "keep a place pretty, doesn't it have to be pretty in the first place?

 

[Kathor1]

Am I missing something? If you are going to "keep a place pretty, doesn't it have to be pretty in the first place?

Nice insult. But let‘s not nitpick about a single word in English that I had chosen when describing some of the background and the content of the linked article for those who cannot be bothered to click on the link and read it. The article does not use the Spanish equivalent of the English word “pretty”. What was I thinking that I didn’t see this coming … . The article says “medidas encaminadas a la protección del valor etnográfico y paisajístico del trazado jacobeo”. And “proteger una zona destacada por su riqueza paisajística en el trazado jacobeo”.

 

[Kathor1]

"Lavacolla é dos veciños. Non ao Plan Xeral". Lavacolla belongs to inhabitants. No to the General Plan. é ( with stress) means "is, belongs" but e (without stress) means "and" which doesn't make sense here.

Thank you for this explanation, much appreciated. My ability to read and understand the Galician language is rather limited and usually I have to rely on Google Translate with all its shortcomings .

I learnt only now that Lavacolla, with a distance of some 10-12 km from the Praza do Obradoiro where the city administration of Santiago resides, is actually part of the municipality of Santiago - part of Greater Santiago de Compostela so to speak! So that’s why they have a say in urban planning and building permissions in Lavacolla.

 

[Richard Smith]

Having never walked the Camino, I’ve always wondered how is the access to basic resources to the residents. I come from a country where rural means very little to no basic resources at all, so now I guess I know it is not different to my home country.

Depending which Camino you walk, you may find that the pilgrims are a walking river of euros that keep cafes, shops, etc open in otherwise very empty villages. But this only covers a very narrow path.

 

[Paladina]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals. The fact that you DON'T think that pilgrims should be bothered by this, really ticks me off. I have created a spreadsheet of how many folks get a Compostella all the way back to 2013, and the numbers have long bypassed those pre-COVID #s as you continually refuse to believe. In 2019, the average daily number of pilgrims from April to October was 1520. This year, we are 2279 per day. The lowest days have 1200-1400 people getting their certificates. The highest days this year have run from 3500 -3900 people which is seriously straining the resources available to the locals. In the week from August, 20-26, 18,178 got their Compostellas. That averages out to 2597 people per day. People are crapping in the yards of locals. Loosely chaparoned high school kids are chasing cows in the fields and destroying food stands set out by locals. Yes. I have photos of all three!!! If I lived along the way, trying to survive my day to day live and these self entitled yokels, then I would be fed up as well. Pilgrims are leaving trash, water bottles not worth refilling, and toilet paper everywhere. They're having picnics in the square, knocking on doors at all night long and singing loudly as they make their way up the main road to the cathedral. Of course, the true nay-sayers will say that those folks would never belong to this forum and just pass it off to a few bad apples. Not true. But, apparently, according to some as we are entitled to this bad behavior because we add money to the system, this just ain't our problem?

What are you missing? Irony?

 

[Pelegrin]

Thank you for this explanation, much appreciated. My ability to read and understand the Galician language is rather limited and usually I have to rely on Google Translate with all its shortcomings .

I learnt only now that Lavacolla, with a distance of some 10-12 km from the Praza do Obradoiro where the city administration of Santiago resides, is actually part of the municipality of Santiago - part of Greater Santiago de Compostela so to speak! So that’s why they have a say in urban planning and building permissions in Lavacolla.

Yes. The article starts with " Raxoi degocia ya en Lavacolla. etc". Where " Raxoi" refers to "Pazo de Raxoi" the Council House in Santiago.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I don't think they have taken over the Caminos, or ruined most "things.". Having over 400,000 people walking through a village means that good planning and management of infrastructure are very necessary, even if 399,000 of those people are nice and grateful people.

The only "village" that has over 400,000 people walking through it is Santiago de Compostela.

The over 400,000 number is from all Caminos.

I have only walked a few but my experience so far and my understanding is that even in SdC the different Caminos follow (mostly) different routes.

Still, it is a useful number to throw around. Someone is bound to be impressed.

 

[CaminoMonique]

Depending which Camino you walk, you may find that the pilgrims are a walking river of euros that keep cafes, shops, etc open in otherwise very empty villages. But this only covers a very narrow path.

And that is the impression I get from many YouTube videos I’ve been watching. I’m focused on the Camino Portugues ones, but eventually watch some of the Frances and it seems that even the bigger towns are always empty and you just see peregrinos and rarely residents.

 

[T0M]

I noticed that the name of the town is spelled with a "b" and not a "v" on the banner.

I've always been a poor speller. So I understand when I see a B where a V should be, or bisa bursa. When correctly speaking Spanish (and depending on where you are) the sounds of B and V are often the same... very soft.

 

[Tincatinker]

And that is the impression I get from many YouTube videos I’ve been watching. I’m focused on the Camino Portugues ones, but eventually watch some of the Frances and it seems that even the bigger towns are always empty and you just see peregrinos and rarely residents.

Hmm, I guess that's why U.bend videos are so useful. Like those wild-life videos where you see the Lions but never the film-crew or the marksman with the gun. Pamplona, Burgos, Sahagun, Leon, Ponferrada - no one there but Pilgrims and some grateful service staff. The medium perpetuates the illusion

 

[CaminoMonique]

Hmm, I guess that's why U.bend videos are so useful. Like those wild-life videos where you see the Lions but never the film-crew or the marksman with the gun. Pamplona, Burgos, Sahagun, Leon, Ponferrada - no one there but Pilgrims and some grateful service staff. The medium perpetuates the illusion

Good point

 

[sinein]

So often pilgrims are shown tremendous kindness by the local people through whose villages and towns we walk. It may be worth thinking about how we can work in better partnership with them to address some of the issues which inevitably arise, particularly on some of the busier routes.

 

[Thornley]

So, what am I missing? How is this nothing of our concern? The serious rise of walkers, and yes, this in NOT a myth, is impacting the lives of locals. The fact that you DON'T think that pilgrims should be bothered by this, really ticks me off. I have created a spreadsheet of how many folks get a Compostella all the way back to 2013, and the numbers have long bypassed those pre-COVID #s as you continually refuse to believe. In 2019, the average daily number of pilgrims from April to October was 1520. This year, we are 2279 per day. The lowest days have 1200-1400 people getting their certificates. The highest days this year have run from 3500 -3900 people which is seriously straining the resources available to the locals. In the week from August, 20-26, 18,178 got their Compostellas. That averages out to 2597 people per day. People are crapping in the yards of locals. Loosely chaparoned high school kids are chasing cows in the fields and destroying food stands set out by locals. Yes. I have photos of all three!!! If I lived along the way, trying to survive my day to day live and these self entitled yokels, then I would be fed up as well. Pilgrims are leaving trash, water bottles not worth refilling, and toilet paper everywhere. They're having picnics in the square, knocking on doors at all night long and singing loudly as they make their way up the main road to the cathedral. Of course, the true nay-sayers will say that those folks would never belong to this forum and just pass it off to a few bad apples. Not true. But, apparently, according to some as we are entitled to this bad behavior because we add money to the system, this just ain't our problem?

Many members of the forum who are here to assist might agree with some of your thoughts.
However to overcome your problem is very simple ;

Increase the distance to 200km for a Compostela .
But this will not occur because of one of The Seven Deadly Sins.

As you have completed The Primitivo you would have noticed how pristine the pilgrims have keep this section and you would have also noticed two other things ;
The small villages love and appreciate pilgrims and
The noise when you get NEAR the Camino Frances

 

[WalkingJane]

“All pilgrims are bums but not all bums are pilgrims”

If you’re a bit short of a school, a health centre, a care centre or any other facility that a poor rural population might find useful then €X million on signposts, turning the school you used to have into a bunkhouse for the seriously entitled, and further squandering on gravelling trackways and building nice bridges over arroyos that locals have never been able to cross after rain might just diss your gruntle.

But this is just local politics. Nothing of our concern

Our concern is always to be courteous. But I'm sure you don't mean to suggest otherwise.

 

[isawtman]

Nice insult. But let‘s not nitpick about a single word in English that I had chosen when describing some of the background and the content of the linked article for those who cannot be bothered to click on the link and read it. The article does not use the Spanish equivalent of the English word “pretty”. What was I thinking that I didn’t see this coming … . The article says “medidas encaminadas a la protección del valor etnográfico y paisajístico del trazado jacobeo”. And “proteger una zona destacada por su riqueza paisajística en el trazado jacobeo”.

So, are you saying your interpreting is at fault? Because, of all the places on the camino I would call pretty, Lavacolla is very low on the list. In fact, if you are into interpretation, I have been told that Lavacolla means "wash your ass." Again, not very pretty

 

[SabsP]

So, are you saying your interpreting is at fault? Because, of all the places on the camino I would call pretty, Lavacolla is very low on the list. In fact, if you are into interpretation, I have been told that Lavacolla means "wash your ass." Again, not very pretty

Or other theories!

El cuello = the neck.

Lavacolla - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

es.wikipedia.org

Or colla aka colina.
Some etymology.


Existen varias teorías sobre el origen del topónimo de Lavacolla: una de ellas hace referencia al aseo de peregrinos en el río que discurre por el lugar antes de entrar en la ciudad santa como una manera de purificación. Otra teoría habla de un origen anterior a las peregrinaciones por lo que la composición lava (pasto bajo) + colla (colina) significaría "pasto bajo de la colina". También se puede decir que los peregrinos siempre se lavaban el cuello para entrar en Santiago sin suciedad.

​

 

[Kathor1]

Lavacolla means "wash your ass”

That interpretation of the village’s name is a pseudo-toponymic interpretation and not even a good one. It is related to a ritual that is described in the 12th century Codex Calixtinus and was apparently performed somewhere in the vicinity of Santiago. If anyone is seriously interested and doesn’t know this yet, I recommend the following link as a meaningful source of information: https://xacopedia.com/Lavacolla_A

I fail to see how this has anything to do with the way the buildings of the village look today (which is some 900 years later) or with the 2022 urban planning restrictions that the town administration of Santiago wants to impose on the inhabitants of this village and a few other villages in the vicinity for now and for the next few years - apparently the main reason for the protest banners.

 

[Thornley]

We are visitors in their country.
They can say what they like ......................Live and let live .
Conversations getting petty
OP has gone awol.
Hoo Roo

 

[Pelegrin]

Or other theories!

El cuello = the neck.

Lavacolla - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

es.wikipedia.org

Or colla aka colina.
Some etymology.


Existen varias teorías sobre el origen del topónimo de Lavacolla: una de ellas hace referencia al aseo de peregrinos en el río que discurre por el lugar antes de entrar en la ciudad santa como una manera de purificación. Otra teoría habla de un origen anterior a las peregrinaciones por lo que la composición lava (pasto bajo) + colla (colina) significaría "pasto bajo de la colina". También se puede decir que los peregrinos siempre se lavaban el cuello para entrar en Santiago sin suciedad.

​

I don' t think " colla" comes from " cuello" because in Galego is " pescozo".
And Lava = pasto bajo ????? ( in which language ?)
Also, colla = collado ? Is Spanish, Galego= Outeiro.

 

[SabsP]

I don' t think " colla" comes from " cuello" because in Galego is " pescozo".
And Lava = pasto bajo ????? ( in which language ?)
Also, colla = collado ? Is Spanish, Galego= Outeiro.

Thanks for the clarification! The Wikipedia has its limits .

 

[Pelegrin]

Thanks for the clarification! The Wikipedia has its limits .

This point was treated in another thread. My opinion is that most likely is Lavacolla comes from "Lava collóns" wash testicles.

 

[kojak]

Does anyone know why the mileage markers about 10 km before Santiago are defaced? There are also lots of banners that seem to protest some sort of municipal plan and/or Camino?

[Moderator note: Two threads have now been combined, which explains why some links below will go to this same thread. Thanks to those who made the connections.]

 

[SabsP]

Does anyone know why the mileage markers about 10 km before Santiago are defaced? There are also lots of banners that seem to protest some sort of municipal plan and/or Camino?

See this thread.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/protest-signs-along-the-primitivo.83727/#post-1192100

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @kojak , so first, welcome to this forum.
Now for a suggested answer: graffitists want to leave their mark! Their 15 minutes of fame if you will. For me it’s sacrilege and to a degree a safety hazard as a pilgrim in need can no longer read etither the distance or the GPS location. In Galacia the markets, when untouched are, imho, quite special. On another tack back from Nejara the distance markers, then every 5 or 10 km have been vandalised or removed. Thanks for your post.

 

[Tincatinker]

I remember when the mojones were fitted with nice Bronze plaques showing distances and stuff. Some of them lasted weeks....

 

[SabsP]

Hola @kojak , so first, welcome to this forum.
Now for a suggested answer: graffitists want to leave their mark! Their 15 minutes of fame if you will. For me it’s sacrilege and to a degree a safety hazard as a pilgrim in need can no longer read etither the distance or the GPS location. In Galacia the markets, when untouched are, imho, quite special. On another tack back from Nejara the distance markers, then every 5 or 10 km have been vandalised or removed. Thanks for your post.

It is not graffiti but a banner.

 

[Tincatinker]

@kojak An explanation here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/protest-signs-along-the-primitivo.83727/

 

[Liica]

What I understand from this article is Lavacolla as part of Santiago municipality is affected by a Council Plan for the Camino through the municipality. This plan affects building rules. So, neighbourgs won't be totally free to do what they want with constructions in their properties due in a certain way to the Camino.

Additionally, before building anything, now they need to ask permission for the “Camino Plan” (The project name).
So they will need 2 different permissions because their construction must
align with the Camino Plan and some things changed like: before they could build 7m high and now only 6m. They also complain that there are multiple other necessities for the town being ignored and now they new approval of 2 places to build.
Don’t know the name in english.
They don’t like that decisions are being made without taking into account their necessities as the ones who lives there and still make things worse for them. That’s it.

From the report in El Correo Gallego (mentoned by @CaminoMonique ):

"We lack lighting, sanitation and sewage; and on top of that we have to bear the burden of the airport and the industrial estates," said the neighbourhood representative, who indicated that "if we want to protect the Camino we must start by taking these fundamental issues into account".

 

[HKim]

Perhaps we need to have an additional emoji added to our list: An ironing board; or an iron.

[I know, I know, a wink ;-) or smile may suffice to do the same.]

Alternatively, @Tincatinker can add it to his signature line to grant fair notification of his common (and quite enjoyable to those who recognize the tongue-in-cheekiness of many of his observations) practice.

-HKim