Alert Suspicious man, Caminho Portuguese spiritual variant

[sally_lc]

Quick warning to solo peregrinas, mature man hassling me today near northern end of water and stone route. Something about not having money and a 'free museum' at end where it hits the road. Very touchy, not right. A fellow pilgrim passed at that point, and man disappeared. However he reappeared a couple of km later when I was on my own again, must have been following all that way, started going on about not having money again. No free museum in sight of course. Fortunately 2 more pilgrims appeared at this point so I stuck to them.
This was all in Spanish so I may have misinterpreted, but it didn't feel right.
Rather tatty, I think he had a knee brace.
All rather suspicuous, ladies be careful

 

[CalgaryLynn]

How unfortunate, I hope that didn't take away from your beautiful walk. I walked it alone too and while I was walking, I thought to myself....I would never do this in Canada because of bears and cougars. I found it so freeing to walk in the forests without worrying, I felt very safe and now you experience this!

 

[Jennifer B]

I had the same experience with an older man near that same place back in October 2022 at end of the water and stone route. Nothing about a museum, but just very interested in me. I shook him off, and then he had driven up farther along the route and was waiting for me in his car. He reapproached me, wanted to go have lunch, and when I said no, then he wanted me to meet him at a bar in Vilanova de Arousa (by the boat route) that afternoon, gave me the name of a place. Super creepy! I did not have any other pilgrims come along so had to BS him and walked away nervously and all freaked out for a long time! The only time on my camino where I felt any tension.

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

Quick warning to solo peregrinas, mature man hassling me today near northern end of water and stone route. Something about not having money and a 'free museum' at end where it hits the road. Very touchy, not right. A fellow pilgrim passed at that point, and man disappeared. However he reappeared a couple of km later when I was on my own again, must have been following all that way, started going on about not having money again. No free museum in sight of course. Fortunately 2 more pilgrims appeared at this point so I stuck to them.
This was all in Spanish so I may have misinterpreted, but it didn't feel right.
Rather tatty, I think he had a knee brace.
All rather suspicuous, ladies be careful

Is this on the route past Arementeira, the walk along the river? If so, that happened last year in June when I was walking. Not to me, but to another pilgrim who felt very uncomfortable with the encounter. I do believe she reported the experience. It is such a beautiful and peaceful walk. I am glad I didn’t know about this man when I began that day or it would have ruined what is a wonderful memory. I am sorry this happened to you. It sounds very much like the same man from his M.O. How can change happen?

 

[sally_lc]

Is this on the route past Arementeira, the walk along the river? If so, that happened last year in June when I was walking. Not to me, but to another pilgrim who felt very uncomfortable with the encounter. I do believe she reported the experience. It is such a beautiful and peaceful walk. I am glad I didn’t know about this man when I began that day or it would have ruined what is a wonderful memory. I am sorry this happened to you. It sounds very much like the same man from his M.O. How can change happen?

Yes, same place....

 

[sally_lc]

Not intending to post any more on this, as i just want to forget about it now and not leave the camino with negative memories. Thank you for supportive comments. It s just so annoying as women we need to be constantly on guard for this sort of thing. Keep safe all

 

[Kirkie]

Not intending to post any more on this, as i just want to forget about it now and not leave the camino with negative memories. Thank you for supportive comments. It s just so annoying as women we need to be constantly on guard for this sort of thing. Keep safe all

Sally, in 2013, if my memory is correct, we came across a sick person, very sick. How else to explain the behaviour? Fortunately, we were together. We did report to the first human station, but the point is you have been offended, invaded.
So very sorry.

 

[ivar]

Thank you for letting us know about this. Will close the thread since there is not much to discuss. Buen Camino!