Living on the Camino

[Travellingman]

I touched on this in another thread sometime ago, so...
Have any of you experienced pilgrims ever encountered anyone actually "living on the camino", ie, walking full time in Spain on the pilgrim paths?
I did meet a German a couple years ago, who had been walking the Frances and working as hospitalero for 4 or 5 years, and have seen a few others who appear to be long term pilgrims.
Also rumours of a ?Polish woman who has apparently been camping and walking for years....
Any thoughts?

 

[StFina]

I did the CF in 2014. I met a French guy who had been walking the CF for almost two full years back and forth. He stays in albergues donativos, eats what he can find in the communal kitchen and had a small unemployment stipend that he lived off. I get the sense he was doing it only because it was a cheap way to live as opposed to other reasons. In speaking with him, I pitied him more than I envied him- Steve

 

[SYates]

Yes, they do exist, mainly out of dire necessity. Another way to 'live on the Camino' would be actually do something beneficial to pilgrims - like David near Astorga does. Buen Camino de la Vida, SY

 

[long trails]

I met a French couple a few weeks back. They camped and stayed at donativos. They had no money but were drunk a lot. Homeless.

 

[C2G]

Yes, they do exist, mainly out of dire necessity. Another way to 'live on the Camino' would be actually do something beneficial to pilgrims - like David near Astorga does. Buen Camino de la Vida, SY

Can you tell me more about this? I have a friend who volunteers for someone in Astoria and I want to know if it is for the same David. Thanks.

 

[mspath]

Can you tell me more about this? I have a friend who volunteers for someone in Astoria and I want to know if it is for the same David. Thanks.

For more info re David and his Casa de los Dioses see this earlier Forum thread.

Perhaps your friend is at the albergue Siervas de Maria in Astorga. Many of the staff are volunteers. See more here on their web.

 

[SYates]

Can you tell me more about this? I have a friend who volunteers for someone in Astoria and I want to know if it is for the same David. Thanks.

What @mspath said + David is a Spanish man, originally from Catalonia, that, after having done the Camino, decided to give back to the Camino. He settled down on the land of a local farmer near Astorga and maintains there now a pilgrims oasis/rest stop at great personal sacrifice. Buen Camino, SY

 

[AcrossTheWater3008]

Whilst walking towards Cee in the Camino Fisterra in August, I came across this Portuguese man selling trinkets, drinks, fruits etc on this lonely hill..... Many people walked by, without stopping, and I would have, if he had not looked imploringly at me....He was very pleasant and had a beautifully well kept behaved dog. I sat with him for a while and he told me his 20 year life on the Camino, and showed me pics of his life (his belongings on a cart that he pushed around).. About a year ago he met a woman and they now have a 7 month old baby girl. It was beautifully touching how happy he was at this milestone in his life, and how he now has a home for his family...
So, if you should come across this lovely simple man whilst walking towards Cee, do stop by and have a drink. Here is a man with a touching story of how a baby has turned his life around! He is grateful when one stops by that he would give out free treats, but he is a man trying to earn a living...

 

[BonitaHolland]

I touched on this in another thread sometime ago, so...
Have any of you experienced pilgrims ever encountered anyone actually "living on the camino", ie, walking full time in Spain on the pilgrim paths?
I did meet a German a couple years ago, who had been walking the Frances and working as hospitalero for 4 or 5 years, and have seen a few others who appear to be long term pilgrims.
Also rumours of a ?Polish woman who has apparently been camping and walking for years....
Any thoughts?

Yes I met three people in the last month who live on the Camino- one of them a guy from Liverpool teaches English in Pamplona then during the college holidays lives on the Camino as it's cheaper than living in Pamplona he's been doing this for over ten years. Another guy is walking back and forth as it's a cheaper way to live, and another guy was walking his 9th Camino non stop....