Masks in trees??

[kori]

Camino Portuguese in April... and outskirts of SC walking through woodlands, there is a stretch where masks and tissue paper were hanging from low hanging branches of trees. Quite a few actually. And seemed not to be random.
Anyone know why?

 

[C clearly]

The only explanation I can think of is that someone noticed them on the ground and decided to put them in the trees, to be a challenge to people following. Would the following people at least take the hint to NOT discard such rubbish? Would someone collect the garbage and clean the path?

 

[malingerer]

The only explanation I can think of is that someone noticed them on the ground and decided to put them in the trees, to be a challenge to people following. Would the following people at least take the hint to NOT discard such rubbish? Would someone collect the garbage and clean the path?

Not an update on "wishing trees" by any chance?

Samarkand

 

[wisepilgrim]

There is something strange going on. I found a similar thing on a boardwalk in Galicia. It had a chain link fence on one side and ever fifty meters there was a mask and a half used tube of toothpaste. That was 4 months ago and I still think about it.

 

[Bradypus]

Not an update on "wishing trees" by any chance?

I suspect something of the sort might be happening. Every so often a new "tradition" seems to pop up out of nowhere. At one time there were hundreds of crosses made of intertwined sticks fixed to part of the airport chain link fence as the Camino Frances approached Santiago. And a short distance from those there was an area of woodland where many of the trees had items of clothing left hanging from them. Slightly disturbing. A tree on the Camino Sanabres very near the Galicia border has many shoes swinging from its branches. It only takes one person to leave their mark in a distinctive way and others may follow their example. I shudder at the sordid mess the Cruz de Ferro has become in recent years because of this trend.

 

[woody66]

Hi!
This is my 5 cents worth on the matter.
We live in a World now where we have to leave some kind of mark to signify our existence.
Like Bradypus said people follow by example and some examples people follow are thoughtless!
As time passes they become an eyesore and a problem for others to solve.

Make a wish and hold it in your heart!
You don't need to spoil nature to do it.
A tree is a wonderful thing and it's beauty is not enhanced by someone's old boot, buff or used face mask hanging off it!
No one knows you left it and no one really cares why you left it as they pass!
Cruz de Ferro should be the place; just leave your stone! (that in itself has an impact)

People should be glad they walked and leave the Camino as it was for others to enjoy!
Bit of a moany old s*d i know
Enjoy the day.
Woody
PS Years ago(late1980's) i visited Morocco and travelled to Tangiers overland; never in my life had i seen such a mess!
Woodland full of hundreds of bin liners in trees, fields with plastic bottles and cartons as a crop, puddles a hundred feet long in the street full of rubbish people followed by example then and still do!

 

[Tincatinker]

And there’s me thinking that after the failure of the spaghetti harvest Galician farmers were experimenting with a new crop

 

[Camino Chrissy]

My guess is that it was an irreverent act by someone thinking it was a funny thing to do, then others followed suit...it's not funny, it's disrespectful and an eyesore to the beauty of the landscape.

 

[Marbe2]

Unfortunately, young people here, on rare occasions, at best “prank” a place with toilet paper. Seniors in high school, e.g. spread toilet paper all over the bushes outside our high school years ago. They were caught them and they could not attend the graduation ceremony.

Sorry to report that sometimes , worse yet, people desecrate” solemn places as hostile acts with toilet places.

Using masks is a new wrinkle.

 

[Albertagirl]

I was reading an online post about his camino recently, and a quite pious man walking a camino was making it his practice to leave stones all over the place, with a prayer, as memorials to various persons. He seemed to think this a normal religious practice for pilgrims. I can't say that he was wrong.

 

[psgerboc]

Every so often a new "tradition" seems to pop up out of nowhere.

Garbage should never be a "tradition". And masks need to be disposed of properly. What a shame!

 

[psgerboc]

I was reading an online post about his camino recently, and a quite pious man walking a camino was making it his practice to leave stones all over the place, with a prayer, as memorials to various persons. He seemed to think this a normal religious practice for pilgrims. I can't say that he was wrong.

Leaving a rock in a nature setting is way better than leaving your gross mask hanging from a tree. Shouldn't we all make the effort to leave a place better than we found it.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

And there’s me thinking that after the failure of the spaghetti harvest Galician farmers were experimenting with a new crop

Not funny

 

[Kanga]

I loathe this silly habit of people behaving like lemmings - follow the pack no matter how silly.

Anyone locally prepared to go and clear the tree and dispose of the masks properly? I'd do it but Sydney is a bit far. If someone volunteers I will meet the challenge by going on a litter walk here.

One thing I noticed in Austria (from whence we have just returned) was the complete absence of litter. It was wonderful. It might be that lots of public money gets devoted to keeping things clean, and other countries do not have that luxury, but it certainly lifts the spirits.

 

[502550]

Camino Portuguese in April... and outskirts of SC walking through woodlands, there is a stretch where masks and tissue paper were hanging from low hanging branches of trees. Quite a few actually. And seemed not to be random.
Anyone know why?

I noticed these masks on my last day walking the Camino Portuguuese into SDC in early May and was also very curious. When I got home I googled it but coudn't find anything there. I don't think it was as simple as pilgrims following suit as they walked by, because they seemed like they were in difficult spots to hang and it would have taken some effort. I wonder if they are still there or if its been cleaned up since?