An article yesterday about plans by the Government of Aragon to promote the Caminos which pass through the region. Better publicity for their albergues, improved signposting and the creation of a post for someone to coordinate the work of local authorities on the Caminos. One detail drew my attention in particular.
“We are not going to put up any benches or picnic tables, because the municipalities cannot be responsible for cleaning up the garbage that is generated there,” (Google Translate.) Sad that this is the practical reality these days.
elpirineoaragones.com
One of our most memorable, and when the Amigos Association of Navarra hosted us last May for a tour of their province, they took to us Javier, the monastery at Leyre, Sanguesa and Eunate, some of the top highlights of this camino, all in Navarra. We loved walking in the Aragon portion, with the top sites Jaca and San Juan de la Pena.
There were very few pilgrims and we were alone when we hit Somport. After Jaca, we picked up 4 other pilgrims that seemed like they were taken from the movie The Way. There was brilliant, young PhD German gal who was dragging her father along so he would lose weight. But at every stop, he quickly downed beer after beer. Had to smile. Then there were two retired professors, one English, one Danish who became friends on an earlier camino. One afternoon we arrived in a seemingly abandoned village with the albergue locked. The Dane found a way in and we all followed. The Brit immediately made us all tea and our few moments of anxiety were immediately dispelled.