Aldrig har jeg set så mange gamle mænd i underbukser, siger en ung fransk kvindelig pilgrim efter at have gået Via de la Plata. Bekrivelsen er efter undertegnede opfattelse helt korrekt (jeg er selv en af de gamle mænd), og den unge franske piges indtryk af Via de la Plata er kun en af de ti punkter om Via de la Plata, som Irske Kevin, der har gået en hel del pilgrimsvandring, har på sin hjemmeside: http://www.thesenioradventurer.com/ ; beskrevet i ti punkter, om hvordan han synes, at Via de la Plata adskiller sig fra Camino Frances.
Du kan læse de ti punkter herunder om lidt, men et par enkelte tilføjelser vil jeg give. a) Jeg fik ikke vabler på Via de la Plata. Jeg vil ikke påstå, at man altid kan undgå vabler, og at det er pilgrimmens egen skyld, hvis vablerne kommer. Vi pilgrimme er meget forskellige rent fysisk, og nogen kan bare ikke undgå vabler. Men vi/jeg/du/I kan gøre meget for at undgå vabler, hvilket jeg har skrevet om tidligere her på siden. b) Jeg er fuldstændig enig i, at Via de la Plata er en af de fysisk mest krævende ruter i Spanien. Det skyldes IKKE, at det går op og ned, for det gør det ikke nævneværdigt de første 500-600 km. Men det skyldes primært de lange afstande mellem overnatning, barer og rastesteder. Der findes kun meget få steder med bænke eller anden rastemulighed undervejs. C) Herberg er lukket trods meddelelser om det modsatte, hold dig hele tiden underrettet via www.gronze.com , og ring hellere en gang for meget i forvejen til herberger/anden overnatning for at sikre dig, at stedet er åben, og der også er en seng, når du når frem.
Her i de ti punkter fra Kevins hjemmeside:
1. LONGER: Via de la Plata (VDLP) is 1000 kilometers vs. 790 kilometers on Camino Frances.
2. LESS INFRASTRUCTURE: Fairly often you have to walk 15-30k with no Cafe or tienda(shop) to stop for food and drink. Also there are stretches where you have to walk as far as 30k to get to the next Alberguefor a bed.
3. LESS FLEXIBILITY REQUIRING MORE PLANNING: On Frances you can just wake up and pack your gear and start walking. You are never far from a cafe or albergue. On VDLP because of Point 2. you really need to do some planning before you start each day.
4. MORE INTIMATE: If you find Frances too crowded you will like VDLP as you can walk 30k and see as little as 4-5 people but rarely more than 10-12 in a day. Of course this will depend on the time of year you go and your speed. You usually know most of the people at the Albergue each night. I began 10 May and entered Santiago 22 June.
5. VDLP IS MOSTLY OLD MEN: It is rare to meet people under 40 and very rare to meet anyone under 25. I did befriend a 30 year old French girl who I ran into several times including at the end in Muxia and we were both laughing in tears as she told me she was so tired of the old men walking around the albergue’s in only their underpants. When I realized I was one of those old men I laughed even harder.
6. VDLP IS MORE OF A LONG DISTANCE WALK: This may be a very personal comment but I talked to others who agreed that the VDLP is more of a long distance walk. It did not feel as spiritual as Frances. Between Seville and Salamanca, the first half, it seemed like a walk through Roman history with all the bridges and the theatre and aqueduct of Merida and of course the great archway at Caparra. That said, after you veered west at Granja de Moreruela and especially in Galicia the Camino feel was stronger.
7. VERY FEW FIRST TIME PILGRIMS: The VDLP is long and difficult and not well known so there are very few first time peregrino's. Consequently there is less intimate discussion around your reasons for being here. The talk is more serious centered around your previous Camino experiences.
8. VDLP IS LESS FUN: It’s longer and more grueling with the lack of infrastructure. But there seems to be less fun. I suppose the lack of diversity and high percentage of old men has something to do with that. Although it got better in the second half.
9. HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL WALKING INTO SANTIAGO: While still emotional, I felt more relief than anything else coming into Santiago.
10. COMPLETING VDLP FELT LIKE MORE OF AN ACHIEVEMENT THAN FRANCES: I found walking Frances fun and a great experience and had no physical issues. VDLP was long, difficult, and seemed to never end. Admittedly, I had blister problems on the VDLP and none on Frances.
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