Doing the mythical Camino de Santiago by bike is a wonderful experience, full of challenges and moments that you surely won't want to miss. Live it now!
En Bikefriendly We have completed the Camino de Santiago, both on foot and by bike, on various occasions, whether for personal reasons or professionally, providing our services to pilgrims. But the last of the experiences lived has left us unforgettable memories... that we are looking forward to reliving.
When one has made an itinerary like the the Camino de Santiago several times, especially for work reasons, it tends to fall into automatisms and customs that, inevitably, can hide the meaning and importance of this trip for millions of people. To avoid this, there is nothing better than sharing the road with people who have barely traveled and, far from it, have completed a similar challenge in their lives.
Such is the case of our last Camino de Santiago, carried out a few months ago in the company of a large group of Mexicans, many of whom had never left the continent and even their own country. We also met people with very diverse physical conditions, so the trip became an exciting challenge....taking into account that the 'goal' was not in Santiago, but in Finisterre.
In this sense, our luggage transfer service, from accommodation to accommodation, was a relief (a 'blessing' they said) for many of the group members. Their expressions of gratitude towards us were the general tone at the beginning and end of each stage, when we collected their suitcase and they found it at the reception of the next hostel on the Camino.
As well We take care of managing lunches and dinners for all those who wish to do so., so that they only had to worry about taking a shower, regaining their strength in an establishment specially reserved for them, and resting until the next day.
We were able to share many of those lunches and dinners with them, fun moments caused by the huge quantities of food they served us (you know how they eat in the north of the peninsula...) or by the 'lightness' with which the waiters served them the wine. of the day (in Mexico it is practically a luxury item). Also We had our particular gastronomic 'piques'... they challenged us to try some of their hottest chilies... and we responded with white pomace. Let's say that things ended in a draw.
Passing by Santiago de Compostela and the visit to the cathedral was one of the moments that most excited the entire group, but where their eyes really lit up was when they arrived at Fisterra and complete the ascent to the lighthouse that presides over the 'end of the world' cape. They had achieved it, after kilometers and kilometers of suffering, scratches and some indigestion... there they were, facing the immensity of the ocean. And we, sharing it with them.
And, as they say, sometimes they have to come from outside to remind you of the richness and value of what you have inside. AND The Camino de Santiago is one of those treasures that we must preserve to continue sharing it with the rest of the world, as it is an unbeatable vehicle to strengthen ties between people and cultures.
Author: Víctor Marcos, Communication and RRSS Bikefriendly
