19/09/2021
Pilgrims have been walking to Santiago de Compostela for nine centuries. The first ones set out on their journey driven by faith, but over the years their motivations have adapted to changing times. "Before starting the journey, my goal was to rediscover myself and reorient my life in every way. I thought it would be a solitary journey of introspection, and although this has certainly been the case, the road has taught me a completely different way of achieving this. It is very difficult to complete the journey alone, as very strong bonds are formed in a very short time and in a completely spontaneous way. As you get to know people, you find a little bit of yourself in each pilgrim." Toni Alemany began his journey in Saint Jean Pied de Port on 12 August: 32 days later and with almost 800 kilometres behind him, he reached the Cathedral of Santiago.
This is not the first time that this 32-year-old Mallorcan has walked the Camino; he knows it like the back of his hand. ‘It's something I've been doing almost every summer since I was a child, thanks to my uncle Jaume Alemany and his Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago Mallorca, who have been making the pilgrimage for more than 25 years,’ he says. Alemany explains that ‘I had always wanted to do the whole thing, and that requires some savings and, above all, time, about a month. It's something you keep putting off and that never seems to happen, because of our pace of life and because we prioritise certain things, until suddenly everything changes.’ The Mallorcan explains that a few months ago his personal situation changed and that was when he decided it was time to pursue one of his dreams. "I asked for a leave of absence from work and without thinking twice I understood that it was the sign I had been waiting for for so long. I left at the beginning of July and only returned to Majorca to get vaccinated. Together with my uncle, we completed four stages of his programme, finishing on 10 August. That same day, I set off for the start of the route and on the 12th I began in Saint Jean Pied de Port."
The route, which is over 800 kilometres long, is steeped in a wealth of stories, traditions and myths. Some pilgrims walk in search of a goal, while others enjoy the route and the places they pass through. ‘The hardest part of the journey is losing people who don't make it to the end, even more so than the days of intense sun and heat waves in Castile and León. The route is like a constant metaphor for life, where people come and go,’ says the Mallorcan.
And just as he remembers those moments of sacrifice during the days of intense heat, he recounts with emotion what was undoubtedly the best moment of this adventure: ‘Reaching the final destination with all the people I have met during these days has been one of the most beautiful and emotional experiences of my life.’
Although he started out alone, he has since surrounded himself with many people whom he now considers friends. Alemany began recounting his journey through a diary on Instagram. Every day, he posted the best photographs and described his route. Before long, friends, family members and strangers became online companions on this adventure. ‘At first, I did it for myself, to have a nice memory of the whole journey. I also wrote notes every day in the old-fashioned way to try not to forget anything in the future. Far from that, I had no other pretensions,’ he says.
The surprise came days later when he discovered that those posts were of interest to many more people than he had thought. ‘Many people have recognised my effort in both walking the route and documenting it. Soon after, they began to write to me privately, congratulating me and declaring themselves fans of my daily stories. That helped and motivated me to continue,’ he explains.
The Mallorcan is one of thousands of pilgrims who have made the Camino this summer. In fact, despite reports of crowds during July and August, Alemany explains that they did not encounter any problems with overcrowding until they reached the last 100 kilometres. "At first we didn't have any problems, although it is true that due to the reduction in places in hostels because of COVID, some people preferred to book in advance to avoid any surprises. When we reached the Sarria-Santiago stage, it is true that the number of people increased considerably, even in September. That's when we understood what had happened in the middle of summer, so out of fear we also booked everything up to Santiago," he says.
Despite being one of the many Mallorcans who have done this route during the holidays, he says he has not met any of them throughout this month. "On the last stretch of the route, I met people who have some connection with Mallorca. Guillermo Galletero, a man from Bilbao with family in Felanitx, where he spends his summers. And Inma Galdón, a girl from Albacete who came to Mallorca three years ago and works at Son Llàtzer as a neonatal nurse."
After more than a month of walking, Alemany returns to the island with one of the ‘best experiences of his life’ and a few lessons learned. Like the one about disconnecting in order to reconnect, or in his own words: "The Camino changes your life in one way or another. After that, you never see life in the same way again. I've met so many people, each with their own problems that drove them to come, and it has helped them all enormously. At the end of the day, we all have the same problems, and sharing them is the best therapy there is. That's not to say that the Camino fixes your life or solves your problems, but the daily effort and the desire to achieve your goal are like a metaphor for your own life. At the end of the day, all you have to do is keep walking.
Carla Sanz - Última Hora (19 SEPTEMBER 2021, 03:59). https://www.ultimahora.es/xaloc/viajar/2021/09/19/1300521/camino-santiago-toni-alemany-documenta-ruta-instagram.html
