Canadian Company of Pilgrims
P.O. Box 36025 V9A 7J5 Victoria, BC, Canada

Here are some words of appreciation from Gonzalo, a pilgrim service provider in Santiago, after he received help from our Keep the Camino Alive campaign: Canadian company of pilgrims Thank you so much for your donation. Every donation counts and gives me hope and strength to keep fighting!!!! In Spain unlike other parts of the world, the help I’ve got from the government doesn’t cover the 5% of the regular expenses, not to mention our live expenses. Thank you so much!!! I ha...ve many Canadians who I consider part of my Camino family !!! I have laughed big time with some of you and will do again soon!!!! I have a nice story with a Canadian... one day I saw on Facebook somebody was struggling big time on the Camino... two Canadian, in fact one had to go to the hospital and back to Canada... I spend every day talking to the one who stayed in Spain until she got to Santiago... At the beginning she wanted to cancel everything and go back with the other Canadian back home, but I convinced her to stay and finish what she just started, the Camino de Santiago. I consider her part of my Camino family. She finished the Camino and cried in the Praza do ObradoiroI.... she achieved her goal.....I drove her to the coast, to Finisterre and Muxia......I believe the Camino has change her life a little bit.... Time later, met other two Canadian who happened to be musicians and guess what, they were playing at my friends town in the next few months so I send through them a little present.... little things make a difference!!! How does the Camino work!!!! And I will forever be thank to another Canadian who has been helping me since I open the bar!!! She knows who I am talking about, I can not wait to have her back shearing pizza and Camino stories at Conga7!!!! Wise pilgrim, lovely writer, great heart, great friend!!! Another of my Camino family... such a good heart, all the Canadians I have met are soo good, sorry and please are the words you use the most......could mention more but this is supposed to be a thank you letter. Thank you all, I hope that soon we can all reunite on the Camino and I will be waiting for you in Santiago!!!! Working in Santiago means you cannot walk the Camino on high season but means making the Camino to be alive, proud to be part of the Camino community and a pilgrim!!!! Mi casa es tu casa!!! My house is your house!!!! Ultreia !!! Buen Camino!!!! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057581224205 See more

The latest edition of Pilgrim Footprints went out to all members this morning.* Lots of good reading here, thanks to our intrepid editor/reporters Lisa, Julie and Charles! *if you didn’t receive it, check your spam folder.

If you love gardening and the Camino, this may just be the book for you; just released!

The weekly update from Ivar. Keep in mind that while there are some optimistic signs, border restrictions and travel advisories are still in place.

If you're interested in the historical and religious aspects of pilgrimage, this might be for you!

A beautiful day in Santiago, and a note of cautious optimism. Today Ivar tells us that the public albergues in Galicia have reopened at 30% capacity, serving pilgrims whose journey is within Galicia, where movement inside the region is allowed. Ivar also offers us his predictions for when and how Spain will re-open to international travel.

If it hasn't already snowed in your area, it's not far off! Walking tips to keep you active & safe this winter. #walking

What is one of your favourite Camino foods? Mine is Pimientos de Padron.

Restorations in the cathedral are almost done. Here are Adam and Eve:

Positive development especially if airlines, offer cheap fast onsite antigen testing

Ivar's weekly report speaks of gradual improvements in Galicia and in Spain in general. The tunnel is long, but alight is shining at the end of it. A brief word of hope and encouragement from 'the other side' as we face our own resurgence of cases here in Canada! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgOJJYOlcpw&feature=youtu.be

If your Spanish is very good and you're interested in scholarly topics related to the Camino de Santiago, the Association of Amigos of the Camino de Santiago in Madrid invites you to participate in its annual seminar on Jacobean studies. The seminar takes place on Wednesday at 7pm Madrid time, for free via Zoom, and on YouTube and FaceTime:

A cautiously optimistic Monday post from Ivar in Santiago:

ROI is one of our valued partners, providing discounts and special offers to our members. To take advantage of these benefits, log in to the member area of the CCoP website and get your discount code!

The Via Podiensis, or the Le Puy route along the Chemin de Compostelle from Le Puy to St. Jean Pied de Port. This clip has great images of all the highlights ...along the way. No commentary, just a suitable musical track. You may see some familiar sights, or ones you will want to see when the times comes! See more

Some good advice on training

Here's a very different kind of guidebook, produced in graphic novel style, for over a dozen routes in northern Portugal and Galicia. It includes beautifully-rendered drawings of historic and cultural sites along all of the routes. You can download a copy of "The Way Forward" here: https://www.eixoatlantico.com/en/publications