Peregrino

     If you wondered what a peregrino means, you'll find that it is an oil field in Brazil. It also translates to a pilgrim. Someone who travels from place to place, sometimes for some religious purpose, sometimes for penance, sometimes for sport and vacation and sometimes because they are lost. As this is our third Camino, I feel that it is important to define the correct nomenclature to better specify the different types of peregrino. A peregrino could take different forms at different times, akin to a chameleon.

PERROgrino - A pilgrim that travels with his dog. Lots of them on this trip. They usually camp out but are occasionally allowed to bring their dog with them into their room. The proprietor hopes that the dog will carry most of the bed bugs with them and out of their rooms.

BUSegrino - A pilgrim who may have signed up with an outfitter who provides the infrastructure and logistics for the well heeled. They are usually driven to the better and more meaningful portions of the Camino. A less heeled pilgrim may also do the same whenever they come to a larger town where a bus stop magically appears and answers their prayers.

CHATEAUgrino - A pilgrim that chooses to stay in their private room in a hostal, casa rural, hotel, or even in Spain's finest paradores. They do this for various reasons. They may enjoy their privacy, not sharing electrical outlets to charge their iPhones, not having to wait to use a toilet that does not have a seat cover, having the hot water run out for your shower, sleeping with a complete stranger 6 inches from your face, not hearing incessant snoring all night, not being woken up at 5am by the rustling of backpack packing and having their headlamps shining on your face. Most importantly, the chateaugrino says that they do this so they can leave more space in the albergues for the less fortunate pilgrim.

RUSHegrino - No, these are not pilgrims from Mother Russia or other Eastern Bloc countries. These are the pilgrims that rustle their bags at 5 am. They race to the next albergue to reserve all the lower bunks and use all the hot water. They are the ones that unplug your charger and put their phones in its place. I am sure they wet the toilet seat in their rush to be done before the auto lights go out. I am not ranting and raving. This is not fake news! Deep breaths......and they voted for you know who.......just saying.

BICIgrino - Guilty of being one of these.

Usually a pilgrim that only has two weeks vacation but wants to do the whole Camino. This pilgrim pedals his bicycle following the exact route. This means that they ride their bicycles on the sidewalks, gothrough one way streets and ignore pedestrian lanes. They are usually given the last priority for beds as it doesn't take long to go another 5 km to the next town. They are easily identified in town due to the number of bugs stuck to their teeth from smiling with a wide grin while cycling. Unlike the regular pilgrims who gingerly go up and down steps, the BICIgrino is usually seen taking a seat tenderly with a cringe on their face. The nice ones ring their bells to allow you time to move out of their way. The not so nice ones don't even have a bell and scare the bejeesus out of you as they come speeding past you without warning.

RETROgrinos - There are two types of these. First type is a pilgrim who likes to walk the whole Camino from the finish to the beginning. We have seen and met a few of them. You meet them because they also stay in the same albergues as you do. You see them because that is all the time you have as you quickly walk past each other in the opposite direction.

I would like to be the second tim. type because I have yet to see one walking the entire route facing backwards. I would like to be the first...someday.

Of course I would wear my bicycle rear view mirror.

REPETOgrinos - An addicted pilgrim. One who has done the Camino numerous times and has no thoughts of stopping. A true sadomasochist. He may finish one and quickly start another, and then another. He lives for perpetual sore feet. He wears his Compeed, moleskin and ace bandages like badges of honor. He sports purple teeth from all the cheap vino tinto that is his sustenance. He is usually unemployed or unemployable and his motto is that the Camino will provide. He is also usually seen with his hand in the donativo box as if it is an ATM machine.