A comparison with a lot of humor (and some truth) about the Camino de Santiago
There was a time—yes, although it's hard to believe—when doing the Camino de Santiago meant... getting lost.
Literally.
Year 2000.
A pilgrim advanced with a map folded a thousand times, a backpack that looked like it had been moved, and absolute faith in the yellow arrows... and in the town lady who told you "go straight and then you'll see."
Today, in 2026, the pilgrim is not lost.
👉 It runs out of battery.
And that, friends, is much worse.
The pilgrim of 2000: basic survival
The pilgrim of the year 2000 was a mix between explorer, philosopher and survivor.
He wore:
- boots that weighed like a mortgage
- backpack 15 kilos “just in case”
- metal canteen (potential knife)
- paper map that never matched reality
And most importantly:
👉 I had no idea where the next bar was
Its cutting-edge technology was:
- an indestructible Nokia
- a written guide that looked like the Bible
- and the credential... which was sacred
He slept where he could.
I ate what there was.
And if he found an outlet... he looked at it with respect, even if he didn't need it.
I was happy.
Tired, but happy.
The pilgrim of 2026: NASA level
Now jump to the present.
The pilgrim of 2026 does not walk...
👉 optimize routes.
Carry:
- €300 ultralight backpack
- technical sneakers that look like Formula 1
- smart watch that tells you how long to breathe
- iPad, mobile phone, external battery... and another battery just in case
He doesn't ask.
👉 Consult.
It is not lost.
👉 Recalculate.
He doesn't rest.
👉 Sync data.
And of course, you know:
- how many steps have you taken
- how many calories have you burned
- and if your hydration is “optimal”
What he doesn't know is where the best menu of the day is.
The big change: from experience… to content
Before, the pilgrim lived the Camino.
Now…it documents it.
Year 2000:
👉 “I have seen an incredible landscape”
Year 2026:
👉 “Wait, don't pass, I haven't recorded the reel”
The modern pilgrim:
- takes photos
- record videos
- upload stories
- respond to comments
And among all that... walk.
Of course, if there is no coverage... existential crisis.
The backpack: the great generational drama
Before:
👉 “I take this in case it rains, in case it's cold, in case I get injured, in case I get hungry, in case…”
Result: 15 kilos and a destroyed back in Burgos.
Now:
👉 “I go ultralight, only the essentials”
Result:
- 3 electronic devices
- tripod
- power bank
- headphones
- and a spare t-shirt
But hey, it weighs less.
Rest: from snoring to mindfulness
Year 2000:
Hostel full.
People snoring like tractors.
Suspicious mattresses.
And you sleeping... because you were dead.
Year 2026:
👉 premium plugs
👉 ergonomic mask
👉 app to measure sleep quality
And still:
“Today I have not rested well, I have only had a 78% recovery”
In 2000 that was:
👉 “I slept wonderfully”
Food: critical evolution
Before:
👉 tortilla sandwich + wine
👉 strong pilgrim menu
👉 beer upon arrival (mandatory)
Now:
👉 energy bar
👉 isotonic drink
👉 post-stage protein
But then the night comes...
and the octopus, the wine and everything that comes in front of it falls.
Because there are things that don't change.
The essence: here is the key
And now comes the important thing.
Because yes, everything has changed:
- technology
- the equipment
- the way of walking
But there is something that remains the same.
👉 the moment when you arrive tired
👉 the silence in the middle of the road
👉 the conversation with a stranger
👉 the feeling of moving forward
That... no clock measures it.
Who lives it better?
The one from 2000 will say:
👉 “before it was more authentic”
The one from 2026 will say:
👉 “now it's more comfortable”
And they are both right.
But they are also wrong.
Because the Way is not:
- not even the map
- not even the mobile
- not even the boots
The Camino is what happens to you… while you walk.
Unofficial (but very real) conclusion
The pilgrim of 2000 got lost...
and found things.
The one from 2026 is…
and avoid getting lost.
But both, at the end of the day, do the same thing:
👉 arrive
👉 sit
👉 and say:
“More tomorrow”
And there, right there...
It doesn't matter the year.
🔥THE PATH REMAINS THE SAME
