The smoking pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago: eternal promises, non-existent tobacconists and faith in nicotine
In it Camino de Santiago There is silence, spirituality, blisters... and smoking pilgrims living their own modern penance. Because if something is clear after the first day, it is that Nobody really calculates how many cigarettes they will need..
The smoking pilgrim begins motivated:
—“On the Camino I smoke less.”
—“It's a good time to leave.”
—“Absolutely, walking helps.”
And the Way, who listens but promises nothing, smiles.
The great drama: the tobacconists
Nobody talks about this before they go out, but The Camino is full of churches... and empty of tobacconists.
The smoking pilgrim learns quickly:
- there are towns with three churches and zero tobacco
- There are bars with a pilgrim menu and without machines
- There are villages where tobacco is legend
And that's where the real anxiety begins:
—“Do you know if there is a tobacco shop up ahead?”
-"No."
—“In the next town?”
-"Neither."
—“Well… Buen Camino.” (sweating)
The “meaningful” cigarette ritual
On the Camino, cigarettes are not smoked just for the sake of it.
Smoked:
- to reflect
- to rest
- to celebrate
- to suffer
- or because yes, it has already gone up quite a bit
Always with the same phrase:
—“This is the last one.”
White lie. Very pilgrim.
The universal promise
90% of smoking pilgrims walk with a promise:
—“When I get to Santiago, I'll stop smoking.”
Some say it out loud.
Others think about it looking to the horizon.
The Camino points it out… but does not press.
Meanwhile, each cigar comes with justification:
—“Today has been hard.”
—“I have walked a lot.”
—“I have thought about quitting, that counts.”
International smoke communities
Nothing unites more than sharing fire.
No matter the language:
—“Fire?”
-"Yeah."
—“Buen Camino.”
And you are already family.
The smoker on the Camino does not walk alone.
Walk with other smokers, exchanging:
- tobacco
- tips
- broken promises
- and mental maps of possible stagnations that almost never exist
Get to Santiago (and negotiate again)
Many arrive at the cathedral excited, tired and convinced:
—“Here I quit smoking.”
Some do it.
Others light one in front of the square and say:
—“After the Camino. Now it's not time to decide.”
Because the Camino teaches many things, but above all one:
no one is perfect, we all walk as we are.
With backpack.
With faith.
With doubts.
And sometimes... with tobacco.
