Introduction
I met Bruno at an albergue in Carrión de los Condes. He was an older gentleman with a strong and steady presence, embracing the friends he had made along the Camino. That morning, I woke earlier than my Fitbit alarm, the creaking of bedsprings doing the job instead. The five older Italian men sharing the room with me were already up, cheerful and moving with purpose. As they greeted me with a warm “buongiorno”, I returned the gesture—and without really thinking it through, I asked if one of them would be willing to do an interview.
The idea of conducting interviews had been bouncing around in my mind since a conversation the night before, but it had been more abstract than actionable. This was the first time I acted on it. I hadn’t considered whether any of them spoke English—and I didn’t speak Italian. None of them spoke English fluently, though one man understood a little if I spoke slowly. However, he wasn’t interested in participating.
Bruno stepped forward with a smile and agreed. Using a translation app and his friend’s occasional help as a translator, we managed to piece together the interview. We spoke early in the morning, standing half-dressed in the shared room as the sun began to rise, both preparing for the 17km stretch of the Meseta ahead—a barren expanse with no towns, villages, or opportunities for food and water. I made up most of the questions on the spot, supplemented by a few I quickly searched for online.
The interview wasn’t long, but it left a lasting impression. Bruno spoke candidly about his motivations, the challenges he faced, and the moments of magic he experienced along the Camino. His willingness to share so openly with someone he had only just met gave me a profound sense of responsibility to honor his reflections. It was the first of many interviews, but his words stayed with me, shaping how I approached the rest of my journey.
The following has been minimally edited for clarity.
What motivated you to embark on the Camino de Santiago?
I’ve been wanting to do it for many years but was never able to get the time. I had a small dog that was sick and I couldn’t leave it alone. Now I have a small piece of my dog with me and want to bring it to Santiago. This path makes me feel many emotions and helps me feel the emotions that I should feel. I feel more everyday.
Also, I have dedicated my whole life to making my children study and make them grow and become something. In fact, they are proud of my feet because one is a criminal lawyer and the other is a project manager who works all over the world. So, having made all these sacrifices for my children and for my dog, I wanted to dedicate this trip to also satisfy one of my wishes.
Can you share a particularly memorable moment from your journey so far?
So I found the most positive experience in a hostel managed by an Italian Vincenzo. Upon my arrival we perhaps had misunderstandings and Vincenzo treated me a bit badly, but then after some time he came to offer us a beer having understood that he had made a mistake in his attitude. Then an hour passed and he called me to sit with him and we confided in each other about some things and I told him about my wife who was with the angels and he also told me about his experiences, then we hugged and he gave me a bracelet telling me to go to the windows and there to make a wish. We took a photo together.
Later, it was two and a quarter in the morning, I woke up. I dreamed of my mother who had died eight years ago and I have never dreamed of this before. I can trace it back to Vincenzo who told me some things and they also lead it back to the fact that the previous Friday I had passed by Lourdes. Where my mother and my brother, who is paraplegic. They had been there about 40 years ago, it was a very positive thing for me and he made me understand that this path is something magical.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced on this journey, and how did you overcome it?
Practically, I am walking with a torn meniscus and ruined ligaments, but I take it step by step and keep moving forward.
What is something you’ve learned about yourself while walking the Camino?
It’s not that I’ve learned anything, it’s that the journey brings you that serenity that you can’t find at home because it’s gone away there. You don’t have television, you don’t have radio, no music, it’s just contact with people who come to tell you their story and it becomes a beautiful thing.