GUILTY Spain - Denise Thiem, 40, U.S. traveler, Astorga, 4 April 2015
- Thread starter Muy Curioso
- Start date
MYSTERY SURROUNDS DISAPPEARANCE OF AMERICAN WOMAN ON ANCIENT CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE IN SPAIN
FOXNEWS.com
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/0...ers-in-disappearance-american-woman-in-spain/
After interviewing the locals and searching nearby hospitals for his sister, [Cedric]Thiem said he believes she was "overcome physically" while walking the route.
"I really feel that she got into a bad situation," he said, noting his sister carried no valuables with her other than a Kindle and her backpack stuffed with clothes, food and water.
(...)
Thiem said he believes foul play is to blame and expressed frustration with U.S. authorities who he claims have provided little information about his sister. "Does the U.S. even have any services in cases where citizens go missing abroad?" asked Thiem. "Theres no one there to really guide you."
"It sounds like they're just calling the embassy over there and asking for an update," he said.
(...)
Thiem said his sister, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Phoenix, planned to hike the Camino de Santiago after watching the 2010 film, "The Way," starring Martin Sheen (...)
The film has since inspired thousands of others to walk the pilgrimage, which has become a major tourist attraction for Spain in recent years.
While Thiem says he has no answers about his sister, emails he's received since her disappearance tell frightening tales of walking the spiritual path.
"People wrote about women being harassed on the trail," said Thiem, who had set up an e-mail account for any tips about his sister. He said he also received messages from people who claimed they were followed by strangers in cars.
"I guess even a Catholic pilgrimage like this is going to attract the wrong people," he said. "It gives you a false sense of security."
BBM
ullhair:
FOXNEWS.com
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/0...ers-in-disappearance-american-woman-in-spain/
After interviewing the locals and searching nearby hospitals for his sister, [Cedric]Thiem said he believes she was "overcome physically" while walking the route.
"I really feel that she got into a bad situation," he said, noting his sister carried no valuables with her other than a Kindle and her backpack stuffed with clothes, food and water.
(...)
Thiem said he believes foul play is to blame and expressed frustration with U.S. authorities who he claims have provided little information about his sister. "Does the U.S. even have any services in cases where citizens go missing abroad?" asked Thiem. "Theres no one there to really guide you."
"It sounds like they're just calling the embassy over there and asking for an update," he said.
(...)
Thiem said his sister, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Phoenix, planned to hike the Camino de Santiago after watching the 2010 film, "The Way," starring Martin Sheen (...)
The film has since inspired thousands of others to walk the pilgrimage, which has become a major tourist attraction for Spain in recent years.
While Thiem says he has no answers about his sister, emails he's received since her disappearance tell frightening tales of walking the spiritual path.
"People wrote about women being harassed on the trail," said Thiem, who had set up an e-mail account for any tips about his sister. He said he also received messages from people who claimed they were followed by strangers in cars.
"I guess even a Catholic pilgrimage like this is going to attract the wrong people," he said. "It gives you a false sense of security."
BBM
ullhair:WALKING WITH CAUTION ON THE PILGRIMAGE ROUTE
IDEAL.es
http://www.ideal.es/sociedad/201506/24/pies-plomo-ruta-jacobea-20150622120429.html
High season at the Camino de Santiago has arrived without an end to the mystery of the disappearance of pilgrim Denise Pikka Thiem. The Camino is full of fears.
An American woman is missing and several assaults on women have turned the stretch of 14.5 kilometers between Astorga and el Ganso into the most feared track of the Camino de Santiago.
Many pilgrims skip the track and the rest is advised that they "do not go alone or always have someone in their view"
She is 58 years old and travels the Camino de Santiago on her own. Tessa Trudeau came from Vancouver (Canada) encouraged by her brother, a triathlete who was seduced by the messages of mysticism that still accompany this ancient route. "The Camino is a journey to cleanse the mind. I do not carry my phone or computer. I have come to empty myself." Almost a month ago she departed from France, she started the Camino through Roncesvalles and these days of June she has made a stop in Astorga (León) trying to heal some infectious sores on her feet. She is having a quiet breakfast in the cafeteria Gaudi.
At one of the tables of its terrace, with the best view of the Episcopal palace designed by Antoni Gaudi, two and a half months ago all traces were lost of Denise Pikka Thiem, another solitary traveler who also came from across the Atlantic. Methodical and disciplined, she was one of those pilgrims with an outfit of trekking poles and reflective boots. One of the new generation who have replaced the talks in shelters with the advantages of technology. "I spoke with her on Skype every two days to find out if she was all right. But from April 1 on, nothing at all," explains her brother Cedric, who took a plane from the United States as soon as he heard the news. Yesterday it was two months ago that he denounced her disappearance. Cedric endeared himself with the inhabitants of Astorga during the weeks that he participated in the search efforts. Now he awaits news from his native Arizona.
Tessa began to hear rumors about insecurity on the Camino when she arrived in Burgos. The closer she came to Astorga, the louder the murmurs of growing concern resounded. "Since I started the Camino in Saint Jean Pied de Port (France) I have seen three deaths - she tells it with a neutral voice - The first on the climb to Roncesvalles from hypothermia. The second, in the first Spanish hostel where I slept: a person who suffered a heart attack. And third, a man who drowned near Pamplona. I think I was drunk." The accumulation of misfortunes that this woman tells sounds exceptional. Records of accidents on this route, which over 270,000 people will travel this year, only counted about thirty deaths (almost all by accidents on the road or natural causes) in 25 years. It also sounds exceptional that, despite the experience of this woman who travelled through the French and Navarre regions, lately almost all cases have been concentrated in the Leonese area.
The disappearance off the streets of Astorga of Denise, 41, with Asian features and born in Hong Kong but living in Phoenix (Arizona), has turned the stretch of the Camino between the capital of Maragata region and village of El Ganso ( 14.5 kilometers) in a kind of 'Bermuda Triangle'. "In the 25 years since the revival of the Camino this disappearance is the first of its kind. And many cities with less passing visitors would prefer to have the rate of danger that we do," Juan Carlos Perez, the president of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Astorga, reassures.
But the case of Denise has unleashed the fears and warnings. Maureen, from New York, reported that a cyclist tried several times to fondle her breasts. It happened between Acebo and Molinaseca, 30 kilometers from where the missing woman was last seen. Barbara Veronese, 60, saw a car stop at 15 meters away from her. A man got out. "It was strange. I think he was masturbating. " In the middle of the search for Denise, the case of Covadonga Ayora, a neighbor of Santa Catalina de Somoza, halfway between Astorga and El Ganso, jumped to attention. She denounced an attempted kidnapping by two men traveling in a vehicle. Although no one in the region, nor the Civil Guard, gave some credibility to her story.
Real or fictitious, these events have perturbed the peace of this part of the Camino. Five thousand members are awaiting developments on the Facebook page Help.Denise. Now (Ayuda.Denise.Ahora) created by Richard, a university friend of the missing woman. Richard was the last one to leave the searches in which have participated dozens of people from Astorga. In addition, foreign pilgrims invite solitary walkers to register online at Buddy System, a military technique copied from the US Army that is used in school camps. Each person appoints a security escort to make a 'chain' and always know where he is.
70% of the 270,000 pilgrims who will travel this year to Compostela are foreigners. To guide them, Ivark Rekve manages since a decade a forum on the internet. "Now is a time when a lot of things have come together and we thought we had to warn people," he explains to justify the last advice to his readers: "We ask you to walk together or in groups in this particular part of the Camino." Rekve insists that, during these years, he never considered necessary a similar notice. "It is not meant to scare anyone, but to inform those who walk through the area." All these warnings and their reflection in the international press have come to affect the atmosphere of harmony and camaraderie that always has been breathing through the route. Mari Mar, a taxi driver in the area, acknowledges that "there are pilgrims asking for my service and they skip the entire stretch."
Conchi Alonso owns the hostel San Javier and the Gaudí cafeteria, where the missing Denise slept and took her last breakfast on Easter Sunday (April 5). "I was here at seven in the morning and she had already left. They walk out there, having a good time. This has never happened. See what the hostel is like!" Indeed, the 75 berths of her place are packed out. Even the Interpol has been there to question her. What has this woman is not telling is why Denise was not in her logbook, which delayed the investigation and forced searches in a wider range during the first week.
During the Xacobeo World Meeting, held in Santiago last week, this case was also discussed. There it was recognized that we must draw a lesson from all this: the need to "differentiate between tourism and pilgrimage, regarding and taking care of the special nature of the pilgrim". Its president in Astorga admits that "the rules have to be improved, since the current regulation of the Castilla and León does not include the obligation to register the traveler."
Astorga is the end of the monotonous Castilian stages. It gives way to a stretch of old farmlands that have been replaced by Mediterranean scrub with a predominance of holm and gall oaks and beeches. In the distance the Bierzo mountains and harsh slopes of the Iron Cross in Foncebadón are already visible, opening the door to Galicia.
At the roadside, the barista of restaurant Silva serves the last coffees and says goodbye to those who started again the route. For weeks, his tables have been the headquarters of search brigades, dozens of residents, motorists, cyclists or riders. Juan Silva was born there, he knows the area like nobody and fears the worst. "As if the earth has swallowed her. They have gone to the communes of hippies around all of León and sought even through the sales of lime in case they have buried her. Nothing nothing nothing at all. " The lack of news is exasperating. "If the worst did happen and she is somewhere over here, when the hunting season arrives, maybe the hounds will find her." For now, the dogs of the Giardia Civíl have failed to do this.
You only need to go over the long slope of los Mártires to reach the neighboring Valdeviejas. There, at the door of the chapel of Ecce
one is always greeted by Antonio Martinez Domenech and Agustina del Campo. They are part of this huge family of 'beacons' volunteers along the Camino, always ready to help, guide and advise. Antonio sells four-leaf clovers ("and even five, six, ... I even have eight"), holy cards and Compostelas. He is a temporary hospitalero from Astorga to Rabanal, the newly cursed stretch, and he knows everything about everyone. "It will not turn out well for those who want to scare. People keep going to mass, including many single girls." He has not finished speaking when Eva arrives, a young woman from Navarre who is walking unaccompanied and wants a seal for her accreditation. "Girl, you better not walk alone. If you follow the route without leaving it, you will always see someone in front or behind, " warns Agustina, a woman of 87 years. She passes her years as a widow showing the hermitage and collecting alms to fix the church of Valdeviejas. In mid-June the season is still high. At least 250 people cross each day there. When Eve returns to the track, behind her appear from afar new walking figures.
This is a dirt road well marked and safe: It runs parallel to the road and avoids the crossings, the main cause of accidents so far. But also an area with ponds and lakes, a landscape of nooks and corners similar to the famous Médulas of el Bierzo.
"I have combed this area each morning. I can not find any explanation." Bienvenido Merino is one of those unique characters who appear at any turn. Since 1990 he awaits the pilgrims at the entrance of Santa Catalina de Somoza, halfway to El Ganso. He sings praise to all about the benefits of the hostel San Blas, one of two of the village and run by his grandson Reuben. At a glance he puts 'on file' all of so many thousands who have stopped to talk to him, even if it costs him more effort with the Asians. "Even if I had seen her pass (Denise) I would not recognize her. They are all the same. " But he will never forget one very special person. Actor Charlie Sheen recorded 'The Way' ('El Camino') under thedirection of his son, Emilio Estevez, and let himself be conquered by the stories of this pastor since 12 years. "He gave me a role in the movie and paid me 50 euros. I had to give one of my walking sticks," he jokes proudly.
These are villages who would have died long ago without the steady trickle of pilgrims. So Ruben Merino and the rest of hoteliers are concerned about "a downturn that is being felt. Many people skip this track already." This is not is the option of Robin and Claudette Campbell, a couple in their fifties of Scottish origin. They take a break in El Ganso, end of this particular ground zero. They like to take care of themselves and pay, when possible, for a room instead of the shelters filled with bunks. They have heard of Denise, but are concerned about other things, such as changes in the way young people are doing the Camino. "Why run? Claudette wants to know. They get up at four in the morning so they can arrive first. All that, we already have it at home." At her side, the Munich-based Friedrich is more susceptible. "It is not easy to travel alone. The Government should make it safer. " Jose Gabino, his alberguero, reminds them that "this is not Kathmandu; here no one is alone anymore. " And yet, "it is as if the girl has evaporated."
Denise Pikka Thiem (41 years, 1.62 tall and 50-53 kilos of weight) was last seen on April 5 on the streets of Astorga. The posters with 'missing' still remain in some hostels on the route Astorga- el Ganso that she wanted to walk on the day she disappeared.
Up to 50 agents of the Guardia Civíl and dozens of neighbors in Astorga participated in the search. They were 'combing' hills, wells have been emptied and some marsh, hippie communes were visited ... In the last citizen search party (June 9) only two people participated. The Police insists: "We continue to look for new clues."
270,000 Pilgrims are expected to complete the Camino de Santiago this year. There will be 33,000 more than in 2014. In June alone 37,000 pilgrims passed 13.6% more than a year ago. Of these, 71% are foreigners. US and Korea are the non-European countries that bring more tourists (behind Italy, France and Germany).
BBM
IDEAL.es
http://www.ideal.es/sociedad/201506/24/pies-plomo-ruta-jacobea-20150622120429.html
High season at the Camino de Santiago has arrived without an end to the mystery of the disappearance of pilgrim Denise Pikka Thiem. The Camino is full of fears.
An American woman is missing and several assaults on women have turned the stretch of 14.5 kilometers between Astorga and el Ganso into the most feared track of the Camino de Santiago.
Many pilgrims skip the track and the rest is advised that they "do not go alone or always have someone in their view"
She is 58 years old and travels the Camino de Santiago on her own. Tessa Trudeau came from Vancouver (Canada) encouraged by her brother, a triathlete who was seduced by the messages of mysticism that still accompany this ancient route. "The Camino is a journey to cleanse the mind. I do not carry my phone or computer. I have come to empty myself." Almost a month ago she departed from France, she started the Camino through Roncesvalles and these days of June she has made a stop in Astorga (León) trying to heal some infectious sores on her feet. She is having a quiet breakfast in the cafeteria Gaudi.
At one of the tables of its terrace, with the best view of the Episcopal palace designed by Antoni Gaudi, two and a half months ago all traces were lost of Denise Pikka Thiem, another solitary traveler who also came from across the Atlantic. Methodical and disciplined, she was one of those pilgrims with an outfit of trekking poles and reflective boots. One of the new generation who have replaced the talks in shelters with the advantages of technology. "I spoke with her on Skype every two days to find out if she was all right. But from April 1 on, nothing at all," explains her brother Cedric, who took a plane from the United States as soon as he heard the news. Yesterday it was two months ago that he denounced her disappearance. Cedric endeared himself with the inhabitants of Astorga during the weeks that he participated in the search efforts. Now he awaits news from his native Arizona.
Tessa began to hear rumors about insecurity on the Camino when she arrived in Burgos. The closer she came to Astorga, the louder the murmurs of growing concern resounded. "Since I started the Camino in Saint Jean Pied de Port (France) I have seen three deaths - she tells it with a neutral voice - The first on the climb to Roncesvalles from hypothermia. The second, in the first Spanish hostel where I slept: a person who suffered a heart attack. And third, a man who drowned near Pamplona. I think I was drunk." The accumulation of misfortunes that this woman tells sounds exceptional. Records of accidents on this route, which over 270,000 people will travel this year, only counted about thirty deaths (almost all by accidents on the road or natural causes) in 25 years. It also sounds exceptional that, despite the experience of this woman who travelled through the French and Navarre regions, lately almost all cases have been concentrated in the Leonese area.
The disappearance off the streets of Astorga of Denise, 41, with Asian features and born in Hong Kong but living in Phoenix (Arizona), has turned the stretch of the Camino between the capital of Maragata region and village of El Ganso ( 14.5 kilometers) in a kind of 'Bermuda Triangle'. "In the 25 years since the revival of the Camino this disappearance is the first of its kind. And many cities with less passing visitors would prefer to have the rate of danger that we do," Juan Carlos Perez, the president of the Association of Friends of the Camino de Astorga, reassures.
But the case of Denise has unleashed the fears and warnings. Maureen, from New York, reported that a cyclist tried several times to fondle her breasts. It happened between Acebo and Molinaseca, 30 kilometers from where the missing woman was last seen. Barbara Veronese, 60, saw a car stop at 15 meters away from her. A man got out. "It was strange. I think he was masturbating. " In the middle of the search for Denise, the case of Covadonga Ayora, a neighbor of Santa Catalina de Somoza, halfway between Astorga and El Ganso, jumped to attention. She denounced an attempted kidnapping by two men traveling in a vehicle. Although no one in the region, nor the Civil Guard, gave some credibility to her story.
Real or fictitious, these events have perturbed the peace of this part of the Camino. Five thousand members are awaiting developments on the Facebook page Help.Denise. Now (Ayuda.Denise.Ahora) created by Richard, a university friend of the missing woman. Richard was the last one to leave the searches in which have participated dozens of people from Astorga. In addition, foreign pilgrims invite solitary walkers to register online at Buddy System, a military technique copied from the US Army that is used in school camps. Each person appoints a security escort to make a 'chain' and always know where he is.
70% of the 270,000 pilgrims who will travel this year to Compostela are foreigners. To guide them, Ivark Rekve manages since a decade a forum on the internet. "Now is a time when a lot of things have come together and we thought we had to warn people," he explains to justify the last advice to his readers: "We ask you to walk together or in groups in this particular part of the Camino." Rekve insists that, during these years, he never considered necessary a similar notice. "It is not meant to scare anyone, but to inform those who walk through the area." All these warnings and their reflection in the international press have come to affect the atmosphere of harmony and camaraderie that always has been breathing through the route. Mari Mar, a taxi driver in the area, acknowledges that "there are pilgrims asking for my service and they skip the entire stretch."
Conchi Alonso owns the hostel San Javier and the Gaudí cafeteria, where the missing Denise slept and took her last breakfast on Easter Sunday (April 5). "I was here at seven in the morning and she had already left. They walk out there, having a good time. This has never happened. See what the hostel is like!" Indeed, the 75 berths of her place are packed out. Even the Interpol has been there to question her. What has this woman is not telling is why Denise was not in her logbook, which delayed the investigation and forced searches in a wider range during the first week.
During the Xacobeo World Meeting, held in Santiago last week, this case was also discussed. There it was recognized that we must draw a lesson from all this: the need to "differentiate between tourism and pilgrimage, regarding and taking care of the special nature of the pilgrim". Its president in Astorga admits that "the rules have to be improved, since the current regulation of the Castilla and León does not include the obligation to register the traveler."
Astorga is the end of the monotonous Castilian stages. It gives way to a stretch of old farmlands that have been replaced by Mediterranean scrub with a predominance of holm and gall oaks and beeches. In the distance the Bierzo mountains and harsh slopes of the Iron Cross in Foncebadón are already visible, opening the door to Galicia.
At the roadside, the barista of restaurant Silva serves the last coffees and says goodbye to those who started again the route. For weeks, his tables have been the headquarters of search brigades, dozens of residents, motorists, cyclists or riders. Juan Silva was born there, he knows the area like nobody and fears the worst. "As if the earth has swallowed her. They have gone to the communes of hippies around all of León and sought even through the sales of lime in case they have buried her. Nothing nothing nothing at all. " The lack of news is exasperating. "If the worst did happen and she is somewhere over here, when the hunting season arrives, maybe the hounds will find her." For now, the dogs of the Giardia Civíl have failed to do this.
You only need to go over the long slope of los Mártires to reach the neighboring Valdeviejas. There, at the door of the chapel of Ecce
one is always greeted by Antonio Martinez Domenech and Agustina del Campo. They are part of this huge family of 'beacons' volunteers along the Camino, always ready to help, guide and advise. Antonio sells four-leaf clovers ("and even five, six, ... I even have eight"), holy cards and Compostelas. He is a temporary hospitalero from Astorga to Rabanal, the newly cursed stretch, and he knows everything about everyone. "It will not turn out well for those who want to scare. People keep going to mass, including many single girls." He has not finished speaking when Eva arrives, a young woman from Navarre who is walking unaccompanied and wants a seal for her accreditation. "Girl, you better not walk alone. If you follow the route without leaving it, you will always see someone in front or behind, " warns Agustina, a woman of 87 years. She passes her years as a widow showing the hermitage and collecting alms to fix the church of Valdeviejas. In mid-June the season is still high. At least 250 people cross each day there. When Eve returns to the track, behind her appear from afar new walking figures.This is a dirt road well marked and safe: It runs parallel to the road and avoids the crossings, the main cause of accidents so far. But also an area with ponds and lakes, a landscape of nooks and corners similar to the famous Médulas of el Bierzo.
"I have combed this area each morning. I can not find any explanation." Bienvenido Merino is one of those unique characters who appear at any turn. Since 1990 he awaits the pilgrims at the entrance of Santa Catalina de Somoza, halfway to El Ganso. He sings praise to all about the benefits of the hostel San Blas, one of two of the village and run by his grandson Reuben. At a glance he puts 'on file' all of so many thousands who have stopped to talk to him, even if it costs him more effort with the Asians. "Even if I had seen her pass (Denise) I would not recognize her. They are all the same. " But he will never forget one very special person. Actor Charlie Sheen recorded 'The Way' ('El Camino') under thedirection of his son, Emilio Estevez, and let himself be conquered by the stories of this pastor since 12 years. "He gave me a role in the movie and paid me 50 euros. I had to give one of my walking sticks," he jokes proudly.
These are villages who would have died long ago without the steady trickle of pilgrims. So Ruben Merino and the rest of hoteliers are concerned about "a downturn that is being felt. Many people skip this track already." This is not is the option of Robin and Claudette Campbell, a couple in their fifties of Scottish origin. They take a break in El Ganso, end of this particular ground zero. They like to take care of themselves and pay, when possible, for a room instead of the shelters filled with bunks. They have heard of Denise, but are concerned about other things, such as changes in the way young people are doing the Camino. "Why run? Claudette wants to know. They get up at four in the morning so they can arrive first. All that, we already have it at home." At her side, the Munich-based Friedrich is more susceptible. "It is not easy to travel alone. The Government should make it safer. " Jose Gabino, his alberguero, reminds them that "this is not Kathmandu; here no one is alone anymore. " And yet, "it is as if the girl has evaporated."
Denise Pikka Thiem (41 years, 1.62 tall and 50-53 kilos of weight) was last seen on April 5 on the streets of Astorga. The posters with 'missing' still remain in some hostels on the route Astorga- el Ganso that she wanted to walk on the day she disappeared.
Up to 50 agents of the Guardia Civíl and dozens of neighbors in Astorga participated in the search. They were 'combing' hills, wells have been emptied and some marsh, hippie communes were visited ... In the last citizen search party (June 9) only two people participated. The Police insists: "We continue to look for new clues."
270,000 Pilgrims are expected to complete the Camino de Santiago this year. There will be 33,000 more than in 2014. In June alone 37,000 pilgrims passed 13.6% more than a year ago. Of these, 71% are foreigners. US and Korea are the non-European countries that bring more tourists (behind Italy, France and Germany).
BBM
FAMILY FEARS 41-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN WOMAN WAS ABDUCTED WHILE HIKING
Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3139738/America.html
Family fears 41-year-old American woman was abducted while hiking on popular Catholic pilgrimage route in Spain
Denise Thiem, 41, was last seen on Easter Sunday, attempting the complete the 155-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northern Spain
Her brother Cedric believes she was abducted, citing concerning messages from other women who have been stalked on the trail
Just a few weeks after Thiem disappeared, two men attempted to abduct a woman jogging near the trail where Thiem is thought to have gone missing
BBM
Daily Mail mainly repeats old news and copies FOX info:
Up till now, it seemed that all traces of Denise were lost on the terrace before she went to mass. She would have announced her intention to go to mass in the church next to the Cathedral but it was unclear if in fact she did go. Apparently, both the Italian pilgrim and Denise did go to mass - did they go together? did they go to that same church?
If only they had hiked to el Ganso together!
Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3139738/America.html
Family fears 41-year-old American woman was abducted while hiking on popular Catholic pilgrimage route in Spain
Denise Thiem, 41, was last seen on Easter Sunday, attempting the complete the 155-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northern Spain
Her brother Cedric believes she was abducted, citing concerning messages from other women who have been stalked on the trail
Just a few weeks after Thiem disappeared, two men attempted to abduct a woman jogging near the trail where Thiem is thought to have gone missing
BBM
Daily Mail mainly repeats old news and copies FOX info:
Up till now, it seemed that all traces of Denise were lost on the terrace before she went to mass. She would have announced her intention to go to mass in the church next to the Cathedral but it was unclear if in fact she did go. Apparently, both the Italian pilgrim and Denise did go to mass - did they go together? did they go to that same church?
If only they had hiked to el Ganso together!
TOURIST DISAPPEARANCE: US WOMAN DENISE THIEM MISSING IN SPAIN
ABC NEWS
http://abcnews.go.com/US/tourist-disappearance-us-woman-denise-thiem-missing-spain/story?id=32095884
Denise Thiem, 41, was last seen in April having breakfast with a man in the Spanish town of Astorga before leaving him around noon, officials say. The day before she disappeared, she had reportedly made plans to continue walking the trail with another man from the pilgrimage, but it’s unclear whether they ever met up.
“She's had a lot of experience traveling,” he brother said. “Everywhere you go there's Wi-Fi. It didn't make any sense that there's no communication whatsoever.”
The U.S. embassy in Madrid, which is helping search, told ABC News, "The welfare of U.S. citizens is one of the Department's highest priorities."
Hoping for answers, Cedric Thiem is meeting with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this week.
BBM
I wonder who reported this bit of news about the other man from the pilgrmage with whom she alledgedly would be walking. When the Italian pilgrim with whom she had coffee on the terrace was located, it was said that he was not able to help the police with new details. At that time, there was no mention of another man, the Italian pilgrim was the one they were desperate to find. So what little bird has whispered this news in someone's ears?
Report of ABC does not bother too much with accuracy in detail: there was only one attempted kidnapping on the track (and this is disputed by some).
I am still wondering what the added value is of the FBI, do they know and see everything and are they able to teleport to any corner of the earth, just like Santa?
ABC NEWS
http://abcnews.go.com/US/tourist-disappearance-us-woman-denise-thiem-missing-spain/story?id=32095884
Denise Thiem, 41, was last seen in April having breakfast with a man in the Spanish town of Astorga before leaving him around noon, officials say. The day before she disappeared, she had reportedly made plans to continue walking the trail with another man from the pilgrimage, but it’s unclear whether they ever met up.
“She's had a lot of experience traveling,” he brother said. “Everywhere you go there's Wi-Fi. It didn't make any sense that there's no communication whatsoever.”
The U.S. embassy in Madrid, which is helping search, told ABC News, "The welfare of U.S. citizens is one of the Department's highest priorities."
Hoping for answers, Cedric Thiem is meeting with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., this week.
BBM
I wonder who reported this bit of news about the other man from the pilgrmage with whom she alledgedly would be walking. When the Italian pilgrim with whom she had coffee on the terrace was located, it was said that he was not able to help the police with new details. At that time, there was no mention of another man, the Italian pilgrim was the one they were desperate to find. So what little bird has whispered this news in someone's ears?
Report of ABC does not bother too much with accuracy in detail: there was only one attempted kidnapping on the track (and this is disputed by some).
I am still wondering what the added value is of the FBI, do they know and see everything and are they able to teleport to any corner of the earth, just like Santa?
Here's a website from the FBI - they have officers associated with major consulates abroad: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/june/international_060308
The family may just be trying to leave no stone unturned.
It does seem she was most likely removed from the area, and it's sadly a matter of waiting until she's found. But to me, for someone looking to kidnap a female, a 40 year old pilgrim doesn't leap immediately to mind as an obvious victim: she's beyond the age of that kind of predatory sociopath's sexual interest, they are after young girls. Unlike other tourists, pilgrims are known travel very cheaply, without much cash because they share rooms; and they're obviously going to be savvy and self-confident, not timid like a girl who has never gone anywhere by herself. So I find it hard to see a motive.
I don't think the examples of exposure/groping/harassment would be related to an outright kidnapping, those are petty efforts by local losers and I've encountered them in plenty of places. Actual kidnapping is a serious crime, the people who do it know they will go to jail and ruin their lives if caught, they have to have sufficient motive to make the risk worthwhile.
I am also curious about the differing statements about when and precisely where she was last seen, and what her plans were at that time - it seems to me that is very important information to nail down.
This is from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/w...eads-on-camino-de-santiago-in-spain.html?_r=0
"She had breakfast with an Italian pilgrim and then went to Mass and watched a religious procession with him, before they parted ways around noon."
I'm curious why they didn't continue walking together at that point, at least to the beginning of the trail - I assume he wanted to walk faster than she did, since he had further to go but it would be normal to ensure they both were on the right track out of town before he said goodbye and moved on ahead.
The family may just be trying to leave no stone unturned.
It does seem she was most likely removed from the area, and it's sadly a matter of waiting until she's found. But to me, for someone looking to kidnap a female, a 40 year old pilgrim doesn't leap immediately to mind as an obvious victim: she's beyond the age of that kind of predatory sociopath's sexual interest, they are after young girls. Unlike other tourists, pilgrims are known travel very cheaply, without much cash because they share rooms; and they're obviously going to be savvy and self-confident, not timid like a girl who has never gone anywhere by herself. So I find it hard to see a motive.
I don't think the examples of exposure/groping/harassment would be related to an outright kidnapping, those are petty efforts by local losers and I've encountered them in plenty of places. Actual kidnapping is a serious crime, the people who do it know they will go to jail and ruin their lives if caught, they have to have sufficient motive to make the risk worthwhile.
I am also curious about the differing statements about when and precisely where she was last seen, and what her plans were at that time - it seems to me that is very important information to nail down.
This is from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/w...eads-on-camino-de-santiago-in-spain.html?_r=0
"She had breakfast with an Italian pilgrim and then went to Mass and watched a religious procession with him, before they parted ways around noon."
I'm curious why they didn't continue walking together at that point, at least to the beginning of the trail - I assume he wanted to walk faster than she did, since he had further to go but it would be normal to ensure they both were on the right track out of town before he said goodbye and moved on ahead.
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FBI and U.S embassy will do nothing. Well, yes, public relations. Spanish detectives are already investigating everything FBI could investigate. The problem is that there are no clues, not for Spanish, not for FBI.
It is a really puzzling case, and I do not know what to think.
Despite some minor incidents and many rumors, the Camino, the Caminos, are much safer than any city, European or American. Millions of pilgrims over the years and not a murder or a rape or a serious fight. I am very sensitive and I get alert about the nationalist defenses, and the attempt to protect economic interests, but in this case, it is true.
All that suffered by pilgrims over ten years, is suffered by tourists in a week in a big city.
But the truth is that Denise did not appear, and the possibility of foul play is increasing every day.
It is a really puzzling case, and I do not know what to think.
Despite some minor incidents and many rumors, the Camino, the Caminos, are much safer than any city, European or American. Millions of pilgrims over the years and not a murder or a rape or a serious fight. I am very sensitive and I get alert about the nationalist defenses, and the attempt to protect economic interests, but in this case, it is true.
All that suffered by pilgrims over ten years, is suffered by tourists in a week in a big city.
But the truth is that Denise did not appear, and the possibility of foul play is increasing every day.
- Joined
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I know a few people who have done the Camino, and they say that people talk with one, walk several miles with another, and the next day say goodbye and continue with others. They eat with Peter and have dinner with Paul, and never see them again.
They remember many people when they see pictures, but they can say very few details of each of them. Very, very superficial relations.
They remember many people when they see pictures, but they can say very few details of each of them. Very, very superficial relations.
FAMILY OF WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED IN SPAIN BAFFLED
Cedric Thiem interviewed by Fox News
http://video.foxnews.com/v/43312843...ffled/?playlist_id=922779230001#sp=show-clips
Nothing new in this clip fot thoise who have followed the case, and the Fox guy in Madrid obviously knows little about it, but this is good to spread awareness and keep Denise's disappearance in the news.
Cedric and friends of Denise, you rock!
Cedric Thiem interviewed by Fox News
http://video.foxnews.com/v/43312843...ffled/?playlist_id=922779230001#sp=show-clips
Nothing new in this clip fot thoise who have followed the case, and the Fox guy in Madrid obviously knows little about it, but this is good to spread awareness and keep Denise's disappearance in the news.
Cedric and friends of Denise, you rock!
BBM
Thanks for the link. So the FBI is in it for assistance if asked.
I read somewhere that Denise left Astorga together with the Italian pilgrim, but this may have been yet another rumor dating from before he was found and interviewed. I was surprised to read that they went to mass together (if they did), I thought she had decided to go to mass alone, and he'd be on his way. The story about the 'Englishman' with whom she was planning to walk, looks like another rumor. Astorga is a small town of 12.000 inhabitants. Why did this person not join Denise for breakfast or a coffee at the plaza? If he exists, IMHO he left early.
If Denise met with foul play, IMHO it would have been very difficult for another pilgrim to pull this off and keep her hidden, either in Astorga or on the track to Rabanal. Assuming the worst, what would they do with a body? Drag it along in the open plains, hiding it in bushes or a pond, digging a grave with what? And all in time to get the next stamp in their pilgrim's passport? If it was a pilgrim who did her any harm, she would have been found by now.
To me, the most likely perpetrator has a car, possibly an accomplice and they have left the area. I don't think they have this connection with the Camino that the locals have, local weirdos included.
I disagree that Denise would have been beyond the age of any kidnapper's target. The woman who was attacked in Santa Catalina de Somoza was fifty (and there are cases of women in their nineties who have become targets of sexual assault by very young men).
Besides, Denise is small, very slender and she would have been wearing sunglasses. Difficult to guess her age. If indeed she left Astorga in the afternoon without company IMHO she would have been targeted because she was alone, there was no one in sight, and she was tiny.
I really would like to know why some doubt the story from the woman from Santa Catalina. To me this is in line with what we see happening in various parts of Europe. Vagabonds, adventurers from Eastern Europe, seasonal workers left behind and roaming about and working odd jobs and maybe joining those who steal copper from train tracks, cemeteries, gardens etc. Or something with drugs.
LE doesn't really know who they are, and after a while they'll move to a different region and start all over. Ot they return home for a while. All this is on the downside of the Europe without borders and with free movement.
Another option that I can think of is that Denise decided not to hike the track and took a ride instead - with the wrong person (s).
Somehow there is always a vehicle in the scenarios that I think most likely.
LEÓN INTENSIFIES SECURITY OF ITS PILGRIMS WITH A SPECIAL PLAN
The Guardia Civil increases alertness until September 30
Diario de León
http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias...idad-sus-peregrinos-plan-especial_990977.html
The Guardia Civíl of León has launched the Safety Plan Camino de Santiago as it passes through the province of León with a special focus on vigilance in full to ensure the freedom and safety of all pilgrims on foot, bicycle or by other means of transport.
This plan, which began yesterday and will end on September 30, reinforces the safety and security tasks that the Guardia Civíl performs regularly in the Camino de Santiago, since during the summer the number of pilgrims greatly increases on the route. Here, last April the American pilgrim Denise Thiem disappeared. Of her whereabouts nothing is known.
The part of the Camino most used by pilgrims passing through the province of León is called the Camino Francés. It enters the province through the N-120 from Palencia, reaching the capital León by the N-601, continuing again next to the the N-120 to Astorga, then turning onto the LE-142 to Ponferrada through the Cruz de Ferro. From Ponferrada it runs parallel to the old N-VI to the Alto del Cebreiro. Therefore in the province of Leon about 85% of the Camino de Santiago runs through the territorial demarcation of the Guardia Civíl .
Units of Public Safety and Traffic Division will be responsible for the implementation of the Camino Safety Plan, with the support of other specialties such as Seprona Corps, Gedex, Servicio Cinológico, Information, Judicial Police, SIR
For the success of the plan, the Guardia Civíl will increase its presence in the various routes of the Camino de Santiago, as well as establishments that provide accommodation for pilgrims. Interviews with pilgrims, shelter workers and catering establishments will also be intensified to extend any help and information and detect problems in advance.
BBM
The Guardia Civil increases alertness until September 30
Diario de León
http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias...idad-sus-peregrinos-plan-especial_990977.html
The Guardia Civíl of León has launched the Safety Plan Camino de Santiago as it passes through the province of León with a special focus on vigilance in full to ensure the freedom and safety of all pilgrims on foot, bicycle or by other means of transport.
This plan, which began yesterday and will end on September 30, reinforces the safety and security tasks that the Guardia Civíl performs regularly in the Camino de Santiago, since during the summer the number of pilgrims greatly increases on the route. Here, last April the American pilgrim Denise Thiem disappeared. Of her whereabouts nothing is known.
The part of the Camino most used by pilgrims passing through the province of León is called the Camino Francés. It enters the province through the N-120 from Palencia, reaching the capital León by the N-601, continuing again next to the the N-120 to Astorga, then turning onto the LE-142 to Ponferrada through the Cruz de Ferro. From Ponferrada it runs parallel to the old N-VI to the Alto del Cebreiro. Therefore in the province of Leon about 85% of the Camino de Santiago runs through the territorial demarcation of the Guardia Civíl .
Units of Public Safety and Traffic Division will be responsible for the implementation of the Camino Safety Plan, with the support of other specialties such as Seprona Corps, Gedex, Servicio Cinológico, Information, Judicial Police, SIR
For the success of the plan, the Guardia Civíl will increase its presence in the various routes of the Camino de Santiago, as well as establishments that provide accommodation for pilgrims. Interviews with pilgrims, shelter workers and catering establishments will also be intensified to extend any help and information and detect problems in advance.
BBM
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- 58,154
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Have not read the whole thread, but assuming, someone has mentioned the book written by actress Shirley M, about that pilgrimage.
THREE MONTHS WITHOUT A TRACE OF DENISE
The brother of the pilgrim who disappeared in Astorga does not lose hope and will continue searching for her
La Voz de Galicia
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...s-meses-rastro-denise/0003_201507G5P12991.htm
When Denise Thiem, of 41 years of age, saw the film The Way (Martin Sheen, 2010) in the United States she decided to walk the Camino de Santiago. She mentioned this to her brother Cedric and the initial plan was to put on their backpacks together. It wasn't to be and now he cannot stop thinking that if he had accompanied her, she would not have evaporated without a trace. Today marks three months to the day after her mysterious disappearance. There is not a single trace and the investigation, in collaboration with the FBI, is stuck. "My greatest hope is that they find her safe and that she comes home," Cedric says. He has decided not to give up and continue to search tirelessly for his sister.
In these three months, the investigations have failed to provide additional information to what was already known from the early hours of the disappearance. Denise Thiem, with dark hair and oriental features, was last seen in Astorga on April 5. The night before she slept in an albergue in the town in the province of León and the next day she had breakfast with an Italian pilgrim. The two of them chatted with two German pilgrims and everything points to it that after that the American woman continued her travels. To a British friend she had written in an email that she would sleep in Astorga and go to church the next day and then leave for the village of El Ganso, where she planned to spend the night. She never arrived there.
The lack of news is having a devastating effect on the family and friends of Thiem. "This leaves you emotionally empty. There is so much we do not know that you do not know what to do. It saddens me and my imagination is in overdrive because anything is possible," Cedric says.
What is clear to the brother of the missing pilgrim is that Denise did not leave voluntarily. "At first there were many theories. Some people suggested that perhaps she had found someone and just gone off with him, but that does not make sense," he says. Although Cedric spent time in Astorga collaborating in the search for his sister, he had to return to Phoenix (Arizona). However, from there he continues to coordinate new searches in the area of Astorga - the latest was in early June, and putting pressure on the Congress and the US Senate so that the case will not be forgotten. "I just want to make sure that the government is doing everything they can," he remarks.
BBM
:candle:
The brother of the pilgrim who disappeared in Astorga does not lose hope and will continue searching for her
La Voz de Galicia
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...s-meses-rastro-denise/0003_201507G5P12991.htm
When Denise Thiem, of 41 years of age, saw the film The Way (Martin Sheen, 2010) in the United States she decided to walk the Camino de Santiago. She mentioned this to her brother Cedric and the initial plan was to put on their backpacks together. It wasn't to be and now he cannot stop thinking that if he had accompanied her, she would not have evaporated without a trace. Today marks three months to the day after her mysterious disappearance. There is not a single trace and the investigation, in collaboration with the FBI, is stuck. "My greatest hope is that they find her safe and that she comes home," Cedric says. He has decided not to give up and continue to search tirelessly for his sister.
In these three months, the investigations have failed to provide additional information to what was already known from the early hours of the disappearance. Denise Thiem, with dark hair and oriental features, was last seen in Astorga on April 5. The night before she slept in an albergue in the town in the province of León and the next day she had breakfast with an Italian pilgrim. The two of them chatted with two German pilgrims and everything points to it that after that the American woman continued her travels. To a British friend she had written in an email that she would sleep in Astorga and go to church the next day and then leave for the village of El Ganso, where she planned to spend the night. She never arrived there.
The lack of news is having a devastating effect on the family and friends of Thiem. "This leaves you emotionally empty. There is so much we do not know that you do not know what to do. It saddens me and my imagination is in overdrive because anything is possible," Cedric says.
What is clear to the brother of the missing pilgrim is that Denise did not leave voluntarily. "At first there were many theories. Some people suggested that perhaps she had found someone and just gone off with him, but that does not make sense," he says. Although Cedric spent time in Astorga collaborating in the search for his sister, he had to return to Phoenix (Arizona). However, from there he continues to coordinate new searches in the area of Astorga - the latest was in early June, and putting pressure on the Congress and the US Senate so that the case will not be forgotten. "I just want to make sure that the government is doing everything they can," he remarks.
BBM
:candle:
Shirley M is sóóóó last century.... how on earth did she manage to hike the Camino without smartphone, internet, wifi and specialized forums? :giggle:
I read HP Kerkeling's book, his camino dates from 2001 and at the time he counted himself lucky that he met another pilgrim who carried a hotel guide, a booklet made of real paper.
Denise was inspired by the movie The Way:
[video]https://youtu.be/o5VZKWcgw6c[/video]
Emilio Estevez and his crew from The Way mention Denise on their FB page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-The-Movie/149700758373570?fref=ts
I saw The Way, the father walks the camino in place of his son, who died at the beginning of hypothermia.
It's so terrible for Denise's family, who don't know the outcome and so can't put this behind them and find peace, as in the film.
It's so terrible for Denise's family, who don't know the outcome and so can't put this behind them and find peace, as in the film.
THE MISTERY OF THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
Three months ago an American pilgrim disappeared without trace
Her family and police continue to search, although they have no leads
Several women told police about their incidents in the area. EL MUNDO speaks with them
ElMundo.es
http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2015/07/07/5592bcf4ca47413e1f8b45b2.html
She left to find herself and now no one can find her. Denise Pikka Thiem, the Asian American pilgrim who disappeared last April 5 in Astorga, when she was preparing to cover the route of 14 kilometers that would take her to El Ganso, is still missing. Three months without news, without a trace, with no indication of what might have happened that day. Three months of searching, police work, anguish. Ninety days of an unsolved mystery.
"There is someone out there who knows where Denise is. I appeal desperately to this person that they tell what happened. That they go to the police. Or make a false email account and write anonymously. Or call from a public phone or send an unsigned letter with no return address. Whatever. They are the only one with the power to end all this suffering. Their confession is the only thing that will help us all." The appeal comes from Richard Paili Yien, a close friend of Denise for over 20 years. He has only just returned to the US after spending three weeks in Spain, in Astorga, coordinating the volunteers who come each week to scour the area. In case they stumble upon her, although the area has already been overly well searched.
Although in the investigation all scenarios remain open, Richard rejects three of them. "She did not leave voluntarily or nor has she committed suicide. And I do not think that she suffered an accident," he told El Mundo. "I wish she had gone on her own feet, but she is a very responsible person, very careful. It is impossible," admits her friend, who acknowledges feelings of helplessness, and of guilt -not knowing what else to do to find her -, anxiety and deep sadness.
Desiree Yao, cousin of the disappeared pilgrim, agrees with this analysis of both the personal traits and the assumptions. "Everyone in the family is convinced that someone took her against her will. We were told something about trafficking and other possible reasons, all horrible. But at the moment we have no reliable leads and that is very frustrating" she writes to El Mundo in an e-mail from Hong Kong. Since she heard that her cousin had gone missing, she needs pills to sleep. Denise's brother, Cedric, talks ever less. Police do not reveal their progress. But the pieces of puzzle pieces do not fit together yet.
No one in the circle of family and friends of the pilgrim seems to doubt that something bad has happened. "She is a very experienced, independent traveler, a strong woman, feisty, and very close to her family. She never would leave this way," Tina Ascher, a friend of the missing woman, confirms from the Philippines. Together they saw in Manila the movie 'The Way' ('El Camino') -- starring Martin Sheen, a film that inspired Denise to undertake the adventure. "She thought walking through those places gave people the space to find themselves. And that's what she wanted," Tina says.
The last known trace of Denise is that she passed the night of April 4 in the hostel of San Javier, in Astorga and that in the morning of April 5, after attending mass at 12 o'clock, she spent some time with another pilgrim - the Italian Giorgio Candoni, whom the police has interrogated. He told them that they were watchng together the Easter procession for about 15 minutes. After that they said goodbye near the yellow sign outside the church that indicates the pilgrimage route and each went on their respective journey. The idea of Denise, as revealed in her last e-mail, was to go to El Ganso. She was never heard of again.
In addition to that stretch of El Camino, the Guardia Civíl and volunteers have thoroughly examined the points where pilgrims might get lost and the places where most accidents occur. "At this point I think it is unlikely that Denise is somewhere around that area," Richard admits.
Both family members and friends are concerned by the testimonies of women who have told the police they have been 'harassed' in those kilometers of the Jacobean Camino. And by the story of Covadonga, a resident of Santa Catalina, who suffered an attempted kidnapping. But the residents of these villages still seem surprised about this. Richard said that all citizens of the Maragatería tell you the same thing: "There has never happened anything like this."
In the Forums of the Friends of El Camino, the disappearance of Denise is a topic of conversation. El Mundo speaks with some women who walked alone and had a misadventure. They have told the police, but now they do thisin public in case it may help to clarify something about the disappearance of Denise.
Maureen Donaghy (New York): 'A cyclist wanted to touch my breasts'
"I started the Camino in Leon on March 30 and arrived in Santiago on April 15. Never felt scared except April 4 - the same date on which Denise disappeared I had an incident. I started walking from Acebo around 8 the morning. I divided the route Rabanal to Ponferrada in two days, because my knees were not good. It was a quiet morning, with few pilgrims. I met with someone every half hour or so. Nothing was open, because it was a holiday weekend. Around 10.30 hrs I found a very nice green area with trees and a rock to rest a bit, so I sat down to eat a snack. A cyclist was coming from the opposite direction and stopped too. I was not surprised because the site was very pleasant. He seemed someone local, because he did not carry a backpack nor any pilgrim symbol. He was wearing a black biker suit with white letters.
A few minutes later I got up to take off my coat, because it was very hot. I put it in the bag and put the bag on my back. Then the boy, who must have been about 22 years, came to me and started to say something in Spanish and move his arms. I did not understand what he was saying, but from his gestures I guessed he wanted to touch me. Touch my breasts. It seemed so absurd that at first I started laughing. I said, 'no, no, no,' but he insisted three times and I started to panic. There was no place to hide and all that I could do was follow the Camino. Each time I became more afraid because he could easily reach me. I spent an hour looking back to see if he followed me. At last I met other pilgrims and I began to feel calmer. I had to sit for 30 minutes to calm down. I was exhausted emotionally.
BARBARA VERONESE (Germany): 'A guy stepped out of a car and masturbated in front of me'
"I spent five weeks on the Camino, from mid-March through April. A total of 2,800 kilometers that I walked alone most of the time. I always felt it was safe except at the stage of Astorga. During that track, a white car began to follow me and stopped in front of me. A guy got out, pulled out his penis and started to pee and masturbate. I started to walk away and he followed me and kept staring at me. He disappeared and appeared in front of me in the car. He did at least four times. I walked as fast as I could to catch up with a group of pilgrims, who had seen that something was wrong with me and waited for me. Nothing happened to me, really, but it was a bad experience. I lost the feeling of freedom that I had had until then. Right now I would not know what to say about safety on the Camino. Hearing of of the disappearance of Denise has been very disturbing."
MARY SUE AUSTIN (Texas): 'Two men in a van stopped beside us'
"We walked the Camino during the second half of March. It was all wonderful, but just before Espinal, with a snow-covered road, we decided to rest on a bench. It was very quiet and suddenly appeared a white van that was going very fast. It stopped nearby and a young man, with olive skin, rolled down the window and asked us for a light for his cigarette. I had a light, I got up with my walking stick, I told my friends I was going to give him fire and they had to be alert, because he gave me no good impression . The driver also had olive skin. The guy who wanted the lighter got out the car and walked towards me. He came very close, stared at me, lit the cigarette, thanked me, then he returned to the vehicle and left. Nothing happened, but it made me very uneasy. I'm so sad about the disappearance of Denise, I fear that probably she is not alive anymore."
BBM
The story of Barbara Veronese is scary. The fact that this creep had a car and kept on returning (via a backroad or something???) ..... :gaah:
Barbara Verones's story is mentioned as well in The Guardian of May 27. Facts described vary slightly
http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...tiago-pilgrims-after-female-walker-disappears
Three months ago an American pilgrim disappeared without trace
Her family and police continue to search, although they have no leads
Several women told police about their incidents in the area. EL MUNDO speaks with them
ElMundo.es
http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2015/07/07/5592bcf4ca47413e1f8b45b2.html
She left to find herself and now no one can find her. Denise Pikka Thiem, the Asian American pilgrim who disappeared last April 5 in Astorga, when she was preparing to cover the route of 14 kilometers that would take her to El Ganso, is still missing. Three months without news, without a trace, with no indication of what might have happened that day. Three months of searching, police work, anguish. Ninety days of an unsolved mystery.
"There is someone out there who knows where Denise is. I appeal desperately to this person that they tell what happened. That they go to the police. Or make a false email account and write anonymously. Or call from a public phone or send an unsigned letter with no return address. Whatever. They are the only one with the power to end all this suffering. Their confession is the only thing that will help us all." The appeal comes from Richard Paili Yien, a close friend of Denise for over 20 years. He has only just returned to the US after spending three weeks in Spain, in Astorga, coordinating the volunteers who come each week to scour the area. In case they stumble upon her, although the area has already been overly well searched.
Although in the investigation all scenarios remain open, Richard rejects three of them. "She did not leave voluntarily or nor has she committed suicide. And I do not think that she suffered an accident," he told El Mundo. "I wish she had gone on her own feet, but she is a very responsible person, very careful. It is impossible," admits her friend, who acknowledges feelings of helplessness, and of guilt -not knowing what else to do to find her -, anxiety and deep sadness.
Desiree Yao, cousin of the disappeared pilgrim, agrees with this analysis of both the personal traits and the assumptions. "Everyone in the family is convinced that someone took her against her will. We were told something about trafficking and other possible reasons, all horrible. But at the moment we have no reliable leads and that is very frustrating" she writes to El Mundo in an e-mail from Hong Kong. Since she heard that her cousin had gone missing, she needs pills to sleep. Denise's brother, Cedric, talks ever less. Police do not reveal their progress. But the pieces of puzzle pieces do not fit together yet.
No one in the circle of family and friends of the pilgrim seems to doubt that something bad has happened. "She is a very experienced, independent traveler, a strong woman, feisty, and very close to her family. She never would leave this way," Tina Ascher, a friend of the missing woman, confirms from the Philippines. Together they saw in Manila the movie 'The Way' ('El Camino') -- starring Martin Sheen, a film that inspired Denise to undertake the adventure. "She thought walking through those places gave people the space to find themselves. And that's what she wanted," Tina says.
The last known trace of Denise is that she passed the night of April 4 in the hostel of San Javier, in Astorga and that in the morning of April 5, after attending mass at 12 o'clock, she spent some time with another pilgrim - the Italian Giorgio Candoni, whom the police has interrogated. He told them that they were watchng together the Easter procession for about 15 minutes. After that they said goodbye near the yellow sign outside the church that indicates the pilgrimage route and each went on their respective journey. The idea of Denise, as revealed in her last e-mail, was to go to El Ganso. She was never heard of again.
In addition to that stretch of El Camino, the Guardia Civíl and volunteers have thoroughly examined the points where pilgrims might get lost and the places where most accidents occur. "At this point I think it is unlikely that Denise is somewhere around that area," Richard admits.
Both family members and friends are concerned by the testimonies of women who have told the police they have been 'harassed' in those kilometers of the Jacobean Camino. And by the story of Covadonga, a resident of Santa Catalina, who suffered an attempted kidnapping. But the residents of these villages still seem surprised about this. Richard said that all citizens of the Maragatería tell you the same thing: "There has never happened anything like this."
In the Forums of the Friends of El Camino, the disappearance of Denise is a topic of conversation. El Mundo speaks with some women who walked alone and had a misadventure. They have told the police, but now they do thisin public in case it may help to clarify something about the disappearance of Denise.
Maureen Donaghy (New York): 'A cyclist wanted to touch my breasts'
"I started the Camino in Leon on March 30 and arrived in Santiago on April 15. Never felt scared except April 4 - the same date on which Denise disappeared I had an incident. I started walking from Acebo around 8 the morning. I divided the route Rabanal to Ponferrada in two days, because my knees were not good. It was a quiet morning, with few pilgrims. I met with someone every half hour or so. Nothing was open, because it was a holiday weekend. Around 10.30 hrs I found a very nice green area with trees and a rock to rest a bit, so I sat down to eat a snack. A cyclist was coming from the opposite direction and stopped too. I was not surprised because the site was very pleasant. He seemed someone local, because he did not carry a backpack nor any pilgrim symbol. He was wearing a black biker suit with white letters.
A few minutes later I got up to take off my coat, because it was very hot. I put it in the bag and put the bag on my back. Then the boy, who must have been about 22 years, came to me and started to say something in Spanish and move his arms. I did not understand what he was saying, but from his gestures I guessed he wanted to touch me. Touch my breasts. It seemed so absurd that at first I started laughing. I said, 'no, no, no,' but he insisted three times and I started to panic. There was no place to hide and all that I could do was follow the Camino. Each time I became more afraid because he could easily reach me. I spent an hour looking back to see if he followed me. At last I met other pilgrims and I began to feel calmer. I had to sit for 30 minutes to calm down. I was exhausted emotionally.
BARBARA VERONESE (Germany): 'A guy stepped out of a car and masturbated in front of me'
"I spent five weeks on the Camino, from mid-March through April. A total of 2,800 kilometers that I walked alone most of the time. I always felt it was safe except at the stage of Astorga. During that track, a white car began to follow me and stopped in front of me. A guy got out, pulled out his penis and started to pee and masturbate. I started to walk away and he followed me and kept staring at me. He disappeared and appeared in front of me in the car. He did at least four times. I walked as fast as I could to catch up with a group of pilgrims, who had seen that something was wrong with me and waited for me. Nothing happened to me, really, but it was a bad experience. I lost the feeling of freedom that I had had until then. Right now I would not know what to say about safety on the Camino. Hearing of of the disappearance of Denise has been very disturbing."
MARY SUE AUSTIN (Texas): 'Two men in a van stopped beside us'
"We walked the Camino during the second half of March. It was all wonderful, but just before Espinal, with a snow-covered road, we decided to rest on a bench. It was very quiet and suddenly appeared a white van that was going very fast. It stopped nearby and a young man, with olive skin, rolled down the window and asked us for a light for his cigarette. I had a light, I got up with my walking stick, I told my friends I was going to give him fire and they had to be alert, because he gave me no good impression . The driver also had olive skin. The guy who wanted the lighter got out the car and walked towards me. He came very close, stared at me, lit the cigarette, thanked me, then he returned to the vehicle and left. Nothing happened, but it made me very uneasy. I'm so sad about the disappearance of Denise, I fear that probably she is not alive anymore."
BBM
The story of Barbara Veronese is scary. The fact that this creep had a car and kept on returning (via a backroad or something???) ..... :gaah:
Barbara Verones's story is mentioned as well in The Guardian of May 27. Facts described vary slightly
http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...tiago-pilgrims-after-female-walker-disappears
INTERVIEW WITH NAVA CASTRO, DIRECTORA DE TURISMO IN GALICIA
Nava Castro Domínguez is Director of the official Agency for Tourism in Galicia where the Camino de Santiago ends in Santiago de Compostela.
I have translated some paragraphs from the interview, especially those about the disappearance of Denise.
http://www.abc.es/local-galicia/20150712/abci-entrevista-nava-castro-turismo-201507121255.html
Q: Is an increased flow of pilgrims expected on these Caminos? [Camino Francés and Camino del Norte]
A: We have to be very aware that there is a before and an after. Not only the government, the private sector also, as happened with the Camino Francés when it was declared World Heritage in 1993. We had less than 1,000 pilgrims per year and now the number surpasses 200,000. These Caminos will benefit from the heritage protection and other improvements.
(...)
Q: The trail of Camino has been moved away from one of it's blackest points in order to ensure road safety. Regarding safety in general, are you concerned about the case of Denise Thiem, the pilgrim who disappeared in Astorga three months ago?
A: It's a tragedy. Here in Galicia we had already taken action. Which? There is security on the Camino: Police, Guardia Civíl and volunteers. Now there is support on horseback in summer. We want the pilgrim to be aware of that security.
Q: Have they asked for your help or advice from Castilla and León?
A: So far for the Jacobean Council, which is the statewide organization that coordinates the entire Camino with the autonomous communities, most work has been in the preparation of the candidacy of the Caminos del Norte for the past seven years. There are other tasks on the table like road signs, lodging ... All these topics are treated there. Now we delve into these other matters
Q: Does the case of Denise look like something that has happened in the Camino as an incident, or is there more to it than that?
A: What happens on the Camino has international implications. She was a member of the American Pilgrim and they are waiting to see what happens. We have a very good relationship with them. We are open to requests that they may make to us.
Q: El Camino is tourism?
A: The Tourist, according to the World Tourism Organization, is the person who spends the night outside of his own house, but we are aware that we can not equate the pilgrim with a tourist. We want to understand their needs and feelings and therefore, together with the Archbishop, we will open a welcome center.
BBM
Is the disappearance of Denise an incident or is there more to it?
There are many ways NOT to answer this question!
What does she mean with her answer, if the American Pilgrim Organization requests that Denise be found, will she do that?
The Camino is safe, yet security is UP.
IMHO Denise disappeared between Astorga and el Ganso because at that time and place, there was not enough security.
Nava Castro Domínguez is Director of the official Agency for Tourism in Galicia where the Camino de Santiago ends in Santiago de Compostela.
I have translated some paragraphs from the interview, especially those about the disappearance of Denise.
http://www.abc.es/local-galicia/20150712/abci-entrevista-nava-castro-turismo-201507121255.html
Q: Is an increased flow of pilgrims expected on these Caminos? [Camino Francés and Camino del Norte]
A: We have to be very aware that there is a before and an after. Not only the government, the private sector also, as happened with the Camino Francés when it was declared World Heritage in 1993. We had less than 1,000 pilgrims per year and now the number surpasses 200,000. These Caminos will benefit from the heritage protection and other improvements.
(...)
Q: The trail of Camino has been moved away from one of it's blackest points in order to ensure road safety. Regarding safety in general, are you concerned about the case of Denise Thiem, the pilgrim who disappeared in Astorga three months ago?
A: It's a tragedy. Here in Galicia we had already taken action. Which? There is security on the Camino: Police, Guardia Civíl and volunteers. Now there is support on horseback in summer. We want the pilgrim to be aware of that security.
Q: Have they asked for your help or advice from Castilla and León?
A: So far for the Jacobean Council, which is the statewide organization that coordinates the entire Camino with the autonomous communities, most work has been in the preparation of the candidacy of the Caminos del Norte for the past seven years. There are other tasks on the table like road signs, lodging ... All these topics are treated there. Now we delve into these other matters
Q: Does the case of Denise look like something that has happened in the Camino as an incident, or is there more to it than that?
A: What happens on the Camino has international implications. She was a member of the American Pilgrim and they are waiting to see what happens. We have a very good relationship with them. We are open to requests that they may make to us.
Q: El Camino is tourism?
A: The Tourist, according to the World Tourism Organization, is the person who spends the night outside of his own house, but we are aware that we can not equate the pilgrim with a tourist. We want to understand their needs and feelings and therefore, together with the Archbishop, we will open a welcome center.
BBM
Is the disappearance of Denise an incident or is there more to it?
There are many ways NOT to answer this question!
What does she mean with her answer, if the American Pilgrim Organization requests that Denise be found, will she do that?
The Camino is safe, yet security is UP.
IMHO Denise disappeared between Astorga and el Ganso because at that time and place, there was not enough security.
Hi dotr, tell here to stay safe and walk with others. That is the best you can do. So many things may or may not happen during the Camino and everybody has their own experience.
If you want to sleuth, you'd probably have to go there yourself. (Wow!)
But even then, what can you do, what difference would it make? I have been scouring the internet for news for weeks now, and making translations of what is basically the same message over and over: Denise evaporated into thin air and there are no leads.
I hope your friend has a good journey.
THE TURQUOISE BACKPACK OF DENISE, THE LAST HOPE
With no trace of the missing pilgrim, her family now clings to finding her luggage. "something has to turn up, even if it is a sock"
ABC.es.Galicia
http://www.abc.es/local-galicia/20150713/abci-denise-peregrina-desaparecida-201507121937.html
Today marks one hundred days after the disappearance of the pilgrim Denise Thiem. The lack of evidence about where the steps of the American woman ended up that April 4 (5!) overshadows a case that is driving her family and friends to desperation. From afar, the parents and brother of the pilgrim from Arizona fight to keep the attenbtion of the police and the media for a disappearance that does not give them answers nor comfort. In direct contact with investigators, the spokeswoman of the Thiem family in Spain criticizes that they have failed for weeks to keep them updated and that there is no progress in the investigation, beyond the transfer of the case to the central office in Madrid for review.
With full awareness that trails where the American woman - whose tracks were lost at the foot of the Cathedral of Astorga - was seen for the last time have been swept by expert agents of the Guardia Civíl and the National Police with the help of local volunteers, the relatives from Arizona do not hesitate to start a new search in the hope that it may shed light on the case. They intend to return to what has already been revised, to move even the last stone of the Camino that may hide the key to the disappearance of Denise. Therefore, although no date has yet been set, they prepare a new search in the area, for which the spokeswoman of the family requests the help of expert mountaneers and hikers with experience in steep areas. "We know that the area has already been checked, but something has to show up, even if it is a sock. She cannot have evaporated into thin air," the spokeswoman insists in a chat with ABC.
To push forward an investigation that has been deadlocked almost since the first week and advised by experts in these fields, parents and brother of Denise have also made a change in their search. Initially, social networks and shelters on the Camino were covered with a picture of the pilgrim and her physical description. 'Missing. Denise Pikka Thiem. 40 years, 1.60 tall, between 50 and 53 kilos of weight, Asian features, long hair, smooth and dark, barely speaks Spanish " read dozens of posters. Now the focus has changed and what is important is not so much the face of Denise as her backpack. Finding her luggage or part of it could boost the investigation that has been dry-docked for three months now. Hence many of the hopes of the family are on turquoise backpack that accompanied the American woman during her pilgrimage adventure. At the same time, the Thiem family has maintained contact with US senators and politicians to help them in keeping the case in the limelight. "They are frustrated that there are no options left but that and to fight so that the the investigation is not halted," their intermediaries explain.
Without further clues or evidence, the brother of the pilgrim insists that she did not disappear voluntarily. The absence of movements in her accounts, stalled since last April 4, confirm that the disappearance was no decision of the young Denise. In addition, there were the attempted abduction suffered by a pilgrim in the same area and allegations of harassment, reported by several female pilgrims, but those in charge of the case ruled out a connection between the disappearance of Denise and these specific events. Neither are there witnesses who observed anything outside the normal order of the Camino that could point into a specific direction. One hundred days later, no one knows what might have altered the plans of a pilgrim who only needed ten stages to complete her adventure.
BBM
The brand of the backpack is OSPREY, and it looks like it has a hydration system (blue plastic tube).
More pictures with the backpack and description of her shoes, trekking poles and clothes:
https://www.facebook.com/helpdenise....1436783684./1440457872937558/?type=1&theater
With no trace of the missing pilgrim, her family now clings to finding her luggage. "something has to turn up, even if it is a sock"
ABC.es.Galicia
http://www.abc.es/local-galicia/20150713/abci-denise-peregrina-desaparecida-201507121937.html
Today marks one hundred days after the disappearance of the pilgrim Denise Thiem. The lack of evidence about where the steps of the American woman ended up that April 4 (5!) overshadows a case that is driving her family and friends to desperation. From afar, the parents and brother of the pilgrim from Arizona fight to keep the attenbtion of the police and the media for a disappearance that does not give them answers nor comfort. In direct contact with investigators, the spokeswoman of the Thiem family in Spain criticizes that they have failed for weeks to keep them updated and that there is no progress in the investigation, beyond the transfer of the case to the central office in Madrid for review.
With full awareness that trails where the American woman - whose tracks were lost at the foot of the Cathedral of Astorga - was seen for the last time have been swept by expert agents of the Guardia Civíl and the National Police with the help of local volunteers, the relatives from Arizona do not hesitate to start a new search in the hope that it may shed light on the case. They intend to return to what has already been revised, to move even the last stone of the Camino that may hide the key to the disappearance of Denise. Therefore, although no date has yet been set, they prepare a new search in the area, for which the spokeswoman of the family requests the help of expert mountaneers and hikers with experience in steep areas. "We know that the area has already been checked, but something has to show up, even if it is a sock. She cannot have evaporated into thin air," the spokeswoman insists in a chat with ABC.
To push forward an investigation that has been deadlocked almost since the first week and advised by experts in these fields, parents and brother of Denise have also made a change in their search. Initially, social networks and shelters on the Camino were covered with a picture of the pilgrim and her physical description. 'Missing. Denise Pikka Thiem. 40 years, 1.60 tall, between 50 and 53 kilos of weight, Asian features, long hair, smooth and dark, barely speaks Spanish " read dozens of posters. Now the focus has changed and what is important is not so much the face of Denise as her backpack. Finding her luggage or part of it could boost the investigation that has been dry-docked for three months now. Hence many of the hopes of the family are on turquoise backpack that accompanied the American woman during her pilgrimage adventure. At the same time, the Thiem family has maintained contact with US senators and politicians to help them in keeping the case in the limelight. "They are frustrated that there are no options left but that and to fight so that the the investigation is not halted," their intermediaries explain.
Without further clues or evidence, the brother of the pilgrim insists that she did not disappear voluntarily. The absence of movements in her accounts, stalled since last April 4, confirm that the disappearance was no decision of the young Denise. In addition, there were the attempted abduction suffered by a pilgrim in the same area and allegations of harassment, reported by several female pilgrims, but those in charge of the case ruled out a connection between the disappearance of Denise and these specific events. Neither are there witnesses who observed anything outside the normal order of the Camino that could point into a specific direction. One hundred days later, no one knows what might have altered the plans of a pilgrim who only needed ten stages to complete her adventure.
BBM
The brand of the backpack is OSPREY, and it looks like it has a hydration system (blue plastic tube).
More pictures with the backpack and description of her shoes, trekking poles and clothes:
https://www.facebook.com/helpdenise....1436783684./1440457872937558/?type=1&theater
MISSING ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO: SEARCHERS FACE AGONIZING SILENCE AFTER DENISE THIEM DISAPPEARS
A very lengthy article about the search conducted by family and friends of Denise over 3 continents and multiple time zones. I have selected some essential points. There is much more at the link.
AZ Central.com
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/best-reads/2015/07/17/missing-camino-de-santiago/30313189/
On the afternoon of July 3, Cedric Thiem's phone buzzed. A police detective in Spain was sending him pictures of clothing strewn about a field. Could he identify whether any of the clothes might have belonged to his missing sister? Cedric looked at the pictures. No, he told her. They didn't look like his sister's clothes.
Cedric asked the detective if there were any new leads in the case of his sister's disappearance. The answer was the same as it had been so many times in the three months since Denise Thiem had abruptly vanished while walking the Camino de Santiago: No.
(...)
Denise's brother, Yao and Ascher began to use the electronic means available to them to piece together Denise's last known steps.
Using social media and online forums, Ascher and the team began contacting other pilgrims who had recently hiked the Camino, and they helped fill in other gaps in the story.
Ascher found Christine Blankenburg-Didner, a German pilgrim, who said she had bumped into Denise while she was having breakfast about 10:30 a.m. on April 5. The German woman said Denise was with a man named George.
Ascher couldn't determine George's identity, but she was in contact with a Spanish police detective, who checked the logs at the Astorga hostel and found an Italian name: Giorgio Cadoni.
An internet search turned up an online profile, which Ascher showed to the German traveler. Yes, she said, that was the man she had seen. Ascher sent the information to the Spanish police, then looked for the man herself.
Soon, with the help of an Italian-speaking friend serving as translator, Ascher contacted Cadoni by e-mail and phone. She said Cadoni, who had by then returned to Italy, relayed his memory of the last time he saw Denise, April 5: They had eaten breakfast together, he said, then attended Mass at 11 a.m.; they parted ways outside of the church around noon.
(...)
Around this time, on June 12, the Arizona Republic published a story about Denise's disappearance that also ran in USA TODAY. The story caught the eye of Phil Thompson, a retired U.S. Air Force officer living in central Pennsylvania.
The account struck a chord with Thompson, who had walked the Camino in late 2013. He immediately recalled a group of European men who had stuck out to him. They had constantly been talking loudly on their cell phones and appeared to be traveling in both directions on the Camino and yet did not carry backpacks, walking sticks or water. They were also uncommonly clean, unlike the rest of the pilgrims who hiked several miles a day; Thompson never observed them walking. Later on in his pilgrimage, he said, he met some Korean women on the Camino who said that at least one of these men had made unwanted sexual advances toward them.
Though taken aback and somewhat suspicious, Thompson and the other travelers ultimately did not report the odd characters to any authority, he said.
But now, reading about Denise's disappearance, he felt a deep urge to get in touch with the family to share his concerns. So much time had passed that it was unlikely their experiences were connected at all. Still, the fact remained that the Camino had not entirely been the idyllic spiritual haven Thompson thought it was and that it is often billed to be.
"There are," he wrote to The Republic in an e-mail, "very troubled people on the Camino."
When Thompson made contact with Denise's family and friends, he soon found that they, too, had uncovered similar stories. After they shared Denise's disappearance on online forums, other women began coming forward with accounts of being harassed on the trail. A few claimed that men had tried to grope or kidnap them while walking. Others recounted being followed along parts of the trail by slow-moving vehicles, with strange men who tried to force them to get inside.
Soon, Ascher, Yao and the search team were collecting the alleged victims' names and stories in a spreadsheet. They had no way of independently verifying whether these attacks had happened, but they began fearing Denise had been the victim of abduction, human trafficking or worse. They didn't know what to do except to continue forwarding their findings to the Spanish National Police and urge them to issue a warning or become more vigilant. Thompson began corresponding regularly with Denise's friends and family, to the point where they considered him another member of the search team.
Tour operators continued to smooth over fears, insisting that the Camino which last year attracted nearly 300,000 pilgrims who completed the trek to Santiago was safe. Victorina Alonso, the mayor of Astorga, told the New York Times on June 18 that Thiem's disappearance was "an isolated case that could have occurred in any other part of Spain or elsewhere."
Yao was aghast. She knew her cousin had been a responsible, experienced traveler who did her research. If more of these cases had come to light, she might have thought twice.
"How is someone supposed to prepare for this?" Yao said. "As long as they continue to have this (idealized) portrayal of the Camino more women will be disappearing. I hold this to be my personal responsibility to not have this happen again."
BBM
Meanwhile, Phil Thompson's observations are being challenged at one of the Camino forums. This is rather surprising, since the representative of the Korean pilgrims recently requested more protection for the Koreans and mentioned cases of harassment and more.
:notgood:
A very lengthy article about the search conducted by family and friends of Denise over 3 continents and multiple time zones. I have selected some essential points. There is much more at the link.
AZ Central.com
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/best-reads/2015/07/17/missing-camino-de-santiago/30313189/
On the afternoon of July 3, Cedric Thiem's phone buzzed. A police detective in Spain was sending him pictures of clothing strewn about a field. Could he identify whether any of the clothes might have belonged to his missing sister? Cedric looked at the pictures. No, he told her. They didn't look like his sister's clothes.
Cedric asked the detective if there were any new leads in the case of his sister's disappearance. The answer was the same as it had been so many times in the three months since Denise Thiem had abruptly vanished while walking the Camino de Santiago: No.
(...)
Denise's brother, Yao and Ascher began to use the electronic means available to them to piece together Denise's last known steps.
Using social media and online forums, Ascher and the team began contacting other pilgrims who had recently hiked the Camino, and they helped fill in other gaps in the story.
Ascher found Christine Blankenburg-Didner, a German pilgrim, who said she had bumped into Denise while she was having breakfast about 10:30 a.m. on April 5. The German woman said Denise was with a man named George.
Ascher couldn't determine George's identity, but she was in contact with a Spanish police detective, who checked the logs at the Astorga hostel and found an Italian name: Giorgio Cadoni.
An internet search turned up an online profile, which Ascher showed to the German traveler. Yes, she said, that was the man she had seen. Ascher sent the information to the Spanish police, then looked for the man herself.
Soon, with the help of an Italian-speaking friend serving as translator, Ascher contacted Cadoni by e-mail and phone. She said Cadoni, who had by then returned to Italy, relayed his memory of the last time he saw Denise, April 5: They had eaten breakfast together, he said, then attended Mass at 11 a.m.; they parted ways outside of the church around noon.
(...)
Around this time, on June 12, the Arizona Republic published a story about Denise's disappearance that also ran in USA TODAY. The story caught the eye of Phil Thompson, a retired U.S. Air Force officer living in central Pennsylvania.
The account struck a chord with Thompson, who had walked the Camino in late 2013. He immediately recalled a group of European men who had stuck out to him. They had constantly been talking loudly on their cell phones and appeared to be traveling in both directions on the Camino and yet did not carry backpacks, walking sticks or water. They were also uncommonly clean, unlike the rest of the pilgrims who hiked several miles a day; Thompson never observed them walking. Later on in his pilgrimage, he said, he met some Korean women on the Camino who said that at least one of these men had made unwanted sexual advances toward them.
Though taken aback and somewhat suspicious, Thompson and the other travelers ultimately did not report the odd characters to any authority, he said.
But now, reading about Denise's disappearance, he felt a deep urge to get in touch with the family to share his concerns. So much time had passed that it was unlikely their experiences were connected at all. Still, the fact remained that the Camino had not entirely been the idyllic spiritual haven Thompson thought it was and that it is often billed to be.
"There are," he wrote to The Republic in an e-mail, "very troubled people on the Camino."
When Thompson made contact with Denise's family and friends, he soon found that they, too, had uncovered similar stories. After they shared Denise's disappearance on online forums, other women began coming forward with accounts of being harassed on the trail. A few claimed that men had tried to grope or kidnap them while walking. Others recounted being followed along parts of the trail by slow-moving vehicles, with strange men who tried to force them to get inside.
Soon, Ascher, Yao and the search team were collecting the alleged victims' names and stories in a spreadsheet. They had no way of independently verifying whether these attacks had happened, but they began fearing Denise had been the victim of abduction, human trafficking or worse. They didn't know what to do except to continue forwarding their findings to the Spanish National Police and urge them to issue a warning or become more vigilant. Thompson began corresponding regularly with Denise's friends and family, to the point where they considered him another member of the search team.
Tour operators continued to smooth over fears, insisting that the Camino which last year attracted nearly 300,000 pilgrims who completed the trek to Santiago was safe. Victorina Alonso, the mayor of Astorga, told the New York Times on June 18 that Thiem's disappearance was "an isolated case that could have occurred in any other part of Spain or elsewhere."
Yao was aghast. She knew her cousin had been a responsible, experienced traveler who did her research. If more of these cases had come to light, she might have thought twice.
"How is someone supposed to prepare for this?" Yao said. "As long as they continue to have this (idealized) portrayal of the Camino more women will be disappearing. I hold this to be my personal responsibility to not have this happen again."
BBM
Meanwhile, Phil Thompson's observations are being challenged at one of the Camino forums. This is rather surprising, since the representative of the Korean pilgrims recently requested more protection for the Koreans and mentioned cases of harassment and more.
:notgood:
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