Pilgrim with no phone, no money and a famous donkey strolls into Costa del Sol town

Secadero is used to holidaymakers and residents rolling in by car. This week, a very different visitor arrived on foot, with a donkey and a tiny cart for company.

Meet Enrique and Espiri

Enrique Balsera has become a familiar face on Spain’s roads, and his four-legged friend is every bit as recognisable. The donkey’s full name is Espiritu Santo Amen, though almost everybody calls him Espiri, the pair of them drawing attention wherever they go and Secadero is their latest stop.

A vow made after a serious crash

Everything began with a car accident that left Enrique unable to walk. During his recovery, he vowed that if he ever got back on his feet, he would travel to Santiago de Compostela, Galicia on foot, visiting as many places across Spain as he could.

A 2021 interview in La Rioja newspaper it was reported that he spent an entire year unable to walk, and that he had previously held a successful career working as a car tester for high end brands including Audi and Lamborghini.

Life without a phone or a wallet

Enrique travels with no mobile and no money, relying on the goodwill of the people he meets. In that same interview, he said he gives away whatever he receives and often sleeps outdoors instead of in a bed. When he reaches a new town, he introduces himself to the local police so officers know who he is and why he has come.

His belongings ride in the cart, with a shower curtain rod serving as his walking staff, hung with bracelets and ribbons from people he has met. He also asks passers-by to jot a few words in one of his many notebooks. Espiri, his trusty side kick was a gift from someone in Castellon on Spain’s east coast, who plays a part too. Enrique joked that the donkey attracts the crowds, leaving him in relative peace.

A woolly welcome in Secadero

Awaiting the pair in Secadero was an alpaca, a gesture from the village as a way of greeting one of the most distinctive pilgrims currently on Spain’s roads and trails.

So if you happen to be around the area, or spot a man, a donkey and a little cart plodding along the verge in a different town, you now know exactly who you have met.