By 2012 Spain had experienced four years of the financial crisis. The housing bubble had burst, and youth unemployment peaked at over 55%, which forced thousands of people to leave their homes in search of work. Abandoned housing projects at the urban fringes sat half finished, with no sign of being completed, as anger and frustration at the economic climate grew, and people took to daily protests across the country.

While political unrest spread across Spain, locals and travelers alike sought their own peace by walking the Camino De Santiago pilgrim route. This series, taken along the Camino De Santiago with detours to larger cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, considers how these troubles intersected with day-to-day life in Spain; how traditions fought to remain relevant amidst the backdrop of a failing economic system.

All works © Mike Reed