[Gocamino] Galicia Albergues & tourists

[Glenn]

I have to agree that the albergues in Galicia were not up to the standards 
of the other areas, with the exception of the ones on the way to Finisterra. 
Negreira the person in charge lived nearby (next to or across the street I 
believe) and was a very caring person.  The one in Olveiroa was very nice 
especially for such an out of the way place...the caretakers made a nice 
meal for us. They did a good job in Finisterra also...in my humble opinion.

The only place that really troubled me was Palas del Rey.  It was total 
chaos there.  What is the story of that town?  It seemed like many American 
towns that have lost a sense of itself.  It seems so unlike the other 
stopping points on the Camino.  It is the only place I was happy to leave.

In Ponferrada, a large group of pilgrims were queued outside the albergue 
waiting for it to open when a bus load of German "pilgrims" arrived.  The 
leader went to the head of the line with a passenger list.  Everyone sitting 
down by the building just starred at the person.  I thought that if that bus 
would unload there might be a very unpilgrim like encounter between the two 
groups.  When the lady with the key to the building arrived, she did turn 
the bus people  away thereby avoiding a confrontation.-

Glenn


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <c.c.rushassociates at verizon.net>
To: <gocamino at oakapple.net>
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 2:10 AM
Subject: [Gocamino] Re: Gocamino Digest, Vol 11, Issue 3


> >From Ponferrada''all you have to do is look at their boots.  The walking 
> >pilgrims have very muddy boots; the freeloaders weat clean sneakers or 
> >boots.  I?ve found conditions ranging from grim to wonderful.  A 
> >reservation system would be fine, but as a 70 year old I can?t beat the 
> >kids, even when I start walking at 5 a.m. to have stayed in hotels from 
> >time to time.  I?ve missed the socialization with other pilgrims as a 
> >result.
>
>>
>>Today's Topics:
>>
>>   1. Albergue fees? (blaroli at aol.com)
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Message: 1
>>Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 14:50:57 -0400
>>From: blaroli at aol.com
>>Subject: [Gocamino] Albergue fees?
>>To: GOCAMINO at oakapple.net
>>Cc: saintjames at yahoogroups.com
>>Message-ID: <8C78518E1976E87-F08-42CB at mblk-d46.sysops.aol.com>
>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>>
>>Hello you all,
>>
>>Commencing sometime last year the complaints about albergue facilities, 
>>and abuses thereof by erzast pilgrims, reached a crescendo that has 
>>compelled the powers to be to do something about the claimed dysfunctions.
>>Apparently, a significant number of tourists seeking places to sleep free 
>>of charge took advantage of the staff shortages in the albergues and 
>>occupied many of the spaces meant for genuine pilgrims.  Further, and 
>>perhaps because of their frustration over the non-pilgrims, legitimate 
>>Camino walkers and cyclist in the albergues left many in sorrowful 
>>conditions of trash and other indicia of lack of consideration for the 
>>albergues and their "hospitaleros".
>>Last week the Xunta, and the new Director of Tourism, Ruben Leos, arrived 
>>at an accord whereby pilgrims  that occupy the albergues will be asked to 
>>contribute to their upkeep by paying a fee which will range from 3 to 10 
>>Euros.  The income from such fees will allow the albergues to offer better 
>>service, including bed-clothing and towels, and it will also provide some 
>>means for augmenting personnel in the albergues so that  claims of being a 
>>pilgrim   maybe looked into in such a manner that phony ones may be 
>>detected.
>>The good news about the proposed change is that, in addition to better 
>>services in the albergues, true pilgrims will be able to make reservations 
>>in the forthcoming albergue as they leave one.  This will avoid the 
>>necessity of pilgrims starting out before dawn, in the dark, so that they 
>>may reach the next albergue by one o'clock in order to find a space. 
>>Since the reservations will be made from one albergue to another 
>>presumably the increased attention, time intervals, and tracking will 
>>uncover free-loaders pretending to be pilgrims and will provide neede ease 
>>of mind to true pilgrims.
>>
>>The above information, as published in the Galicia newspapers, states that 
>>that albergues in Galicia are the only ones that do not charge a fee. 
>>This statement does not accord with my recollection of the wonderful 
>>albergues in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, both the ones run by the nuns, 
>>with their delicious soup and bread, and the one run by the Camino 
>>Friends.  As I remember, they merely have a jar by the front desk for 
>>"donations"; although I heard more than once, that the donations were 
>>mostly made by foreign pilgrims. The same system prevailed in the Estella 
>>albergues where the only fixed charge is for the food.
>>
>>The mayor of Santiago, Sanchez Bugallo, quoted the famous words of 
>>Leonardo da Vinci about life: "Chi non la valora non la merita", to opine 
>>that the fee would have a beneficial effect on the hospitaleros and the 
>>pilgrims because we tend not to value, or take care of, what costs us 
>>nothing. (Although a literal translation of the Da Vinci quote would be 
>>that s/he who does not value it -life- does not deserve it).
>>
>>It should be mentioned that there is already a quasi-public albergue in 
>>Santiago itself: San Lazaro, which opened last year. Pilgrims who, at the 
>>end of their pilgrimage, occupy any of the 80 vacancies there may stay up 
>>to three nights paying 10 euros for the first night and 7 for the two 
>>subsequent ones.  In addition to comfortable hot-water showers. laundry 
>>facilities and kitchen, the albergue gives each pilgrim a fresh change of 
>>bed-clothing and towels.
>>Further, the fees to be charged, small as they may be, will quelch the 
>>"unfair competition" complaints from those who run truly autristic 
>>altruistic and well-cared for private albergues.
>>
>>Lastly, despite the severe shortage of personnel and means available to 
>>the Pilgrims' Office, their plans to set up a network of computer 
>>communication among all the albergues proceeds apace.
>>
>>Big hug!
>>Rosina