[Gocamino] A North American albergue on the Caminos

[Paul Skip Newfield III]

In 1999, there was a group from the USA (Campus Crusade for Christ, I
think) that acquired a property in Ligonde (Galicia) in the town itself,
right on the camino.  They named it ~Fuente de Peregrinos~, and they
offered coffee and water to passing pilgrims.  At that time, the group had
only recently acquired the property and the needed repairs were only just
beginning.  I think that it was supposed to have perhaps 10 beds, but it
was unclear if those beds were to be for pilgrims or for the visiting
hosts/hospitaleros.  I managed to purchase one of their T-shirts, and I
was told that I was the first peregrino to do.  (I later learned that the
T-shirts were supposed to be for the host/hospitaleros, and that they were
not for sale to the public.)

I don't know how the ~Fuente de Perigrinos~ has fared out these last eight
years.  Perhaps someone who has journied that way more recently (or who is
soon to do so) can inform us.

Paul Newfield

BTW...  Shortly before entering Ligonde is one of my favorite monuments on
the camino, an old stone Cavalry Cross, set off the road about 15/20
meters.



>
>   Hola XM,
>
>   Your idea reflects the deep desire of so many pilgrims to give back in
> some way for the wonderful hospitality that we all benefit from along
> the Camino.  One way I have found to do this is by volunteering in
> alberques and refugios, both on the Camino Frances and the Via de la
> Plata.
>
>   To me this has some advantages over establishing a specific North
> American refugio.  It enable volunteers to interact with townspeople and
> peregrinos in many locations as opposed to just one.  Additionally,
> establishing and maintaining a refugio would likely take considerable
> resources (time, money, organization, knowledge of the local country and
> customs, etc.), as well as an established group of volunteers to get
> things going.  Volunteering at already established refugios is something
> I can do right now.
>
>   Also, some thought would need to go into deciding where to set up a new
> refugio.  The Camino Frances seems to be pretty well supplied, so one of
> the lesser travelled routes with longer etapas between refugios would
> seem to be a better choice.  Meanwhile, there are many options for
> voluteering.  The support is always much appreciated and the experience
> very rewarding.
>
>   Martha in Sacramento
>
>
> Elcaminomejala at aol.com wrote:
>
> Hi friends. As we all know there's a British, Dutch, Brazilian, Spanish of
> course, and ...., presence, on the Caminos, in the way of albergues. Has
> anyone ever thought of a North American albergue, in an old convent
> somewhere on
> the Caminos? It would definitely do a lot of good to brush up our image,
> among
> other things. What do u all think? Best, xm
>
>
>
> _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOTJHbwRj4_
> (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOTJHbwRj4)
>
>
>
>
>
>
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