[Gocamino] Info on Albergues

[Sil]

There are many new albergues that don't yet appear in any of the guides and
in some places scouts come out to meet pilgrims with leaflets and brochures
on their new albergues.
* We stayed in 32 albergues (refuges) along the camino Frances.
* Only two places didn't offer blankets - all the others handed out blankets
to those who asked for them later in the day or evening.
* The majority charge between 3 and 5 euro and eight were 'donativo' - we
gave 5 euro at these. The most expensive was 9 euro (Palas do Rei).
* 7 places offered an evening meal for a small charge (5 or 6 euro) or a
dontation. Sometimes the hospitalero cooked the meal and sometimes pilgrims
were asked to help with the cooking. (All help with the washing up.)
* You can reserve beds ahead at all of the private albergues listed on the
Red de Albergues leaflet. (Downloadable at at
http://www.redalberguessantiago.com) These charge between 7 and 9 euro.
* Most municipal and church sponsored albergues have curfews - lights off by
10pm. Many also request that you do not turn on lights before 7am in the
morning. Private albergues have less stringent rules.
* Most albergues will only allow you to stay for one night but places like
San Bol and Manjarin do not have rules and will allow you to stay for as
long as you like.
* Many albergues have internet facilities as do the local cafe-bars. Some
are free but with a restricted time and some are coin operated.
* Most of the albergues were clean and the only albergue we stayed in that
was disgusting was at Melide. It was reported that Zubiri is pretty grim and
the municipal albergue at Arca is much like Melide.
My favourite albergues?
Villamayor de Monjardin: Slept on mattresses on the floor, had a communal
meal, wonderful hospitaleros.
Granon: Slept on mattresses high up in a bell tower of a church. We had to
sing for our supper! "We are, we are...HUNGRY!" to the tune of Queen's We
will Rock You.  The donation box has a sign, "Leave what you can, take what
you need." Wonderful hospitaleros.
Tosantos: Slept on mattresses on the floor. Helped cook the communal meal.
Evening blessing in the attic. Wonderful hospitalero who sang the "Chant
D'un Pelerin Le Compostelle' before dinner - with us pregrinos all chiming
in for the Ultreia! Ultreia! e sus eia! chorus.
Arroya San Bol: No electricity, no running water (you can drink the water
from a healing spring in a field at the back), no toilet (use the field
lower down!) but does have double bunks. A young Rastafarian Italian chef
cooked us the best meal we had on the camino. Only sleeps ten but never
turns anybody away. Many musical instruments if you feel like a jamming
session but be warned, if the musos are there you could be seranaded until 4
in the morning!
Bercianos del real Camino: Old spring beds in a straw and mud building. You
have to watch the sun set before you can have dinner, cooked by Amor the
hospitalero.
Manjarin: No electricity, no running water (except for a spring across the
road), a long-drop toilet and mattresses in a stone barn. Meal cooked for a
donation by the hospitalero eaten under lamplight. Templar ceremony at about
11am conducted by Tomas, the last of the Templar Knights. Wouldn't have
missed it for the world.
Ave Fenix: at Villafranca del Bierzo is the home of Jesus Jato and his
family and although there is a municipal albergue as you walk into the town,
carry on to Ave Fenix where you will have a communal meal, perhaps a Reiki
healing session performed by Jesus and, if you are lucky, witness a quemada
(fire water) ceremony!
Note: Most pilgrims follow the stages listed by the various guides which
lead to larger towns or cities. The smaller, less populated albergues are
often more friendly and I would recommend to any wanna-be peregrinos to walk
through the larger towns and cities and head for the smaller villages. And
remember, even if the guide says "no beds, no running water, no electricity,
no toilet" you will still be sleeping on a mattress, under a roof, with your
meal being cooked on a gas stove, using lamplight or candles. It beats
camping out anytime!
Pilgrim hugs,
Sil

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Sil