[Gocamino] New albergues in the Via de la Plata

[Rosina]

Hello you all,

The Ourense province has just allocated 5 Million Euros to the betterment of the Camino facilities in the province, including the building of six new albergues:  One in “A Mezquita”, another in “Vendas de Barreira”, another in “Feces” (don’t laugh!), another in “Cualedro”, another in “Campo Becerros” and another in “Alariz”.  Ruben Lois, in charge of the project, declared that the province of Ourense aims to have a public albergue every 25 kilometers, in addition to the existing albergues and those in the City of Ourense itself.

Ourense is the last leg of one of the alternate endings of the Via de la Plata. Unfortunately, in my opinion, many Via de la Plata pilgrims opt to join the Camino Frances in Astorga, bypassing Ourense. This is possibly understandable since the Ourense route adds some kilometers to the Camino; on the other hand, the albergues there are not crowded and pilgrims who go through Ourense could not be better served.  The city itself is very interesting; its Cathedral contains a second “Portico de Gloria” which maintains its original colorings, and a great many Camino treasures. The actual arrival in Santiago from Ourense crossing the river Ulla is enormously moving and spiritually significant…. Particularly when compared to arriving in Santiago through industry-sated Lavacolla and its airport.

Ourense was deemed a city of “witches”, perhaps because of its sulphuric hot waters that sprout everywhere.  Many pilgrims that arrive at Ourense take hot baths in such waters and swear that they become free from tiredness and aches.  I personally like Ourense so much that after arriving at Santiago from my first Via I went back a couple of times to visit the city.

The nearby province of Pontevedra has also announced the allocation of one and a half million Euros to improve the facilities of the Camino that crosses the province.  Their plans include the building of a new albergue at Castro Dazon.

The above projects are expected to be completed by next year’s summer, in anticipation of the Xacobean Holy Year in 2010.

 

In Seville, meanwhile, there will be meetings and conferences at the end of May to discuss ways and means in which the province can improve,  and promote, the Via de la Plata which, it is felt, is the oldest of the routes to Santiago, and the one more historically significant.  The province of Seville fairly covers the whole of Andalucia, including Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, Cadiz (the oldest city, per se, in Europe), etc. The province is enormously influential, as is its government which sits in the provincial capital, the city of Seville. So much interest in the Via de la Plata has been evidenced there of late that I should expect that their plans and contributions will be something else.

Sevillians appear to happily inhabit a universe of their own and rarely seem to take notice of other places and peoples, so the upsurge of interest in the Via is most unusual. Even at the Macarena Confraternity meetings assistance to Via pilgrims has been mentioned, which is most surprising.  (Just to give you an idea:  I joined the Santiago Archconfraternity almost by motion, and the people there took my word, and my parish priest’s opinion, that I had been baptized into the Catholic Church…. Yet, after waiting nearly ten years for my application to join the Macarena Confraternity, and complying with all their many requirements, my application was denied because I couldn’t produce my original baptism certificate which would have been well over half a century old!. There was nothing to do but to be baptized again! This was a strange, and interesting, development made somewhat uncomfortable because I could hear my son and friends at the back of the church giggling away….. Well, at least I know for sure that I have been baptized; how many adult Catholics can say that?).

At any rate, I’m looking forward to what the Sevillians may plan to do.  It will surely be something memorable (air conditioned-public albergues every 25 kms. Perhaps?....). We’ll soon see.

 

Hugs!  

 

Rosina