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<DIV><SPAN class=770155000-06082001><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Water</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=770155000-06082001><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
bought bottled water when I could as I prefer it. Sometimes, as in Fromista, the
town supply is dodgy in appearance (brown) but probably still OK. However, let's
get one thing straight; fuente water is town supply. If it is NOT town supply,
there is a sign saying non potable or somesuch meaning don't drink it. Fuente
means fountain, not well.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=770155000-06082001><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>John</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=770155000-06082001><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> E. O. Pederson
[mailto:eldorpaHOTMAIL.COM]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, 4 August 2001 10:09
AM<BR><B>To:</B> GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu<BR><B>Subject:</B> Water and
hotels<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P>Some of this discussion has turned unpleasant, but to weigh in on the water
issue, my wife, a MD with a Masters Degree in Public Health and a pediatric
public health practice is horrified at the prospect of drinking untreated
water from <U>fuente</U> in agricultural regions. A variety of diseases,
ghardia is the most likely but E-coli (potentially deadly), salmonella
and others, can be contracted by drinking untreated well-water in areas
where livestock is present (as it is along most of the camino) or even in
wilderness areas where the diseases have been spread from domestic animals to
wildlife (among other wilderness zones, most of the Alps, the Rockies, the
Cascades, the Sierras and probably the mountainous regions along the
camino). When I walked the camino 2 years ago, I bought bottled water
both for its convienience and for the safety factor. I am working on
plans to walk again this autumn, and i! f ! I am able to go, I will again
purchase water for drinking during the day. Of course, water supplies in
towns and cities in Spain are safe (probably safer than in comparable sized
towns in the US and Canada), and water can be carried from refugios in
canteens. </P>
<P>A case of ghardia, with its 5-6 week incubation period, would be a most
unwelcome souvenier of the camino! </P>
<P>As for hotels, <U>chacun a son gout</U> (sorry, don't have diacritical
marks on this word processor). It isn't usually necessary (though I was
forced into a hotel once because of a full refugio), but comfort and privacy
may dictate a few hotel nights even for the most penurious pilgrims.</P>
<P>E. O. Pederson</P>
<P>Seattle, WA</P></DIV><BR clear=all>
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