The Life Of A Hospitalero Is Never Boring

Night before last, half the pilgrims were up late visiting, running in and out the back door to smoke and drink cider, eating dinner, and just generally being raucous after the 10pm standard lights out. We tell everyone that the doors lock and lights are out at 10pm. This is almost universal in municipal and parochial albergues. Some private albergues allow later hours or have no closing time. I think the reason for the rule is that pilgrims need to rest and if people are coming and going late it wakes those that are sleeping. 

After everyone is upstairs, I set up the things for breakfast the next morning. We serve breakfast at 6:15 am, so I get up at 5:30 am to make the coffee and hot water for tea, and set out the perishables like butter, jam, etc. if pilgrims are up late, I'm up late. 

Last night, everyone was in bed with lights out at 10pm. About 5am I woke up because there was a lot of noise in the Albergue. I got up and stumbled out, half awake to find pilgrims in the kitchen, in the dining area, on the stairs. 

It turns out one, now very unpopular peregrino, had the volume on his phone turned up when the alarm went off at 4:30 am. It woke up most of the people, who then tried to go back to sleep. But the guy had his light on flashing it all over while making a great deal of noise packing his back pack. The end result is everyone was up and downstairs at 5am mad as a nest of disturbed hornets. One gal is treating her blisters on the breakfast table. There are back packs everywhere in various states of assembly. 

I was trying to get my eyes open, make coffee, heat water, get stuff from the refrigerator when the guy who started this madness asks me if the coffee is ready yet. I'll leave it to your imagination as to what I wanted to say. It did involve a number of colorful phrases and maybe a reference or two to an orifice. What I did say was "No, it is not ready. Breakfast is at 6:15 am. If the coffee is done before then, I will put it on the table." I thank AG and the program for all I have learned, and am still learning, about restraint of tongue, pen, and keyboard. 

I then politely asked the girl treating her blisters on the breakfast table to move her first aid station to the chair beside the table with the magazines. I told her it was a more comfortable chair, which it is. lol

Anyway, then I spent some time helping the other pilgrims through an attitude adjustment, so this experience wouldn't keep them from enjoying the sunrise they were now going to have the opportunity to experience thanks to the rude dude. 

So one night some pilgrims are keeping others awake and one morning one pilgrim is waking everyone up early.  Life goes on. 

I think we learn, as we walk the Camino, the different ways we can be respectful to others. We learn, if we didn't already know it, that it is rude to throw toilet paper, tissues and other trash on the Camino. We learn to pack our bags the night before with everything except our sleepin bag and then, if we wake up early we learn to quietly pick up our back pack and sleeping bag, and vacate the sleeping space quietly. We learn not to set loud alarms; vibrations or quiet music under the pillow work fine. If it doesn't wake you up, the only harm is extra rest. 

Ok, so I'm back on the corn flakes. 

Those of you who followed my blog in 2013 might recall my somewhat weird relationship with corn flakes in Spain. I never eat them at home. In fact, I never eat cereal at home, except an occasional bowl of oatmeal. But in 2013 while living in Santiago and working in the Pilgrim's Office, I ate them all the time, sometimes for lunch or dinner, as well as breakfast. So, I saw this box of cornflakes in the supermercado in Grado today. You may have noticed it is a "Pack Economico." I don't think I need to translate, giant economy size. lol. I will note that apparently Spanglish has reached Spain. There is no such word as pack in Spanish. It would be paquete. So we will see if my cornflake addiction is alive and well. The Paquete Economico tiene 750 gramos de "cornflakes." If I finish the box in the next ten days, before I leave, I may have to go to rehab. 😏

Now for the more disturbing event. Someone, upon leaving the Albergue, said they were leaving this and I could use it. 

I have never seen such a thing before. Nor has it ever occurred to me that I might need a soap that has been gynecologically and dermatologically tested. I don't think my private parts, where ever they may be, need special soap. I think having private parts so sensitive they can't tolerate regular soap would be terribly uncomfortable in a number of situations. 

Then I thought maybe it is one of those fragrance things, like maybe to smell like a flower. But then I wondered if this person might have thought my private parts needed improvement. But then I wondered how she would have known such a thing. I won't continue with where my mind went with that thought. Needless to say this whole process was disturbing. 

Maybe someone out there has experience with such a soap and can shine some light on the subject. There are a number of things that have passed me by; waxing, implants and Botox, to name a few. This may be just one more. Well, hopefully I have distracted you all from the political situation for a moment. I think I will return to my bubble of sweetness and light.