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. 

Life With the Pilgrims and Others

We are supposed to open our doors and admit pilgrim's at 2pm. But they start arriving at noon hot and tired. So, open our doors early. Otherwise there will be a line of sixteen pilgrims sitting out front until two and then, except for the first in line, waiting more time for us to do the paper work, stamp the credential, etc for each pilgrim ahead of them in the line. 

So a French man comes into day, at about 1pm and starts bitching about how long the paper work is taking and he doesn't think it is necessary. He say he was a hospitalero in France and they didn't have to do this. And yak, yak, yak. Distracting me from doing the very paperwork he was complaining about. 

I told him that we don't like doing it either, but the police require it for safety reason. He threw his hands up as though this was the most rediculous thing he had ever heard and that we were stupid to believe it. I finally just suggested the most logical solution to his problem. If he didn't stay here, he wouldn't have to do it.  I don't think he liked it, but he shut up and all the other pilgrims were grateful. Those other pilgrims were mostly Spanish. I think they took his comments as a criticism of Spain. I know I did. 

So, later in the evening he turned into a thoroughly delightful fellow. We discussed the different routes we've done and which ones we like best. I think he was just tired and cranky. Lord knows, I don't even need to be tired to be cranky. I still do not work and play well with others. Though, I think I've become a little better at not showing it. I can't count how many times a day I just want to take my marbles and go home. Oh, and maybe kick your marbles out of the circle before I leave. Oh well, not perfect . . . yet. lol

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Elidio, Clinete and I went to the market this morning to load up on supplies for "Happy Hour" and breakfast. As we were coming out of the supermercado I noticed a hair salon. I had been wanting to get my hair cut for a while. The place I was going to go to in Grado had a sign up that they would be on vacation until the end of August. So, I was excited o see this other place. I walked in and made an appointment for two hours later. 

When I showed up for my appointment, she was just finishing a haircut on the cutest little boy. He was about 6 or 7,with big brown eyes and dark brown/black hair. Then it was my turn. I explained I wanted it really short, we talked about the Albergue. It is new to the town and has only been open for a couple of months. She is from Cuba, but has lived in Spain for many years. Her friend came in who was from Miami, but has been living in Spain got 30 years. She had visited Cuba many times back in the pre Castro days. She is 80 now. It was a fun time and I left with a wonderful haircutfor only 22€!

When I got back to the Albergue, Elidio took a picture so I could show you my new do. Ask Leea, I am terrible at selfies. 

I've been missing my old man hat that left me on the Camino. The baseball type hat with the brim makes it hard to see any thing other than the ground right in front of my feet, if it is blocking the sun. So I was browsing in the Bazaar Chino store in Grado, and found a new old man hat that is even water resistant. I love those stores. It's kind of like the 99 cent store on steroids. Packed full of wonderful gadgets and items from hardware to panty hose. 

Well Clinete just told me she's leaving tomorrow. She was going to be here a week, but she wants to go see a friend and has a ride there tomorrow. There's usually only two hospitaleros anyway, so I'm sure we will be ok. 

Guess I'd better get stuff set up for tomorrow's breakfast, and get some sleep. 

The Adventures of a Hospitalera

It is so much fun meeting new people; other hospitaleros, pilgrim's, and people of the village or town. There are three of us hospitaleros here at the Albergue in Grado. Elidio is from Spain and he is the essence of hospitalero. Even if we are full or completo, he offers the pilgrims a glass of water or cup of coffee, and gives them information about where they might find shelter for the night. He and I will be here for two weeks together. 

The other hospitalera is Clinete. She is from Brazil and will be with us for a week. She is also very helpful and tries to do whatever she can to be useful to the Albergue and the pilgrims. 

Right now she's napping in the chair. This hospitalero stuff is not for wimps. If you do your best, you are busy from 5:30 to 11pm. I took a short nap today also. 

We just finished having "Happy Hour" where we set up coffee, tea, cheese, bread, cookies and snacks for the pilgrims. Somehow, getting together around a table eases them into conversation and the beginnings of a Camino family.  Here is a picture from Happy Hour. 

Elidio made me a special sello or stamp for my credential. He had a dried flower from Grado, a red candle for wax and a ring to make an impression. 

This morning I counted three pairs of boots and only two pilgrims left at breakfast. So I went upstairs to see if we lost someone in the night. A young woman pilgrim was still upstairs calmly packing her backpack and enjoying the music I had turned on. We were chatting and she asked me if I liked chocolate. I mean who doesn't like chocolate? So I said yes, and she handed me a big Cadbury bar. She said her boyfriend sent her several because he was concerned that she was getting too skinny with all the hiking. That was a novel thought. Anyway she was sweet and we had a quiet time together while she had breakfast. 

Elidio throws scraps of bread or melón rinds to the ovejas to get them to come closer. We have fun watching them. Here's one from this morning. 

Here is my perfect lunch, a ham and cheese sandwich, olives, double stuffed Oreos and coffee. Well I suppose it could be more perfect with some of the substantial chips cooked in olive oil they sell here. 

I tried to buy bread from this lady, but her bag was empty and people were looking at me funny. It's not the first time people have looked at me funny. I seem to provoke that questioning look of amusement, or maybe it is concern. Oh well. 

Life Among the Peregrinos

I am finding little time to write. We get up between 5:30 and 6 to get everything ready for breakfast for the pilgrims. Then when they are all off to the next stage of the Camino, around 7:30 to 8am, I grab a bit of breakfast. Then we start cleaning the Albergue to ready it for the next group of Pilgrims. When the pilgrim's start arriving we check them in, stamp their credentials, and show them where the beds, bathrooms, showers, etc are located. Then we have a few moments before we get coffee, tea and cookies ready for 5:30pm "happy hour."

When that is done it's off to the market for supplies, or to the Guardian Civil to turn in paper work. Then back to the Albergue to welcome pilgrim's. Today, Sunday, was market day. It is like a farmers market, but instead of being in a contained local, set up in the street. They are such fun and a social event for locals.

 There doesn't seem to be a standard for what day of the week they occur. In Sahagun they are on Saturday. In Grado they are on Sunday and Wednesday. I didn't get to play around much because I was with Bert. Bert is the hospitalero who served before me. He is Dutch and speaks a kazillion languages fluently. But, he doesn't delight in the outdoor markets. I slowed him down enough that he spotted some cherries and bought half a kilo. 

Today there was some ground meat left by a pilgrim. So I got an onion and bell pepper at the street market, used some tomato sauce left by someone, threw in some olives I had, used salt, pepper and spices in the cupboards, and made a pasta sauce. Bert went and got some pasta. It made a nice lunch. There was some left over, which was gratefully eaten by a couple of hungry pilgrims. 

Bert is really nice, but he was an oil company executive and has that conservative mind set. He constantly is concerned that someone is trying to get something for nothing. Worrying about people trying to steal stuff. It's weird. We had an uncomfortable conversation today because we have an empty bed, and because of a series of events concerning money, one woman was turned away because we thought we were full. And another man isn't here because he had no money. It breaks my heart. Especially, because it has been a cold wet day for pilgrim's. Oh well, compassion. I think the burden of being on guard against people, is a heavy load. I don't want to carry it. 

I have to update this blog to tell you about AG's plan, as opposed to Nancy's plan. Amazing Grace always has a good plan. Anyway, about 9 pm this poor tired pilgrim came to the door, looking tired and afraid that he may not have a place to sleep. It is still cold and rainy. And, guess what, we still had a bed. My heart is full tonight knowing this young man will be safe and warm. 

And here I thought I wasn't going to have time to wax philosophical. lol On a happier note, I made a new friend today. 

Isn't he/she cute. There is a whole herd of sheep people on the property next to the Albergue. They understand me. I go out and say baa baa and they look at me and stare. It's similar to the reaction I get from people sometimes. 

Then we had some entertainment while one of the peregrinos spent a bit of time trying to untangle the strings of four tea bags. Everyone clapped and cheered at his success. Here he is triumphant. 

So now there is a brief quiet.