Etzy

Friday, November 13, 2009

From Casanova to Ribadiso do Baixo







It was raining as I set out, but not too bad, and as the day went on it sprinkled on and off, until a steady rain set in during the afternoon.
It was a long day, and when I saw the albergue by the river, I went in, and decided this was it for me for the day. It was the converted pilgrim's hospital from medieval times, and there was a restaurant right next door, so I was happy to call it a day!
I got a bottom bunk, and right after a bunch of Spanish "pilgrims" came in. - I turned down a request to switch beds - which was not well received by the older Spanish guy, who wanted me to take a top bunk in the middle of the room. I didn't really care, I was tired and cold, so I just crept in to my sleeping bag and ignored him. A few moments earlier I had met Anne Marie and Paulette again, they were in the back room with a bunch of fake French pilgrims!
Later I had a nice dinner with Anne Marie and Paulette, and there was internet at the restaurant also, so I had a chance to just check emails, before I went back to the albergue and turned in, earplugs in place.
As I had expected the Spanish group came in late and loud, but at least the guy who had wanted me to switch beds did apologize for the noise! We had entered the last 100 km of the Camino, and all of a sudden all these "new" pilgrims appeared, and many of them, as the French and the Spanish group, would have back-up car transportation, just carry day packs, and even drive part of the way, and then present themselves at the albergues as true pilgrims entitled to stay there. It's really annoying when they take up the spaces, while "real" pilgrims who come in tired after honestly having walked the whole way, find no bed, and have to move on.

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