Albergues

Pilgrims waiting for this Albergue to open

The housing for Pilgrims on the Camino is called an Albergue.  In every town, village and city there are at least one Pilgrim Albergue and in most places, many Albergues.
 Albergues can be part of a church or monastery or built in the last few years to accommodate the increase of Pilgrims.

a new Albergue

 They can be sponsored by the city or town as municipal Albergues and these are usually most simple( no kitchen) and least expensive ( donation of 5 E).
 From between a donation to 9 Euros a Pilgrim can show their credentials, earn the stamp of the Albergue, shower, wash clothes and in some,use the kitchen and sleep with from 20 to 300 other pilgrims in bunk beds.
Hospitaleros(a) are the greeters, hosts, the support for the Pilgrims.  These folks are usually volunteers who themselves have walked the Camino.  They are from Spain , Germany, France and all of Europe and Korea and Asia too.  Most are a gift to the Pilgrims, a few are a bane but it is all the same on the Camino.
The Hospitalero(a) sets the procedures of that particular Albergue.  Doors locked and lights out  at 10 PM.  Lights on at 6 AM with heavenly music piped in to the dormitories or shrill alarms.

From Holland and Germany to Hospitaleras

 Everyone out of the Albergue by 8 AM.  No staying in the same Albergue two nights in a row unless sick or injured or staying one extra night for a day off.
Breakfast of bread and jam and coffee or no breakfast served.  Pilgrim meal at 7 or 8 PM or you must go to a restaurant where they serve the meal. No wi fi( wi fee) or pay for a computer or no technology at all.
There are some larger Albergues that have from one to several private rooms with baths for up to 30E.  We take advantage of this one time and it is heaven. The absence of plastic bags being rustled at 5 AM as Pilgrims try to get off early is lovely.  The absence of snorers is better.  The absence of the fit and not so fit hanging around in their underwear is the best.  Simple pleasures.
Pensions, available rooms in the homes of the local Spanish and Hostels, a hotel setting, are also found on the Way and may cost 30 E or more but are a great treat once a week and we do take advantage .

Estel, the peregrino rescuer.

Javier

The Hospitalereos

I meet Javier, a Spaniard Hospitalero who shares his clothes pins with me and puts some wood on the fire when I sit down and shares his hot chocolate and plays Vivaldi as we settle in for the night.  After a day of walking uphill with wind pushing us back and rain pelting down we stumble into the Albergue run by Estel who helps me off with my bag and with her hand on my arm lets me know she knows just how I feel.  She has many, many candles lit everywhere and I try to take it all in as my mind goes from fear of never resting again and my body lets go of exhaustion and my heart opens to what is.  Another day saved through the kindness of strangers.

Albergue at the end of the world.