LIVE from the Camino Life as a hospitalero: Salamanca

[David Tallan]

Hello from Salamanca!

I'm posting this from the pilgrim albergue in Salamanca. I'm posting it in the VDLP forum because that is the route that the vast majority of our pilgrims are walking, even though Salamanca is on a few routes (including the Torres, which I will walk when I am done here). I haven't officially taken over as hospitalero yet. I'm still in overlap and transition with Shannon, the previous hospitalera, also from Canada. It's about 6 in the morning, Spain time. I arrived yesterday afternoon from Madrid by BlaBlaCar.

It is a nice little albergue, right by the cathedrals and connected to the lovely Huerto de Calixta y Melibea park. Upstairs, the albergue has two dorms with 4 bunk beds each. A small room with one bunk bed usually reserved for ill pilgrims (which I used last night) and a small from for thr hospitalero. Downstairs is the main room (entry/common area/reception/dining room/kitchen/laundry) and washrooms. The kitchen is small, with just a microwave for cooking. There isn't a communal supper here but Shannon has been keeping the pantry stocked with a few basics to enable pilgrims to put together their own suppers and has been providing a basic breakfast out of her own pocket.

There is generally only one hospitalero here at a time but there are a few locals who are ready to support the hospitalero, one our official point of contact with the municipality and a couple of friends, one of whom is a retired physician who speaks English.

When I arrived I told Shannon that I didn't have my credencial yet but would acquire it over then next couple of weeks while staying at the albergue. That took her aback a bit until I explained that I was her replacement. Apparently the previous hospitalero hadn't done much of a knowledge transfer, so Shannon was prepared to be a but more thorough with me. She took me on a tour of the albergue and of the neighborhood.

The albergue is open from 3pm to 10pm. Pilgrims are expected to be out by 8 (although some leave much earlier). From 9:00am to 9:30 a cleaner comes on weekdays. I'm told that she cleans the washrooms and as much else as she has time for, so Shannon has been doing some of the easier cleaning to leave her some time fir the rest. Weekends it is up to us to clean. Shannon has been getting up at 6 for the breakfast crowd and to put the coffee on. We'll see what my patterns are and what the day has in store.

 

[ivar]

Looks amazing!

 

[bestfootforward]

Enjoy your hospi stay David! Our Caminos wouldn't be nearly as wonderful without the time, energy, generosity of spirit and good humour of hospitaleros such as you.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Great pictures! Bless you for your willingness to serve and Salamanca is a great place to do it.

 

[Robo]

Looks great and what a nice place to be @David Tallan

 

[C clearly]

I look forward to your updates! Do they still have a routine with leaving backpacks downstairs, transfering things to plastic bags, etc?

 

[JennyH94]

Have a wonderful hospitaleroship David - may each day bring you and the pilgrims much joy.

Cheers from Oz -
Jenny

 

[J Willhaus]

Great David! Our friend, Tom Friesen several years ago arranged to go to Spanish classes while serving there since he didn't have to clean much. Don't know if that is of interest to you.

 

[David Tallan]

I look forward to your updates! Do they still have a routine with leaving backpacks downstairs, transfering things to plastic bags, etc?

Pilgrims are asked to leave their backpack in a large yellow plastic bag in the cabinets downstairs. I'm not sure how much the plastic bags help in the battle against bedbugs. They can carry what they need upstairs in large plastic pails. A fringe benefit is that this reduces noise in the dorms in the morning.

 

[David Tallan]

Great David! Our friend, Tom Friesen several years ago arranged to go to Spanish classes while serving there since he didn't have to clean much. Don't know if that is of interest to you.

Tom Friesen was the fellow who provided my HosVol training. He also gave me (and Shannon) an orientation to the albergue and town. I expect I'll be using my free time mostly sightseeing, doing chores, and hopefully reconnecting with some friends I made on the San Salvador last year.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Pilgrims are asked to leave their backpack in a large yellow plastic bag in the cabinets downstairs. I'm not sure how much the plastic bags help in the battle against bedbugs. They can carry what they need upstairs in large plastic pails. A fringe benefit is that this reduces noise in the dorms in the morning.

I had to do this same thing quite a few times at the gites on the Via Podiensis in 2018. I didn't mind.

 

[Bedspring]

What an interesting posting, I think you will make an ace Hospitalero, you come across as a nice guy.

I am now looking for my next adventure, and am considering an immersive month learning in Spain, and have been considering doing some volunteering somewhere, and reading this thread is like seeing stars align. Therefore could I ask some questions please.
Is is usual to be thrown in at the deep end as a solo Hospitalero for your first one
This "HosVol training" is it a Canadian thing? ( I am UK based).
How much Spanish can you speak and how much is necessary?
Do you get to chose the Albergue?
Should I have searched the forums for a thread on how to be a Hospitalero and how to spell it;-)

 

[SarahCheng]

Wishing you a wonderful experience as a hospitalero!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hoping you have a great time. I remember that albergue very fondly, because I actually stayed in the sick room once! Like everyone else, we are looking forward to hearing from you when you have time.

 

[David Tallan]

What an interesting posting, I think you will make an ace Hospitalero, you come across as a nice guy.

I am now looking for my next adventure, and am considering an immersive month learning in Spain, and have been considering doing some volunteering somewhere, and reading this thread is like seeing stars align. Therefore could I ask some questions please.
Is is usual to be thrown in at the deep end as a solo Hospitalero for your first one
This "HosVol training" is it a Canadian thing? ( I am UK based).
How much Spanish can you speak and how much is necessary?
Do you get to chose the Albergue?
Should I have searched the forums for a thread on how to be a Hospitalero and how to spell it;-)

HosVol is a Spanish group that provides trained volunteers hospitaleros (hospitaleros voluntarios) to donativo albergues. There are thirty something albergues they provide hospitaleros to. Hospitaleros come from around the world, if they have taken the HosVol training (which, in my case, was conducted over a weekend). Various volunteers around the world do the training. In my experience, you fill in a form for your first stint, answering some basic questions about what you may or may not be up for (organizing a communal meal or evening service, for example) and tell them when you will be available and they assign a location. I think most of them are not solo, but most have a lot more work than this one.

My Spanish is probably intermediate. My understanding is a lot better than my speaking, not only because it always is but because I get much, much more practice listening than speaking. My predecessor has less Spanish than me. It isn't a requirement and you can probably get by with Google Translate, if push comes to shove.

I have heard of more experienced hospitaleros who have a track record with the organization asking for particular albergues, but I expect that would also require some flexibility about when they serve.

 

[J Willhaus]

HosVol does not have training in the UK. The Confraternity of St James in the UK does staff two albergues though and you can volunteer through them.

We volunteer annually. My husband who speaks very little Spanish has done one solo albergue in a town of no English speakers. Once you get the hang of the duties it isn't that hard. Normally we staff an albergue together, but he also worked with a Spanish hospitalero teammate one summer and they got along with hand signals and Google Translate.

You can also volunteer at the pilgrim office in St Jean and in Santiago.

In the US now and I think also in Canada, we are required to go through our country organization to get assignments. The hospitalero organizers know your skills and can help the HosVol coordinator select a good posting. We usually just go where we are needed, but have occasionally asked for a specific posting.

Another organization that takes volunteers is FICS. They don't require the training. They have 3 albergues. You can reach out to Rebekah Scott who is a member of this forum if you are interested.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I am now looking for my next adventure, and am considering an immersive month learning in Spain, and have been considering doing some volunteering somewhere, and reading this thread is like seeing stars align. Therefore could I ask some questions please.
Is is usual to be thrown in at the deep end as a solo Hospitalero for your first one
This "HosVol training" is it a Canadian thing? ( I am UK based).
How much Spanish can you speak and how much is necessary?
Do you get to chose the Albergue?
Should I have searched the forums for a thread on how to be a Hospitalero and how to spell it;-)

As David advised training is conducted in several countries around the world, including England. I did mine here in Germany.
I contacted HosVol at manuelhosvol@caminosantiago.org
at somebody's suggestion to the same question. He emailed me the appropriate contacts over here, and I went from there. Mine was a residential weekend course - Friday evening through to Sunday lunchtime.
I have no idea of the cost structure for the training in England, whilst you don't pay for the training itself you do need to pay for accommodation and meals. Plus travel to the venue of course.

Manuel tries to pair inexperienced with experienced Hospitaleros whenever possible. A placement is normally for two weeks, either the first two weeks or the last of any given month. You do not have to speak Spanish but it most definitely helps. If you don't they will try and put you with somebody that does.

Whilst a few only require one Hospitalero many Albergues are run by pairs, there's at least one that has more volunteers. @J Willhaus knows far more than I, as she and her husband volunteer frequently. Hopefully Janet will be along soon to correct any errors I've made and fill in any gaps.

Good luck, and enjoy!

 

[David Tallan]

Tuesday 15 October.
It's about 4:00 pm and we've been open around an hour. So far we have 4 pilgrims, all Spanish men, all on the VDLP (one in reverse), one bicigrino.

This morning, after we said goodbye to the pilgrims and got the place in order for the cleaner, and I had my shower and did my laundry, I headed out to see a bit of Salamanca. I started with the Clerecía building, which has incredible views of the town from the bell towers at the top of the "Scala Coeli" (stairway to heaven), and then walked across the street to the public library, located in the Casa de las Conchas (house of shells).

I headed back to the albergue at about noon and rested until 1:30 or so when I went to the local recommended bar to see if they had anything for comida. Their dining room opened at 1:45, so I hung around for the few minutes until it did. While waiting, I checked my email only to see an email from Víctor, my municipal contact, asking if I was coming to eat with them at Niza. I had never heard of Niza. Apparently, it looks like a message might not have been passed along by Víctor's friends yesterday. Oh well, tomorrow. So I had a nice little plato combinado and headed back to the albergue for opening.

It's been pretty quiet. I'm manning the desk while Shannon sits nearby to ensure I don't screw things up too badly. She'll head out on her Camino tomorrow morning.

 

[Elle Bieling]

I loved both Salamanca and the Albergue there. Have a most wonderful time!

 

[alexwalker]

I Wish you well in your work. Nice place, have stayed there in 2012 and 2013.

 

[Paladina]

A lovely location in which to volunteer! Thanks for reminding me of the albergue — and the bin liners! There was no communal meal as such, but the genial hospitalero put out some sharing plates of whatever he had in store. I remember spending the evening in the beautiful garden, a real haven of tranquillity.

 

[C.C.]

I was lucky to be assigned to the albergue in Salamanca last spring over Easter. It was busy due to the Easter celebrations. I must admit this seemed a bit of a holiday … no meals, a cleaner 5 days. What luxury. Gave time to deep clean the fridge, the cupboards … the areas that get neglected when busy. And some time to see Salamanca…beautiful !

But what great pilgrims…so diverse, so interesting. Sitting and learning about their camino’s was the best part of my stay there. And after more than 7 albergues … my very limited Spanish gets me by. Smiling opens the door!

As I get older, my Camino’s have become shorter but my love of the way can be expressed as a hospitalero . 2025 will bring a new challenge at a new albergue or 2. Looking forward to spring

 

[ward4e]

Congratulations on the Posting! I wish you all the best! The people I have stayed with have been great both times and I hope you're still about in a year or two when I walk back through.

One of the previous hospitalero's made Camino wrist bands, for a donation you could have one. Do you have any plans to do something similar? Camino memento's are the best!

 

[RodlaRob]

Well done David!
Make sure to contact the lovely professor Luis Quintales (father of the Torres camino) at University of Salamanca. He can direct you to the bust of professor Diego de Torres & provide all the latest Torres route info.
I did this in 2016 when the Torres was really an unknown. Tough days...Great times!

 

[David Tallan]

Congratulations on the Posting! I wish you all the best! The people I have stayed with have been great both times and I hope you're still about in a year or two when I walk back through.

One of the previous hospitalero's made Camino wrist bands, for a donation you could have one. Do you have any plans to do something similar? Camino memento's are the best!

I made Camino buttons but I am gifting them to pilgrims rather than asking for a donation.

 

[David Tallan]

Well done David!
Make sure to contact the lovely professor Luis Quintales (father of the Torres camino) at University of Salamanca. He can direct you to the bust of professor Diego de Torres & provide all the latest Torres route info.
I did this in 2016 when the Torres was really an unknown. Tough days...Great times!

Thanks for the tip! Do you have contact info for him?

 

[Robo]

I think Salamanca is one of my favourite Camino towns.
The Plaza Mayor I could sit in all day!
Though the final 12 kms walk in from the South seems never ending

We must have sat outside a cafe slurping wine listening to these guys for ages...... topping up their tin every now and again to keep them going. I wonder if they are still around? Just up the hill from you.

They were just here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/YAQjEwHqVX87yk646


View attachment Day 25 - Salamanca.mp4

 

[RodlaRob]

Thanks for the tip! Do you have contact info for him?

Post a message on the Camino Torres Facebook page will get contact rolling.
He knows a bar for a good glass of red also, if that is to your liking

 

[alexwalker]

I think Salamanca is one of my favourite Camino towns.
The Plaza Mayor I could sit in all day!
Though the final 12 kms walk in from the South seems never ending

We must have sat outside a cafe slurping wine listening to these guys for ages...... topping up their tin every now and again to keep them going. I wonder if they are still around? Just up the hill from you.

They were just here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/YAQjEwHqVX87yk646


View attachment 179213

Sure makes me want to walk into Salamanca for the 3rd time...
But I agree: The walk in from south seems never-ending...

 

[Robo]

Sure makes me want to walk into Salamanca for the 3rd time...
But I agree: The walk in from south seems never-ending...

We were actually thinking of buying a place there. I love it.
And you have 2 weeks there @David Tallan

I think this was about 12 kms out.

"Are we there yet"

 

[David Tallan]

Wednesday 16 October 2024

It's about 4:15 and we've been open for an hour and a quarter and no pilgrima yet. That's not quite true. I just had one pilgrim wander in who was just looking for a stamp. He was finishing here for this year and will return next year. Yesterday, the four pilgrims we got in the first hour were all the pilgrims we had stay. We had another couple show up looking for stamps, and a couple of pilgrims with questions (where to get credencials in Salamanca) but none of them were looking for a place to stay, either.

It is pouring out there. I'm not really expecting any pilgrims until the rain let's up. I know if I were a pilgrim arrived in Salamanca now, I'd be holed up in a bar with a hot or cold drink waiting for a pause in the rain before walking the town seeking accommodations. It's been a mixed weather day. It was drizzly this morning, and there was both sun and rain alternating in the afternoon.

After setting out the breakfast this morning, saying goodbye to yesterday's pilgrims (and Shannon, off to continue her own pilgrimage), tidying the place, and doing some chores I set off for a bit of sightseeing. I had found a copy of the Michelin Green Guide to Spain in my Kindle library so I followed their walking tour of Salamanca (although I didn't really go into the cathedrals, university buildings, or museums - I will save them for other days). My goal was to get the lay of the land and see the interesting buildings from the outside and where they were located. I walked the town for about 2.5 hours, did a but of grocery shopping, and got back to the albergue shortly after noon.

After a bit of a rest, I checked my email shortly after 12:30, only to see an email from Victor that he had sent at 12:15 telling me they would meet me at Casa de las Conchas at 12:30! I replied that I had just received the email and would head right over. When I got there, I sent him another email letting him know I was in the patio (see previous photos).

Victor proceeded to take me on another little walking tour of downtown Salamanca ending at a little eatery called Niza, where they had arranged for subsidized  comidas for me. I could order the menu del dia and, as hospitalero, I would only be charged €5. The previous hospitalera had disparage it a bit, calling it a "greasy spoon" but from what I could see put in front of Victor, myself, and the other patrons, it was a decent enough place serving the mainstays of traditional Spanish cuisine. Victor had lentejas con chorizo followed by a fish main course (I think it was  merluza). I had a traditional cocido completo, with the first course of broth and noodles and the second of all the things that had been cooked in the broth. We had tarta de helado and  natillas for dessert. I definitely will be returning.

Then it was back to the albergue so I could wait for some pilgrims. I'm still waiting. Although at least the sun has come out now.

Photos: House of Death; Colegio Arzobispo Fonseca (note the conchas and the medallion above of St. James at the Battle of Clavijo); facade of the University (you have to really zoom in to find the frog); facade at the cathedral (find the astronaut and monster eating an ice cream cone); Palacio de la Salina, where the city's salt was once kept; Huerto de Calixto y Melibe, right next to the albergue (we have our own private entrance to the gardens so we can visit when the gardens are closed to the public).

 

[J Willhaus]

We worked at Zamora in December for our first hospitalero assignment. Several nights with no pilgrims.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

David, I hope it will not take you long to visit the incredible San Marcos. A bit of a long walk though, but just up your alley.

 

[David Tallan]

David, I hope it will not take you long to visit the incredible San Marcos. A bit of a long walk though, but just up your alley.

It does look right up my alley! The trick is figuring out when it is open.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

David, it sounds like you're going to need that Kindle library. Either that or a friendly local to drop by to keep you company from time to time.
I love time to myself but I also need something to do - as you've served before, how did you cope? (Other than the time you spent here on the forum of course!).

 

[David Tallan]

David, it sounds like you're going to need that Kindle library. Either that or a friendly local to drop by to keep you company from time to time.
I love time to myself but I also need something to do - as you've served before, how did you cope? (Other than the time you spent here on the forum of course!).

This is my first time as hospitalero. So far I've been keeping up here and on other social media and listening to Spanish learning resources. Hopefully, most days won't be so pilgrim-free. It sounded like Shannon got a reasonable number most days, and I would think that October would be one of the more popular times of the year fir the VDLP, after the heat of the summer has subsided.

 

[Pilgrim9]

David, thank you for these interesting narratives and the great photos.