Harassment in Coca's Pilgrims Hostal

[pablovergara]

Hello im Pablo C Vergara - artist.
Its my first camino ever.. been loving it but then this happened...
I just stayed in Coca's Pilgrim Hostal and ive received some harassing treatment twice in two days. Now I dont know if its a cultural thing or if i am over reacting but I had to stay an extra day (and paid my 5€ fee too) because im nursing a busted ankle. The Hostal has a poster at the door stating the method of accessing and paying for the service, its completely automated and online. Well it was 9pm and I was using my headphones, in a room at the second floor and door was shut so i couldnt hear anything going on outside the door. Suddenly a lady storms in and wakes me up and the another pilgrim follows, they are euphoric and start harassing me that I didnt opened the door for the man who couldnt get in. I told them this was not my responsability and that I was asleep and nursing my ankle, she gave me attitude for staying an extra night and when i mentioned i would pay she backed off (forget kindness its all about money) the old man just left immediately as i am there half asleep trying to defend myself for a fault I didnt do. Next morning another lady arrives and she starts giving me a hard time for sleeping with the heater on (how is this wrong?) And she just straight up starts bullying me for staying an extra day and I stood my ground and told her about my ankle and that I paid an extra day. She wouldnt let it go and kept egging me about not opening the door to the pilgrim yesterday and about.. whatever other things and i told her to stop harassing me that this is a pilgrims home for people to rest and have peace then she proceeded to insult me and said 'vete a la mierda!!' (Go fuck yourself!) And I was floored. Not a nice way to start my journey, specially after having spent 1 week in a Monastery praying in silence and at peace (REALITY CHECK). So I demanded for her name and told her I would report her. She left the room yapping and making a fuzz. I went to the Ayuntamiento and indeed reported her and now im writing this report to let everyone know that Coca has some hostile, insulting and unwelcoming old ladies you should be weary about.
Beautiful castle tho! Ha

If anyone wishes to stay in Coca and have trouble accessing the hostel go to Ayuntamiento to get your stamp and pay before 14:00 or else they close for the day. Thats how I was able to get access.

Buen camino!

 

[JCLima]

I don't agree with yelling and harassing but please, keep in mind that 5€ is basically nothing and that using the heater consumes a lot of energy.

If they charge 5€, then they are definitely NOT about the money.

 

[J Willhaus]

Electricity is very expensive in Spain. In many albergues the heat is only on for a few hours in the evening. When pilgrims go to bed, the heat is shut off. That is probably why it was mentioned to you.

I hope otherwise that your Camino is as you had hoped.

 

[pablovergara]

Electricity is very expensive in Spain. In many albergues the heat is only on for a few hours in the evening. When pilgrims go to bed, the heat is shut off. That is probably why it was mentioned to you.

I hope otherwise that your Camino is as you had hoped.

Well I guess they should've written that in the house rules. How is a foreigner to know?

 

[SabsP]

Pros and cons in the reviews of Gronze. Always interesting to see how other pilgrims think about the place.

Albergue municipal La casa del peregrino | Comentarios y Recomendaciones | Gronze.com

Comentarios y Recomendaciones de Peregrinos sobre Albergue municipal La casa del peregrino en el Camino de Santiago

www.gronze.com

For those who prefer to pay more than 5€ per night there are other options in Coca.

Coca, Segovia | Albergues y Hoteles | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

For those who prefer to pay less than 5€ there is most probably also a sheltered churchporch to lay your sleepingbag.

 

[Turga]

I won’t comment on an incident told only from one side. All I will say is that it surely wasn’t a nice situation for any of you. Learn whatever you feel you can learn from it, move on and stay positive.

Buen Camino!

 

[dick bird]

I just stayed in Coca's Pilgrim Hostal

Thank you for letting us know about this. Not every experience on the camino is positive. I hope your ankle is better and you have more positive experiences in the future. I walked the Camino de Madrid (though I didn´t stay in Coca) and found most of the welcome warm and helpful.

 

[Flog]

Well I guess they should've written that in the house rules. How is a foreigner to know?

What were you expecting for your €5 donation? The place to yourself with the heat on??

 

[pablovergara]

What were you expecting for your €5 donation? The place to yourself with the heat on??

No duh

 

[pablovergara]

Thank you for letting us know about this. Not every experience on the camino is positive. I hope your ankle is better and you have more positive experiences in the future. I walked the Camino de Madrid (though I didn´t stay in Coca) and found most of the welcome warm and helpful.

Ankle is better now. Thanks! The extra days always help.. walking with an old battle wound for 21km a day its a bit much sometimes.. I just take my own time
yes mostly amazing warm and kind people but an angry and insulting old lady shouldnt be hired to work on a pilgrim's haven cuz well... it goes against the whole concept no? Here we have rooms with divine and sacred imagery hung on the wall and evil and negative people screaming at you?! Just NO.

Anyways Im trying to let it go and keep positive.. it's a beautiful day at the castle.and found a lift to Valladolid today and going to the Film Featival in a few days !

#happy

 

[TravellingMan22]

Ankle is better now. Thanks! The extra days always help.. walking with an old battle wound for 21km a day its a bit much sometimes.. I just take my own time
yes mostly amazing warm and kind people but an angry and insulting old lady shouldnt be hired to work on a pilgrim's haven cuz well... it goes against the whole concept no? Here we have rooms with divine and sacred imagery hung on the wall and evil and negative people screaming at you?! Just NO.

Anyways Im trying to let it go and keep positive.. it's a beautiful day at the castle.and found a lift to Valladolid today and going to the Film Featival in a few days !

#happy

Sounds like you handled it well so well done and on you go. Always a few bad apples in all walks of life! As the old saying goes ‘don’t let other peoples attitude spoil your day’. It reflects on them not you! Admittedly hard sometimes!

 

[pablovergara]

Sounds like you handled it well so well done and on you go. Always a few bad apples in all walks of life! As the old saying goes ‘don’t let other peoples attitude spoilt your day’. It reflects on them not you! Admittedly hard sometimes!

Its hard when you get insults but bullies do that. Yeah we all need Dolphin's skin not thick skin.. so all the crap slips off you easy! Haha

 

[CWBuff]

I am not going to go as far as trying to excuse the behavior you describer but... just to throw something else on it... we all have had days when its going so bad that sometimes we snap... lots of times in the wrong place and possibly at the wrong person. Maybe just maybe the 2nd old lady had a really bad day....

as stated you handled it well and looks like your disposition is the right one. Move on, enjoy the Camino and May the Good Lord send very few (if any) incidents like this your Way

Good Luck and Buen Camino

 

[henrythedog]

Pros and cons in the reviews of Gronze. Always interesting to see how other pilgrims think about the place.

Albergue municipal La casa del peregrino | Comentarios y Recomendaciones | Gronze.com

Comentarios y Recomendaciones de Peregrinos sobre Albergue municipal La casa del peregrino en el Camino de Santiago

www.gronze.com

For those who prefer to pay more than 5€ per night there are other options in Coca.

Coca, Segovia | Albergues y Hoteles | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

For those who prefer to pay less than 5€ there is most probably also a sheltered churchporch to lay your sleepingbag.

Well if the Spanish reviews are to be taken literally those who couldn’t figure out the complicated entry process were the lucky ones.

 

[MinaKamina]

every now and then I identify as a grumpy old lady, and based on that experience I am happy to inform you about the one thing that always works wonders with the league of grumpy ones:

apologize

be the first to apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience that you inadvertently may have caused.

this used to be the way to go for gentlemen of all ages, but nowadays this simple social courtesy appears to be in danger of oblivion. really, this is a sad development, because an apology goes a long way, and instead of heating up what turns into an altercation, it takes the wind out of the other person's sails and everyone feels much happier because of that. I am tempted to say that you should try this every now and then. be a master of any situation and apologize. next before you know it, the grumpy ones will be eating out of your hand, even more so if you offer a small donation, perhaps another 5 euros? for the electricity that you used.

 

[pablovergara]

every now and then I identify as a grumpy old lady, and based on that experience I am happy to inform you about the one thing that always works wonders with the league of grumpy ones:

apologize

be the first to apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience that you inadvertently may have caused.

this used to be the way to go for gentlemen of all ages, but nowadays this simple social courtesy appears to be in danger of oblivion. really, this is a sad development, because an apology goes a long way, and instead of heating up what turns into an altercation, it takes the wind out of the other person's sails and everyone feels much happier because of that. I am tempted to say that you should try this every now and then. be a master of any situation and apologize. next before you know it, the grumpy ones will be eating out of your hand, even more so if you offer a small donation, perhaps another 5 euros? for the electricity that you used.

I totally agree and i would gladfully do that but err she told me to fo f... myself. I am no Christ to forgive it all, that was totally uncalled for but yeah, maybe ai could've defused it a bit before it escalated thus far... mind that I was freshly awake and my brain was still in boot mode. This one is a hard one!!

 

[Flog]

No duh

From what you've written, it sounds like you might want step back to consider it from the other people's viewpoints. Your own account is full of inconsistencies too (you were asleep, you were on your headphones, you had paid, you were going to pay etc). I'm not familiar with this particular albergue, but if it's unmanned and run by local volunteers, as many are on the quieter routes, there is an expectation that pilgrims know how to behave responsibly, and perhaps they felt you hadn't met with that obligation. Were you given the only set of keys, and locked yourself in, did you take a heater from somewhere and plug it in for the night? Who knows, only you, and what you choose to report..

 

[chinacat]

Who knows, only you, and what you choose to report..

… in a language that is not the OP’s first language.

 

[trecile]

… in a language that is not the OP’s first language.

I believe that Spanish is the OP's native language.

 

[chinacat]

But this thread was written in English!

There are many inconsistencies in the use of the language itself.

 

[Tincatinker]

“Why u no spik Ingrish” as the late grate (spelling?) Benny Hill would have put it.

Seems the OP managed to get on the wrong side of two of the volunteers helping to provide the pilgrim Albergue in Coca. I’m sure we’ve all managed something similar down the years. I’m grateful that in my early days in Spain my grasp of the language was so poor that I had no idea what I was being called or what it was being suggested that I did with myself.

The OP has declared his intention to move on from the experience and, perhaps, so should we.

Meanwhile any pilgrim aspiring to the comfort of the Coca albergue might like to endeavour to familiarise themselves with the “house” rules before venturing the house

 

[chinacat]

Your spelling is entirely correct.

 

[pablovergara]

… in a language that is not the OP’s first language.

At least I speak two different languages. And remember you're the intruder here cuz everyone speaks Español darling. Hahaha

 

[peregrina2000]

I think that threads that start out as complaints typically devolve into unpleasantries, as this one has. Time to close with the hope that the OP got some catharsis here and that things are continuing to get better on his camino.