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April 17 - some Albergues closing in protest of new law

NerdGjerd

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Time of past OR future Camino
April 2025 CF
Hello,
I just heard back from an albergue that they will be closed April 17th to protest these new regulations. They thought most albergues and other accommodations may be closed this day. I'll be somewhere between Uterga and Estella that night, wondering if I will find a place to sleep! It was unclear if this protest is for all of Spain. Anyway, not sure what I'm going to do that night, and had not seen these future protests discussed on the forum yet.

Related to these threads on the new regulations: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...nal-information-at-lodging.89898/post-1313542
 
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An interesting approach if true.
Who do they think they will 'hurt' as a result?
 
Maybe some of our albergue contacts will respond. This is before Easter, so many may not be open yet anyway. @wisepilgrim have you heard anything?
 
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Interesting timing, in Semana Santa. As @Robo says, who do they think will be impacted? Not those responsible for the new rules. I wonder how widespread this will really be, if it happens?
 
GettingThere said:
Interesting timing, in Semana Santa. As @Robo says, who do they think will be impacted? Not those responsible for the new rules. I wonder how widespread this will really be, if it happens?
Click to expand...

On my last Camino, a couple of Camino Amigos and I found a whole town closed!
Granja de Moreruela.

Not that it was a large town.

But it had a bar. Closed.
Two Casa Rurals. Closed.
One Albergue. Technically open. The front door was left unlocked.

A couple of locals explained that the whole town had migrated to a bridge outside town to celebrate Romería de la Pedrera. Everything was closed for the day. They were just heading there themselves and appeared to be the last occupants left! But they were kind enough to dash back inside their homes and come out brandishing a bottle of wine, some homemade Chorizo and two sticks of lovely fresh bread!

We kept going, but enjoyed great picnic lunches over the next 2 days!

Every cloud has a silver lining
 
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Sirage said:
But if it has the only Albergue within Cooee, which it does, in one's imagination it looms very large indeed as you walk towards it anticipating lunch and a bed.
Click to expand...
It was somewhat of a let down Yes.
But there are always options, Plans B and C.
Is this case a lift to the next town
 
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J Willhaus said:
I find after experience that "strikes" are often associated with holidays on europe.
Click to expand...

This is not at all relevant for ALL of Europe.
Also the connection with national holidays is not true. National holidays are paid holidays in most European countries.

You might refer to the parades and speeches on a central plaza on the 1st of May. They are not strikes seeing the people have a paid day anyway. Yes , national holidays come with income in most European cities.
The parades and speeches are just a way for unions and locals to commemorate they gained workers rights all those years ago.

Strikes are normally always on a regular workday in the week.
We had one this last Monday ( not a national holiday at all ) in our country from the educational departments, civil servants and transport companies.
I am not being pro or contra but want to point out that a minimal service is always guaranteed here.
Even if all teachers will be at the manifestation in Brussels , schools will open doors for children whose parents do not have plan B.
Also the big trainlines will have a minimal service between the bigger cities.
 
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wisepilgrim said:
This is news to me. I will send a few messages to feel things out.
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Thanks. It would be best not to spread this “news” if it is just a “thought” and not a wide spread organised action. The 17th of April is Maundy Thursday - high demand perhaps not for municipal albergues and similar but certainly for hotels and private albergues. I still remember, years later, the unusually high price for a night for the Hotel Norte y Londres in Burgos.
 
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J Willhaus said:
I find after experience that "strikes" are often associated with holidays on europe.
Click to expand...
I don’t understand your comment. Did you mean to say that there are strikes so that employees use strike days as additional holidays? Or that strikes are organised during a time when people go on holidays as to cause maximum disruption for travellers? I’ve not observed either of this, as a rule, and I’ve lived in Europe for many decades.

Odd vocabulary anyway because this is, if true, not a protest action by employees and workers but by owners of albergues (I guess - in the absence of hard information).
 
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It appears from this article that the event in Granja is held every 25 April.

Medio siglo después, Bretó y Granja de Moreruela comparten ermita para celebrar la Virgen de la Pedrera

Tras dos años de pandemia, en este 2022 el 25 de abril coincide con el segundo lunes posterior a la Pascua, fechas en la que ambos municipios tienen como tradición honrar a la Virgen de los Montes Negros en los alrededores del Puente Quintos La misa será conjunta y al aire libre, si el tiempo...
www.zamoranews.com

Good to know. Thanks!
 
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If all goes "to plan", I should be walking 28km from Fuenterroble to San Pedro de Rozados on the 17th. Apart from the Municipal, I see just one hotel in San Pedro. But, Salamanca is just a short taxi ride as a Plan B alternative. I've already got reservations in Salamanca for the 18th and 19th anyway. Just one more [potential] challenge on the VDLP. In any case, I'm not overly concerned.
 
I thought I should leave albergue name out of it for now.

Here is the text from the email:

Hello; thank you for your interest in staying with us. However, on April 17th we - and most albergues, hostels, hotels and all sorts of places where pilgrims usually stay - will remain closed. This is as a way of protesting against the recently approved new regulation about the data that we must collect from our guests, which we are very much against.

You can try your luck with another lodging; also, in a few weeks you may check availability with us through our website, as things may have changed
 
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The Hotel is good. Nice bar and restaurant, with the Albergue opposite.
Just be wary of breakfast.......

I had read reviews that mentioned breakfast can be a bit hit and miss.
i.e. they might turn up at the time mentioned, or not.
I waited, but the kitchen was bare

Bars in Morille were closed.
But it seems there was one just off the route in Miranda de Azán, that I missed!

Still, a banana and a few nuts got me to Salamanca.

Re the walk from Fuenterroble to San Pedro de Rozados, the first part up over the Pico is great.
The second part along the road is a bit of a drag.

You'll love the Donativo in Fuenterroble run by Fr Don Blas.
Great communal meal.

PS, the walk into Salamanca from San Pedro is really nice.
Mostly wide graded tracks and flat.
 
Thanks for the great info! While I'm not an early riser, I like to get out the door by 7:15; if breakfast is any later than that, I'll usually decline.

I'll make a note of Miranda de Azán if Morille is closed up. Gronze shows it as just 300 meters off route. I would definitely do that detour for a cafe con leche at a bar or to pick up something at a store there.

I had already made a note to be sure and stay at the donativo in Fuenterroble. I'm looking forward to it!
 

On that route I found it useful to always look a day or two ahead on Google Maps, for bars and shops, as it usually shows the opening hours. Not always 100% reliable though
 
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