How to know when to keep walking....

[Tess@rest]

How to know when to keep walking… After multiple Caminos I had what was probably the worst experience ever. I offer this up as a warning to others. One of the last places I stayed was a retreat for pilgrims. Unfortunately the cats outnumbered the pilgrims. My first clue to keep walking should have been that all of the “house” cats wore two flea collars. Then there was the 16 1/2 year old incontinent cat whose litter box shared not only the laundry room but sat next to the shelving where pots and pans for cooking and meal preparation were stored. The stench was overwhelming. Three other cats roamed day and nite over the beds and chairs depositing their excess fur everywhere and then wrestling across the "pilgrim" beds in the middle of the nite. Add to that the kitchen window serves as a platform for a well used & fur laden cat bed and the cats went in and out stepping over and in the food preparation area just below it. There were no bed bugs here but my feet and ankles became covered with small itching bites.....might there be fleas?!? I have no solid conclusion, but since returning home I have been to the doctor several times and have had to be treated with antibiotics and steroids and deal with their residual effects. So…listen to your brain and not necessarily your heart, even though it may be hard to do after all those weeks walking a Camino. A cat shelter should never be a pilgrim place. If you find this…just keep walking.

FYI...I am not a cat hater as I have two in my home currently and have rescued many who were "dumped" by people. I have also shared food with cats I've encountered on the Camino. My issue is pilgrim health.

 

[MinaKamina]

This would have been my special kind of hell ... I am allergic to cats. My lungs over-react to their sweet little hairs, and I would have been choking within hours.
So I'd run and be out of there at first sight.

There is no need for a double flea collar, unless the flea collars are no longer working, and then one would better give all cats a new collar.

 

[William Marques]

That sounds disgusting.

 

[Kanga]

Not a good experience. Have you thought about lodging an hoja de reclamación with the local authority? By law every accommodation provider in Spain must have these complaint forms available and give one to anyone who asks. You can fill them out and drop them off at any municipal office and the complaint will be investigated.

 

[Felipe]

I have never seen an "hoja de reclamación" in an albergue. Looking back, I vaguely remember a couple of notebooks in the entrances (Carbajalas and Burgo Ranero?), used by pilgrim to pen variations of "thank you", or "motivational thoughts".

 

[Kanga]

They are not on display; usually in a drawer somewhere. You have to ask for one.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

They are not on display; usually in a drawer somewhere. You have to ask for one.

And there is usually a sign saying these are available. You see these signs behind every bar, even on buses. Took me a while to realise what these are, so I am not surprised that if you are not fluent in Spanish you may not have noticed them.

 

[grayland]

The name of the accommodation described in the OP should not be be posted or speculated on here in the forum.
Please use the Private Message function of the forum if more specific information is desired.

The warning posted is to walk on if you are uncomfortable with any accommodation.
Thanks for understanding.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The name of the accomondation described in the OP should not be be posted or speculated on here in the forum.

Why is that? Many post about albergues they found iffy and name them. Will this apply to all posts about albergues one found iffy, or ... San Vicente de la Barquerra often pops up here, then there was the one on VDLP where the hospy was said to be too hands on, etc.

 

[Tincatinker]

Why is that?

The OP chose, quite deliberately, not to post the name of the place she has described for the reasons that @grayland has elucidated.

Members will be aware of the concern of Moderators over 'naming and shaming' particularly where the blamed may have no opportunity to respond.

This is why we encourage use of the 'hoja de reclamacion' .

 

[MinaKamina]

Not a good experience. Have you thought about lodging an hoja de reclamación with the local authority? By law every accommodation provider in Spain must have these complaint forms available and give one to anyone who asks. You can fill them out and drop them off at any municipal office and the complaint will be investigated.

I fear you are overly optimistic about the hoja de reclamaciones.

The hoja de reclamaciones aims to solve a conflict between a supplier and a consumer.
If the consumer files a complaint, the supplier has a certain period of time (from days to weeks to a month) to put things right, or to find a solution that the consumer agrees with.
This means that the complaint will only be investigated after that period of time has passed.
Experiences with the hoja de reclamaciones vary and a lot seems to depend on the civil servant doing (or not doing) the investigation.
Also make sure to fill in all your data clearly, if you cannot be traced, the investigation ends.

One thing the municipality will not do is inform other pilgrims of the complaint, amd that is where this forum comes in handy.

 

[Tess@rest]

Thx for understanding. My goal was not to "name and shame" although I realized many experienced pilgrims could figure it out. As a pilgrim who has walked several Caminos I think I often look at "flags" and think..."everything will be ok; I won't be here that long; I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings; or where will I go if I leave?" so I stay in places where I should probably just grab up my pack and move on realizing that I don't have to explain to anyone my reasons for leaving. My post was to encourage others to think about "flags" that can effect their health and/or safety and to encourage them to listen to their brain at times like this rather than their hearts. There is a time to simply be grateful but also a time to think about where you are and where you really need to be.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thx for understanding. My goal was not to "name and shame" although I realized many experienced pilgrims could figure it out. As a pilgrim who has walked several Caminos I think I often look at "flags" and think..."everything will be ok; I won't be here that long; I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings; or where will I go if I leave?" so I stay in places where I should probably just grab up my pack and move on realizing that I don't have to explain to anyone my reasons for leaving. My post was to encourage others to think about "flags" that can effect their health and/or safety and to encourage them to listen to their brain at times like this rather than their hearts. There is a time to simply be grateful but also a time to think about where you are and where you really need to be.

I sent you a PM. I'm wondering if it's the place I know of.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

The OP chose, quite deliberately, not to post the name of the place she has described for the reasons that @grayland has elucidated.

This is why we encourage use oja de reclamacion.

Ah, I see the differnce, to respwxt the fact that the OP chose not to name.

As to the hoja, it may punish the albergue, but save any of is from walking in.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I know exactly the place she speaks of, and I feel every pilgrim should be warned ahead of time just as they are warned of the "deaf" ladies with clipboards.
If anyone wants to know about my experience, feel free to PM me.

 

[grayland]

Thanks to those who have accepted and complied with the request to use the PM function for discussion of the name and location of the accommodation in the original post.

(Including Anemone)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks to those who have accepted and complied with the request to use the PM function for discussion of the name and location of the accommodation in the original post.

(Including Anemone)

I got kudos from a mod!!!

 

[Kanga]

I totally agree that we should listen to our own inner voices. For starters we all have different comfort zones. I have enjoyed (loved) sleeping on the floor of a gymnasium with 200 other people and only 4 toilets (Holy Year 2004). It was only for a couple of nights and disinfectant is useful stuff! But that was an exceptional case, now there are alternatives.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I totally agree that we should listen to our own inner voices. For starters we all have different comfort zones. I have enjoyed (loved) sleeping on the floor of a gymnasium with 200 other people and only 4 toilets (Holy Year 2004).

Maybe there is a different between assessing the actual conditions vs assessing the feeling of being taken advantage of. If you have nothing but your company and encouragement to offer to me, I will be gratefull. If you offer me a hot shower, a mattres, and ac but conned me into walking into your place by telling me the places further down are fully booked... well ... not so much.

 

[Kanga]

I do so agree. It is all about the people really. Integrity goes a long way.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Oooooohhhh, two mods liked my previous post! Let's see if they don't unlike me now.

 

[Grace3808]

How to know when to keep walking… After multiple Caminos I had what was probably the worst experience ever. I offer this up as a warning to others. One of the last places I stayed was a retreat for pilgrims. Unfortunately the cats outnumbered the pilgrims. My first clue to keep walking should have been that all of the “house” cats wore two flea collars. Then there was the 16 1/2 year old incontinent cat whose litter box shared not only the laundry room but sat next to the shelving where pots and pans for cooking and meal preparation were stored. The stench was overwhelming. Three other cats roamed day and nite over the beds and chairs depositing their excess fur everywhere and then wrestling across the "pilgrim" beds in the middle of the nite. Add to that the kitchen window serves as a platform for a well used & fur laden cat bed and the cats went in and out stepping over and in the food preparation area just below it. There were no bed bugs here but my feet and ankles became covered with small itching bites.....might there be fleas?!? I have no solid conclusion, but since returning home I have been to the doctor several times and have had to be treated with antibiotics and steroids and deal with their residual effects. So…listen to your brain and not necessarily your heart, even though it may be hard to do after all those weeks walking a Camino. A cat shelter should never be a pilgrim place. If you find this…just keep walking.

FYI...I am not a cat hater as I have two in my home currently and have rescued many who were "dumped" by people. I have also shared food with cats I've encountered on the Camino. My issue is pilgrim health.

Tess I stayed there as well and concur with everything you've reported... not what I expected and definately not a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere. Live and learn : ) Fortunately all my positive camino experiences far outweighed the two nights I spent at the house.

 

[Tess@rest]

Tess I stayed there as well and concur with everything you've reported... not what I expected and definately not a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere. Live and learn : ) Fortunately all my positive camino experiences far outweighed the two nights I spent at the house.

I agree...my positive experiences also far outweighed my time there. This was my fifth Camino and walking "the road" holds a special place in my heart. Unfortunately for me my first two weeks home have been spent dealing with bites and dr visits which has made "reentry" even more difficult. I will definitely return to the Camino....just not this place, and in the future I'll hopefully pay more attention to "flags" which all say "keep walking."

 

[Peter Dobbs]

Well I've only done one camino from SJDP to Santiago (I've walked across Greenland on another occasion but that doesn't count!) and I know what it is like at 5 pm when you're dog tired and all you want to do is have a shower and go to dinner. I used to be in The Parachute Regiment years ago and i believe in 'Pulling the ripcord'. In other words when the 'sh!t hits the fan' you just summon a taxi and go somewhere nice. Get some rest and dry out and get a taxi back the next day. I only did it once but there were a couple of occasions when I was up against really shocking accommodation or no accommodation at all and planning on sleeping out when it was very cold or rainy. However the idea that I could always 'pull the ripcord' did allow me to think clearly and reduce the stress of not finding accommodation and to take risks. So keep walking - there is always something else - and remember you can always 'pull the ripcord'. It is better to take risks than not take risks at all. It's amazing what you find sometimes. I had some brilliant nights walking on and finding something wonderful.