Jorba on the Camino Catalan

[Paco Camino]

This past June I walked the Camino Catalan One from Barcelona to Logrono.

The first four/five days are the same as the C. Catalan Two. They diverge at Tarrega: Number One goes through Zaragosa and hooks up to the Camino Frances at Logrono, the Number two goes through Huesca, joins the Camino Arogones and hooks up to the C. Frances at Puenta de la Reina. Two years ago, with my daughter.we did the Huesca route and stayed at the Albergue in Jorba, had a fine meal, one of the best three on all the Caminos I've done (( in total).

This year, I walked 34/35 km from Montserrat to Jorba, rather then stopping mid-way, to enjoy a fine meal again. Surprise! "Rick" the hospitalero said that since I was the only perigrino, it wasn't worth his while to prepare a meal. Last time there was only the two of us. This time, he also caters to large parties (this time a First Communion party for local children and their families) he was just finishing this event. He remembered me from the last time, We both are chefs, but still no meal. He said go to a restaurant in the village - they don't start preparing meals until 9, only snacks. The point being, why advertise on your price list meals are offered, and then refuse because not enough. Secondly, later, after settling in, I passed the kitchen, him and his staff were picking through leftovers from the meal.

That was insulting - to watching them eat and I had to wait another few hours.

In my country, chefs would invite each other into the kitchen. Last time he requested we should post a review on the internet - to tell others of this Albergue. As he said not to many stop by. Well not offering a meal should add to that.

I remember so many times I used to tell others, if they do this camino, stop by at Rick's for one of the best meals on the caminos. Well - no more ! I think he's more into the catering now and less on the perigrinos.

 

[peregrina2000]

This past June I walked the Camino Catalan One from Barcelona to Logrono.

The first four/five days are the same as the C. Catalan Two. They diverge at Tarrega: Number One goes through Zaragosa and hooks up to the Camino Frances at Logrono, the Number two goes through Huesca, joins the Camino Arogones and hooks up to the C. Frances at Puenta de la Reina. Two years ago, with my daughter.we did the Huesca route and stayed at the Albergue in Jorba, had a fine meal, one of the best three on all the Caminos I've done (( in total).

This year, I walked 34/35 km from Montserrat to Jorba, rather then stopping mid-way, to enjoy a fine meal again. Surprise! "Rick" the hospitalero said that since I was the only perigrino, it wasn't worth his while to prepare a meal. Last time there was only the two of us. This time, he also caters to large parties (this time a First Communion party for local children and their families) he was just finishing this event. He remembered me from the last time, We both are chefs, but still no meal. He said go to a restaurant in the village - they don't start preparing meals until 9, only snacks. The point being, why advertise on your price list meals are offered, and then refuse because not enough. Secondly, later, after settling in, I passed the kitchen, him and his staff were picking through leftovers from the meal.

That was insulting - to watching them eat and I had to wait another few hours.

In my country, chefs would invite each other into the kitchen. Last time he requested we should post a review on the internet - to tell others of this Albergue. As he said not to many stop by. Well not offering a meal should add to that.

I remember so many times I used to tell others, if they do this camino, stop by at Rick's for one of the best meals on the caminos. Well - no more ! I think he's more into the catering now and less on the perigrinos.

Hi, Paco Camino, I walked this Camino in June (through Huesca and San Juan de la Pena to Santa Cilia de Jaca on the ARagones) and am still trying to find time to write up a day by day posting of distances and my impressions.

But I did want to add my agreement with your assessment of the priest who runs the place in Jorba. We also walked from Montserrat to Jorba, rather than stopping in the albergue in Igualada. This was actually on the advice of some members of the Cervera amigos group, and it had the benefit of equaling the days from Montserrat to Cervera (by that I mean that the stages from Montserrat to Jorba and Jorba to Cervera are roughly equal). We also arrived (on a Saturday to be fair) kand the priest was obviously much more interested in feeding his communion dinner than taking care of us In fact, he told us that the opening time was 6 pm (that's true, Eroski says that though we hadn't seen it), but he let us in so we could shower and go down the road to the restaurant.

It would have been absolutely no problem to serve us leftovers after the dinner was over, but oh well. I think the problem is that his "dinner business" has gotten pretty big and he now doesn't have as much interest in us pilgrims. But the place was clean and it did give us a much better walk into Cervera the next day. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Paco Camino]

Hi, Paco Camino, I walked this Camino in June (through Huesca and San Juan de la Pena to Santa Cilia de Jaca on the ARagones) and am still trying to find time to write up a day by day posting of distances and my impressions.

But I did want to add my agreement with your assessment of the priest who runs the place in Jorba. We also walked from Montserrat to Jorba, rather than stopping in the albergue in Igualada. This was actually on the advice of some members of the Cervera amigos group, and it had the benefit of equaling the days from Montserrat to Cervera (by that I mean that the stages from Montserrat to Jorba and Jorba to Cervera are roughly equal). We also arrived (on a Saturday to be fair) kand the priest was obviously much more interested in feeding his communion dinner than taking care of us In fact, he told us that the opening time was 6 pm (that's true, Eroski says that though we hadn't seen it), but he let us in so we could shower and go down the road to the restaurant.

It would have been absolutely no problem to serve us leftovers after the dinner was over, but oh well. I think the problem is that his "dinner business" has gotten pretty big and he now doesn't have as much interest in us pilgrims. But the place was clean and it did give us a much better walk into Cervera the next day. Buen camino, Laurie

Yes, I do admit he does keep a clean albergue, and I also was allowed to enter early (4:30) to shower, but as you also said - he is much more interested in his "Catering Business" - Strange though, as he is a pastor/priest. Maybe it's would be best to aim for this Albergue durning the week, not weekend, for better service. but that won't happen for me anytime soon.
Frank

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Frank,
I see that you have walked both of the variants on the Catalan. Are they very similar? I have to admit I wouldn't put the Huesca variant too high up there on my Camino list. After Huesca, I thought things changed a lot for the better, but those first days didn't really draw me in. Even though I very much like the open spaces Caminos (loved the Levante and the Vdlp), this one left me a bit flat. You must have liked it enough to want to go back to repeat much of the same Camino. Mind if I ask what was it that brought you back?

Maybe my problem was that I had already experienced 8 days walking from Port de la Selva, on the "false Camino" waymarked by the Generalitat through Figueres, Girona, and Vic. Wonderful scenery, lots of romanesque monasteries, great museums, etc etc. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Paco Camino]

Hi, Frank,
I see that you have walked both of the variants on the Catalan. Are they very similar? I have to admit I wouldn't put the Huesca variant too high up there on my Camino list. After Huesca, I thought things changed a lot for the better, but those first days didn't really draw me in. Even though I very much like the open spaces Caminos (loved the Levante and the Vdlp), this one left me a bit flat. You must have liked it enough to want to go back to repeat much of the same Camino. Mind if I ask what was it that brought you back?

Maybe my problem was that I had already experienced 8 days walking from Port de la Selva, on the "false Camino" waymarked by the Generalitat through Figueres, Girona, and Vic. Wonderful scenery, lots of romanesque monasteries, great museums, etc etc. Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie,
I was ammeber of this forum 4 yrs ago, but never got into it, as i never did any caminos. since then - 9 so far. Next one in planning - the Levante.
Well as to your question. The first one was done with my daughter, as I had the time after doing the North Camino and the English one in May and part of June, and my daughter was in Barcelona for work, and we had some three weeks and this one worked out well - time wise - and fitted in to end in Pamplona for San fermin - Yup! we end up running with the bulls.
This year, it was the time factor that predicated me chooing this one mostly, I had only 3.5 weeks, had to return to Barcelona for the end of June. And since I had done a few days of the common part, why not do the other variant. And I also wanted to start from Barcelona this time, last time we started from Montserrat. Yes after Montserrat - for 3 days the csminos are the same. But then the Zaragosa variant is much different from the Huesca one. Less albergues, longer stages, and the Los Monegros to deal with (google it). when we did the Huesca, we meet no people until the C. Aragones link. On this one there were several coming from the other direction - doing the C. Ignacio (I think), and a three meeting on the way. I also think doing the Los monegros was the challenge too. The whole route after a few days is very dry, with exception of irrigated parts. Pretty much dessert or close to it.
The towns and cities were larger and afforded more services, different architecture too, culture and language - You leave Catalan. enter Castellano, and then finish in Basque - this was the difficult part. Both were done at about the same time of the year - both exceedingly hot.

Yes the VdlP was great, I agree also- long, hot but last year too much road and rail construction - which caused many detours for the perigrinos - onto 'tracks' with poor markings.
b . camino
frank

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

I hope you like the short video I did recently from Port de la Selva a to Logroño