LIVE from the Camino Starting my SJPP volunteer gig tomorrow

[ELHS220]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

 

[Flog]

I hope, and I'm sure it will be, a rewarding experience for you.. Enjoy it, make the most of it, the time will fly!

 

[4RJN]

I will be there in 1 week if all goes well! I will say Hello!!

 

[ELHS220]

I will be there in 1 week if all goes well! I will say Hello!!

Look for my signature shirt.

 

[4RJN]

Awesome, Will do!!!!

 

[Gerbear975]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

Thanks for volunteering! I will see you there!

 

[sarahchicago]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

See you on May 17 or 18! And thank you for volunteering!

 

[tomnorth]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

I didn’t know this was a thing. Do you have to speak French? I see you are from Mass.

 

[ELHS220]

I didn’t know this was a thing. Do you have to speak French? I see you are from Mass.

I was at the office yesterday afternoon. It looked like the five volunteers on duty were all French, but they also spoke English. My French is rather basic, but, being a retired Spanish teacher, my combo is English-Spanish. English is definitely the “lingua franca” of the Camino so I think being a native English speaker is a big plus. I’ll know more in a couple of days.

 

[Harland2019]

I will be there on 11th May in the afternoon after Express Bourricot drops me off, looking forward to saying Hello although no doubt it will be very busy. Starting the next day on my 75th birthday. Thanks for volunteering. Any chance that you will still have the same T-shirt on or have you got a few - don't know how to put a laughing face on here!

 

[ELHS220]

I will be there on 11th May in the afternoon after Express Bourricot drops me off, looking forward to saying Hello although no doubt it will be very busy. Starting the next day on my 75th birthday. Thanks for volunteering. Any chance that you will still have the same T-shirt on or have you got a few - don't know how to put a laughing face on here!

Oh yes. Same shirt. I have about a dozen copies.

 

[Anhalter]

I'll try to say Hi on Friday

 

[FourSeasons]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

What a great gig, a wonderful place to volunteer. Thank you for your time. Will you be walking a bit afterwards?

 

[Snowflake5090]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

Look forward to seeing you on the 18th May for my first stamp volunteering in the Pilgrims office is something I would like to do in the future

 

[JAOliver]

Saw you in the office on Wed May 11. Thanks for all the help. Camino going well!

 

[ELHS220]

Saw you in the office on Wed May 11. Thanks for all the help. Camino going well!

I am exhausted and haven’t even started WALKING yet.

 

[rometimed]

Look for my signature shirt.View attachment 124779

Hey we met briefly today, I was the lone Canadian. Thank you for the cello and chat! Enjoy your remaining time.

 

[sarahchicago]

It was fun to see you today! Thank you for the updated list of open albergues along the Camino with current prices. Enjoy the rest of your volunteer time and your upcoming Camino!

 

[ELHS220]

It was fun to see you today! Thank you for the updated list of open albergues along the Camino with current prices. Enjoy the rest of your volunteer time and your upcoming Camino!

For what it’s worth, a woman called the office yesterday afternoon and said that a couple of albergues between PAM and P de la R were closed and that people were having issues finding beds. Were people being turned away in Roncesvalles by any chance? Those she mentioned were San Andrés in Zariquiegui and Batzán in another town in that area whose name I can’t remember. Hearing these things helps in our counseling, so any info like this is extremely helpful to us.

 

[mspath]

For what it’s worth, a woman called the office yesterday afternoon and said that a couple of albergues between PAM and P de la R were closed and that people were having issues finding beds. Were people being turned away in Roncesvalles by any chance? Those she mentioned were San Andrés in Zariquiegui and Batzán in another town in that area whose name I can’t remember. Hearing these things helps in our counseling, so any info like this is extremely helpful to us.

ELHS220

Thanks for your helpful current update. Albergue Casa Baztan is in Uterga.

Albergue Casa Baztán - Google Search

 

[DoughnutANZ]

ELHS220

Thanks for your helpful current update. Albergue Casa Baztan is in Uterga.

Albergue Casa Baztán - Google Search

Albergue Casa Baztan was open three days ago, their website doesn't mention any problems and b***.com is currently accepting reservations for them.

however, they only have bunk beds available in a mixed room and so if you search looking for a single room for two people then you will find that they seem to be full. That is because they only have bunk beds available.

Searchers need to be specific and posters and readers of posts need to be aware that what someone else searched for and possibly commented on may not provide the full picture.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

This raises a matter of interpretations when people post statements about accommodation providers being full. Often the people who are making posts saying that towns are full are couples who are probably staying in private rooms.

It may well be possible that all private rooms in a town are reserved but that does not mean that there are no beds available in that town.

It would be useful if people making posts about a lack of accommodation could specify what sort of accommodation they were looking for when they found none available.

It is probably also unhelpful when people post about overheard conversations where someone else was turned away if they are not fully aware of the complete picture.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

For what it’s worth, a woman called the office yesterday afternoon and said that a couple of albergues between PAM and P de la R were closed and that people were having issues finding beds. Were people being turned away in Roncesvalles by any chance? Those she mentioned were San Andrés in Zariquiegui and Batzán in another town in that area whose name I can’t remember. Hearing these things helps in our counseling, so any info like this is extremely helpful to us.

There is an Iglesia de San Andrés but no accommodation providers in Zariquiegui. The church may well be closed but I can find no evidence that it ever offered accommodation. The last review of this church on Google Maps was ten months ago and at that time the reviewer noted that it was closed.

 

[J Willhaus]

There is an Iglesia de San Andrés but no accommodation providers in Zariquiegui. The church may well be closed but I can find no evidence that it ever offered accommodation. The last review of this church on Google Maps was ten months ago and at that time the reviewer noted that it was closed.

The church was not open even when we were there in 2016 so maybe it is only open for services. Used to be 2 albergues in that town. No hotels though. We stayed in a small bunk room with 11 people in 2016. (I think the other room had 8 beds.) The second albergue was closed when we were there in late May or June of that year.

 

[ELHS220]

The church was not open even when we were there in 2016 so maybe it is only open for services. Used to be 2 albergues in that town. No hotels though. We stayed in a small bunk room with 11 people in 2016. (I think the other room had 8 beds.) The second albergue was closed when we were there in late May or June of that year.

I remember two albergues in 2017. According to my notes, I stayed in San Andrés.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I remember two albergues in 2017. According to my notes, I stayed in San Andrés.

Gronze has a listing for this Alberque although it is not currently showing on Google Maps. That it is not showing on Google Maps isn't unusual for these times as a number of places like this got permanently removed when they closed during various Covid lockdowns. They also have a website that runs and on it they say that they take reservations but only provide a phone number and so it is difficult to tell from afar if they are open or not.

@ELHS220 If you have time available then perhaps you could phone them on 948 35 38 76 to see if they are open. Obviously, if you don't have time or don't wish to phone (while you are in Spain) then that is your choice but it would be nice to know for sure if this place is open or not.

From memory (now that I see the photos from their website) I stopped there for a cold drink on my climb up to Alto de El Perdón during May 2019.

 

[J Willhaus]

I sent them a What's App. We will see if they respond.

 

[J Willhaus]

I seem to remember someone posted a week or so ago the bar was open for food and drink, but not the albergue. I asked on WhatsApp specifically if the albergue was open and I will report back.

 

[sarahchicago]

For what it’s worth, a woman called the office yesterday afternoon and said that a couple of albergues between PAM and P de la R were closed and that people were having issues finding beds. Were people being turned away in Roncesvalles by any chance? Those she mentioned were San Andrés in Zariquiegui and Batzán in another town in that area whose name I can’t remember. Hearing these things helps in our counseling, so any info like this is extremely helpful to us.

We spent the night in orisson May 17 and know several early-ish walk ins found non reserved
spots. We are in roncesvalles tonight. At 5pm on weds. May 18 the hospitaleros are still checking people in. I see empty beds but do not know if the albergue expects to be full tonight.

 

[sarahchicago]

For what it’s worth, a woman called the office yesterday afternoon and said that a couple of albergues between PAM and P de la R were closed and that people were having issues finding beds. Were people being turned away in Roncesvalles by any chance? Those she mentioned were San Andrés in Zariquiegui and Batzán in another town in that area whose name I can’t remember. Hearing these things helps in our counseling, so any info like this is extremely helpful to us.

We spent the night in orisson May 17 and know several early-ish walk ins found non reserved
spots. We are in roncesvalles tonight. At 5pm on weds. May 18 the hospitaleros are still checking people in. I see empty beds but do not know if the albergue expects to be full tonight.

 

[ELHS220]

Gronze has a listing for this Alberque although it is not currently showing on Google Maps. That it is not showing on Google Maps isn't unusual for these times as a number of places like this got permanently removed when they closed during various Covid lockdowns. They also have a website that runs and on it they say that they take reservations but only provide a phone number and so it is difficult to tell from afar if they are open or not.

@ELHS220 If you have time available then perhaps you could phone them on 948 35 38 76 to see if they are open. Obviously, if you don't have time or don't wish to phone (while you are in Spain) then that is your choice but it would be nice to know for sure if this place is open or not.

From memory (now that I see the photos from their website) I stopped there for a cold drink on my climb up to Alto de El Perdón during May 2019.

I phoned yesterday (Wed) twice and got no answer. No recording about “phone out of service “, just no answer.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I phoned yesterday (Wed) twice and got no answer. No recording about “phone out of service “, just no answer.

Thanks. It might then be prudent to start advising Pilgrims that this Albergue is probably closed.

If anyone reads this and is walking past (perhaps @sarahchicago ) in the next couple of days could ask at the store if the albergue is open or closed.

The place that we are talking about is West of Pamplona (after) and is on the walk that ascends up to Alto de Le Perdon. After walking through some grain fields you come across a tiny little town and as you walk through the town there is a small store on your right-hand side with (usually) a couple of tables outside and lots of pilgrims hanging around resting and having a cool drink.

I added it back onto Google Maps and it can be found here: https://goo.gl/maps/6Gm7bD5VXuShAVtx5

If it is permanently closed then I will get it removed from G Maps again.

 

[J Willhaus]

No response on WhatsApp as of today.

 

[CWBuff]

I arrived in SJPP today and will be a volunteer in the Pilgrim Office from May 9 (tomorrow) until May 23. I am looking forward to seeing forum members pass through.

It was good to see you face to face and to say hello yesterday
Thanks for all you do