There ARE coed group showers!

[trecile]

I've had people tell that they heard that the albergues had coed group showers, and I always say that I'd never seen anything like that; only a couple of single sex shower rooms. Well, I'm staying tonight in the albergue in Requejada and discovered that there is only ONE large shower for men and women here!

 

[JohnMcM]

I've had people tell that they heard that the albergues had coed group showers, and I always say that I'd never seen anything like that; only a couple of single sex shower rooms. Well, I'm staying tonight in the albergue in Requejada and discovered that there is only ONE large shower for men and women here!View attachment 44590

I must confess I don't know what "coed" means.

I think I understand that you are saying these showers are "uni-sex". Maybe I'm missing something here, presumably there are rules/separate timings about who uses them when?

If that's not the case then I wish you a "Buen (modesty-filled, eyes-closed by all concerned) Camino".

 

[Kurt5280]

I am willing to wash your back...I mean watch your back...I mean watch the door for you.

 

[Bradypus]

I think I understand that you are saying these showers are "uni-sex". Maybe I'm missing something here, presumably there are rules/separate timings about who uses them when?

A very unusual situation these days. On my first Camino a woman walked into the one communal shower room as I was washing, greeted me politely and then started using one of the other showers. There were no posted rules or times for separating the sexes. Had the situation been reversed I would have waited for the woman to leave before showering but that would have been my personal decision and preference. I would not assume that sex separation is universally applied unless specifically stated.

 

[Bala]

I must confess I don't know what "coed" means.

I think I understand that you are saying these showers are "uni-sex".

@JohnMcM, you are correct. Coed" is short for co-educational. I guess it goes back to the day when boys and girls, or men and women, were taught in sex-segregated classrooms. Or women not in classrooms at all.

As that began to change, they were now in "co-educational" classrooms. Then later the term began to be applied to female college students, coeds. Now just generally a mixing of sexes or, as you say, uni-sex.

Anyway, I stayed on some albergues that had unisex showers, but the stalls all had doors on them. This one.... I don't know!

 

[SabsP]

Ah well we will survive or go without the daily wash for that one day.

 

[Suzanne S.]

I've had people tell that they heard that the albergues had coed group showers, and I always say that I'd never seen anything like that; only a couple of single sex shower rooms. Well, I'm staying tonight in the albergue in Requejada and discovered that there is only ONE large shower for men and women here!View attachment 44590

 

[trecile]

As it turned out, there is only one man at the albergue tonight. I think that there are ten or eleven here, and there are only twelve beds. There are no rules, no hospitalero, and there was no toilet paper until I went to the store and bought some. I don't know when this albergue was last cleaned - all the trash cans are overflowing. But the bed is fairly comfortable and it's only 6€.

 

[KinkyOne]

I've had people tell that they heard that the albergues had coed group showers, and I always say that I'd never seen anything like that; only a couple of single sex shower rooms. Well, I'm staying tonight in the albergue in Requejada and discovered that there is only ONE large shower for men and women here!View attachment 44590

Enjoy, @trecile

 

[KinkyOne]

A very unusual situation these days. On my first Camino a woman walked into the one communal shower room as I was washing, greeted me politely and then started using one of the other showers. There were no posted rules or times for separating the sexes. Had the situation been reversed I would have waited for the woman to leave before showering but that would have been my personal decision and preference. I would not assume that sex separation is universally applied unless specifically stated.

It's very cultural thing I'd say. I was raised in a family of nudists. We didn't lock ourselves while using shower and we as a family spent every summer in nudist camp or at least went for a swim on nudist beach. FKK = Frei Koerper Kultur if I'm not mistaken, interestingly began in DDR (former East Germany). But I do remember some of my classmates in 70's were taking shower in swim suites. Within their homes...
What I want to say is that when you've been in a place with so many naked bodies it isn't anything special or of interest anymore. You just do what you have to do (take a shower) and out you go. You don't have to look at others because you already know they would usually have four limbs, skin over their flesh and that's about it

 

[nycwalking]

Lookie, lookie, lookie.

Too much information.

Is it safe?

Buen camino with all the bits and pieces.

 

[Anamiri]

I think I would have had a shock as well. I dont mind when there are doors...and maybe mightn't have minded so much 20 years ago. Although I probably would have, I may have looked better but lacked confidence.

 

[Luka]

I knew of group showers on the Norte - for example in San Sebastián if I recall well. But group showers for men and women together, that is a novelty for me!

@KinkyOne I also grew up in a family of nudists and I don't mind female group showers at all (actually it goes a lot faster that way), but group showers for everyone would be a little bit too much... However, you'll probably have them all to yourself ;-)

 

[trecile]

I knew of group showers on the Norte - for example in San Sebastián if I recall well. But group showers for men and women together, that is a novelty for me!

@KinkyOne I also grew up in a family of nudists and I don't mind female group showers at all (actually it goes a lot faster that way), but group showers for everyone would be a little bit too much... However, you'll probably have them all to yourself ;-)

Yes, I think that all of us were able to shower alone.

 

[wonzi]

As it turned out, there is only one man at the albergue tonight. I think that there are ten or eleven here, and there are only twelve beds. There are no rules, no hospitalero, and there was no toilet paper until I went to the store and bought some. I don't know when this albergue was last cleaned - all the trash cans are overflowing. But the bed is fairly comfortable and it's only 6€.

I remember that place well! At my age, I certainly did not want to jump in the shower when I saw the 4 shower heads! Fortunately, there were only 3 of us there and all women but I made someone sit guard at the door. Guess I just wasn't raised to display the goods! And, yes, it was not the cleanest place but the beds were comfy. I remember we got locked in and had a devil of a time trying to escape in the morning! LOL! This was in June of this year.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It's very cultural thing I'd say. I was raised in a family of nudists. We didn't lock ourselves while using shower and we as a family spent every summer in nudist camp or at least went for a swim on nudist beach. FKK = Frei Koerper Kultur if I'm not mistaken, interestingly began in DDR (former East Germany). But I do remember some of my classmates in 70's were taking shower in swim suites. Within their homes...
What I want to say is that when you've been in a place with so many naked bodies it isn't anything special or of interest anymore. You just do what you have to do (take a shower) and out you go. You don't have to look at others because you already know they would usually have four limbs, skin over their flesh and that's about it

Hmmm, now I know why your avatar name is "Kinky".

 

[chinacat]

I remember that place well! At my age, I certainly did not want to jump in the shower when I saw the 4 shower heads! Fortunately, there were only 3 of us there and all women but I made someone sit guard at the door. Guess I just wasn't raised to display the goods! And, yes, it was not the cleanest place but the beds were comfy. I remember we got locked in and had a devil of a time trying to escape in the morning! LOL! This was in June of this year.

Not sure I’d find that funny ... being locked in, that is ...
It’s dangerous ... was there a fire escape?
Was any provision made for medical emergencies?

 

[wonzi]

Not sure I’d find that funny ... being locked in, that is ...
It’s dangerous ... was there a fire escape?
Was any provision made for medical emergencies?

Not sure I’d find that funny ... being locked in, that is ...
It’s dangerous ... was there a fire escape?
Was any provision made for medical emergencies?

It is basically on the first floor with the showers down below and there is enough windows that one could escape easy enough. And, you are just across the street from the Bar/cafe where you pick up the keys to get in to the alburque.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

After a 30 K walk from Morgade to Eirexe on a hot dry day I checked in to the Xunta Albergue late, grabbed a top bunk (Ugh) and headed for the shower. About half done washing up in the shower, a female walked in and started taking a shower with me like nothing was strange about it. I hustled with completing my shower and headed out but did notice on the way out of the shower room that I was in the female facilities. This being my first Camino in 2014 I was not quite up to speed with the Galician language as yet. Attached picture is the sign on the door of the shower/bathroom.

 

[Micah26]

Brings back my Catholic upbringing and custody of the eyes... of you keep you eyes down and focused within you don’t see the person next to you.... However as a woman showering with men I don’t know would make me feel very vulnerable. We assume we are all good people on similar journeys but that is a naive assumption. I’d request female/ male split but that’s me...

 

[SabsP]

After a 30 K walk from Morgade to Eirexe on a hot dry day I checked in to the Xunta Albergue late, grabbed a top bunk (Ugh) and headed for the shower. About half done washing up in the shower, a female walked in and started taking a shower with me like nothing was strange about it. I hustled with completing my shower and headed out but did notice on the way out of the shower room that I was in the female facilities. This being my first Camino in 2014 I was not quite up to speed with the Galician language as yet. Attached picture is the sign on the door of the shower/bathroom.

Ah bless you...

 

[trecile]

After a 30 K walk from Morgade to Eirexe on a hot dry day I checked in to the Xunta Albergue late, grabbed a top bunk (Ugh) and headed for the shower. About half done washing up in the shower, a female walked in and started taking a shower with me like nothing was strange about it. I hustled with completing my shower and headed out but did notice on the way out of the shower room that I was in the female facilities. This being my first Camino in 2014 I was not quite up to speed with the Galician language as yet. Attached picture is the sign on the door of the shower/bathroom.

 

[Mark61]

Wow, do you suppose one day there will be co-ed nude beaches!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

As it turned out, there is only one man at the albergue tonight. I think that there are ten or eleven here, and there are only twelve beds. There are no rules, no hospitalero, and there was no toilet paper until I went to the store and bought some. I don't know when this albergue was last cleaned - all the trash cans are overflowing. But the bed is fairly comfortable and it's only 6€.

A Wise Pilgrim like you and you weren't carrying toilet paper? Oh shame Trecile, shame

 

[Jeff Crawley]

It's very cultural thing I'd say. I was raised in a family of nudists. We didn't lock ourselves while using shower and we as a family spent every summer in nudist camp or at least went for a swim on nudist beach. FKK = Frei Koerper Kultur if I'm not mistaken, interestingly began in DDR (former East Germany). But I do remember some of my classmates in 70's were taking shower in swim suites. Within their homes...
What I want to say is that when you've been in a place with so many naked bodies it isn't anything special or of interest anymore. You just do what you have to do (take a shower) and out you go. You don't have to look at others because you already know they would usually have four limbs, skin over their flesh and that's about it

I was barred from entering a restaurant in the old Yugoslavia because I was with a group that were wearing clothes. I mean, you'd think they'd put a sign out front!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

After a 30 K walk from Morgade to Eirexe on a hot dry day I checked in to the Xunta Albergue late, grabbed a top bunk (Ugh) and headed for the shower. About half done washing up in the shower, a female walked in and started taking a shower with me like nothing was strange about it. I hustled with completing my shower and headed out but did notice on the way out of the shower room that I was in the female facilities. This being my first Camino in 2014 I was not quite up to speed with the Galician language as yet. Attached picture is the sign on the door of the shower/bathroom.

First Camino in 2001 I stayed in the old refugio in Palas de Rei where there's a washroom at either end of the domitory and somebody had pinned up signs for men and women which were dutifully obeyed.
Two years later there were no signs and everybody went to the closest. It has (had) lowish brick partitions and no curtains. I was showering when I heard a young female voice quite near say "And where are you from?" and turned to see a 20 or so year old lathering up.
A friend asked me what I did so I said I pretended to have soap in my eyes and turned away - she said "You are SO English sometimes!".

 

[trecile]

A Wise Pilgrim like you and you weren't carrying toilet paper? Oh shame Trecile, shame

I did have my own TP, but just enough for emergencies. I went to the store and bought a 6 roll pack for everyone.

 

[KinkyOne]

I was barred from entering a restaurant in the old Yugoslavia because I was with a group that were wearing clothes. I mean, you'd think they'd put a sign out front!

You mean in the FKK camping?
If so that's normal. You can wear clothes in front of your tent/camper and in the evening but otherwise it's understood as impolite or being a lurker. By FKK standards of course.

Where I'm coming from was part of ex-Yugoslavia and in any establishment other than FKK camping sites/beaches most possibly I would have been arrested if naked

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I did have my own TP, but just enough for emergencies. I went to the store and bought a 6 roll pack for everyone.

I stand humbly corrected - I should have known better

 

[Starseeker54]

ah the i love the differences that the camino"s throw up.
after a hot day trekking,i just get under the shower and get on with it.no fuss.
if the womens church choir walked in to shower it would not make a blind bit of difference.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

You mean in the FKK camping?
If so that's normal. You can wear clothes in front of your tent/camper and in the evening but otherwise it's understood as impolite or being a lurker. By FKK standards of course.

Where I'm coming from was part of ex-Yugoslavia and in any establishment other than FKK camping sites/beaches most possibly I would have been arrested if naked

If I remember correctly (and it was 1972) there was a beach, a narrow road and then a string of cafes and bars. We were driving down to Greece in an old VW van and dying for a drink (somewhere west of Split?). It was only as we were leaving we noticed the people at the tables outside were just wearing smiles.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

First Camino in 2001 I stayed in the old refugio in Palas de Rei where there's a washroom at either end of the domitory and somebody had pinned up signs for men and women which were dutifully obeyed.
Two years later there were no signs and everybody went to the closest. It has (had) lowish brick partitions and no curtains. I was showering when I heard a young female voice quite near say "And where are you from?" and turned to see a 20 or so year old lathering up.
A friend asked me what I did so I said I pretended to have soap in my eyes and turned away - she said "You are SO English sometimes!".

English or not, I was afraid of my wife finding out about me being in the same shower as her and my wife was a continent away!!!!
She’s trained me well.

 

[Lucy Keenan]

I've had people tell that they heard that the albergues had coed group showers, and I always say that I'd never seen anything like that; only a couple of single sex shower rooms. Well, I'm staying tonight in the albergue in Requejada and discovered that there is only ONE large shower for men and women here!View attachment 44590

God it's worse than having bunk beds pushed together.

 

[camino07]

Two I remember with communal female showers were,the downstairs albergue attached to Hotel Jakue in Puente la Reina and Castro Dozen on the Sanabrese. At least the men had their own.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Yeah but the soap looks to be included.

 

[FourSeasons]

I've been in many coed showers on the Camino but all had doors or partitions this would be a good time to pull out the wet-wipes and the dry shampoo. Emergency provisions.