Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Off to a very good start with volunteering at the pilgrim hostel.  Turns out there will be 3 of us Hospitaleras (hosts).  Lori is from Oakland, CA and Peggy is from Belgium.  Both are retired and have walked several Caminos.  Typically, there are 2 hosts.  Kelly, one of the current ones, is from my neck of the woods.  I wish we had more time to overlap to hear her story.  Her Hospitaleras partner is a 90 year spitfire Spanish lady.  A Spanish fellow, I will call him Bob, living at the church does the shopping and does the cooking of the evening pilgrim meal.  Turns out the pilgrims are not allowed to cook at this place.  Looks like Lori, Peggy, and I will rotate with that duty and various others. 

This morning I walked over to the hostel reporting for duty at 8am.  The other two arrived at 7am.  We got the run down on the laundry, 3-5 loads each morning of sheets then towels and our clothes if needed.  Each load can take about 2 hours or more to wash, rinse and spin, then drying.  First load goes in around 7am.  Yesterday they had 22 pilgrims, none of them American.  Bob says when Americans stop appearing, there will be less and less pilgrims on the trail.  The sign-in list showed Italians, Germans, Spanish, Italians.  Another task is cleaning the kitchen which entails, wiping down the tables, sweeping and then mopping the floors, cleaning the morning dishes and kitchen, and then trash.  The fun task will be the bathrooms with the toilets, sinks, shower stalls, and floors.  Glad I brought my Mr Clean cleaning gloves and fresh sponge.  The dorm rooms get swept and bunkbeds get tidied up a bit.  The pilgrims get handed a bottom sheet and a pillow case.  No blankets are provided.  Check-in of pilgrims start at 2pm.  Lights out at 10pm. 

Last night I stayed at a very nice hotel because I was tired of walking trying to find a place after the train ride from Bilbao.  It was a scenic ride on a beautiful fall day.  I was surprised how high up the train went and it snaked around the mountains.  Entering the La Rioja region was obvious when all the vineyards started to appear.  La Rioja is the wine region of Spain.  That was a sight to see with the rolling hills covered with grapes vines in shades of green, reds, and yellow again a brilliant blue sky.  I took full advantage of the tub with jets to relax and wash away all the travel grime. Clothes are yelling at me they are next to be cleaned.