Coffee machines, playground equipment and excercise equipment

[Jakke]

What is it with coffee machines, playground equipment and excercise equipment on the VdlP? I never once got coffee from a normal coffee automat. Every village has playground equipment (but few if any children!) and many have excercise equipment. I started to see some children only when I was well on the Camino Sanabrés and I only saw two men using the training equipment (also near SdC).

Very efficient salesmen must have been touring Spain and convinced the populus that they really needed to buy those machines from their EU funds! I wonder how much the price of a cup of cafe con leche went up after the bar owner bought the coffee monster...

It was sad to see the many playgrounds and so few children. The hard-working Spaniards hardly need more excercise and especially out in the open under the burning sun

 

[Mike Savage]

In Portugal last year I saw children playing and women using the exercise equipment quite regularly. I did see some coffee machines and other vending machines but don't recall them being used.

 

[jerbear]

Enjoy it.

 

[jbear]

I've seen lots of kids playing on the equipment in Salamanca and Sevilla. My kids have joined in the fun, too. *Full disclosure, we were visiting family, not walking a Camino* My oldest still remembers her little sister playing with the locals in Sevillla. The youngest only remembers the stories of that trip, but has her own memories of playing in Salamanca (and cities on the CF, too). I fully support spending money on parks, so I am admittedly biased.

 

[cher99840]

I noticed several of the playgrounds on the VdP were next to cemeteries. My warped sense of humor guessed that when moms need a break they send the kids out to visit grandparents.

 

[SeaHorse]

Typical Spanish village where Caminos go through may look decent sized, with impressive church, well maintained medieval walls, albergues, restaurants, bars, etc, but actually have just a few dozens of adults living there who mostly have Camino related jobs (or that village would be abandoned ruins like so many others that you can buy for peanuts in Spain) and less than 10 children in total who go to school in another village. But there usually are lots of locked houses whose owners live and work in Madrid and come over during vacations, longer holidays that quite often are "bridged" to the closest weekend. Those may bring more children to play in the playgrounds.

 

[jbear]

@SeaHorse You are spot on. Move off the established routes and it becomes more and more apparent. Of the three towns I know I have family history (La Redonda, Cerallbo, & Sobredillo) only Cerallbo is viable, and it is just barely so. Everyone has moved to Salamanca or Valladolid (or Madrid or even Burgos). For us it is the trek to La Redonda for water that is most important.

 

[Jakke]

In Portugal last year I saw children playing and women using the exercise equipment quite regularly. I did see some coffee machines and other vending machines but don't recall them being used.

You are right. Portugal is different in several ways. I also noticed many more know English there.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I wonder if it was a matter of timing for the playgrounds. After 5pm we would often find them to be bustling (right up until we had to leave for albergue curfew), but any earlier than that and my kids had them to themselves.

 

[Mike Savage]

I wonder if it was a matter of timing for the playgrounds. After 5pm we would often find them to be bustling (right up until we had to leave for albergue curfew), but any earlier than that and my kids had them to themselves.

Maybe but in Spain I frequently see the whole family and extended family walking the plaza in the evenings, getting some fresh air, stretching their legs, and catching up on the latest news with friends.