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I return my cups and glasses in Frankfurt quite often, and I did it in Spain quite often too. Especially in the small places where only 1, maybe 2 people were working. Always got a Gracias in return. Is it needed? No, but just something nice to do.
I stayed in this town last spring in Casa de Las Almas, (which is a fabulous place to stay by the way) and saw that this albergue that the town wants to now rent, was closed. The town was full and really could have used another place to be open. The other albergue was busy serving food and...
I have used both. If it isn't what they prefer, they tell you to use the other method. I too like emails better, but if they want Whatsapp, I use it without any problem.
For those who want to avoid those Sarria crowds, stay in other towns. Barbadelo, Morgade, Ventas di Naron, Airexe, Portos, etc. etc. You start in the morning and by lunch, some of the crowds may have caught up but they are really thinned out.
I walked behind 2 well dressed Spanish women after Cruz di Ferro. One of them got out a tissue, blew her nose and simply dropped it on the trail. It isn't always the guests in Spain doing the littering.
Consider walking from Sarria to Barbadelo and sleep there. It will give you a lovely morning start with no crowds for hours and still allow you to get to Portomarine with time for lunch and laundry the next day. Casa Barbadelo has great food and it allows you to meet some other pilgrims, giving...
People doing their feet at a restaurant. Just because the table is outside does not mean the rest of us want to see your bloody, blistery feet or watch you cut your toe nails. Keep your feet off the chairs too. This goes for trains too.
Stop brushing your hair over the sink. If you do, please...
Have had really great burgers in 2 places.
In El Burger Ranero, La Costa del Adobe and in Ponferrada at Jaleo, right down the street from Albergue Guiana. Both were outstanding.
The albergues are protecting themselves and I think it is wise that they are now asking for a CC # to reserve a bed/dinner. Thanks to the many pilgrims who reserve a bed and then don't show up. You don't show up, they book your CC.
It is why so many places are using booking dot com now too...
This thread is about people walking the Camino. I only gave an example from my tours. That I thought it was nicer to ask where people lived instead of where they are from.
Then it went down the path of it being creepy if you asked the person serving you coffee where they lived, which is...
Why would you ask the person serving you coffee where they are from?
We are talking about the people walking the Camino, not the people working in the cafe or bar.
As a tour guide in Frankfurt, we get people joining our tours from all around the world. I gave up on guessing accents a long, long time ago. For me, what works best is to ask people where they live. Where they are from feels like a personal intrusion. If they want to tell me they are Spanish...
So sorry to read about such thoughtless people. Hopefully, their karma will follow them around and give them what is due to them.
We had a bathroom hog in our albergue in Sansol too. One bathroom for 12 people and she seemed to think it was hers and hers alone. Not sure why some people are so...
Only thing I have really lost was my tiny, toy donkey - Paco.
Had clothespins stolen my 1st night at an albergue in Pamplona last year.
Forgot my phone cable and plug at Borda this year, but got it back 2 days later.
Broke my wrist really badly, after just 11 days on the CF in 2018.
Thought I was going to have to go home in 2015 after walking 300km, due to some medical issues. Trained ahead and spent 9 days walking slowly from Sarria.
I always seem to get some kind of medical problem. Had salmonella (I...
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