montyhiker
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- Time of past OR future Camino
- April/May 2024
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Don't take off your backpack until you have your beer in hand. Don't leave it unattended if you are alone, or with newfound yet unknown "friends" IMHO.Ok Pilgrims, I’m starting my first Camino (Frances) in a little over 2 weeks and am “wrapping up” my miscellaneous questions.
This is a little trivial (no snarkiness, please): I’m a solo pilgrim. If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order, OR do I go to the counter, order my drink or food and they BRING it to me at my table? —- just trying to be a courteous visitor in another one’s country. Thanks, Buen Camino!!
Make sure that you start with a greeting, such as buenos días.I was going to mention this too. The concept of what is polite or not varies from one place to another. English speakers (possibly other nationalities too, but I'm more familiar with the English-speaking countries) put a lot of emphasis on saying "please" and "thank you". Adding a lot of pleases and thank yous does not make you sound more polite. If you don't start with a greeting, it doesn't matter how many times you say please or thank you. You've been rude already.
I was going to mention this too. The concept of what is polite or not varies from one place to another. English speakers (possibly other nationalities too, but I'm more familiar with the English-speaking countries) put a lot of emphasis on saying "please" and "thank you". Adding a lot of pleases and thank yous does not make you sound more polite. If you don't start with a greeting, it doesn't matter how many times you say please or thank you. You've been rude already.
Drinks inside, 99% of the time it's self-service. If the seating is outside, then there could be a server, best option is ask inside: 'Sirven mesas?'. Don't worry about offending, bars will not take offence about getting this wrong; and a smile and a 'por favor' goes a long way. By the way, we don't usually clear our table afterwards. You can, and it will be appreciated, unless there is no where to leave your cup and/or dishes.Ok Pilgrims, I’m starting my first Camino (Frances) in a little over 2 weeks and am “wrapping up” my miscellaneous questions.
This is a little trivial (no snarkiness, please): I’m a solo pilgrim. If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order, OR do I go to the counter, order my drink or food and they BRING it to me at my table? —- just trying to be a courteous visitor in another one’s country. Thanks, Buen Camino!!
Here's a tip: on busy days on some routes, the first bar will be slammed in the morning with pilgrims ordering coffee and eating a little breakfast. If you can see a second bar on your Google Maps, then I would opt to go on to the second one which will almost always be less crowded.
Take your rucksack off before you walk into a bar, please! If someone walked into my local with a sack on they would be thrown out.
Carry it by all means, but try to appear civilised. It’s Spain not Mars so behave like you would at home and you’ll be OK.
Yes, the spanish speaking countries, and lots of others, ie Thailand, are really big on the greetings before anything else. AND spoken with a smile!Make sure that you start with a greeting, such as buenos días.
I gained a lot of insight from this post from @MariaSP, who is Spanish:
In a crowded place I take off my pack and strap it once or twice to a chair with the waist belt, and in full view of others, not outside a bar....Don't take off your backpack until you have your beer in hand. Don't leave it unattended if you are alone, or with newfound yet unknown "friends" IMHO.
In a crowded place I take off my pack and strap it once or twice to a chair with the waist belt, and in full view of others, not outside a bar....
Famous sign on the approach to Moratinos suggests stopping at the second bar which is the Bodega.
I also have this habit of returning my plate or cup, especially in a really busy bar or when I sit outside. I do this everywhere I travel and often are asked have I worked in hospitality! Yes, and it makes a difference to a long day on your feet!While on my Camino in 2022 and afterwards in various places in Ireland, I always bused my cup and plate. Sometimes there was a clear place and sometimes not but in every case, the employees were appreciative.
I love to sit at the bar in Plaza Mayor in Castrojeriz in the early afternoon, sipping a cold beer, and watching the pilgrims just passing by me, heading to (unknowingly) climbing the Alto del Mostalares in the afternoon heat, and afterwards they're having a good long afternoon walk through nothing before the next village...If you're into bars on the Meseta, don't miss the Albergue Linares in San Nicolas just up the road from Moratinos. Fine staff, the best Brazilian music, and a good view of the unfortunate pilgrims who keep walking and miss out on it all.
So very true. In Latin countries and of course Spain. Good manners (in Mexico when someone has bad manners they say they have no education) will go a very long way to enhance your experience and have more people reach out to lend a helping hand.Make sure that you start with a greeting, such as buenos días.
I gained a lot of insight from this post from @MariaSP, who is Spanish:
In most bars during the day you rarely see a waiter or waitress. Go to the bar and order. If you want more than a drink or the tapas, pan or tortilla the bartender will take your order or tell you to sit and someone will come serve you. Restaurants of course will almost always have waiter service.If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order,
Really? I don't think I've entered a bar without putting down my pack and then going to the bar. I've also never heard of a pack being stolen. Except in the The Way of course. You're kidding right?Don't take off your backpack until you have your beer in hand. Don't leave it unattended if you are alone, or with newfound yet unknown "friends" IMHO.
No.Really? I don't think I've entered a bar without putting down my pack and then going to the bar. I've also never heard of a pack being stolen. Except in the The Way of course. You're kidding right?
Yes I often see people leave rucksacks outside or in bars when they go to bar. And think am I the most untrusting person on the camino! I keep it on my back when ordering and put it back on when finished drink/food to go to loo.No.
Trust your fellow pilgrims, but don't lead them into temptation.
Edit: Over many years on different Caminos, I have heard of several pack thefts. Once I had to help a young woman with enough money so she could call home and get help from her family (on another continent), and pay for a bed for the night, after her pack, with all valuables like phone, cards, passport, etc. etc. was stolen while she was inside a bar. Stupid to include everything in her pack and then leaving it unattended.
Always go to barOk Pilgrims, I’m starting my first Camino (Frances) in a little over 2 weeks and am “wrapping up” my miscellaneous questions.
This is a little trivial (no snarkiness, please): I’m a solo pilgrim. If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order, OR do I go to the counter, order my drink or food and they BRING it to me at my table? —- just trying to be a courteous visitor in another one’s country. Thanks, Buen Camino!!
Way to go, so to speak. On the Camino, we are walking in a very safe and trusting environment, generally speaking, but: Never create temptations, and always take care of your belongings. Easy, really.Yes I often see people leave rucksacks outside or in bars when they go to bar. And think am I the most untrusting person on the camino! I keep it on my back when ordering and put it back on when finished drink/food to go to loo.
Order at the bar and take with you to your table. Buen Camino!Ok Pilgrims, I’m starting my first Camino (Frances) in a little over 2 weeks and am “wrapping up” my miscellaneous questions.
This is a little trivial (no snarkiness, please): I’m a solo pilgrim. If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order, OR do I go to the counter, order my drink or food and they BRING it to me at my table? —- just trying to be a courteous visitor in another one’s country. Thanks, Buen Camino!!
I like your question!Ok Pilgrims, I’m starting my first Camino (Frances) in a little over 2 weeks and am “wrapping up” my miscellaneous questions.
This is a little trivial (no snarkiness, please): I’m a solo pilgrim. If I stop off at a Bar or Cafe and want a beer or something, do I “seat myself” and a Server comes over to ME to take my order, OR do I go to the counter, order my drink or food and they BRING it to me at my table? —- just trying to be a courteous visitor in another one’s country. Thanks, Buen Camino!!
If thee’s no sign, I’d say order at the bar and if it’s only a drink, wait there for it.Sometimes it is one way and sometimes the other. There may be a sign that says to go to the bar to order. Usually bar or drink tables don't have silverware and only have a napkin dispenser on them if anything.
If thee’s no sign, I’d say order at the bar and if it’s only a drink, wait there for it.
Wow, Faith, I never knew all of these things! I always bring my coffee cup and plate back up to the counter, thinking I am "helping", especially if it is busy in the morning. I thought it a courteous gesture and I make sure to put it out of the way. The bartender often smiles, but now I am unsure if I should continue doing that. I'll be back in Spain in less than two weeks, so I will pay more attention to what others do. I do realize clearing the whole table after a meal in a restaurant would be pointless.Great question @montyhiker. In Galicia, I usually sit down and wait for a server to come take my order. At times I've gone to the bar and ordered something, but I honestly can't remember the last time I took my own plates/cups to a table - usually the bartender would take the order at the bar, and then bring it to me at a table.
And - just a note that in some bars and restaurants, they don't want you to clear your own plates/cups. They'd rather do it themselves, and it would disrupt their system if you were to bring your plates and cups back to the bar once you were done. Perhaps look around at what other patrons at the cafe are doing and follow suit.
Also, during busy periods, if you do want to be seated, there is sometimes a queue of people, but you don't know it! Often Spaniards will check in with a server, be told it's busy and to wait in line, and then they'll mill around/ sit on a wall nearby or across the street/ sit at the bar. The server will know in which order everyone came, and he/she will direct you once it's your turn to be seated at a table. If you do try to sit down at a table before it's your turn (or without realizing at all that there was a queue!), someone will clearly tell you that it's not for you.
Buen Camino!
This is a regret for me by not learning to speak any Spanish beyond a few basic pleasantries. I'm sure chatting with locals would add another wonderful element to further enhance an already great experience.It is amazing the amount of local information about a place can be learned to add to one's insight into local life and culture. Not to mention any tips or helps about the route ahead.
An old saying comes to mind - "Trust in God, but tether your camel".Way to go, so to speak. On the Camino, we are walking in a very safe and trusting environment, generally speaking, but: Never create temptations, and always take care of your belongings. Easy, really.
me too, i don't think thiefs might be interested in my stinky clothes, different story for my fanny pack which i always had on my waist.Really? I don't think I've entered a bar without putting down my pack and then going to the bar. I've also never heard of a pack being stolen. Except in the The Way of course. You're kidding right?
Me too, Chrissy! We often find ourselves doing that ... even in non-Camino settings. Once a pilgrim ... If the bar person notices, it's usually met with either a thank you (in words or a nod) - or a (bemused) smile.Yes, I always do in the morning. When the bar is especially busy I make sure I bring them to the far end of the counter, out of the way of "the action". I most always get a nod and an appreciative smile.
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