Camino de Santiago - a wake up call

[Caminando]

When you wake in the morning in a refugio, would you prefer to be wakened by music? Such as..

*Gregorian chant
*Syrian Christian sacred chant (Melchite)
*No music at all...


A very long time ago in San Juan de Ortega, I was wakened by Gregorian chant...I have never forgotten that.

Some may prefer silence.

 

[lanval]

The sound of morning birds and distant church bells. Lovely way to wake up.

 

[Portia1]

I was awoken at Roncesvalles by Gregorian chant--started very, very low and gradually it got louder. In addition, the lights were gradually raised. It was a delightful and meaningful way to begin the day. So, so much better than the rustling of plastic and the glaring beams of headlights!

 

[Canuck]

The sound of the camino: plastic bag ruffling.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Three Germans getting an early start.

 

[Whalleyranger]

Ruitelan plays opera. Marvellous.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

I enjoyed Gregorian Chant and I also enjoyed a little Bob Marley to put a spring in my step. Music was a great send off!

 

[Anniesantiago]

In Viana, we were awakened by an angelic chorus outside our windows at dawn.... just lovely!
Here are the words in Spanish, then English given to me by a peregrina from South America:

Aurora a La Virgen de Cuevas

En verano y primavera
Florecen las romarias
En verano y primavera
Bendice a los perigrinos
Que marchan a Compostela
Y sonrie a los vianeses
La que es más bella y sin par.


Sube al cielo la aurora radiante
Y en los campos hermanos de Viana
Una música suena galena
A la Virgen más bella y sin par.
Su camino se llena de pasos
Y los frutos gozosos florecen,
Las graganta de amor se enterenecen
Y los Rezos se tornan cantar.


Tiene un Niño entre sus brazos,
La Virgen de Cuevas, madre.
Tiene un Niño entre sus brazos,
Quien puriera como un hijo
Vivir siempre en su regazo
Viver siempre en su regazo
La Virgen de Cuevas, madre
Sube al cielo la aurora radiante
A la Virgen mas bella y sin par!.

--------------------

Dawn of the Virgin of Cuevas

In summer and spring
The rosemary flowers
In summer and spring
They bless the pilgrims
Who walk to Compostela
And dream of the Vianesse
who is most beautiful and without equal.

The radiating aurora fills the sky
and in the fields, brothers of Viana,
the Galena music plays
to the most beautiful Virgin without equal.
Their Camino is filled with steps
and the joyful fruits are blooming
Great is the love all around
And the prayers have become song.

You have the Son in your arms
Virgin of Cuevas, Mother,
You have the Son in your arms,
Who is pure like the son?
To always stay in her lap
To always stay in her lap
Virgin of Cuevas, Mother
The radiating aurora fills the sky
For the beautiful Virgin without equal.

 

[nellpilgrim]

In Estella/Lizarra we were woken very early on Easter Sunday by a small group of four or five dressed in period costume singing in the empty square. They seemed to be moving along a set route pausing at certain places and singing set stanzas - when we looked out of the window we could see that some residents had expected them and et up seats by their windows to view the performance as it moved across the square and down the street. To show her appreciation without disturbing the atmosphere Frances 'air clapped' and was rewarded with gracious bows and doffing of hats before the group moved off to their next location. It seemed to be part of the Easter tradition in Estella (?) but as we were leaving very early we weren't able to establish that for sure. Anyway it was a lovely way to be woken up.

 

[Caminando]

Three Germans getting an early start.

Thank you all for your comments: more are welcome. Bob Marley was a welcome and unexpected surprise! It seems that Gregorian chant or the like is ok -if only to hide the noise of plastic bags (which is surely a crime against humanity, and which I can't bear!).

I was a little surprised by the comment about Germans; in my repeated experiences since 1990 up to last month, they are among the nicest, most considerate pilgrims I have ever met. I have an old cloth badge which says "Camino de Santiago - Camino de Europa". Which I suppose,(at least in Europe) means that we don't single out any race or nation? Hope so anyway.

I'm told that the pilgrim salutation "Ultreia e Suseia" is a mixture of Latin and medieval German...

Ultreia e Suseia!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

My best walks were with the Germans. I get up with them, and they provide cover for me by getting all the blame. Tongue in cheek, they blame everything on the Austrians.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

The Germans were getting in practice to make sure that their towels were first on the deckchairs at Finisterre.

In England there is an old joke:

How do you like to be called?
Whatever you like as long as it's not before 9.00 o clock in the morning :shock:

As we are on national stereotypes: I do not care who or what wakes me up as long as they bring me a nice cup of tea at the same time. :lol:

 

[sillydoll]

At the San Roque albergue in Corcubion we woke the pilgrims with Gregorian chant or el Divo. Amazing Grace or Hallelujah in the mornings is rousing enough to wake the sleepiest pilgrim.

Still on music, my co-hospitalera and I swept and mopped the floors to the sounds of The Full Monty (one of the few English Cds in the albergue.
"We are family...." sweep, sweep, sweep, "I got all my sister with me" mop, mop, mop, "We are family" sweep, mop, sweep, "Come everybody dance...""

 

[Trudy]

In Ventosa, in 2006, we were awakened by classical music at 6am. What made it even more special was that each pilgrim had to agree, on arrival, not to get up before 6am. So no dawn chorus of early wakers rustling plastic bags.

Trudy

 

[wawpdx]

In Ventosa, in 2006, we were awakened by classical music at 6am. What made it even more special was that each pilgrim had to agree, on arrival, not to get up before 6am. So no dawn chorus of early wakers rustling plastic bags.

Trudy

Ventosa! Personally, it is one of my least favorite memories of the Camino. I wasn't even asleep, but I hated being dynamited out of bed by the Hallelujah Chorus on full throttle. The sound system was on the ground floor, I was on the second floor and I am sure the sleepers on the third floor could hear every note. It was a jarring way to begin the day. Perhaps it was more startling because of how adamant they were that no one could get up before 6 am. I don't quite see why any movement at 5:59 is forbidden and at 6:01 the walls come tumbling down. :shock:

So, I say that volume is a crucial factor in the answer to the original post.

I vote for Gregorian chants on low volume or just the basic morning rustling.