Food Poisoning in Carrion de los Condes.

Bogong said:

The problem is with natural mineral waters/untreated spring waters and “in their natural state” is a possible cause for concern. Frequently they are promoted as “free” from various contaminants which are nonetheless present as trace elements or even in some cases at levels well above those permitted in town water supplies.

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marylynn said:

I think it is very strange that, out of all of my caminos in the past eight years, I was only sick (gastrointestinal) two times--in May 2012 and November 2018--in the same part of the camino, between Boadilla and Carrion--and both times my walking mates also were sick. In 2012, many others who were walking at the same time also became sick for 2-3 days--one woman collapsed on the trail just before Carrion.
I never drink water from a village fountain - only tap water.
My questions are:
If the sickness is due to a virus, would a virus remain in the same area year after year after year?
If the sickness is seasonal, would it only strike during one season - only fall or only spring? but not both?
If the sickness is due to the tap water, wouldn't almost everyone who passes through that section get sick - and the locals, too?
The sickness could be due to a particular restaurant's poor food handling techniques, but not everyone who has gotten sick in that area would have eaten at the same restaurant.
I also walked through that area in five other years in spring or fall and I did not get sick. Very curious!

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• We are transients, and move quickly on to orher places.
• We are often reluctant to seek early medical treatment, perhaps believing we can walk through some of these problems.
• We may be forgetful about what might be key details of times and places food and drink was consumed, particularly with the effluxion of time.

Bogong said:

Absolutely, Doug,I could find nothing but UHT milk when I walked and having had an involvement in food safety control issues in a previous life, the causal effects of such illnesses really need a lot more work. However I’m a bit disturbed at the faith some people put it bottled water. There has been quite extensive testing here at least and I understand elsewhere showing that bottled waters in many cases simply don’t meet the standards healthwise of tap water, and are often not “free” of the various contaminants people are concerned about. In a recent case, the only product which complied with health standards was Fiji water, which was also the most expensive and tested exactly thecsame as tap water so one could speculate on its source!
De Colores

Bogong

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KinkyOne said:

It would be interesting to make a poll where people that over the years got sick around Carrion come from. Maybe Europeans have somehow incorporated anti bacteria system but people coming from different parts of the world does not. For example I walked through there two times and even 5 times on other stretches of Meseta and never got sick. I'm from Europe.

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rappahannock_rev said:

Or vino tinto....

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camino.ninja said:

A lot if pilgrims has stomach problems on the Meseta. It seems to come from tap water on the Meseta and particularly around Burgos, Boadillo del Camino and Carrion de los Condes. So it is probably a good idea to buy bottled water close to the industrial farming areas on the Meseta between Burgos and Astorga.

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nidarosa said:

It could also be a regular bout of "camino flu", possibly norovirus, we caught it near Boadilla in September last year and never drank untreated tap water.

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dougfitz said:

the effluxion of time.

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chinacat said:

“effluxion” .. commonly used in legal documents.

But thefreedictionary.com gave the following:

“1. A flowing outward.
2. Something that flows out or forth; an effluence.
3. A passing or an expiration, as of time.”

....which made me chuckle

(I chose orange to highlight, since, as we all know, and as the wonderful Billy Connolly confirms, there are always carrots contained therein, whether they have been consumed, or not.)

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Rebekah Scott said:

I have lived for almost 13 years in the area described. I drink the water, I eat the food, I walk the trail. I am not sick, most of the time.
Water is tested, kitchens are inspected, thousands of pilgrims pass through without any ill effects. But some people get sick, and get on the internet, and find romantic tales from years past of "bad water on the Meseta." It is so much more dramatic than "gastro germs spread among travelers living in crowded conditions." They buy into the myth, and it lives on.
If the water was bad, we ALL would be ill.
The water is fine. IMHO, if there is a "locus of infection," it's a lot more likely to be an albergue bathroom somewhere up the trail.
I find it tiresome, hearing this slander every year.
(BTW, it is illegal in Spain to sell or serve raw milk in any commercial establishment.)

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dougfitz said:

I have used the word for years without thinking of it as being limited to use in legal documents. In the context of the current thread, I did mull over whether it was appropriate to create the double entendre you have detected, and so I am glad that it brought even the smallest glimmer of humour to this otherwise quite serious discussion.

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Margaret Butterworth said:

Happy to report a successful traverse of the problem area! I stayed at San Zoilo in Carrion and San Bruno in Moratinos. Drank beer, vino tinto and bottled water. Thought about calling on Rebekah in Moratinos but worried about the reception I might receive! Now enjoying lunch in Sahagún Plaza Mayor.

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Rebekah Scott said:

You cut me to the quick! I would never be mean to a Forum member!

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Margaret Butterworth said:

I didn’t want to intrude - I thought maybe too many pelegrinos were dropping in on you and invading your privacy (or your husband’s). I now regret not stopping to say Hello. I’m also a bit afraid of dogs!

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Pilger99 said:

I don't know how long this warning appears in the guide books. Maybe only 10 years, maybe 20?
Why it has to be repeated again and again and again ...
You can also find that warning for the first 2/3 of Via de la Plata and other arid zones in Spain.

The water from the tap is controlled, purifified (with UV light) and chlorified all over Spain! For that reason it does not have any bacteria and tastes bad. In the meseta it may contain more fertilizer, nickel, lead, ..., than usual, but it is still good enough for humans. People with reduced health defence (from heat, sun-burn, bad sleep, different food) may already show an reaction, but you'll never really know the origin.

If people drink water from the few fountains there is always more risk. In Galicia you will find warnings if the water is "not controlled", but in other places I saw only "no potable" for probably very bad water and mostly no sign at all.

Summary: If you feel uncomfortable with tap water buy your liquids or take a filter with you. With the latter you can drink from any pond or puddle.

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AlmostAnastasia said:

There was a flu going around at that time. Both my friend and I (and room mates and many others) had a 24 hour flu. It pays to be careful about what you eat and drink. Not everyone has been reading these postings for a while, so I do think it is fair to warn people. Fore warned is fore armed. There is nothing fun about being ill while walking the Camino. Nothing. Thanks for letting folks know.

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