Labor Day...maybe not when you think

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Since I believe there are more than a few members living in North America and a few other places that are not Europe, I'd like to start with a boring story. ahem....

I began walking the Frances in SJPdP in mid-April, and had noticed a few signs posted along the way, especially between Pamplona and Irache (where I turned to walk the Norte).


walking through cities like Gernika and Bilbao (and the Norte roads between them) I noticed they were often marked in both Spanish and Euskara...and that the Spanish was not infrequently scratched out or sprayed over with black paintoccasionally this made following my guide a tiny bit challenging


so what does this have to do with Labor Day? April 30 and May 1 were my days in Bilbao. On the 30th, a Monday as I recall, I ran some errands including picking up my care package at the Correos, and had asked when they would be open on Tuesday so I could return to re-mail my package forward. So at 8 am Tuesday I walked to the post office. Locked. what?!? Well, sometime opening times are just a suggestion...I decided to get breakfast, but this bustling tourist town had all it's shops and cafes closed--even ones that had posted opening times of 7 am. My hotel was just down the street from the cathedral and the square...triple checking my watch, I walked there, and everything was closed. At 9:00 everything was quiet, except a few men were hanging Basque flags all over the square and from balconies, one with a loudspeaker tucked under his arm, and police were gathered on several street corners just watching them. This is it, I thought, I'm in the middle of a Basque revolution.

As it turns out, it was nothing that exciting. But it did seriously impact my getting things done, and if I'd been in a smaller town, I might not have eventually found food. In the US, Labor Day is the first Monday in September, noted for last day of summer BBQs and back to school sales. It's the same I think in a few other countries. In Spain, however, and I believe quite a few European countries, Labor Day is the first of May. And they seem to take the taking-the-day-off thing pretty seriously. Since it seems a lot of walkers are planning to avoid the summer by walking in April/May, I thought you might want to know. Or maybe I'm the only clueless American. Be sure you have food, and make sure if there is something you really want to see that you don't go on 1 May, or check if it will be open that day. I also would not be surprised if there was limited/holiday schedule public transportation on that day.

 

[Nanc]

We had a similar experience in Belorado. The annual town festival was going on. EVERY family was represented around the town square with their BBQs and table. But for us peregrinos, the town was totally locked up for the day. Most bars were taken over. I think we found one that served outside customers.
I ate alot of my food independently. Fruit, nuts, eggs, cheese etc. I had run out and the following day was one of the few that I had no reserves.
That was one of the reason I asked in another post, the way to find out each city's events in a current calender ( the other reason was discovering a festival closing and wishing I had known so I could have modified my day to be able to participate)

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

That was one of the reason I asked in another post, the way to find out each city's events in a current calender ( the other reason was discovering a festival closing and wishing I had known so I could have modified my day to be able to participate)

Did you find such a reference? I used two travel books, Fodor's Spain, and Cadogan guides Northern Spain, for their list of festivals (in order to avoid), and accepted that to miss Holy Week I would have to be around for Corpus Christi. I even researched bullfight days, all in the name of not being in town when everyone else wanted to be there. But it truly never occurred to me to look up Labor Day. Because that's in September, right?

edit: and proving no plan is perfect, I managed to be in Madrid's Puerta del Sol on the first of July, during what must be one of the biggest Gay Pride celebrations, and coinciding with Spain's soccer win. All the crowds I'd avoid for 90 days, all rolled up into one. I admit, I didn't look up either of those either.

 

[GettingThere]

Did you find such a reference? I used two travel books, Fodor's Spain, and Cadogan guides Northern Spain, for their list of festivals (in order to avoid), and accepted that to miss Holy Week I would have to be around for Corpus Christi. I even researched bullfight days, all in the name of not being in town when everyone else wanted to be there. But it truly never occurred to me to look up Labor Day. Because that's in September, right?

edit: and proving no plan is perfect, I managed to be in Madrid's Puerta del Sol on the first of July, during what must be one of the biggest Gay Pride celebrations, and coinciding with Spain's soccer win. All the crowds I'd avoid for 90 days, all rolled up into one. I admit, I didn't look up either of those either.

May 1st is a public holiday throughout most of Europe, and many other places, being "International Workers' Day", or sometimes known as Labour Day or May Day. All public offices and most shops, banks etc are closed, and public transport will usually run to a public holiday timetable (if it runs at all).

Here is a handy list of holidays (local and national) and other key dates for Spain in 2017: https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/spain/2017 (may not be 100% complete )

 

[Saint Mike II]

Since I believe there are more than a few members living in North America and a few other places that are not Europe, I'd like to start with a boring story. ahem.... I began walking the Frances in SJPdP in mid-April,
As it turns out, it was nothing that exciting. But it did seriously impact my getting things done, and if I'd been in a smaller town, I might not have eventually found food. In the US, Labor Day is the first Monday in September, noted for last day of summer BBQs and back to school sales. It's the same I think in a few other countries. In Spain, however, and I believe quite a few European countries, Labor Day is the first of May. And they seem to take the taking-the-day-off thing pretty seriously. S Be sure you have food, and make sure if there is something you really want to see that you don't go on 1 May, or check if it will be open that day. I also would not be surprised if there was limited/holiday schedule public transportation on that day.

Ah, my friend, another of those from a certain part of North America who blindly assume that what is a public holiday in your home country will be a similar situation in other parts of the world. As you happily discovered 1st May (May Day) has for many, many years been the International Labour/Labor Day (even in parts of Oz 1 May is a public holiday).
I am (at this stage) commencing my Camino Frances on 1st May (2017) and have double checked that the Pilgrim Office in St Jean will be open; I have even been in contact with Orisson about accommodation on the evening of May Day.
But yes if you commence you pilgrimage in late April and are "on the road" on the first Monday in May 2017 (which just happens to be May first) much of northern Spain will be closed so come prepared, buy your supplies on the Sunday night. Bars and cafes will probably open around lunch time and of course your friendly Albergue will be open to welcome pilgrims - and maybe even provide advice on how to join in the May Day celebrations.
Thank you for raising this issue - your post may/will help others from the Good Old U.S. of A. Cheers

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Ah, my friend, another of those from a certain part of North America who blindly assume that what is a public holiday in your home country will be a similar situation in other parts of the world. As you happily discovered 1st May (May Day) has for many, many years been the International Labour/Labor Day (even in parts of Oz 1 May is a public holiday).
I am (at this stage) commencing my Camino Frances on 1st May (2017) and have double checked that the Pilgrim Office in St Jean will be open; I have even been in contact with Orisson about accommodation on the evening of May Day.
But yes if you commence you pilgrimage in late April and are "on the road" on the first Monday in May 2017 (which just happens to be May first) much of northern Spain will be closed so come prepared, buy your supplies on the Sunday night. Bars and cafes will probably open around lunch time and of course your friendly Albergue will be open to welcome pilgrims - and maybe even provide advice on how to join in the May Day celebrations.
Thank you for raising this issue - your post may/will help others from the Good Old U.S. of A. Cheers

well, the first labor day celebration was in the US, in the first week of september, 1882. As long as I know when to buy food and mail my packages, I'm ok with either day.