No-one writes about the hospitaleros.....

Sil has written a very interesting and beautiful account of her recent fortnight as a volunteer hospitalera in Corcubion on the route to Finisterre. Her blog is at:http://2009pilgrims.blogspot.com/

Therese Fardo, Miradoux, Chemin de St. Jacques, at the gite "La Pause Verte"

Therese has welcomed pelerins into her home for decades. She collects sink water to recycle to her plants, so one must indulge the perpetual mess of the kitchen, but she is a gracious hostess and fantastic cook with much of the food being seasonal from her garden. An Air France flight steward, Sebastian, was so taken with her commitment to pilgrims after staying with her as a guest, that he returned for a few days to help after he finished his walk to Santiago, before having to return to work, and was there to greet pilgrims that day. He was at least tri-lingual, so was very valuable to the Scot, two Americans, Quebecoise, Swiss couple, French woman, and Spaniard during the dinner conversation.

Therese loaded four of us into her car before dinner and drove us 15 km to Lachapelle, a restored baroque chapel that is now a national historic site, but far enough off the beaten path that it gets few visitors. At one time the Chemin de St. Jacques passed by, but a re-routing has left the place high and dry. The extensively gilded interior was restored by the French government, and is as striking as any cathedral in Spain. The chapel docent gave an excellent tour.

After dinner in the evening, Therese guided her guests to the church in town for which she is the guardian of the key. She brought along a tape player, and sang hymns and Ultreia with the pilgrims that knew the words. She had a very nice voice, and Sebastian's baritone sang harmony.

Now someone has written about the hospitalera!!

Re: No-one writes about the hospitaleros..... Thérèse followup

Thérèse singing in the church of the next town to Miradoux:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB02uEp3 ... re=related

Thérèse talking about being a pilgrim (in French):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK6mLTs8 ... re=related

She is a classic, alive, and immortal because of the internet! I think she cleaned up the sink area behind her in the interview just for the interview. She usually has buckets and tubs all over it collecting the plant-watering water.

And here's a photo that shows some of the many flowers she has nurtured outside her house:

Hello

I agree that the hospitaleros can be an important part of the Camino. I ahd at least one poor experience with a hospitalero whihc I am happy enough to forget. I also had a good experience whihch I do remember and which helped me when I was having a problem

I arrived at Castrojeriz with a "sprained" ankle. I stayed at the Casa Nostra whish seems to be in a several hundred year old home. The hospitalero, Juan(?), was very helpful. He helped me find a doctor, directed me to the farmacia and was ready to lend me his bike or car to get myself to the farmacia. When I decided to continue on the Camino but shorten it he gave me a ride to Fromista where I caught a bus.

He was quite busy but was helpful when I needed it. Much appreciated.

Sometimes I would take pictures of the hospitaleros (because I appreciated what they were doing) and I goit the impression that too many people came through absorbed in their own experiences and relating to the hospialeros as only people providing a service and not as part themselves of the Caminio experience.

They are part of our Camino experience and we theirs.

I do go on

John