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Noise in Albergue

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The biggest disappointment I have had on the Camino is the noise level that emanates from outside the Albergues from locals mostly drunk and talking loudly( which they do most of the time) this is not a shot at them as it is their Country their town and mostly their tavern to unwind. I just wish there was more information on these Albergues as to a rating on noise levels. I stayed at the San Francisco Albergue in Leon for two days and on the Friday night they allow all the locals to utilitise the cheap accommodation at the expense of pilgrims and their screaming kids to run amok till midnight with no attempt by management to quieten them, not what you want when you need your sleep after s hard days walking. I decided to sleep in much to the chagrin of the management.
 
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Well, if you look up the information on the Eroski website, you would see it is open to anyone, in fact that it is a student hostel also welcoming pilgrims. There are many similar albergues on the various Caminos, it's a matter of doing a bit of research.

Regarding this albergue in particular, they are not letting people use the place at the expense of the pilgrim, but rather now also accept pilgrims, since the muni has closed. We are the ones being accomodated.

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-residencia-fundacion-ademar
 
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It can get a little noisy during fiestas. Not being much of a party animal myself, I learnt early on to swiftly pass through any village during time of fiestas and walk a bit extra to stay at the next, quieter village.
 
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Leon is well known for its Barrio Húmedo (the "Wet" Quarter) and its party subculture. Yes, it can be raucous by night, especially the weekends -there is nothing that hospitaleros can do about it.
Places that receive pilgrims and tourists can't be expected to be as quiet as albergues, especially in this city. I see that this place closes door at midnight, so there will be guests going and coming late in the night.
I have been lodged three times in Leon. The first times with the Carbajalas and the Albergue La Muralla. In the latter, which is close to Plaza Mayor, I could hear some revelers, but nothing particularly extraordinary.
Last time, I stayed in the suburbs, in albergue Santo Tomás de Canterbury. There were some noisy footbal fans in the adjacent bar (there was a match in the TV, they were alternatively enthusastic or dismayed -it was fun to see them) but at 10 PM everybody went home. I enjoyed a very quiet night.
 
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I live in a town near the centre - I chose it as I really like the night noises, even the wandering drunks trying to get home. It is just part and parcel of city and big town life and one just needs to surrender to it I think ... what you heard as screaming kids others may have heard as joyful cheerful children .... but, I know you were tired ...

Leon is a great town but there is a pay-off in staying there - which is why so many go for the 'in between' stops in small quiet villages - and, hey! you have had some lovely stop-overs!!

Buen Camino Mick - catch up on that lost sleep tonight, I lift a glass to you, and your mission.

Buen Camino!
 
The Spanish are rather famous for their noice making ;-)
I can imagine you weren't happy. The best two options are: don't stay in a hostel that combines tourists with pilgrims en don't stay in the middle of bigger cities. No guarantee though, because there can be noise in villages too, especially in summer with all the fiestas. I remember walking past a village in the morning while the party was still going on. I was having breaking in the midst of very drunk locals. Quite an experience. :)
 
Doesn't matter the town....noise is everywhere unless you happen to be deaf. I'm literally in a town with cannons going off all day and day/night there is this alarm that lets the entire town know it's hot. It's not bad enough I'm on the hardest bed in Spain laying in a pool of sweat...I need that alarm to remind me it's hot so I stay awake all night. Lol! I love the Camino❤️
 
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I live in a town near the centre - I chose it as I really like the night noises, even the wandering drunks trying to get home. It is just part and parcel of city and big town life and one just needs to surrender to it I think ... what you heard as screaming kids others may have heard as joyful cheerful children .... but, I know you were tired ...

Leon is a great town but there is a pay-off in staying there - which is why so many go for the 'in between' stops in small quiet villages - and, hey! you have had some lovely stop-overs!!

Buen Camino Mick - catch up on that lost sleep tonight, I lift a glass to you, and your mission.

Buen Camino!
Cheers Dave last night was 0130am outside the La Encina in hospital Le Orbigo before the loud crowd went home, had to leave the window open because it was stifling hot..
 
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After 11 days and nights, and a 45k day of walking, I splurged on a hotel in the city center of Burgos. My room was on the fifth floor. I figured that would put me above the fray. The revelry outside and below lasted until about 6am and it sounded like it was in my room (yes, the window was closed)!

To many people the cacophony of shouts probably sounded like arguing, but being of Italian decent and with part of my extended family being Spanish, I was sure it was a party. That night, on two separate occasions, someone mistakenly tried to unlock my door, I am sure thinking they were at their own room. I have industrial strength earplugs, am a sound sleeper and don't really mind the noise but I don't think I got more than a few hours of sleep that night. Fortunately, I had already planned to make the next day a shorter walk and had a few rain showers (and cafe con leches) along the way to help me stay awake and alert.

As already mentioned, we pilgrims are guests, passing through the places where others have made a home, make a life, raise their families, work, play, etc. Part of the Camino for me is to take in the experiences in total and to integrate them, sometimes during, mostly after, when I am back at home, making a life, working, playing (shouting), etc.

One thing I have concluded is that next time I'm in Burgos I will be more strategic regarding where I spend the night! Live and learn, as the saying goes. My next night, after Burgos, was extraordinarily quiet, except for the screaming peacocks that woke me up at first light.

Buen Camino (and restful sleeping along the way).
 
Leon is well known for its Barrio Húmedo (the "Wet" Quarter) and its party subculture. Yes, it can be raucous by night, especially the weekends -there is nothing that hospitaleros can do about it.
Places that receive pilgrims and tourists can't be expected to be as quiet as albergues, especially in this city. I see that this place closes door at midnight, so there will be guests going and coming late in the night.
I have been lodged three times in Leon. The first times with the Carbajalas and the Albergue La Muralla. In the latter, which is close to Plaza Mayor, I could hear some revelers, but nothing particularly extraordinary.
Last time, I stayed in the suburbs, in albergue Santo Tomás de Canterbury. There were some noisy footbal fans in the adjacent bar (there was a match in the TV, they were alternatively enthusastic or dismayed -it was fun to see them) but at 10 PM everybody went home. I enjoyed a very quiet night.
It's Spain, that is how they are and always have been....perhaps splash out a bit and stay in a hotel away from the noise like we did. Good advice for everyone.
 
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It's Spain, that is how they are and always have been....
That's it. It's a cultural thing. Here in the Netherlands we have rules about making noice, especially in the bigger cities. We have rules for festivals, a closing time for terraces, etc. In almost all kind of accomodations 'quiet after 11pm' is the norm. I guess all of this is non-existent in Spain...
 
Also take into consideration that not every Spanish household has airco . So I can understand the Spaniards spending time outside when it is somewhat cooling down.

I remember only 40 years ago as a child that here in Belgium people where also sitting outside on the street, in summer , talking to each other. Our culture changed a bit...Must say I prefer the Spanish way of living.
 
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Doesn't matter the town....noise is everywhere unless you happen to be deaf. I'm literally in a town with cannons going off all day and day/night there is this alarm that lets the entire town know it's hot. It's not bad enough I'm on the hardest bed in Spain laying in a pool of sweat...I need that alarm to remind me it's hot so I stay awake all night. Lol! I love the Camino❤️
Hahaha! You are so funny!
 
Hahaha! You are so funny!
Here's an update....last night I had the best bed,hot water (not that I needed it),wifi and it was super quiet...the only thing was that there was no blackout screen that makes that loud sound when opening and closing that wakes me early every morning. I just put my head down and was thankful...then I prayed and suddenly I heard a light rumble...my boyfriend and I both jumped up and looked at each other. Simultaneously we said "it's electric". Sure enough there was a button hidden behind the curtain to automatically lower the blackout screen. A Camino miracle Slept like a baby. Keep the hope alive.
 
Sounds like the kids were having fun (they do tend to run around a bit more 'freely' there than in some cultures so I can't imagine management saying much to them as what they were doing was probably taken to be 'normal')! And midnight on a Friday night in Spain is very early of course. Well, outside of 'camino world' at least.

A bit annoying if you are tired and in need of sleep though. I hope the following nights were kinder to you.
 
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When in Rome....err Camino...join in the fun... we are the guests....enjoy the difference and speak kindly when you are back home. ..

I am sure there are habits we all have in our respective home countries that would baffle Spaniards.

Enjoying a cortado...Ben Camino
 
Stopping in a smaller town does not necessarily mean it'll be quiet. I stayed in Villares de Órbigo. Ther was a band that played for 10 minutes Then 30 minutes later, they played for 10 minutes. This went on for a couple of hours.... maybe more. So, I wore ear plugs!
In Los Arcos, there were children playing, running around, and laughing loudly. At first I was annoyed. And then I listened to the joy in their laughter. It reminded me of my childhood in New Orleans. It was beautiful. I smiled myself to sleep.
When we got to Santiago, we stayed at a cute little apartment on the street next to a bar on a Saturday night. OMG was it loud.... I mean we shared a wall.... earplugs didn't help enough. After about 30 minutes, I was out like a light. I was exhausted. Sunday night was quiet. The spaniards sure to know how to enjoy life!
My advice when folks are loud is earplugs or go party with them. And remember, we're in their town.
 
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I'm not trying to say that Spain is not a noisy country (not only Spaniards make noise in Spain go to Benidorm or Magaluf for instance) ) but on my caminos never had a noisy episode at night (so far).
 
Also take into consideration that not every Spanish household has airco . So I can understand the Spaniards spending time outside when it is somewhat cooling down.

I remember only 40 years ago as a child that here in Belgium people where also sitting outside on the street, in summer , talking to each other. Our culture changed a bit...Must say I prefer the Spanish way of living.
For me it is more than 50 years ago bud we did the same in summer .
Everybody put a table and chairs outside
and had diner together .
These day's everybody is busy and have no time for each other any more.
To bad.
Wish you well,Peter.
 
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The biggest disappointment I have had on the Camino is the noise level that emanates from outside the Albergues from locals mostly drunk and talking loudly( which they do most of the time) this is not a shot at them as it is their Country their town and mostly their tavern to unwind. I just wish there was more information on these Albergues as to a rating on noise levels. I stayed at the San Francisco Albergue in Leon for two days and on the Friday night they allow all the locals to utilitise the cheap accommodation at the expense of pilgrims and their screaming kids to run amok till midnight with no attempt by management to quieten them, not what you want when you need your sleep after s hard days walking. I decided to sleep in much to the chagrin of the management.
Please ALWAYS remember we are guests in Spain, we wish to praise our God thru the Camino, it is our hope and prayer that we will become closer to him. Why are some of us finding fault instead of accepting that God works in ways that are sometimes unknouwn to us. Let us all be thankful that we have the blessing of Spain to visit their country and feel free to give thanks for all he has provided.
 
That's it. It's a cultural thing. Here in the Netherlands we have rules about making noice, especially in the bigger cities. We have rules for festivals, a closing time for terraces, etc. In almost all kind of accomodations 'quiet after 11pm' is the norm. I guess all of this is non-existent in Spain...

You're expected not to make noise during SIESTA time (and accordingly not to disturb people by phoning/visiting etc) :)
 
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wow my experience was just the opposite
i had only one "local" bout of noise when a teenage girl was in angst and yelling at her poppa - any where town in the world kind of issue
Instead my cringe was for the pilgrims who rose at 5:30 am for early starts to avoid the 95degree F temperature, These gal rising in the dark, when the locals have gone to bed late, usually from hard work in taverns etc, - were loud and disruptive and inconsiderate for those hard working souls still trying to sleep in the wee hours
I had no influence on their behavior and walked on by myself
Nanc
 
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Ah - 0130? I would have started throwing bricks at them !!
I stayed at a small hotel in Leon a block or two from the cathedral on May Day weekend 2015. Little did I know the college students were going to be celebrating on the street two floors below me until at least 5:00am. Thankfully my room had awesome thick wood shutters inside that blocked out most of the noise. But I'd wake up every few hours, open the shutters and take a peek below. The roar of the partiers was unbelievable and they threw their napkins and trash all over the street. Each time I opened the shutters to look, there was more and more trash and noise. When I finally woke up in the early daylight, I looked out one last time and the street was empty...no people, no trash. Just a shiny, wet clean street by 7:00am.
Amazing! :)
 
You have a roof over your head, and some sort of mattress beneath you.
You are supposedly a pilgrim, on a pilgrim trail.
You are not entitled to a silent night.

'Yoda" has spoken, so everyone, just 'chill...' (proverbially spoken of course)

Remember, Camino Rule #4...'a tourist complains, a pilgrim is grateful...as Rebekah so eloquently stated.

I wonder if this truism as she stated can be reduced to haiku? Hmmm?

I grew up in hot and humid New Jersey in the US in the 1950s and 196os. We did not have air conditioning. My bedroom was in the attic of a wooden home. So, it was the hottest part of the home after sundown.

Our prescription for getting sleep in the stifling summer heat was:
- Ear plugs for noise...we had traffic noise outside,
- hydrate before lying down to sleep, keep water near the bed,
- Take a cool shower, do not dry your hair completely,
- Sleep in the minimum clothing modest permits, on top of your bed,
- Try to position yourself to catch a breeze, or the output from a fan, if possible.

Usually, by about 2:00 in the morning, we were chilly, and under the light coverings.

I hope this helps.
 
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The biggest disappointment I have had on the Camino is the noise level that emanates from outside the Albergues from locals mostly drunk and talking loudly( which they do most of the time) this is not a shot at them as it is their Country their town and mostly their tavern to unwind. I just wish there was more information on these Albergues as to a rating on noise levels. I stayed at the San Francisco Albergue in Leon for two days and on the Friday night they allow all the locals to utilitise the cheap accommodation at the expense of pilgrims and their screaming kids to run amok till midnight with no attempt by management to quieten them, not what you want when you need your sleep after s hard days walking. I decided to sleep in much to the chagrin of the management.
If you walk during the summer months, you will most likely come across some festivals. Noise from inside the alburgues is certainly annoying and is caused by disrespectful pilgrims. Noise from outside the alburgues generally comes from the locals celebrating some festival. Although it has disturbed my sleep at times, I remind myself that I am a visitor. It is not my place to judge the local folks and their customs and celebrations. It's all part of the experience, and I figure I can make up the sleep the next day. I'm looking forward to my 4th trip this fall, and I actually hope to land in a village with a festival going on.
 
"Remember, Camino Rule #4...'a tourist complains, a pilgrim is grateful...as Rebekah so eloquently stated.
I wonder if this truism as she stated can be reduced to haiku? Hmmm?"

sort of like this??

Complaining Touragrinos
The negative storm
Grateful is the centred heart


(Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme.) - next please!!

Or, simply:

A Tourist complains
A Pilgrim is grateful as
Rebekah stated
 
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€46,-
nice!


Guys (non-gender specific) - Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first lines has 5 syllables, the second has 7 syllables and the third has 5 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. ;)

It is
What I decide.
No more, no less.
A pilgrim transcends
syllable counts.
It is not a Haiku, sir.
It is MY-ku.
 
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Personally I loved the hum of people enjoying city life, even up to and including the couple across the way having a loud argument (I assumed - I don't understand enough of the language to be sure) while I was trying to get to sleep.

On the other hand, I was always astonished at the uncouthness of the early morning pilgrims, departing through the sleeping villages, chattering away at the tops of their voices....
 
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...Guys (non-gender specific) - Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first lines has 5 syllables, the second has 7 syllables and the third has 5 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. ;)

:DBut your own haiku doesn't follow this rule either, unless I miscounted something :confused::rolleyes: BC SY


...
Complaining Touragrinos
The negative storm
Grateful is the centred heart

...
 
The biggest disappointment I have had on the Camino is the noise level that emanates from outside the Albergues from locals mostly drunk and talking loudly( which they do most of the time) this is not a shot at them as it is their Country their town and mostly their tavern to unwind. I just wish there was more information on these Albergues as to a rating on noise levels. I stayed at the San Francisco Albergue in Leon for two days and on the Friday night they allow all the locals to utilitise the cheap accommodation at the expense of pilgrims and their screaming kids to run amok till midnight with no attempt by management to quieten them, not what you want when you need your sleep after s hard days walking. I decided to sleep in much to the chagrin of the management.
It's also worth remembering that in Spain EVERYTHING is later. Especially in summertime. It's not unusual to sit down for dinner at 10/11 pm and that includes the kids too. I often spend summers up on the north med coast. I often get calls from friends at 11pm to see 'what I'm doing this evening'. As a pilgrim EVERYTHING is earlier. As many other people have mentioned, avoid larger cities and avoid fiestas if you want a decent night's sleep. Or a someone else said...invest in a decent set of earplugs :)))
 
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Nonnononoo - a Haiku has to be seven syllables on the first line, five on the second, and then seven again - yours is 5, 6, 5 - not a Haiku! Also, A Haiku isn't prose - it has to have a hidden meaning within non rhyming lines - mine, for instance, was supposed to be that at the heart of a cyclone, a storm, there is a silent and peaceful centre - I know I failed but I tried to make it have two perception levels, the first read level then the heart is the silent calm at the centre of a storm understanding - I know I failed, I'm rubbish at this, but that was what I attempted ;)

Sorry to disagree, but a haiku is 5,7,5 and that's what I believe mine is. ("mine" is a quote from you, actually) I agree that yours was the better, more authentic haiku content, for sure! But need to change the syllables.
 
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Sorry to disagree, but a haiku is 5,7,5 and that's what I believe mine is. ("mine" is a quote from you, actually) I agree that yours was the better, more authentic haiku content, for sure! But need to change the syllables.

I know - you have to remember that I am a complete idiot - even when I try to be funny I get it wrong - mea culpa!! ;0 ;)

early onset dementia I think :(
 
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You have a roof over your head, and some sort of mattress beneath you.
You are supposedly a pilgrim, on a pilgrim trail.
You are not entitled to a silent night.
Yes I witnessed that on the last two days out of Sarria
 
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Tourist hard edges
Grateful pilgrim heart
Leads by example
 
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