sillydoll
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2002 CF: 2004 from Paris: 2006 VF: 2007 CF: 2009 Aragones, Ingles, Finisterre: 2011 X 2 on CF: 2013 'Caracoles': 2014 CF and Ingles 'Caracoles":2015 Logrono-Burgos (Hospitalero San Anton): 2016 La Douay to Aosta/San Gimignano to Rome:
In 2002 when we started at Roncesvalles we slept on the 2nd floor of the monastery in old steel -framed double bunks. In 2004 we slept in the old granary. Now in 2011 the albergue is in the old youth hostel building, all smart and sterile with two bunks per cubicle, a shiny stainless steel kitchen with a row of microwaves and vending machines with pre-cooked food, cold drinks, cakes, sweets etc. Progress has come to Roncesvalles and the old monastery now boasts a swanky new Hotel Roncesvalles.
In 2002 we walked on slippery, rutted, muddy trails down the hills towards Zubiri and Larrrasoana. In 2011, many of the trails have been paved with concrete and stone and are like walking through a botanical garden!
Many of the villages have changed beyond recognition. Santa Catalina de Somoza was a tired, dusty little village with one bar (that didn't have any food), not on the main road, and a basic albergue where we had to wait for a school boy on a bicycle to come and open up. Today it looks like a carnival town - brick paved Calle Mayor with bill boards, large signs advertising albergues, zimmers, cafe bars with tables and umbrellas on both sides of the road. Progress in Santa Catalina.
Parts of the Camino Frances are unrecognizable from 10 years ago.
The number of tradtional pilgrim shelters is shrinkinmg as new private up-market albergues open almost next door to the old. In Ribadiso do Baixo there is a restaurant bar behind the 13th c San Anton albergue and a brand new albergue just 50m across the road with laminate flooring, washing machines, television, internet and wifi. The old albergue diningroom is silent and empty and nobody sits on the lawn sharing wine, bread or blister plasters - they are all next door in the cafe-bar. Progress has come to Ribadiso.
It reminds me of the poem by Hilaire Belloc, Tarrantella, "Do you remember an Inn, Miranda, do you remember an Inn?"
In 2002 we walked on slippery, rutted, muddy trails down the hills towards Zubiri and Larrrasoana. In 2011, many of the trails have been paved with concrete and stone and are like walking through a botanical garden!
Many of the villages have changed beyond recognition. Santa Catalina de Somoza was a tired, dusty little village with one bar (that didn't have any food), not on the main road, and a basic albergue where we had to wait for a school boy on a bicycle to come and open up. Today it looks like a carnival town - brick paved Calle Mayor with bill boards, large signs advertising albergues, zimmers, cafe bars with tables and umbrellas on both sides of the road. Progress in Santa Catalina.
Parts of the Camino Frances are unrecognizable from 10 years ago.
The number of tradtional pilgrim shelters is shrinkinmg as new private up-market albergues open almost next door to the old. In Ribadiso do Baixo there is a restaurant bar behind the 13th c San Anton albergue and a brand new albergue just 50m across the road with laminate flooring, washing machines, television, internet and wifi. The old albergue diningroom is silent and empty and nobody sits on the lawn sharing wine, bread or blister plasters - they are all next door in the cafe-bar. Progress has come to Ribadiso.
It reminds me of the poem by Hilaire Belloc, Tarrantella, "Do you remember an Inn, Miranda, do you remember an Inn?"