CaminoDougL
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- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF Leon -Santiago (2014), Camino Ingles (2021)
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Back in 2014, I stayed at an albergue in Rabanal called N.S. Pilar. I had a wonderful experience there and the town was so amazing and one of my favorites of the Camino. I swore that if when I go back that I would stay at that albergue. I was listening to a podcast the other day and a woman was talking about another outstanding albergue in Rabanal. It got me thinking that maybe I shouldn't confine myself to this single albergue on my next trip and that I should "open myself up" to other options for more diverse experiences. I am curious to know what other albergues that people have enjoyed at Rabanal?
Stayed there this July and had a wonderful experience, too!Back in 2014, I stayed at an albergue in Rabanal called N.S. Pilar. I had a wonderful experience there and the town was so amazing and one of my favorites of the Camino.
I agree that the one run by the Confraternity is excellent. We stayed there last October. Just note you can't book or send a backpack there. They don't take people who aren't carrying their own. It is also not open all year.Back in 2014, I stayed at an albergue in Rabanal called N.S. Pilar. I had a wonderful experience there and the town was so amazing and one of my favorites of the Camino. I swore that if when I go back that I would stay at that albergue. I was listening to a podcast the other day and a woman was talking about another outstanding albergue in Rabanal. It got me thinking that maybe I shouldn't confine myself to this single albergue on my next trip and that I should "open myself up" to other options for more diverse experiences. I am curious to know what other albergues that people have enjoyed at Rabanal?
I loved Foncebadon as well. That is another option!I have lunch in Rabanal but love to sleep in Foncebadon nowadays.
Wow! Glad that my stay in Rabanal was much different. Better luck next time.I had a very memorable stay in Rabanal in Sept 2014. memorable for all the wrong reasons!
Arriving at Pilar's place in the pouring rain, I was underwhelmed by the crowd of people by the bar and the wet smelly dorm so went to the Confraternity place instead where I felt very much at home and felt fortunate to get the last bed.
I had just started to unpack, when we were all rushed out of the place, as there was a chimney fire and the CO detector had gone off! Instead, we used the old barn. The tea and cake was delightfully English, the garden lovely, once the sun came out again, though the grass was very wet for a while!!
The barn was very dark in the morning, and I had the best night's sleep for ages, and was woken at 6.30 by an Irishman telling us all to get up. I could have slept much longer.
But when I got up and started to sort out, I found a big fat recently fed bed bug on the wall behind my bed!!! Action stations, and another one was found. So started a full scale decontamination drive.
I was not impressed with the evening service. Before it began, there was a group of French pilgrims who were chatting together quite noisily. The priest stood up, and told them off in English, in a very judgemental way, but his words were lost on them as they hardly stopped. For me, though, his words were horrible and I found it difficult to enjoy the service as a result. I didn't bother to go to the evening service as a result but spent the time chatting to the husband of the hospitalero.
Maybe next time I'll have a memorable stay - for the right reason!!
Seeing your photos of the huerta reminded me of an embarrassing event when I worked there in 2002. I was responsible for the upstairs dormitory and laundry. 4 sheets a day were changed and the freshly washed ones were hung out in the back to dry in the sun - it was a very hot July that year.Heartily endorse Gaucelmo and the confraternity of St James. I attach my pics from may 2018, with abject apologies for forgetting the name of my walking companion from Geneva!! Absolutely, sublimely and brilliant afternoon tea on the lawn!!
I do regret not having the time to do the silent retreat with the monks and father Fabio(?)! I also attach the pic of the other ‘place’ which is just around the corner !
At the top of the market in Rabanal is The Stone Boat, a little bed and breakfast on the main street. Kim is from Key West, Fla., a longtime pilgrim and sensitive soul who is working hard to make her Camino dream come true up on the mountain. Hers is one of the few B&Bs open through winter in Rabanal.
I wanted to stay here but they did not have a lower bunk so I went to another one in a private room that was ok but everyone was smoking outside where one eats called El Pilar. I'd stay at Guacelmo again. If I remember the name of the other one I'll let you knowGuacelmo run by the Confraternity of Saint James U.K.
It is clean, has a garden, steps from chapel.
The hospies are: warm, kind, and caring. I know because I was one in 2004.
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