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Who broke the internet? Albergue Reviews

PastorCat

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
May-June 2013
Hey guys,

For years I've been using this site for pilgrim insights into the Albergue community. Not every review is fair. Not all of them are truly written by pilgrims. But by and large, I've found this to be the most reliable website reviewing albergues.

BUT SOMETIMES, INEXPLICABLY, THE ALBERGUE DETAILS REMAIN, BUT THE REVIEWS/COMMENTS DISAPPEAR...or at least, I can't find them.

Am I the only one that has this problem? If so, can someone please send me a link that always includes user comments.

Thanks...and below, a picture of a Camino cat.
God knows, every one of them deserves a daily prayer. This gal's name is Boots (Botas)
Boots.jpg
 
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Hi PastorCat,

I was wondering the same thing. I have also had trouble reaching/reading comments in Eroski recently. Example: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-de-peregrinos-caminante#rc-comentarios

I thought it might be a problem with the pop-up blocker / cookies, but I opened things up and that does not seem to be so. I have tried (unsuccessfully) using the Chrome and Edge browsers on Windows (10) and Safari on my iPhone.

If anybody has any insights they would be appreciated. (I have switched to using https://www.gronze.com/ for similar info). ¡Buen Camino!
 
Well....at least it’s good to know it’s not only me. Wonder what that’s about? It is odd. I had the same experience a few months ago...then found a link that worked. Using THAT link, the comments would appear. Using another, they wouldn’t. I atttempted the same solutions (browsers, cookies, signing in) but no use. I accidentally closed that magic link and now cannot access the comments. Gronze is helpful but it has far fewer comments.

Thanks for chiming in. It’s helpful understanding it’s not only a problem on my end.
 
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Do you have JavaScript enabled for that site on your browser. Blocked by default maybe on Chrome now. Click <> in top bar or find manage JavaScript in preferences.
 
Do you have JavaScript enabled for that site on your browser. Blocked by default maybe on Chrome now. Click <> in top bar or find manage JavaScript in preferences.


Tia - I’ve tried three different browsers and three different devices. Nothing works. If you succeed, please let us know. Links are above. Usually I can figure stuff like this out. Unfortunately, Eroski has me stumped.
 
I looked at the source of the page coughed up. It looks like the programmers messed up. There is no markup that contains reviews and, I'm not a Java scripter, but I don't see anything that looks like a request to the server to send the reviews. Also, note the number of likes/hearts is 0. That looked odd so I did a like and saw the count go to one but when I refreshed the page the count was 0 again. So I would say that there is a server issue.

I hope the programmers' next job isn't with air traffic control.
 
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I hate to be a contrarian, but then I am happy to be that person sometimes.
I feel Ivar and this Forum community has responsibility to "protect" the people who nobly serve us on our pilgrimage. Using the word "protect" may be a little strong, but when you consider some of the albergue reviews were based on one person's experience for one night with a group of strangers in a strange land and end up loaded with negativity; and there were no doubt the favorable reviews done by bots and guests who were asked to say a few kind words. The albergue network is an ever changing scene for day to day, month to month and year to year.
Frankly I don't think this Forum should become a rival to TripAdvisor with a rating system of accommodation on any Camino.
 
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The sites mentioned are external not the forum itself. Knowing why they don't work might be good. I wonder if they have removed the comments, and facility to post them, if the system was being abused.
 
I hate to be a contrarian, but then I am happy to be that person so sometimes.
I feel Ivar and this Forum community has a responsibility to "protect" the people who nobly serve us on our pilgrimage.
...Frankly, I don't think this Forum should become a rival to TripAdvisor with a rating system of accommodation on any Camino.

Soooo...
* Ivar can’t do anything. We’re not talking about CaminoSantiago.me
* Using the word protect isn’t strong it’s unnecessary because...
* My comment and question refer to the comments (and questions) hosted by the user-driven content on Eroski (there are at least two links above).
* I fear instead of being “contrarian” you’ve accidentally changed the subject to bots, trolls, phony reviews, and the value/reliability of user-driven, review-content. This isn't a thread about that. I'm just trying to resolve/understand the programming errors on the Eroski site, and/or find a way to communicate with the Eroski administrators to advise them of the problems with comments there.

Maybe if we do one or both we someone can also advise our forum users when the Eroski site is expected to again be fully functional.
 
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I guess I have stayed in probably about 100 albergues (maybe a little less) on the Camino on my multiple walks. I can honestly say none of them I found to be a bad place to stay, or at least to where it was memorable and surely some of those I stayed in had bad reviews on whatever it is this thread is talking about. I guess I just look at them as a bed and a place to set my pack down for a night, for 5-15 euros. How could I possibly give any accommodation that fleeting and inexpensive a bad (or good) review? I mean after all, I am not buying the establishment. Besides, as said earlier, it's not fair.
Walk the Camino. Pick a town/city/village to stop in and pick an albergue to spend the night. If you don't like it, just leave and find another, or just stay. You will be out of there early in the morning.
 
I confess, do not understand the psychological makeup of people who wade into online conversations just to change a subject and make some radom point. We all walk our own path. Why would you need to stomp a bit on mine?

I like reviews. Some people don’t. If someone posted a thread asking about the value of reviews, I’d probably post a thought.

But If someone posts a thread asking how to make pumpkin pie, it would never occur to me to post a response explaining why I don’t believe pumpkin pie should be eaten.

It is a serious question. I’m really asking. What compels a person to chime-in just to denounce a stranger’s; preference, question, opinion, etc

I’d understand it if my thread had asked, “Hey, what do people think about Albergue reviews?” But that’s not this. I asked a technical question (and I got a few helpful, technical answers). But ya’ll who felt compelled to evangelize your personal opinion of user-reviews, why did you feel compelled to do that?

I’m not interested in WHY you think user-reviews aren’t valuable or reliable or even if you believe reviews are detrimental to the Camino. I already have an opinion about that and I didn’t ask for yours.

What I’m interested in, is an account of the mindset that accompanies the notion, you have license to spread an opinion to people, in places, where that opinion is neither asked for, nor appreciated.

I say ‘not appreciated’ because you must have known I value user-reviews. The original post asked how to hasten the repair of a website that generates them.

What then is the thinking that goes into deciding to “explain” to a stranger that his values are off? Seriously. What were you thinking.
 
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I confess, do not understand the psychological makeup of people who wade into online conversations just to change a subject and make some radom point. We all walk our own path. Why would you need to stomp a bit on mine?

I like reviews. Some people don’t. If someone posted a thread asking about the value of reviews, I’d probably post a thought.

But If someone posts a thread asking how to make pumpkin pie, it would never occur to me to post a response explaining why I don’t believe pumpkin pie should be eaten.

It is a serious question. I’m really asking. What compels a person to chime-in just to denounce a stranger’s; preference, question, opinion, etc

I’d understand it if my thread had asked, “Hey, what do people think about Albergue reviews?” But that’s not this. I asked a technical question (and I got a few helpful, technical answers). But ya’ll who felt compelled to evangelize your personal opinion of user-reviews, why did you feel compelled to do that?

I’m not interested in WHY you think user-reviews aren’t valuable or reliable or even if you believe reviews are detrimental to the Camino. I already have an opinion about that and I didn’t ask for yours.

What I’m interested in, is an account of the mindset that accompanies the notion, you have license to spread an opinion to people, in places, where that opinion is neither asked for, nor appreciated.

I say ‘not appreciated’ because you must have known I value user-reviews. The original post asked how to hasten the repair of a website that generates them.

What then is the thinking that goes into deciding to “explain” to a stranger that his values are off? Seriously. What were you thinking.

Wait! Deep breath! This thread is a perfect example of how things disintegrate and get nasty. When I saw the original question, I knew I wouldn't have anything to say since I didn't even know what a bot was till a few months ago. So I haven't been following it too closely, but saw the somewhat heated comments just now.

I think @biarritzdon misunderstood the question and offered an opinion that was related but not responsive to the OP's question. As a moderator, I know that over the years, different mods have taken different approaches to "off topic" comments. I remember one who worked tirelessly to separate threads, splice posts, trying (in vain) to keep comments on point. She is no longer a moderator, having found that task too frustrating and impossible.

Most of the mods take a different approach. A forum is not an FAQ, though we have some of those, it's a human interaction. Let's face it guys, when we talk, our conversations morph naturally from one topic to the next. Maybe I'm the odd guy out here, but I frequently am in a lively discussion with others and about 15 minutes later we ask, how did we get to this topic?

I think it's great that we try to stay on topic, but I think it's impossible to expect our conversations to proceed in a linear fashion. Sometimes the mods will remove one post and create a separate thread, but if you expect to post a question and not get some opinions on things you didn't ask specifically about, you are going to be frustrated and angry. So, @PastorCat I hope you can take those comments in that spirit.

And for the record, I will say that as the editor of the forum guide to the Camino Invierno, I have wrestled with the question Don poses. But I will refrain from explaining why I side with PastorCat on this one so as not to continue the off-topic spiral! Buen camino, Laurie
 
I appreciate your input Laurie. And you’re right. I was miffed.

Of course I expect, and honestly, don’t mind when a conversation evolves naturally. Threads do that. It’s one of the things that makes online conversation interesting. But there’s a difference between a conversation that evolves, and one that’s immediately “PooPoo’ed” by a determined antagonist.

In life, online, on the Camino, it’s almost always best to resist the temptation to try and “fix” someone...or even “fix” their opinions. But some folks are temptation tolerant and just can’t resist foisting “fixes” on people wherever they go.

I’m pretty sure the only comment that I would have offended me, was one in which the very reason for my thread was denounced. That’s more than rude. It’s bossy, “know-it-all-ism”. It’s like overhearing a stranger’s dinner conversation and setting yourself down in the middle of it just long enough to say, “Hey! I know better than you. Everything you’re talking about is bad.”

Well...people who do that at my dinner table will usually hear a pointed, rational, well-deserved version of, “pardon me but, who do you think you are?”
 
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Hey guys,

For years I've been using this site for pilgrim insights into the Albergue community.
...
BUT SOMETIMES, INEXPLICABLY, THE ALBERGUE DETAILS REMAIN, BUT THE REVIEWS/COMMENTS DISAPPEAR...or at least, I can't find them.

Am I the only one that has this problem?

PastorCat, thank you for providing a link to that Eroski web page with its listings of albergues and other pilgrimage route resources. I was not aware of it and plan look into it some more.

Consistent with your experience, I too was not able to access reviews of albergues.

Probably a bug has crept into the Eroski website system, perhaps during routine maintenance. It is quite possible that their webmaster is unaware of the bug.

Might it help to send the Eroski webmaster a friendly message, thanking Eroski for providing the albergue reviews, that you have found them to be of great use, that access to same has become interrupted, and expressing the hope that access can be restored?

Sometimes there is a button to enable reporting of bugs, or at least a “Contact us” button (“Escribanos”?).

I liked your photo of Boots, too.

Cheers!
 
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Yes, I agree! It was working yesterday, and now NOT again.
 

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