Lindsay Brown
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Present (2018)
To all my solo female travelers this is for you,
I have been on the Camino for 31 days since Saint Jean Pied de Port. I have had many great memories, and have met some amazing people along the way! This review is hard to write, but it must be said...
I arrived in La Faba with sore feet, drenched in rain, and needed a place to stay because I wasn't going to make O'cebreiro. I ended up 1st at the albergue La Faba. The place had no internet, and I felt uncomfortable in general staying there as they were not the most hospitable or friendly people. I set out to find another place. Casa El Arbol had wonderful reviews!!!! So I stopped in. Ate some food, talked with the bartender and asked if they had available rooms. She said yes, then the owner (Jose) came out. Offered me and a friend shots of tequila. We said sure very excitedly. Asked where I was staying, and handed me 5 euro to leave that place and come stay there. I took the offer not thinking anything but this person is being generous and hospitable (that seemed to follow up with the reviews)!! Later on after I settle in and have showered. I go down to enjoy some more food and wine. Jose sits down at my table with 2 glasses and a nice bottle of wine. He thanks me for staying with him tonight and wants me to have a special dinner with him and his friends. I began to think this all seemed strange especially after taking down my info he uses my number to message me on what's app. His messages seemed flirty so before assuming anything I asked about his wife that people mentioned in there reviews. He tells me he is not married, and would he be spending time with me if he was married. By this point it was 9 I am uncomfortable, but where was I going to go in the woods, the restaurant was closed, Jose and his friends were just hanging out partying and making food. This all seemed fine(strange) but I was going to make the most of it as an experience. While this is going on he continues to message me saying I don't need to talk about my boyfriend because tonight is about us. He also said what happens on the way stays on the way... I started to become very uncomfortable and said I was going to bed. He asked if he could come say goodnight later. I said NO! This was around 1am. At 2am Jose comes into my locked room. He wakes me up startled and asks again to stay with me. I said NO. He leaves a water bottle next to my bed. At 4am. He comes in again asking to stay and lay next to me. He begins to hug me and I push away saying NO 3 different times before he finally leaves. My heart racing I can't sleep. I leave around 630 and run (literally run) to O'cebreiro. I obviously know that none of the reviews would seem like this would be possible. I am writing this review because this was my experience and I dont want to be silent about it. I would hate for anyone else to go through an uncomfortable situation like this. Being a solo female is not easy a lot of the time you are at your most vulnerable state. Just because we are polite, out-going, fun, and respectful of different cultures doesn't and shouldn't make us easy prey
I have been on the Camino for 31 days since Saint Jean Pied de Port. I have had many great memories, and have met some amazing people along the way! This review is hard to write, but it must be said...
I arrived in La Faba with sore feet, drenched in rain, and needed a place to stay because I wasn't going to make O'cebreiro. I ended up 1st at the albergue La Faba. The place had no internet, and I felt uncomfortable in general staying there as they were not the most hospitable or friendly people. I set out to find another place. Casa El Arbol had wonderful reviews!!!! So I stopped in. Ate some food, talked with the bartender and asked if they had available rooms. She said yes, then the owner (Jose) came out. Offered me and a friend shots of tequila. We said sure very excitedly. Asked where I was staying, and handed me 5 euro to leave that place and come stay there. I took the offer not thinking anything but this person is being generous and hospitable (that seemed to follow up with the reviews)!! Later on after I settle in and have showered. I go down to enjoy some more food and wine. Jose sits down at my table with 2 glasses and a nice bottle of wine. He thanks me for staying with him tonight and wants me to have a special dinner with him and his friends. I began to think this all seemed strange especially after taking down my info he uses my number to message me on what's app. His messages seemed flirty so before assuming anything I asked about his wife that people mentioned in there reviews. He tells me he is not married, and would he be spending time with me if he was married. By this point it was 9 I am uncomfortable, but where was I going to go in the woods, the restaurant was closed, Jose and his friends were just hanging out partying and making food. This all seemed fine(strange) but I was going to make the most of it as an experience. While this is going on he continues to message me saying I don't need to talk about my boyfriend because tonight is about us. He also said what happens on the way stays on the way... I started to become very uncomfortable and said I was going to bed. He asked if he could come say goodnight later. I said NO! This was around 1am. At 2am Jose comes into my locked room. He wakes me up startled and asks again to stay with me. I said NO. He leaves a water bottle next to my bed. At 4am. He comes in again asking to stay and lay next to me. He begins to hug me and I push away saying NO 3 different times before he finally leaves. My heart racing I can't sleep. I leave around 630 and run (literally run) to O'cebreiro. I obviously know that none of the reviews would seem like this would be possible. I am writing this review because this was my experience and I dont want to be silent about it. I would hate for anyone else to go through an uncomfortable situation like this. Being a solo female is not easy a lot of the time you are at your most vulnerable state. Just because we are polite, out-going, fun, and respectful of different cultures doesn't and shouldn't make us easy prey