September 21st, 2013

Yesterday we burned up another 20 km between Utergy and the town of Lorca, where we stayed at the neatest little albergue - I'd say our favorite so far except that we say that about every albergue we stay in - except for the one in Zubiri with the no-stall showers. But  even from Zubiri we brought some good memories.  Our fellow pilgrims were so nice and on our way out of the town we stopped for breakfast at a cafe/bbakery where we each had  a big slice of potato quiche and a bomba de crema - a cream bomb - a doughnut filled with a ton of custard! My kind of bomb!  Anyway, the albergue in Lorca was so pretty, the decor was I guess traditional Spanish style, all done in colorful tiles and stone walls.  The little dining room looked like a Spanish cave, kind of dark, stone walls and wooden tables.  And the dinner was the usual sumptuous meal - for 9.90 euros we had pasta covered with tasty tomato sauce covered with  cheese, then a roast chicken leg with french fries, an ice cream bar for dessert.  The endless bread and wine are standard.  As for our sleeping quarters, we had a choice - for 8 euroes we could share the dorms with our fellow pilgrims - there were about eight there besides us -  men in one room, women in another.  Or for 10 euros we could have a private room with our own bathroom and shower.  Guess which one we went for!  We laughed when we say our >private room> .  It was a beautiful loft with wood panelling - and eight bunk beds!  The hospitaliero told us to sleep where we wanted.  So we did! Anyway, we have the secret to finding these small nice albergues, given to us by some veteran pilgrims>  don't follow the guide book!  The guide books lay out the route and they have you stopping for the night in the cities and big towns where you'll sleep in a pilgrim warehouse and be whisked out by 8 in the morning to start moving with the herd.  But if you stop in the little villages between the big pilgrim watering holes, you'll find the small, half-empty albergues where the hospitaliers are laid back and don't care what time you leave in the morning because there isn't much cleaning up to do.  I'm thinking about writing an alternative guide to the Camino.  I'm thinking of calling it The Lonley Albergue , or  The Not-A-People-Person's Guide Too The Camino.  Think I could pick up a following? A wonderful day to all!  Patti 8)