El Camino del Norte – Day 19

What a fantastic albergue. Sheila normally selects our accommodation. She had decided we would walk from Llanes to Cuerres 25 km and call to reserve accommodation. We arrived about 3.45pm after a casual Sunday stroll. My highlight of the walk was stopping at a hotel in Nueva for refreshments. In the hotel bar they were playing La Tosca at high volume. A very agreeable accompaniment to a bottle of San Mig.

When we arrived at Reposo del Andayón our Brasilin friends Carlos and Mirtes and Lanka from Prague had just arrived before us.

We were invited to join them on the veranda for refreshments and to check in. The first thing we were told is that the owner works very hard to ensure it is an environmentally friendly albergue.

Then it all turned a little scary. Sandra (also Brasilian) informed us that the albergue was built and opened only 18 months ago. She said they had had serious problems last year with bed bugs, which resulted in the albergue closing on two occassions. The first to try an environmentally friendly solution and when that failed to have the whole place fumigated.

She said, that there have been no further outbreaks this year but that they have had to take extreme measures. No-one is allowed to bring any textiles in to the albergue. How this works is all guests are invited to take a shower outdoors and then select the provided leisure/sports wear (it is laundered after each wear) from baskets on the verandah. You are each given a wicker basket to put your phone, book and other things we are going to need during the evening. You then leave everything else with your pack on the veranda.

As this was explained, I become more concerned but everyone appeared to be going along with it so we agreed to.

After we showered and changed in to our borrowed leisurewear, we were shown around inside. It was very comfortable with all the facilites you would expect and appeared to be spotlessly clean.

I had booked the last two beds and so it was fully accupied. In fact later in the evening, the tall thin Swede Johan who we met yesterday turned up without a reservation. The proprietor Katerina provided him with a mattress to sleep on the floor advising us that she tried never to turn pilgrims away.

Dinner was at 8pm and all the guests and Katerina eat together at one large table. Before we started each of us were invited to introduce ourselves and say a little about ourselves. Sat around the table was the Brasian couple, Johan, the Swede, Lanka the Czech, Sheila an me, Kye from Berlin, a young Spanish woman, Grunde the Swede and his wife Nani, Katerina and two Basque guys. Luckily for us it was decided to communicate where possible in English. One of the Basque guys did make the joke, “come and walk the Camino and improve your English”

We enjoyed a satisfying 3 course vegitarian meal with wine (most of the food grown by Katerina) in boisterous company. Katerina said that most people carry around negative thoughts. She said tbat it is easy to quickley forget the positive thoughts. She asled us to partale in an excerise. We were all given a pencil and a piece of paper amd asked to write down all the positive things we experienced that day.

I wote a list of 14 things. I admit I felt in a more positive mindset at the end of the exercise. Katerina says that if you do this daily you will soon naturally adopt a more posive mindset. I’m going to try it.

After the exercise it transpired that two of the company could play the guitar and we were treated to some music. The Spanish girl is very talented. She sung four songs. One in Portuguese, the next in French. Then, an Amy Whitehouse number in English. She finished with a Spanish ballard.

One of the Basque guys treated us to some traditional basque ballards including one he had written himself.

We left this morning after breakfast with me thinking, I can’t remember enjoying a night more.