Alberques vs Hotel

Albergues vs hotel (group rooms vs individual rooms)

You’ll find many purists on the Camino who come with a prescribed vision of what it is to be on a ‘real camino’. In their view, any variance from the way it was done hundreds of years ago is not the genuine experience. Some of these guys keep their views to themselves, others freely share their zeal and views with anyone who’ll listen. (Alberques vs Hotel)

Other than one guy who I saw wearing what looked like an old Jesuit robe, leather sandals and a cross & shell around his neck with a burlap sack over one shoulder, (I really did see a guy like that, with an awesome beard) I don’t think there’s anybody replicating conditions of a hundred years ago. Just in shoe options alone the differences are significant. Besides, I suspect if pilgrims of old could have gotten their hands on a modern Osprey backpack, all the others would have beat feat to the nearest outfitter.

Unique Experiences

The usual discussions center around walking vs taxi; carrying everything’s vs shipping ahead, a St Jean vs Sarria Pilgrim and the biggest; albergues living or hostel/hotel. I heard it exclaimed that the communal living of the albergues, the constant interaction with your fellow caminoites is the real deal, missing out is marginalizing the experience. After now having completed the Camino and living in albergues, hostels, pensions and hotels, I’d have to call BS on that idea.

I would have to concede that living in a three star hotel far off the trail and away from the Camino crowd does pull one out of the artificial bubble of existence of being a Peligrino (I did write of that in the past). But, on occasion it’s a good idea to change up just so you realize there is a difference.

However, sleeping in an individual room verses sharing a room with 4-18 others, for me, enhanced the experience. Often I shared a bathroom, but what was important was a room that I alone slept in. No snoring to compete with, no drunks coming in late a night to disturb everybody’s sleep, no habitual midnight pee-er climbing up and down off the top bunk, it wasn’t an issue.

I had over 30 years of communal living with sharing open fields to tents to connex containers or barracks or into the Qs. My life is no longer enhanced by lack of sleep or the frustration gained from inconsiderate room mates. In fact, I think the opposite would have been true. Particularly when you consider that I’m the snorer and the midnight pee-er. I would have had many enemies and fewer friends. People would have scouted out which alburgues I checked into, just so they could find another.

Good Intel

Admittedly, there is much to be gained from the social interaction you get from the communal scene. Best restaurant and bar advice is never far off. Which of the various routes to walk and their benefits is always welcome. Commiserating over the days challenges or philosophizing the evening away is relaxing.

But in the end it’s about relationships and the walk the next day and walking pissed and tired with a group of people who are pissed and tired at you because you snore too loud is never a good way to enjoy the Camino experience. In olden days with Pilgrims that could afford to stay out of the albergues, I bet they did. The purist are not wrong, just very adept at the art of self deception. Everybody’s Camino is differently and it’s theirs entirely.