HOSPITALERA IN NAJERA

TRICIA EDWARDS

After I attended the Hospitalero course run by Sylvia Nilsen in Durban in 2010, I immediately applied to be a Hospitalero.

I was lucky enough to be given Najera as the Albergue is positioned right on the banks of the River Najera which runs through the Town. Well kept lawns are on each side of the River with street cafe's dotted alongside. There are three bridges connecting the old part of town, over to the new part. The Albergue used to be in the Monastery before the Municipality built this new Albergue which sleeps 90 people.

I arrived a day early and was fortunate enough to meet a wonderful gentleman Pedro who had been a Hospitalero at this Albergue last year. He filled me in with lots of information as the three boy Hospitaleros did not speak much English and were very laid back about the duties. Next day was a Saturday and a cleaner comes in and so I was taken out for the morning to be introduced to shops that we had accounts with, and a lovely family run restaurant, owned by one of the Albergue Committee Members, who said we could have a free three course meal there each day.

 

The cleaner also comes on a Sunday, so again I was taken out to breakfast by the Albergue Manager, Jose Luis, his wife and brother. Afterwards they took me for a drive in the countryside to visit another brother who has a vineyard and makes his own wine, the cellar being cut out of a mountainside. Very interesting. Got back to the Albergue at 1.30 to find 90 people queuing up.    

Next day my fellow Hospitaleros arrived. Piera and Carla from Italy and Yolanda a Spanish girl.  All three could speak good English and we all got on very well. I volunteered to do the early morning shift and was woken by the Pilgrims at 5 am each morning. It was very hot  in August when I was there and lots of Pilgrims wanted to be up and off  before the heat of  the day.  We had a coffee machine and at breakfast, just put out bread and jam and biscuits for the Pilgrims to help themselves to.     

Piera was next up about 6.30 and Carla at 7.30, so when all the Pilgrims had left by 8 am we started our chores.    I chose to do the kitchen and main room, Piera chose to do the dormitory and Carla the laundry.   We washed 10 sheets and pillow cases every day, so all bedding had been washed during our time there. Yolanda was not an early riser, so when she did wake up and ask what she could do, we said “the toilets”  so she never slept in after that and mostly this job  was undertaken by  Piera, but she must have anticipated this as she brought her rubber  gloves. This took us up to 10 am when we all showered and changed and went off for breakfast together before going to the local supermarket to buy provisions as Sylvia suggested on the course that we all try to make our Albergue unique and welcoming, so apart from jugs of ice cold water to greet our Pilgrims, we bought the big red water melon, crisps and olives to welcome the Pilgrims and they really appreciated this.  Then we were free to do our own thing until 1.30 opening time, and most days there was a huge queue and in fact we were usually full by 3 pm and had to turn people away which was heartbreaking.  

 

I've had a lifelong phobia about dogs (even tiny ones) and can't even bear to touch them.  In the training course back home we did role-play and just my luck I drew the scenario where a pilgrim comes to me (as a hospitalero) with a dog.  My first response was a loud 'No!  No dogs here!'  Sylvia then told us that we could try to accommodate the dog in an outhouse or laundry area if possible.  When a pilgrim arrived with a dog nobody really knew what to say.  "I know what to do!' I said, and proceeded to tell the grateful pilgrim that she could stay in the dorm and her dog in the washing area.  I was even brave enough to stroke the dog!

So on the days when we were full early, we took it in turns to have a few hours break and I went to the most wonderful swimming baths which had an Olympic size pool, and so I did a few lengths and then lay on the grass watching all the families enjoying themselves. Our neighbor Vecino had a vineyard and made his own wine and asked us if we would sell bottles for only E1.50 which we agreed to do and in return he brought us large amounts of wonderful vegetables he grew.  

Yolanda was vegetarian and so cooked up huge amounts of these lovely vegetables and then we left them in the kitchen for the Pilgrims to help themselves to which the young people really appreciated. The Pilgrims cooked their own suppers and it was wonderful to see them all working together and pooling ingredients to make a wonderful meal and with the wine, enjoying a very festive evening.   We actually had a few Chefs doing the Camino who loved to show their skills.  My favorite visitor was Father Luis a Franciscan Monk who held Pilgrim Prayers in the Church round the corner and we mentioned this fact to the Pilgrims and I was surprised how many attended the service.   Father Luis took us four girls on a private tour of the Monastery and it was so informative.   One evening there was the most glorious Concert in the Church with a Spanish Orchestra, guitars and castanet’s with male and female opera singers.  A magical performance.

One day a Pilgrim arrived with a newspaper proudly showing he had been the 10 000 Pilgrim at Logrono and he had been showered with gifts from the Municipality.

 

Not enough room to describe all the wonderful, interesting and lovable Pilgrims who we met each day and how quickly we became friends.    The highlight for me was the day Nina from Cape Town arrived as she was my first South African Pilgrim.   Then the same evening Father Stephen Tulley also arrived and so we had the most fantastic evening together, as Andreijz a Polish guy was playing an accordion and we all sang “Glory Glory Hallelujah”.    

A few evenings a week a lovely lady called Christina came to the Albergue to give massages and she was in great demand. So, on our first Saturday off she collected us in her car to take us to the Hotel where she worked.  The magnificent Marques de Riscal in El Ciego, in the La Rioja region. Followed by a visit to La Guardia  to see the famous Clock with dancers on who come out at the stoke of noon.  We had wine and tapas in the Square.     

We were so lucky that Yolanda had a car and so on the Sunday she took us all out in the beautiful countryside and a visit to the Monastery.  On the way back she insisted we visit a town called Tricio, and we pretended it was my Village. Here they have a very interesting National Monument which we enjoyed visiting.    

 

One day we were told to expect Antoine Carrillo and Emmanuel Chabod who, because it was the Holy Year, had walked from Rome carrying sticks with coloured ribbons adorned with pins hanging down which they had received from all the Albergues they had stopped at along the way.    Not only they arrived but a huge contingency, and about  12 sticks,  as at each Albergue they visit they request two Hospitaleros to accompany them to the next Albergue, and also ask Pilgrims if they would like to join in.

  
The Representatives from our Municipality were there to great them with snacks and wine, and we had quite a party, singing Ultreia. They also carry two books and each Albergue is asked to complete a page with photographs and information about their town and as Yolanda is an Artist, she did the most lovely page for our contribution.   

Yolanda and I volunteered to accompany them the next morning and we set off at 6.30 am in the dark, but with a lovely full moon. The first village we got to was Azofra and half the town turned out to greet us with coffee and cake, then they joined us in the Walk.   We then got to the Village of Ciruena with another big turnout to greet us with wine, bread, meat and fruit.     More people from this town also joined in the walk.    

The biggest reception we received was at Santo Domingo, with a huge photo shoot, with all their dignitaries with chains of office round their necks.  There were three trestle tables laden with food and wine and we were given a tour of the new Albergue Do Santo.   Apparently these wonderful receptions will greet Antoine and Emmanuel at each town and village they pass through until they reach Santiago. They then walk all the way back to Rome.       

It was 21 kms to Santo Domingo, and Yolanda and I did not fancy walking back, so Jose Luis came and fetched us in his car.  I had so enjoyed my walk, but knew I would be on my Camino in three days time.

But before then it was another glorious weekend when we had a cleaner and we could all go off in Yolanda's car. We set off to visit the Monastery at San Milan de la Cogolla, which is a world heritage site because of the fact that the first book ever written was by a Monk here.    We joined an organised tour which took a lot longer than planned and so Yolanda had to drive very fast for us to be back at the Albergue by 1.30 pm     

Sunday we visited the Monastery at Santa Maria de la Estrella at San Ascensio which is now a School, Retirement Home and Retreat, and we were lucky enough to be shown all around by a retired Monk who took us to places that tourists don’t usually see, as he was thrilled to meet 4 Hospitaleros.       

Next day was our last day and the three new Hospitaleros arrived, Alanna from Canada, George from France and Frans from Germany.    They were only having three as now the busiest month of August is over the numbers will not be so great.     

The whole of the Municipality Committee arrived, Christina, Father Luis and Vecino, and we had prepared tapas and it was a glorious send off.  We were all given a presentation box of 3 vintage Le Rioja Wines (can you imagine me carrying that in my backpack?) and a magnificent pottery Peregrino which I adore and posted off and am glad to say arrived safely.  We also received a key ring, book mark, and cards, so felt really spoilt.

Next morning I left at 8 am and felt bad about leaving the three Hospitaleros to fend for themselves but like us, they will adapt in no time. 

Yolanda took me on to Santo Domingo as I did not want to do the 21 kms again.