Albergue Ave Fenix

A quiet day
Today has been very quiet, tranquilo. The number of arriving pilgrims has dropped by 50% but we hospitalero/a´s could really do with a little rest day. Those who have arrived here today have asked .. is this Jato´s albergue? Like I did in 2002 they have walked to Villafrance specifically to stay at Albergue Ave Fenix. They smile when they know they are here. Today the pilgrims are an independent bunch (started out walking alone) but they are now friends from along the way ..... just like my friends and me on the 2007 camino. With each arriving pilgrim there has been greetings from the others. They are now on the terrace talking with each other ... waiting for Jato to ring the bell for dinner. Some would not miss dinner here as they have read about the experience in the guidebooks. Unfortunately Jato has not performed a Quiemada (spelling I will check later) since I have been here. I watched a Queimada in 2007 and was fascinated watching Jato. I will explain later when I have more than two minutes of computer time.

Dedicating your camino
Where is Rolf? I need a Rolf greeting (hug) right now. I dedicated my 2009 Via de la Plata camino to Rolf and a pìlgrim told me last night if I had told the folks in the Pilgrim Office in Santiago de Compostela they would have issed the Compostela in Rolf´s name. Sorry Rolf, I did not know this then.

We start leaving Ave Fenix from today
We have been eight hospitalero/a´s since I arrived here. One of the hospitaleros left for home this morning and another has been ill for two days. However, we all work well together and we had the dormitorios cleaned very quickly this morning. Our Italian hospitalero has been cooking for us the past few days. Roberto has an Italian restaurant in Slovakia, so need I say more? We have enjoyed the pasta and bruschetta that he has prepared for our dinners and lunch.