Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep*

*the quality of sleep, however, depends on the amount of snorers and the proximity of their bed to us

 The places where we spend the night are called albergues (all-BEAR-gace). There are municipal, private, and parish (or parochial) albergues. The difference between them?

 Municipal albergues charge less. There are typically a dozen or more bunk beds in one room. Sometimes sheets are provided, and sometimes paper sheets are included in the cost. Bunks may be assigned, although that is not always the case. 

 Private albergues charge about €15-20 for a shared sleeping space. You might pay a bit more for a private room (with a shared bath). For €10 or €15 more the owner might throw in dinner and/or a simple breakfast.

 Parochial albergues are run by volunteers and accept donations. Instead of bunks, there are mats on the floor which are not really comfortable if you sleep on your side. We have stayed at two so far, and these left us feeling topped-up spiritually. Immediately upon arrival, a volunteer took the packs off our backs, poured us water, and in one place gave us each a hug! There is a community meal, which pilgrims are encouraged to help prepare. Dish-washing is pretty much expected. We were asked to respect the quiet hours and NOT rise until 6 or 7, which is actually asking a lot of some people.

 Albergues typically have a kitchenette with stove tops, a microwave, fridge, sinks, and plenty of pots, pans, dishes, utensils, etc. It is much cheaper to cook our own food than to buy a pilgrim's meal from a local restaurant. More on food in another post.

 Often there are facilities for handwashing clothing. And sometimes there is a washing machine. Only one place so far has had shared bathrooms (for men and women). The albergues have all been clean and tidy. Most of the albergues have computers that are connected to the internet for a small fee. Some of the computers also have web cameras. Others have wifi, which is the handiest for us because it is free (we did actually end up bringing our iPod).