To Hornillos and San Bol

2006

Hornillos

In 2006, we stayed in the Hornillos Municipal Albergue. 

It was tiny, cramped, and dirty.

The attendant was a kind old man.

This was my first experience with bedbugs.

The albergue filled up quickly,

and people were then given mats to sleep on the floor

in a nearby building.

Many of them came out the next morning 

covered in bites.

I had never seen anything like it before,

lumps as large as apricots on people,

red an inflamed.

I felt lucky I didn't get bitten,

and have never again tempted fate by staying there,

as I have met bug-bitten pilgrims over and over,

who got their case of bedbugs at Hornillos.

The church was very pretty,

and if they clean the place up and get rid of the bugs,

I think it will be a nice place to sleep,

but I went by there in 2013,

and found bedbugs again.

Inside the Church

Drying laundry

2013

San Bol

In 2013, I stayed in San Bol. This was a beautiful albergue with a sweet spirit.

The floors were warmed and there was only electricity for 1 hour in the evening so people could charge their phones. The rest of the time, it was blessedly quiet.