Traveller's Diarrhea from bad water in an albergue

[timrichpt]

Did any one else have difficulty with the water at the Casa Molar albergue in Vegas de Naron?

We got there on the 6th of August and the room looked OK - clean with 8 bunks in a small space and a single toilet in separate room. My shower water ran brown and at first I assumed it was just the dust from the trail (we climbed O Cebreiro that day). Then, I used the toilet and that water ran brown as well as the sink water.

Next day I had severe diarrhea until about 2pm but my buddy, John, was the worst off. He got sick that night with violent puking, retching, chills and diarrhea to the point that we called the emergency room. The ER doc advised fluids until the morning and John did pull through but seriously considered abandoning the finish only 80k from Santiago!

John did finish the ride but that last 80k took 10 hours! He was weak for 3 more days after his acute episode. I just think somebody should say something about that water but I'm not familiar enough with the Spanish albergue system to know who to lodge a complaint with.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them.

Thank you,

Tim Richardson

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Tim ~
Very sad to hear about your bad water experience. I'm glad you and your friend recovered and completed your camino ok. I'd recommend you contact the albergue directly, if you haven't already, and make certain they're aware of your experience with the water. Their number is 696 79 45 07. The albergue has only been open 3 years, is private, and has pretty good online ratings. I don't see a website or e-mail contact. I would guess that if the albergue doesn't seem concerned about addressing the issue it would be Galician health authorities (Lugo/Portomarin) who'd be equipped to deal with albergue water quality.

[timrichpt]

Hi HuskyNerd,

Thank you, I'll try to contact the albergue directly, as you suggested. Where do you get their contact info, history and online ratings?

Tim

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Tim ~
I just Googled the albergue name you supplied and found their listing, contact info, and ratings among the large numbers of albergue listings online. One Spanish site I use for albergue info is Consumer Eroski. Its listing for this albergue is at Albergue Casa Molar | Gu .

[Covey]

Many Spanish towns have TWO water supplies. One is drinking water and the other is "dirty water" or "town water" which is used for watering gardens, washing cars and often, the fountains in the town square.

The dirty water is untreated and whereas the locals could get away with drinking it on occasions, most of us whose guts are used to clean water, will react badly to untreated water because we have no immunity to the bugs that might be in the water.

I only drink water that comes from bottles from the supermarket because that is safe and clean. It is obviously more expensive than just using tap water, but is far safer, and I carry my water on the trail in the plastic bottles from the supermarket. If you use the Camel packs, in summer in Spain they must be cleaned thoroughly at least every other day.

90% of all disease in hot climates is water borne and water borne bugs tend to react quickly if ingested and can lay low even the strongest and fittest amongst us.

If you are suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, you cannot walk!! You might have to lay up for a few days.

Stay safe, buy bottled water and drink at least one can of Coke (red tin only) a day. Original Coke is a very effective bug killer in ones insides!!!

[Covey]

Should also have mentioned!

Do not have ice in your drinks in the small villages. Freezing bad water does not kill the bugs!!
Drink bottled water, beer or canned drinks.

You will be OK with ice in the major towns, but not the villages.

Use bottled water to clean your teeth!!

[Gazza]

My wife had similar issues at a town just before En El Camino. She walked a short day to this Oasis of an Albergue & went straight to bed vomiting & diarohea. But the help she got from Eduardo running the Albergue & the other Pilgrims was awesome. She picked the right place to get crook.

From then on it was purely bottled water & the other are right no ice.

[Covey]

Eduardo is a bit of a legend on the Camino Frances as his albergue stands out like an "oasis" on the hot trails of the Meseta. Every time I stay there I think that I should retire and open an albergue just like that one!

He does have a habit of inviting the good looking ladies to view his wine cellar!! And why not!

[Gazza]

His wine cellar, and why not. Must get lonely out there..........

I too had the same thought, quite regularly on the Camino, you get to see the good Albergues & the not so good. So establishing a quality Albergue seems quite straight forward & what a great lifestyle.

He was invaluable to us at the time & as I said at least she got crook in the right place. Nothing was too much trouble foe him