Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[ivar]

[edit, added October 30th: This did not happen after all Read more here: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3248 )]

Hi all,

I have some exciting news, I am very excited anyway!

My wife and I, are in the closing stages of signing a rental agreement for a Hostal in old town Santiago de Compostela. We are planning to open as soon as possible, aiming for September/October. We missed the busy season, but I still think we can do well this winter.

The place has 6 rooms + 1 small loft room. They have just finished a total renovation of the place, removing everything inside and building it up from scratch. All rooms has a small private bathroom.

It is located about 150 meters from the cathedral, in a street that does not have too much street noise. I have created this map that shows where it is.

In addition to lodging I would like to offer additional pilgrim services. If anyone have ideas for pilgrim services that might be useful and that I could offer, please reply to this post and let me know, or just send me a pm or e-mail.

My goal is to try and create a place in Santiago that would be an extension of what we have done with this virtual forum. Even if everyone can not stay here (only 7 rooms), I hope this can become a meeting place for forum members that would like to get together once in Santiago.

I will keep you all posted.

Greetings from sunny and warm Santiago de Compostela,
Ivar

[sillydoll]

Congratulations Ivar and Mrs Ivar - that is wonderful news!! Please may we stay at your hostal when we arrive in Santiago? You will have to have a pin board for pilgrim pins, badges etc brought by 'your' pilgrims from different countries!
Have you got a name for your hostal yet??

[ivar]

Please may we stay at your hostal when we arrive in Santiago?

Yes you may, once we open... right now it has nothing.. no beds or anything.

You will have to have a pin board for pilgrim pins, badges etc brought by 'your' pilgrims from different countries!

I was thinking of having a huge world map in the reception with pins so that you could stick a pin in your home town...

.. and also maybe a message center, kind of what they have at the pilgrims office.

... a computer with internet...

Have you got a name for your hostal yet??

We are playing with a few names, but no decision yet. Any ideas?

[Aarleks]

Congratulations Ivar!! I'd also love to stay when I come through in November.

[sillydoll]

A world map is a great idea! Yes, I can see that Ivar's in Santiago could become a great place for pilgrims to meet up, find each other, hang out etc.
You could have: -

· A gigantic Message board. “Looking for a lost pilgrim? Leave a message or check for messages at Ivar’s."
· Meeting place for pilgrims to catch up with each other. “If we lose each other on the trail I’ll see you at Ivar’s at 2pm on Wednesday.”
· Cheap Internet access (with English keyboards please!)
· Phone cards and an International call shop for cheap calls home
· Short term (1/2/3 day) storage of backpacks and bags. “Going to Finisterre for a day or two? Leave your bags at Ivars.”
· Refreshments and snacks vending machines.
· Heaps of information about Santiago and Galicia
· A register for pilgrims to add up-to-the-minute info on new albergues, closed albergues, good and bad albergues etc.

The possibilities are endless!

[papajohn]

Congratulations! Ivar, having seen the attention and care with which you created this forum, you will do wonderfully. No need to tell you that your success will come from caring about-ministering to pilgrims, not ad campaigns. The pilgrims will tell you what they need. I'm only a little too jealous of your opportunity. Ultreya, John

[kinnereth]

Can't wait to see it! Hope we'll be able to make reservations!

Kinnereth
Camino Francés June-July 2008

[ivar]

Hope we'll be able to make reservations!

Yes, once I have an opening date I will be taking reservations... by e-mail, phone, sms... any way you want.

Greetings from 31c Santiago,
Ivar

[Peter Robins]

well, well, another announcement I wasn't expecting! (Would suggest a more informative 'subject' for the post, as I nearly didn't read it - 'big news' is the sort of thing that appears on dozens of spam msgs I get every day )

I would agree with most of Sil's suggestions (the last one and the 'cheap calls home' can be done via the web/internet access).

The Rua de Xelmirez is the route in for those coming from Ourense and the Sanabres.

Are you planning on being open all year round? - a big tie for those running it.

[ivar]

well, well, another announcement I wasn't expecting!

I know, my family back i Norway fell off their chair when I told them.... once back on the chair, they loved the idea and are now planning to come down and help out. The weather in Norway this summer has not been the greatest

'big news' is the sort of thing that appears on dozens of spam msgs I get every day

Hey, this forum does not have any spam...

I would agree with most of Sil's suggestions (the last one and the 'cheap calls home' can be done via the web/internet access).

Planning to get one of those Skype USB phone handsets. Free call to any computer with Skype and "almost-free" to any other phone in the world.

Are you planning on being open all year round?

Yes. But we will have to have someone helping us out. The idea would be to have 2-3 part time employees helping out as well.

But vacation time from now on will probably be January, february... March is the first big month.

I still have not given up on my IT work wither. I will sit in the reception area and work as much as I can... at least that is the plan.

Carpe Diem!

Un saludo,
Ivar

[sillydoll]

Ivar, I know the Rua da Caldereria quite well having twice stayed at the Pazo Agra which is at No.37. For those not familiar with the area, it is just a few minutes up the hill from the Cathedral - parallel with Rua do Vilar, Rua Nova and then Rua da Caldereria. It is also close to the wonderful morning market.
What was it's old name Ivar? Many of the buildings in the hoistoric centre had names of industries or occupations.

[ivar]

If you know the area, it is about 10 meters from the top when walking up from Plaza de Platerias.

What was it's old name Ivar?

Not sure what was there.. I did not see any signs of what it might have been. Most likely apartments I would think.

[Peter Robins]

and, assuming you are planning a broadband connection, would suggest a couple of webcams: 1 outside for a street view, 1 inside in the lobby or public room or whatever the place has

[ivar]

Maybe not 2 cameras (who would want to watch me work?), but I was planning on putting up one pointing out to the street.

Was even looking at this:
http://ustream.tv/
... streaming live video.....

[Chev.Jerry]

Ivar, I am so happy for you and looking forward to my return to Santiago and staying with you.
Jerry

[John Hussey]

Hopefully I'll see you mid December. I suspect you want be so busy then!

What is the actual Address???

Unless I am mistaken it appears to be quite near the route from the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos beside the cathedral towards Finisterre/Muxia

[sillydoll]

... and, it would be great if you had your own sello!
Being an international Forum, you could base it on the 5 colours of the first Olympic Flag. The five interlocking rings represented the union of the five continents. A rainbow scallop shell!

[Peter Robins]

(who would want to watch me work?)

I was thinking more in terms of letting people wave to 'the folks back home', but then if you're installing Skype or whatever, you could enable that with a webcam on the computer

[Peter Robins]

Unless I am mistaken it appears to be quite near the route from the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos beside the cathedral towards Finisterre/Muxia

no, your geography is adrift there

the Fisterra route heads W from Obradoiro along the Rua das Hortas. Casa Ivar is E from the Pilgrim Office (which, errrr, I think, is on the corner of Rua de Xelmirez and Rua do Vilar). So Casa Ivar could hardly be more convenient - about 130m from the Pilgrim Office. The Rua de Xelmirez is roughly parallel and to the S of the Camino Frances which comes in on the Rua das Casas Reais.

[Ulysse]

Congratulations to Ivar and his Mrs. I am sure it will be well run and will offer the same simple and friendly attitude we have been accustomed to with you Ivar.

I like the idea of the camera inside or in the street because last year I talked to my wife on the phone while she could watch me on the O Cebreiro camera (when it was working). She still talks about it.
You should, of course, offer a lot of advice and assistance to get around the city, to travel elsewhere and to help with the return home.
A small place to eat breakfast would be nice.

I am convinced you will get a lot of customers; I hope to be one of them in April next year.

[lynnejohn]

Congratulations Ivar!

I am ecstatic about this news, Ivar!! You have done so much for us all this time, and again you are offering something which we have wanted for so long - a place for meeting, sharing, connecting, and moving on.

Congratulations on this wonderful adventure that you and your wife are embarking on. It promises many rewards!

We will be arriving sometime in September 2008 and would love to find a place! We'll be calling for a reservation!

Peace,

lynne

[C clearly]

Congratulations - this is one more detail I look forward to as I plan a trip for 2008.

- Clare

[MermaidLilli]

That is wonderful news, Ivar!! I will be finished hopefully by the end of September, early October... hope to see you there. Will we need to call ahead to make reservations? How soon? Hey, how about now??? Hehe.
Hope to meet you two.
In Peace
Lillian

[Jacqueline]

Ivar, congratulations to you and your wife. If you duplicate the level of care and attention you give to the forum your enterprise will be a runaway success.

I look forward to hearing further updates and hope to be with you by 10 December ready to place my pin from Brisbane in your map of the world (great idea by the way).

Cheers
Jacqueline

[NB Kevin]

Ivar, this is an exciting venture!
I predict that "no vacancy" will be the norm for your albergue.

It would be great if you were to have a "log book" where peregrinos fresh off the camino can record a brief summary of their highs and lows along the way, just at the end of their journey.

I know it often takes a while for us to digest and process the full meaning of such an experience, but the raw, first impressions are also most telling.