Seminario Menor

October 20
Once inside the wall, one look at the building facing us has us second-guessing that we have reached the right place.

We enter through the open main door (note the shells)...

...and ask a girl coming down the broad staircase if this is the albergue and she affirms that it is.  Our pictures cannot begin to capture the seminary.  The grounds are gorgeous, the building regal.  The albergue occupies just one wing and yet is beyond spacious.  The rest of the building is still, at least, a functioning seminary.  It may serve other purposes as well--I cannot imagine there are enough students coming through anymore.  Another thing I'll have to check up on when I get home.

In the registration office, we are delighted to learn that we can stay for more than one night.  We do have to vacate the building during the hours that they clean and prepare for the next night, but we have plans for tomorrow anyway.  We also ask about transportation to the airport.  There is a bus but it doesn't start running until long after we will need to depart.  However, taxi service (a flat rate to the airport) is available that will pick us up right outside the gate.

Having settled some of our plans for the time before we leave, we plod up the magnificent wide marble staircase to find our beds.

 We first cross the common room (with vending machines!)...

...then pass by and through several large dormitories (one on each of three floors) with long rows of beds divided by a wall of lockers...

...arriving at a room that is nearly the farthest place from the front door.  The room contains eight beds, each beside its own locker.  We have no idea why we are in this cozy room instead of one of the wide-open, many-bed dorms, but we're not about to question it.  If your bed is against an interior wall or divider, the locker is more like a small closet.  Beds by the windows have more of a free-standing cabinet.  The lockers are big enough that Jerri and I can share one (they require coins to release the key).  The plastic packet of sheets contains a flat sheet as well as a fitted one--that's a first.  And there are blankets.  Oh, and there are no bunk beds here.

There are three separate rooms for sinks, showers, and toilets.  They are unremarkable except for how many there are--many more than any other place we've stayed.  The shower is the push-button kind and, much later when I use one, I can't get any hot water from mine.  I haven't taken any long showers on this entire trip, but this will be by far the shortest.  You can't have everything, I suppose.

The basement has a kitchen, laundry room, computers with Internet access, and more vending machines.  I don't personally see all of these, but we are informed they are there.

Considering this is supposedly the main city hostel, it isn't anywhere near full when we check in.  In fact, we are the first assigned to beds in the small room.  Maybe it's more important to secure a bed early during the high season, but I'm relieved that we're set.  Who knows how long it takes to get your certificate or visit the Cathedral?