San Justo de la Vega

On the Camino Frances we find many references to hospitals or hospitales. There are hospital ruins, Paradors turned into hospitals and modern day hospitals of course. Some towns had several mediaeval hospitals for pilgrims and many were very large. It didn't make sense that pilgrims were always sick and it turns out that the origin of the word links closely to hotels and hostels.

The words hospital, hostel, hotel and hospice all derive from the Latin hospes which became the mediaeval hospitales meaning lodgings for a traveller. Hotel developed from Latin through the French hostel while hospice is directly from the Latin. The meaning of hospital has changed over time. Originally meaning hostel, in the 15th Century, it became a home for the needy, then an education facility for youth before arriving at it's current usage also in the 15th century.

Hotel developed from hostel in French to mean more of a home or mansion for the rich before becoming today's hotel. Hostels morphed into university and school accommodation in the 17th century.

The words hospitable and host also derive from the same Latin word hospes meaning guest and came into common use also in the late 16th century.

The development of the English language has always been complex being a combination of a variety of Germanic dialects (Anglo Saxons and Vikings), and then strongly influenced by French derived from Latin thanks to the Normans. In Spain there are many language similarities given Spanish is also a Latin derived Romance language like French.

Today's walk was another short one bringing me to the edge of Astorga which I will explore tomorrow. After a storm overnight, the sky was blue, the walk was through forests rather than by a road, and the earth has turned a deep red supporting olive trees again. The Cantabrian mountains are getting closer. There was a pilgrim stop with refreshments available for a donation and a guitar playing singing Spaniard.Read more