Torres del Rio to Logrono 20km in 5 hours - cos we had a long breakfast stop !
Had a great sleep last night, the other 2 occupants of the room left early so we managed to sleep in til a reasonable time. We left around 7.30am knowing we had an easy walk. Nothing special about the first half of the walk to Viana. Viana was nice.
We were a bit worried as it was a Sunday and we weren´t sure if anything on route would be open - like eating places ! However, we found a cafe open opposite a church and sat down to have a good breakfast. As we watched we discovered that lots of people (mainly men) were calling into the local bakery to get bread, then calling into the cafe to have a jar or 2 !! At 9.30am !! We sat for 45mins, talking to a young Irish lad who has just finished at Belfast Uni - doesn´t know Ali M though, I did ask !
The next part of the walk went past a reservoir, but it wasn´t nice to look at. As we got to the last bridge before the town - Logrono - it really picked up and the area was something special. We had already decided that we´d try for a hotel tonight as the town was a big one, the centre of the Rioja region. Find one we did ! Bliss !!!! Not too far off the trail so easy to pick up again tomorrow. Had tapas and beer for a late lunch, 5.30pm went to the Info centre and then off to the Internet cafe to catch up on the blog - that´s where I wrote the first few days up! After that, yes mum, we went to mass in the town Cathedral. Funny thing was though that I stayed on to do the blog and agreed to meet KJ outside the Cathedral at 7.50pm. I got there 5mins late and he was annoyed cos 'all the good seats were gone and he wouldn´t be sitting behind a post - how would he be able to see what was going on !' Was OK though cos we got seats where he could see and hear everything.
We had dinner in another tapas bar and then headed back to the hotel for the first full and quiet night sleep on the trail so far !
13th August
Logrono to Najera - 30km, 5 and a half hours.
Struggled to get up this morning. The alarm went off at 6.40am and I really didn´t feel like moving ! That´s the down side to having your own room - no one moving around from 5am to wake you gradually! 7am on the trial and it felt really early.
The walk started off boring as it went through the outskirts of the town area. But then once into the outskirts it went into a big park area that eventually led to a children´s play park. It was really nice. We stopped at Navarette for breakfast, didn´t stop for long though as there wasn´t much going on . After that the walk stayed next to a main road for the vast majority of the day - hard walking as it was noisy and hard on the feet. The route also went around a rubbish tip. The only real thing of interest was the on the chain link fence all along the main road - Pilgrims have made crosses out of anything they can find (mainly bits of twigs) and placed them along the fence - there are thousands of them for miles along the fence.
Got to the Albergue 1st - how was that for winning eh ???? The cheerful race and now the Albergue! We also got to use the 'bag down at the door to mark your place system' for the first time. A nice French girl that we´d spent the best part of the last few days with showed us what to do. We had about an hours wait until the place was opened. The ladies were really nice, the boots were kept in a separate store so the noise the next morning was kept to a minimal. However, it was just 1 big room with about 100 beds in it. Was good to get into the shower first though.
The town is mostly modern, but the area we were staying in held alot of the old stuff so sight seeing was quick and close. Trouble is, don´t listen to Paulo mum!!, alot of the Churches are closed - particularly around the times we arrive and are ready to look around ......... The story from this town is all about Black Jewel in the front of the Queens Coronation crown - it was stolen from a crown that once was kept in a cave in this town. Some bad Spannish king broke up the crown and gave bits away to other royalty ... including who ever was on the throne in England at the time ! We went in search for the rest of the crown that hadn´t been stolen but couldn´t find it ... maybe the rest has been stolen in the mean time ......
The local priest called into the Albergue around 9.30pm, told some stories from the local area and talked about the rest of the journey we are facing. Then said a prayer and we all went off to bed !!!
At some point today the arm of my glasses broke off ... so have used a plaster to stick the glasses to my face ......
Thing people look at most when we pass - KJ´s feet ! When not walking he´s wearing a pair of croks and they really haven´t seen anything like this before !
Making friends: we had a meal tonight with 3 Germans and an Italian ... 1st set of friends we´ve made !!!!
Easy day tomorrow - will hopefully get a good nights sleep as no boots allowed in the sleeping room !
At some point today the arm of my glasses broke off ... so have used a plaster to stick the glasses to my face ......
Thing people look at most when we pass - KJ´s feet ! When not walking he´s wearing a pair of croks and they really haven´t seen anything like this before !
Making friends: we had a meal tonight with 3 Germans and an Italian ... 1st set of friends we´ve made !!!!
Easy day tomorrow - will hopefully get a good nights sleep as no boots allowed in the sleeping room !
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