Logroño to Najera - with gazpacho

We set ourselves a long day today - about 29k. After a noisy night in the heart of the tapas bar district of Logroño Cress and I were up at 5.30 leaving Melinda sleeping as this was her last day and she’s only walking to Navarette.
A quiet level walk out of Logroño through a park and a nature reserve. Saw the family of red squirrels again at exactly the same place as last year.
Spent most of the day walking with Bernie and Linda from Canada (via Ireland ) and David from southern Spain (via uk). It was cold - rarely took off my fleece and arrived cold needing a hot shower to warm up.
Finally got a coffee and breakfast (but only a croissant - no tortilla) in Navarrete after about 12 k but my hands were so cold I managed to drop a plate - very embarrassing!
The scenery was uniform after the parks on the outskirts of Logroño - red earth with vines - we are now in Rioja after all.
Some cornflowers for the first time in the hedgerows.
My shoulders were a bit uncomfortable today but planning some stretches before dinner! I was probably carrying to much today including a lot of gazpacho, cherries and peaches - most of which I did actually eat on the way. But was still very hungry when I arrived so had a beer and a cheese sandwich by the river.
Nice hotel - Hotel Duques de Nájera - with a bath!! Haven’t had one yet tho.
Hoping for food tonight not just snacks as I’m very hungry. 🤤
Post some Meryl stretches we went to eat at the place that said they could do something veggie at 7.30 - got there and they said ‘no -8’ so had to wander around for a bit. Finally ate am quite a weird meal of vegetable stew, pasta and tomato sauce and chips and ice cream - but its calories and that’s fundamentally what I need.
When I got back to the hotel I couldn’t believe my eyes when Paul from last years Camino was there! Big hugs and total surprise later turns out that Nick is also here - quite extraordinary to meet them again! And they are staying at the same hotel tonight.Read more