Day 12. Najera

Another day, another 27.8 kms, although it seemed shorter than that. I left Logrono at 7:30 am after the 7:00 am breakfast. I skipped breakfast yesterday morning to get a 6:30 start because of the long day. Breakfast is included every morning but has varying start times. Breakfast is generally a good meal here: scrambled eggs (sometimes), croissants, cheese, juice, lots of sliced meats, baguettes, cereal, yogurt, grains, and coffees from push-button machines.
Some people have said that walking can be an appetite suppressant, but I was famished last night after not having eaten all day. I don’t eat and walk. When 6:00 came around I was looking for food, but restaurants around here do not open until 8:00pm, so I had a second beer with a group of friends. Beer is not an appetite suppressant . I then ate too many heavily salted nuts. When 8:00 pm came around we went to a Thai restaurant where I had pad Thai, but it was inordinately sweet. I was so hungry, I ate the whole thing, but didn’t feel great afterwards.
I did wake up in the middle of the night with an upset stomach . This morning , true to form, I woke up at 5:30, got caught up on news and sports news, then had breakfast before getting on the road by 7:30.
I have always reached my destination before 2:30; I’ve been always able to check in my room shortly afterwards, have a shower, then have my own little siesta until 4:00.
Generally, I go out by 4:00 to connect with other pilgrims. It’s easy to I’d identify us by our limp. Tonight, I connected with Fran’s, a farmer from Hungary who had a rough first day, but is doing better, I also, met Hassan, originally from Brazil, but has lived in Florida the past 15 years. He was showing us new shoes he bought today after discarding his hiking boots that, according to him, caused the blisters. His 36 year-old son who is accompanying him feels that his father has “ feet like shit” and that’s the main reason he gets blisters. One of the cardinal rules of hiking is that you break in shoes BEFORE going on a long walk or hike.
Has sad did share that his wife died a year ago, and that his 36 year-old son has been pushing him to do this. They will be meeting his 38 year-old daughter and 32 year-old son along the way where they will continue the walk together to honour their mother who, in Hassad’s words, “ was a good Christian woman.”Read more