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The Camino Revisited 2018The Camino Revisited 2018
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The Camino Revisited 2018

agosto - novembre 2018
We are off to walk the Camino in Spain again, this time starting in Pamplona and finishing in Finisterre, 42 days of walking, with some rest days interspersed. Week first in San Diego visiting Michael’s family, and 6 days in San Francisco on return. Leggi altro
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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    1
    Giorno 18

    Sunday in Logroño

    9 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Totally relaxed! It was a very easy - no major gradients at all - walk of just under 10 km from Viana to Logroño. We still left early in the cool morning air - there had been thunderstorms in the evening and night, even though we walked yesterday under a cloudless sky. And they predict more for later today. The festivities in Viana did continue on into the night as warned! Woke at 3.30 and heard music and revelry, but at 7 am the street cleaning truck was doing its thing and when we left the street was spotless, and ready for the bulls!

    So we have left Navarra and the Basque lands now. Arrived in Logroño at about 11 am but the room was ready, and the bags arrived soon after, so we were all set. We are here for 2 nights in this very good hotel, right on the edge of the old centre, and right on the Camino. After changing from our barely sweaty clothes, we went on a reconnoiter, all fairly familiar from 5 years ago, and a really lovely town. We of course first checked out where the laundromat was, and it’s hours!! Amr was happy, and is there now doing the washing with his kindle. But first after checking, we went into the main centre and found a crazy crowd - again...! Weekends! We discovered there was a Rioja agricultural and wine expo, and the main square was packed. Plus there was a mass just starting in the adjacent cathedral adding to the chaos. Anyway, it was fun, and we had a beer and some tapas for lunch, and after that I found I could better cope with the madding crowds...which were finally starting to thin out.

    So all good..I am having downtime in the room (wifi seems excellent!) and Amr is having downtime at the laundromat! Tomorrow will be a relax day, and the next 2 walking days (Tuesday and Wednesday) are also both under 20 km, as a longer walk has been split into 2 shorter sections...perfect. Tonight there is Masterchef España on TV!!!    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 19

    Lazy Monday in Logroño

    10 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    A beautiful lazy day. Woke early as were were asleep by 10.30, but leisurely went to breakfast- very large selection in this good hotel....we know that many of the smaller places will just be bread and coffee, so we enjoy it while we can.

    We had a walk along the river, just to keep from being totally immobile, and it was cool when we left - I almost wished I had a jacket except it was meant to get warmer. It was cloudy bright, but has now become clear blue sky, and probably hot in the sun, and very pleasant. Finally made our way to a cafe/bar we had spied yesterday, but was shut in the evening when we planned to go. Open now, and it was worth the wait! We had spotted chipperones a la plancha on its list, which is my very favourite thing - baby calamari on the grill - and not all places do it. Also there was octopus a la plancha with their special home made salsa (mayonnaise-like), which was also amazing, in fact I liked it more than the famous octopus Galician style (with a sprinkle of smoked peppers)....and we rounded it off with pimientos de padron, another favourite!! We do love the informality here, and the relaxed dress code etc. - no one in Dior outfits or fancy shoes - in fact everyone seems to wear sneakers, not just the walkers - maybe it’s the cobbles... Also, can’t get over the prices...a glass of wine - beautiful Rioja red - costs anything from €1 to €1.75!

    So now returned for some downtime. Amr is downstairs in the jacuzzi. Tomorrow we walk!    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    11
    Giorno 20

    Another day walked - now in Navarrete

    11 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We have had a lovely, not too demanding walk to Navarrete this morning. I say this morning because we arrived here a bit before 11.30! It was a pleasant route, taking about an hour just to get out of Logroño, but mostly through parks - not too much of boring city outskirts. Logroño is quite large - it is the capital of the Rioja, but you don’t realise when mainly staying in the old historic centre.

    We still see mountains surrounding, but there was only one gradual rise today, and many vineyards in their red earth, and always olives trees. We passed the famous bull - a huge replica that appears on the skyline (equivalent to the big banana etc maybe)....your see it for miles in every direction.

    Then before we knew it, there was Navarrete on a hill in the distance. Last time we just walked straight through, though I do remember the little Plaza Mayor with its trees and water fountain, as we still had a further 17 kms to go to get to Najera. Thankfully today Navarrete was our destination, and we sat at a bar and had a fresh OJ, heaven as usual, and then went to the hotel. No one seemed to be around, and it was early, so we went off for a bit and went up a huge set of stairs to a park on the very top of the town with a 360° panoramic view....could even see the bull in the distance! We sat in the shade up there for a while, listening to a podcast of Outsiders that Amr had on his phone! Then finally went back to the hotel, rang a very loud bell, and a young, friendly, skinny girl appeared who spoke in rapid Spanish ....fortunately Amr got the gist and we got checked in and found that dinner is in the restaurant that has its entrance outside on a lower level...this town is totally on a hill and very charming.

    Our room is spacious and airy. Amr couldn’t make the shower work (this is a daily IQ test - actually sometimes they are straightforward) so he had a bath....I will try my skill later. Now we are at a bar, having a bocadillo and a glass of wine to keep us going till dinner. And we found that 2 Canadian women we had talked to, but lost in the melee of Logroño, are in the same hotel and we may have dinner together tonight. Very peaceful.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 21

    Good walk to Nájera

    12 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Another great day! Cloudless, cool and crisp as we set off at 8.20am and hot and sweaty when we arrived here at about 1 o’clock, having walked 17.6 kms. The itinerary said 17.4, so was accurate this time! We walked through vineyards and more vineyards, all laden with grapes. Yesterday someone tasted one and said it was sweet, but today someone said tart...not sugary...I think the grape harvest is October usually, so assume they are just needing a few more weeks. They are mostly red, but every now and then there are a few rows of white...and yesterday we saw some labelled Tempranillo blanco....didn’t know Tempranillo could be white.

    Anyway, a lovely walk, not too demanding, but enough to feel hot and ready for a beer on arrival. We did that, before heading to the hotel - stopped at a bar and had a snack as well. Now in this lovely hotel (known from before) and washing and soon will be ready to hit the town and see some of the sights. Last time we had walked the 30 kms from Logroño and didn’t have the energy to do any exploring..so this is good!

    We were in step with 2 Swedish women today for a while, which was fun, but I found that I got quite breathless having an animated conversation while walking! They were having a drink at the bar when we arrived, having sprinted on ahead after a while! And there is an Australian woman from Gold Coast in our hotel...walking alone. So many people from so many places, and the inevitable bike riders zooming past and being annoying!! This wifi seems good, so will see how we go with photos.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 21

    P.S. to Nájera

    12 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Just had to add a bit more about the afternoon and dinner, we did go exploring, though by mid afternoon it is very hot and glaringly bright...but found the jewel of Nájera - the Monasterio Santa Maria de la Real, with its church, burial place of kings, queens and knights of Navarra (this must have all once been part of Navarra, and in fact Nájera was the capital of the kingdom of Navarra in the 11th and 12th centuries). And there is a beautiful cloister there...it was abused (used as army barracks, munition storage, prison and even a bull ring!) over the years but in the late 1800s was taken over by Franciscan monks and restored. Very beautiful. Then we had a glass of wine and kindle time, wandered along the river a bit, and waited till dinner time - 7.30. The hotel sends us round to a little restaurant round the corner which we remembered.

    Only one drama...we were sitting, with wine and water, no food yet, when there was a loud thumping on a door....the one very busy waitress was elsewhere so Amr did the rescue thing - someone couldn’t unlock the toilet door....so Amr released her...big commotion, and the waitress came to thank Amr with a big flourish and knocked his glass of vino Tinto all over him! Oh dear, she died of mortification, Amr took off his shirt (luckily he had a respectable black t-shirt underneath, and went back to the hotel to hang up the rinsed shirt (5 mins away).... Finally we sat down to a delicious meal - white beans with shell fish, sort of a soup, a plate of leeks, and we both had the most delicious stuffed peppers...
    So all was well, and now ready to hit the sack, even if only 9.30!

    Tomorrow we walk about 21 kms to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where the famous chooks are in the cathedral. Life is good.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 22

    Now at Santo Domingo de la Calzada

    13 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A really good 23 km walk through countryside that is now more rolling hills, rather than mountains. A few big climbs, but mostly gradual and not too demanding and such lovely scenery that you hardly noticed the effort! At first leaving Nájera there were many vineyards, but as the walk went on we seem to have almost left them behind...there are many fields of wheat stubble, what I think is sunflower stubble, and now there are quite a lot of beets. And always the olive trees. And along the wayside the eternal thistles, dandelions and blackberries.

    We were very lucky today as it was cloudy and cool when we left at 8.10, and the cloud cover lasted until 12.30 which was fantastic as it remained cool. Now it is cloudless and brilliant sun and hot! By 12.30 we were almost here, arrived at the hotel a little after 1.30 I think. A sweet little one star hostal which we stayed at before, very friendly and comfy. We eat tonight at a little restaurant down the street.

    We are now having a beer and will then go to the cathedral which is the famous one with the chickens...according to the legend of the miracle of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Good restful afternoon.

    The wifi at the hotel is almost non existent. I will post this when I can, and add photos also when wifi is possible.    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 22

    Photos on walk to Santo Domingo

    13 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Will try and post a few photos of our beautiful walk, and the henhouse in the cathedral. Live rooster and hen in there, the rooster even crowed ....Amr seeking better wifi at the Parador, but this may work...Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    Giorno 23

    Now at Belorado

    14 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A very good walk through undulating countryside....it was just over 23 kms. The usual cloud cover and cool weather to start - we set off at 8.15 - but the clouds burnt off and it was sunny from 10.45, so we got fairly hot, but there was a little breeze, and we are not overwhelmed!! And we went through such picturesque areas....to my delight we have finally found sunflowers! Fields and fields of them, now half dead and droopy but still with a gold look. I don’t know what happened to the ones I was expecting earlier - either they had an early harvest, or they don’t do them there any more.

    And today we walked out of the Rioja and into Castilla y León! Progress! No more vineyards - or the occasional one, but not everywhere as they were in the Rioja. Now there are fields of wheat stubble, and fields of stubble cut and lying in rows ready to be made into bales of hay, enormous haystacks and quite a lot of ploughing going on. Very rural and peaceful.

    The end of our walk into Belorado was in a separate path but alongside the busy N-120 which we see near us from time to time most of the way to Santiago. But apart from the noise of trucks and cars, we were surrounded with the beautiful rural panorama. Trucks and cars quite often tooted to us, or yelled out “buen Camino” and we’d wave our sticks.

    We’ve met many people...a group from Malaysia - a Catholic priest and 5 followers, the Canadian sisters, a father and daughter from Cronulla way, a man from Melbourne, several Irish, Americans, a woman from Gold Coast who is a yoga teacher. Germans, Swedes, Japanese....and probably more that I’ve forgotten now. And so many people are doing it multiple times...we find ourselves saying “this is just our second time!” But of course many first timers too, the majority. And, maybe it’s this time of year, but most people would be in 50s or 60s I think. And quite a few in 70s I would guess. Anyway, lots of fun and lots of variety.

    I think I will on principle publish my words first each day, then experiment with photos as they seem to be the stumbling block when wifi is weak. Also, tomorrow we stay at San Juan de Ortega which is a tiny place - just a plaza, church, hostel and hotel...and no wifi. So tomorrow’s report will be published when we get to Burgos on Sunday. The next 2 walks will be the longest, we think, of the whole trip...but we are now in the swing of it and will be fine. We just go at a comfortable even pace, and have breaks if we want...but mainly steadily walk on!    Leggi altro

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  • ViaggiatoreThe Camino Revisited 2018
    21
    Giorno 23

    More photos from today - Belorado

    14 settembre 2018, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A few more photos...somehow this post has jumped ahead of the first one of photos...maybe because the first photo was chronologically earlier!! Who knows, but at least they uploaded!

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