Logroño

It was in Logroño that I first understood what it meant to stay in a Parroquial Albergue. The warm welcome, the care for everyone who arrives, and with the pilgrim spirit.
There were not enough beds for all the pilgrims waiting at the door, but the volunteers organized thin mattresses in a large room that was actually the auditorium of the church. No pillows, of course. No blankets, either. But, it was very nice.
After organizing my stuff and taking a shower, I went out to get something to eat. I didn't have lunch. In fact, I wanted to try something that the people in Spain use to call "ir de pinchos". This expression means going to different bars and ordering a caña (beer) with a tapa, or a glass of wine with a tapa. There is a small and narrow street in Logroño that is perfect for this. It was delicious.
Back at the Parroquial Albergue, after a short rest, we all had a community dinner together, where the pilgrims are supposed to cook, to help to serve, and after help with the dishes.
After dinner, we all went to the to Iglesia de Santiago el Real, which is attached to the Albergue. We followed a passage through the Albergue directly to the altar of the church. There we experienced a small ceremony in which, in the dark, holding a candle and passing it from hand to hand, each of us said a prayer in our native language, while the others listened and paid attention, even though they did not understand the words. The idea was simply to share our feelings.Read more