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Camino Frances

September - October 2023
Avec Mary Beth Murphy Read more
  • 39footprints
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  • 42days
  • 493photos
  • 7videos
  • 16.3kmiles
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  • TravelerCamino Frances
    1
    Day 11

    Walk to Logrono

    September 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Today's long walk was not as interesting as the two evenings that flanked it. After posting last night we went down for dinner and learned that there was a festival going on outside our tiny hotel. The festival involved a boy's handball game, the cutting down of a tree, and some homemade sausages which a local shared with us. That was a big deal in a town of 49 and it was wonderful to see.

    When we arrived in Lograno today, the first day of its annual wine festival was underway. Huge crowds, and as we enjoyed tapas, a parade of drum line bands. Really fun to watch.

    In between those two events was a 17-mile walk that included vineyards, olive groves and a lunch stop in Viana just as church let out. We are now in the Rioja region and the wine is not only delicious but ridiculously affordable. We had two wines and two tortillas (dinner) for 6 euro (less than $7)!

    A couple other funky pitstops are pictured, including a stand where a woman carries on a Family tradition selling food and trinkets and offers a pilgrim stamp that says Figs, Water and Love.

    We saw fewer pilgrims en route but still managed to run into familiar faces once in the big city (despite the crowds!). Also met Robert and Lenora from Seattle, who have done several pilgrimages here and elsewhere (like Japan) and had a quicker pace than us despite being well into their 70s.

    One final note: the doors in these medieval cities are so beautiful. Wish I had started taking pics of them sooner. I now want a door with a knob in the middle, and maybe a sliding, have-fun-storming-the-castle-type slot on top!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    1
    Day 12–13

    Logrono to Najera

    September 18, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Well, first a confession: I'm just now emerging from a cranky, hangry phase. That, combined with the fact that Najera is just not as well preserved or charming, has colored my view of this stage. It was long (18 miles). It was vineyards as far as the eye could see, which is lovely but somewhat monotonous (I know, Camino hell!). And we had no pilgrims walking with us because many of our new friends had scheduled rest days in Logrono.

    Our midday break was in a charming town called Navarrete (pop. 2,900), where we did as in Spain and partook of a small Radler to speed us on our way. A 16th century Church of the Assumption there was stunningly ornate. Its wooden floors had me wondering why they dared have real votive candles (in addition to electric ones).

    We walked three hours from there through Rioja country. Finally re-encountered the Belgian couple who has stayed at many of the same hotels as us and got their names: Bruno and Marie Martin. Also snapped a pic of our Italian friend (who speaks no English), Rogelio.

    After arriving very tired and hungry in Najera, we found our accommodations somewhat lacking, the town somewhat ghost-y, and where there was action there was no real food. Hence the hangry spell. Found something to tide us over then picked up pre-packaged cano de lomo (more cured pork) and cheese and fruit for our breakfast and headed back to the *penthouse apartment* that is not anywhere near as nice as it sounds. Two plusses: the hosts provided a free bottle of local wine (variety unknown as they private-labelled it, but plenty decent), and it has a rooftop terrace with a view of the cliffs that are a backdrop of the town.

    Crankiness aside, we remain grateful for the chance to see how differently people live--and maybe by the end of the trip we, too, will enjoy four-hour lunches and dinners that don't start till 8 pm!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    1
    Day 13

    Stage 9: Najera to Santo Domingo

    September 19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    An easy-breezy walk today--13 miles, gentle hills, wide paths/farm roads. Clear sunny day and little shade so we were plenty sweaty by the end.

    You know you're walking in the right direction (west) in the morning when you see your shadow.

    We skipped a formal breakfast and stopped first for an orange juice in Azofra and then for a sandwich at a golf club (!) in Ciruena, a sad ghost town where rows of apartment buildings have sat empty and uncared for, presumably since the housing bubble burst in 2008. Felt like a sci-fi movie set. Not sure how the golf club stays in business, except perhaps by welcoming pilgrims to its restaurant.

    Met local kitties and more pilgrims along the way, including a woman architect from France who speaks five languages, is very involved in a Catholic social services organization and will be having an audience with the Pope on her way home to Paris next week. Feeling like I've got some work to do!

    We passed a few fields of dead/dying sunflowers. Not sure what that's about. One theory suggests it's an economic opportunity since the Ukraine/Russia war began. Apparently that is where most of Europe's sunflower seed oil comes from. Have no idea if that's true. Someone please research it and let me know!

    Apart from that I'm not sure what to say about San Domingo. It's a lovely town. Honestly they're all starting to look alike. Didn't go into the cathedral because we were too cheap to pay the admission fee. And besides, we've seen some pretty beautiful churches already. Now we're off to get us a proper dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    1
    Day 14–15

    Belorado

    September 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Today's walk (14-ish miles) involved a couple more small towns, always centered around a church, with a restaurant/bar conveniently located across the plaza from it. The churches pictured today include one in the town where Santo Domingo was baptized. (He's a big deal because after being rejected by the Benedictines twice, he went on to build infrastructure in service to pilgrims.) The same baptismal font is still used today. The other church, with a similarly ornate altar, is here in Belorado, where one can leave a written prayer intention, as MB did.

    Lots of fields (with more sad sunflowers) straddling a highway today, with a very windy stretch at the end. Also crossed over from La Rioja into Castilla y Leon.

    We may have to stop taking pics of churches as they are all starting to look alike. But we are definitely taking pics of the better casas and rooms where we stay. Tonight's is so charming and pretty. Unless there is a fireworks show right outside our hotel after we turn in, as happened last night, we should sleep well. I'm beat.

    BTW, Google Translate (and Google Lens, for menus) are excellent companions, as fewer people speak English in the towns we are now walking through.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    1
    Day 15

    To San Juan de Ortega

    September 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

    Holy cow, today was windy and WET! Started raining five minutes after we left for our walk and didn't stop the whole way. Two hours walking, a pause at a warm, lovely hostal to change socks and get a hot Americano, then two+ more hours slogging through the rain and mud. Our rain gear worked pretty well but our feet were totally soaked.

    Good news is we checked in before lunch service ended so were happy to eat a salad and pizza even in all our dampness.

    Hung our wet stuff out our window to dry, showered and took a nap after lunch. Then went to a neighboring albergue and met some more wonderful people, including Zoila (from Mexico, now lives in Colorado), who we have seen along the way, and a father/son duo from Argentina who is biking the Camino. The smaller towns are great for meeting people. There is literally nothing here but a hotel, two hostals (one bar/restaurant each) and a church.

    The pics show the different terrain today, which was lovely, wooded and mountainous. We realized it's harder to keep going when you can't see your destination. The last two+ hours were rough because it was so wet and muddy and there was no town in sight.

    Including an extra pic from last night showing the church next to our hotel lit up with a yellow arrow, the standard (along with a shell) waymarker on the Camino.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    Day 16–17

    To Burgos

    September 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F

    A windy day, up to 20 mph gusts. Through woods, farmland, over a mountain, along an airport path and through a long park bordering the city of Burgos. Used all our layers to keep warm.

    Didn't take the cathedral tour but went inside to see what we both had studied at some point in college. Need to read up on how long it took to build such a massive building with so much detail.

    Met up again with Zoila from last night. Another pilgrim we had met found MB's hat before we even knew she had lost it en route. The pilgrim (Angela, a Slovak from Hungary who now lives in Scotland) passed it onto Zoila since she had our contact info. We connected with her tonight to retrieve it. Also met Hill (Hillary John) from Canada/Palm Springs, who is clocking 30+ meters a day.

    Good day overall but we are tired and have an extra long day ahead of us so... goodnight!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    Day 17–18

    Long walk to Hontanas

    September 23, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Hello everyone. I'm tired so will keep this mercifully short. The day started cold (40s) and it probably took us an hour to get truly outside Burgos. Before long, it had warmed up to the 60s, which was perfect weather for walking through the *meseta*--an arid farming region that offered similar views all day, with more of the same coming tomorrow.

    Some highlights: happening upon a wedding party in Hornillos, and getting a special blessing and Miraculous Medal from two nuns in a beautiful little church (Ermita de la Virgen de Monasterio) outside of Rabé de la Calzada. We also were happy to see our Belgian friends in the town we are staying in tonight. And at dinner, we were seated with people from all over the world (Japan, Germany, Holland, Hungary), most of whom spoke at least a little English yet still we had a lot of Google Translate going on.

    This was one of our two longest days--19 miles--and the back nine were relatively unpopulated with pilgrims (which was especially convenient when nature called). Glad we came further than usual as this is a cool little town. (Once again, the last couple miles was difficult because we didn't have a sight line to the town till the very end. ) Tomorrow will be 21 miles. We paced ourselves well and feel good so tomorrow should be no problemo.

    Photos probably not super interesting as it is hard to capture the depth and breadth of the *sameness* of the landscape.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    Day 18–19

    Longest Day of Trip: Hontanas-Fromista

    September 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    As I lay in bed posting this, my phone says we walked 23.53 miles today. The stage was probably 21-ish miles; the rest came from local walking to breakfast or dinner.

    Perfect weather. (And while it wasn't too hot, I have to say my merino wool T-shirt and Lume deodorant are no match for the Camino. ) More views that are hard to convey on camera (see one picture where I circled the pilgrims walking wayyyy down the road).

    More uphill and downhill (steep!) on the Meseta. Sites and towns passed include the ruins of a 14th century monastery; another church dedicated to Mary--this one Our Lady of the Apple (!); and the town of Castrojeriz, which sadly was mostly closed early Sunday morning, depriving us of a civilized bathroom break.

    We stopped in one town to rest and buy snacks (and, OK, to have one Radler, since we had 8 more miles to walk!). Then stopped with Ricard, a pilgrim from Barcelona, in the last town before Fromista to give our legs a rest (and, OK, to have another Radler) before covering the last 5+ kilometers, which turned out to be a beautiful walk along the Canal de Castilla leading into town. Also enjoyed seeing a family of birch trees on the way into town since today is Joe's bday!

    So, we left at 7:30 am and arrived a little after 5 pm--how's that for a Sunday stroll? Our hotel is just what you'd want after a long day: clean, air conditioned, well-appointed. We showered and walked down the road to eat yet another *pilgrim's menu* meal, which really is a bargain: 18 Euro gets you a three-course meal, bread, water and wine (1/2 bottle allocated per person). We dined with Tony, a widower from Dublin whose wife died suddenly at 56 (six years ago) and whose three adult children (21, 25 and 30) live with him. Perhaps that is why he's walking the Camino? JK, M & M! 😉

    We will take it easy tomorrow, seeing the famous cathedral before walking on to our next stop. Until then, three random observations:

    1) It takes a good 30 minutes some mornings to get our Camino feet. Things are a bit stiff and wobbly before the blood gets circulating and muscles relax.

    2) There seem to be roosters in every town; between them and the church bells that ring on the regular, it would be hard to oversleep around here.

    3) There is an inordinate (and sad) amount of graffiti everywhere, even on Camino signs posted in the middle of nowhere. And I'm not talking street art; it's just random, untalented doodles. If it were up to me, I'd sentence any punk caught scribbling along the Camino to walk the Camino.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    12
    Day 19–20

    Monasterio San Zoilo

    September 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    THIS is why we walked 30+ miles in two days instead of three. To get a room here, at an old monastery converted to a hotel.

    Beautifully restored and lovely, quiet atmosphere. The music in the lobby is some Gregorian chant on a loop that either soothes the people who work here or drives them crazy.

    Today's 13-mile walk seemed easy by comparison to the past two days. We stopped twice for a "wee" snack, meaning we bought something small at a bar or albergue so we could feel entitled to their bathrooms 😉.

    Arrived with plenty of time to explore and enjoy the setting. Currently sitting in a hall with rooms on the outside perimeter and windows overlooking the interior courtyard.

    I'd say the place feels hallowed but I'm aware of the high politics and other non-spiritual shenanigans that must have taken place here. There is, after all, a preserved prison cell in the museum on the first floor where a misbehaving monk, who may have done nothing more than try to chat with a lay person, would serve his punishment.

    We were big girls and stayed up for an 8 pm meal in the hotel's restaurant in the *attic*. Really hard to eat this late but when in Spain...    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Frances
    Day 20–21

    Walk to Ledigos

    September 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Not much to post. Long stretch of roadside paths with farmland in every direction. Apparently we can expect this for a few more days, which is why some people wish they could skip the Meseta.

    A shorter day, too (14 miles), with just one stop before arriving at our hotel/albergue, where we had a big pizza for lunch, did laundry and are now just hanging. Met a couple different people from the DMV and re-encountered Debra from Dallas, whose husband had to fly home for his father's funeral and will rejoin her in a week or so

    The past couple restaurants we've been to have had cats that come up to your table and beg like a dog.

    Wish I had a pic of a pilgrim who just passed. She is walking the opposite direction doing the Jerusalem Way, from Finisterre to Jerusalem. Just looked it up--it leads "from the end of the world over the heart of Europe to the beginning to Jerusalem to the east, towards sunrise and connects 15 countries and the continents of Europe and Asia with the Holy Land." Length: around 7,500 kilometers. Longest peace and culture path in the world

    She had her dog with her who was carrying his own food and water bottle. Just can't begin to imagine that experience. But she sure was happy and unconcerned to be walking at 6 pm. Wow.    Read more

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