Spain
Arroyo de Pozuelo

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  • Day 37

    Navarette

    March 10 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    This morning , we took the bus across town and out near a park that is about halfway between Logroño and Navarette. There were a few tense moments as I tried to figure out the bus transfer from Bus 1 to Bus M1, but a nice lady pointed out the correct bus shelter for us.

    It was kind of a cool, dreary day, but not raining. We are walking now in Rioja, which is a state in Spain and also a well-known wine region.

    We passed the site of a 12th century pilgrim albergue. In the Middle Ages, they were often called hospitals because lots of pilgrims got sick on the journey.

    Tonight, we are staying at El Cantaro. The last syllable has an accent mark that I can't figure out with my phone. Anyway, a cantaro is some kind of water pitcher or clay jug.

    We are cleaning up, and then we'll walk around town a little. Tomorrow we walk to Najera.
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  • Day 17–18

    Navarette to Azofra

    September 16, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Back to good spirits again. Magnificent walking today through lush farmland. A bit over 22km. It was grape harvest festival in Nájera that we passed through on the way. Ed had good day on the bike. Carried pack on his back instead of the rack. Azofra tiny village with wonderful municipale. We had our own room with beds not bunks & there was lovely outdoor area. The grapes were ripe & ready for picking. I think one of the photos is where they have been harvested & the plants are much smaller. We got paella for dinner in the local restaurant with local La Rioja wine & enjoyed it with friends I had met in Logroño. Delicious. Ed took his separately later. He doesn’t mix with pilgrims. Spends his time on his phone chatting to friends at home. He has also discovered they will sell him alcohol which is unfortunate…Read more

  • Day 16

    Legrono to Navarette

    September 15, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Harder day today. The surrounds were beautiful as we walked, lush farmland. Not far 12.5km but there was a headwind and I was tired and out of sorts. Ed’s first day on bike. We strapped his mochilla to his pack with occy straps which didn’t work very well. It was a bit hilly, not too bad riding into the wind made it pretty hard. We stayed in the municipale albergue which was ok. I met a lovely old Japanese woman who was catholic so on this pilgrimage. She didn’t speak English but we gave her some chorizo pasta and she gave us some chopsticks.. Both of us had upset tummies today so neither of us in great spirits. I didn’t even get any photos of him on bike.Read more

  • Day 13

    Navarette to Najera

    September 13, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today we walked 22km on a great trail surrounded by vineyards. We have now adopted a Dutchie into our Camino Family and once again connected with the beautiful Australian sisters. The German provided sandwiches for lunch and then we ate at the best restaurant yet on the Camino. Muy muy rico.
    Today's Camino is brought to you by grape eating, Aussie sisters, buying CDs, 6 countries at one table, gas station hotels and foodgasms. The Camino will provide
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  • Day 40

    Navarrete to Azofra

    September 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F

    It is so hard to start walking when it is raining. Then I remember that every step I take is one less step l have to walk tomorrow and that math sounds good 🙂
    It also helps if you stop by a pastry shop and grab the best looking thing and save it for lunch. I am not above bribing myself.
    The sun did come out for a couple seconds and I still found beauty.

    Tonight I am staying in Azofra, discribed in my Camino book as: a tranquil village with a declining population of 250 owing much of its continuing existence to the camino. I am making a point to stay in these smaller villages. My hostel was actually made as a hostel and I have a room to myself! (It has 2 beds) And a heated floor! Thank you for all your prayers. I am positive they are the reason I am still perservering, even in the rain.

    And to all my teacher friends, I have not forgotten that this is the first week of school. My prayers are with you, your students, and their families as you begin another year. I'm their in Spirit.
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  • Day 8

    Camino Moment - PW

    September 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    People on the Camino talk about moments that they attribute to something termed ‘spiritual’. Most people who know me know I am mostly sceptical about these attributions. Good luck or coincidence are probably better terms. However, today I spent time with a lovely Northern Irish woman, Anne, walking to Najera. She was a grandmother of 14, mother of 5, extraordinary wedding cake maker, had a brother involved in the IRA and imprisoned in the Maze, and had a brilliantly sharp mind and wit. We had a few laughs together. Anne then started talking about friends and family who’d passed with cancer. For the first time on trail, I mentioned fleetingly about Libby’s recent breast cancer diagnosis. Topic lasted less than a minute max.

    We then caught up with Anne’s husband, Eugene, who was walking with small Paul, at a rest place. I sat down and was chatting with the Irish group. Eugene then presented me his hand made Camino momento - see below. He said we hear your wife has been going through some health difficulties and we hope that this will help ease things for her and your family. I don’t recollect Ann chatting with him when she arrived or how he knew this fact. Other Paul didn’t tell him. It was quite spooky. He then told me the history of the memento; that he was a retired shoe repairer in Belfast and that he made only a few of these self stitched leather mementos to pass onto people on the trail who he felt needed or deserved them. I got the last one.

    As soon as that interaction was over, the Irish group left, not to be seen again. Spirits in the night.

    I now have this memento attached to my pack for the rest of the journey. Given Libby’s Irish roots, I carry it with pride.

    How does one attribute an interaction like this one today? Coincidence? Nice people doing nice things? Premonition? All I know was that it was not ordinary.

    Comments please.
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  • Day 39

    Musings

    September 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    I have found many things in Spain quite clever. Like the toilet paper that comes out like tissue. Wouldn't that stop a mess at schools! The main door knobs on houses being in the middle so both left and right handed people are equal. Using thin wood and exterior closing devices that are simple with a knob that can also hold a purse. Clearly marked bike lanes (not after thoughts) and having separate stores for fish, meat, bread, wine, and produce in the neighborhood. No packaged food or fast food anywhere.

    Wonder if the US could learn from any of these?
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  • Day 39

    Rested and Refreshed & Mystery Solved

    September 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Mystery Solved...I stopped at a pharmacy and when I said I had blister trouble, he turned his sign over to say closed. This meant business. He looked at my feet, my socks, my shoes, and my orthotics. Finally, he said, aha! My orthotics were 1 cm too short for my shoes and kept slipping causing the blisters. Ugh!

    Solution: buy the best insoles they have, cut so they fit, soak, cover, and wrap my blisters for 3 days.

    Today I walked in no pain for the first time! The green tape is KT tape and I watched many videos to learn how to wrap my feet and knees correctly. I need to support my flat feet since I don't have my inserts in. So far, so good.

    I went 6 miles on the trail today in an overcast cool day. I think there should be special stickers just for getting out of the cities! It took me over 2 hours to find the trail. I concidered it a city tour that people pay money for. I saw all sorts of interesting neighborhoods.

    We are speeding up our lives and working harder, in a futile attempt to slow down and enjoy it.
    Paul Hawken. What can you do today to slow down?
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  • Day 14

    Day 11 - Ventos to Azofra

    August 25, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Today was a better day of walking. It was cool most of the day, much more enjoyable. Only one little climb out of a village that got us huffing a little. Still dealing with a head cold and sore Achilles but it was manageable today.

    We mostly walked through vineyards today as the landscape is wine country. In a few spots it had a feel of Utah with red rock and desert plants. We came across several aqueduct irrigation systems for the vineyards. At one point they were using a tractors pto to run a pump. Had a scare when Teresa rolled her ankle and hit the ground. She's okay, but we'll see how the ankle is tomorrow.

    Tomorrow is a long day so we're sending our bags ahead to give our legs, her ankle and my Achilles somewhat of a break.
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  • Day 13

    Day 10 - Logrono to Ventos

    August 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Well, I may have been premature on the leg thing. Our legs were tired today and seemed heavy most of the day. We started to regret not taking a rest day as planned. We trudged on through the vineyards on a mostly flat (spain style) path. The walk out of Logrono was through a nice park system with trails and paths for walkers and bikers past a huge reservoir.

    Towards the end of the day, we met Begonia from Barcelona. We started talking and walking with her, and the next thing we knew, we were in Ventosa. She helped us pick up our pace without even realizing it.

    There's a festival here in Ventosa tomorrow, which would be awesome to see. They have 4 pigs being cooked and the town will go from 200 population to over 2000.

    We had a good dinner of frozen pizza with several others we've seen on the path. Mitch and Mira and Hans from the Netherlands and another couple from Norway. Nice people.
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