Small Towns versus Cities

Ventosa, Spain
Our stopover in Ventosa, population 175, was a delight. We stayed in an 18th century stone house that had been restored. Our proprietress was very gracious and prepared a delicious paella dinner that we shared with a British couple. They did the last 100 km of the Camino in May with a group of friends and had such a positive experience that they decided to come back and do the entire Camino Frances in September. A lively dinner conversation ensued. Brexit is a hot topic and all the Brits we've met so far would prefer to remain in the EU. Time will tell. Even though Najera, our next stop, is a hop, skip and a jump down the road, we got an early start. It's rather warm in La Rioja, and better to walk before the heat of day sets in. As we walked through the vineyards, I tried to restrain myself. Do I really need another picture of grapevines?? I resisted temptation until I spotted green as opposed to purple grapes. Different variety justified more photos. Even though La Rioja region is noted for red wines, they also produce some whites. Red rose hips, figs, apples and loquats merited equal time. Short days are perfect for stopping to smell the roses. Entering Najera, population 8k, you can't help but feel welcome when you pass a sign saying "Peregrino: En Najera, najerino" in essence pilgrim, in Najera you are one of us. The flavor of the Camino is very different in small towns versus cities like Pamplona. Small towns embrace pilgrims as a vital part of life and the economy. In cities pilgrims are those somewhat bedraggled figures who might smell a little too tired and whose contribution to the economy is diluted out by other industries. While each has its place, we prefer the charm of the villages. Before we started, though, our joke was that if we got separated along the way, we'd meet at the second bar. The beer is supposedly more expensive at the first place. Works fine in the bigger places, but when you're passing through a one-horse town, you gotta go with what you have and stop when you can. No guarantees of a second place. As it turns out, Najera is small enough to be welcoming, but large enough for multiple options. It's Saturday and the town is a buzz of activity. Folks are in the markets, children and families in the park engaging in serial tug of war competitions and jumping in a moon bounce while the music blares. We visited the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real, an impressive Gothic structure with roots in Spanish history and royalty. The church was constructed around 1422, the cloister added between 1517-18, and the main altar of the church around 1690. While originally for Benedictine monks and the burial grounds for Rioja, Navarrese, and Basque royalty, the buildings were repurposed multiple times until 1889 when it was designated a national monument and Franciscans took up occupancy. The intricately carved stone archways resembled lace indicating amazing craftsmanship considering the tools of the time. The woodwork in the choir loft and altarpieces were equally phenomenal. We were glad we arrived when we did and had the opportunity to see it all, as flowers adorned the pews and altar in preparation for a wedding. As we left, the street leading to the church was filling with Najerans decked out in their finest, headed for the wedding.Read more