Spain
Viana

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • Day 10–11

      100 Mile Celebration!! 🥾🍾🙌🏼🇪🇸🎊

      April 23 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

      Villamayor de Monjardín to Viana
      Day #7 - 100 mile celebration!!! 🎉Today was a total grind but we knocked out a whopping 32k (20 miles!) 👊🏻

      Despite our initial plans yesterday, we were feeling pretty good when we reached the 20k town of Torres del Rio so we decided to push another 10k more through the wind & rain to the next town of Viana. Little did we know how strenuous that last 10.4k would be with many steep ups and downs along the way.

      Our bodies and minds are spent so tonight we treated ourselves to a private hotel room tonight with fuzzy blanks and a noon checkout!!! It even has a bathtub… oh the luxury!!!
      Read more

    • Day 10

      17 Miles to Logrono 😨

      July 2 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

      It was an early rise to beat the heat with all the mileage I had to do. 5 am wake up and 6 am departure had me out the door pre-dawn. Another brisk day with good cloud cover until late morning. Just enough time to find a sport store and get a sun hat.

      It’s interesting how pilgrims traveling the same days tend to see each other at different moments. At the start of the Camino, Jon and I would frequently run into the same people. We almost expected to see certain people after a while. There was the Danish young adult, Frederick, who left his job and had been walking for over two months already! He would sleep out at times. His English was great so we would chat for a few minutes before he would blow past us.

      Then there was Julianna, a Catholic school teacher in Colorado. She was doing the Camino to collect her thoughts about what would be next for her in life. Then there were the 3 priests. We met them at the pilgrim mass in St Jean and would bump into them regularly at food stops. Finally there were two guys from Austin Texas. We didn’t talk about much other than my favorite Texas beer- the yellow rose.

      After my rest day that pattern all changed. They either went on or for some they went home or somewhere else. It was a sort of comfort to see them occasionally, even if we didn’t talk. Now there’s a new crew but most of them speak Spanish only so I couldn’t really talk with them. We would silently nod or say words in our own language the other would understand. There’s still a comfort but less so. I’ll see if this continues in the coming days.
      Read more

    • Day 12

      Day 9 - Viana to Navarrete

      May 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      At a glance:
      Highlight: the incredible gilt work in the Church of the Assumption in Navarrete.
      Food highlights: chocolate dipped cookies
      Kilometres walked: 27.11
      # of steps: 35,307
      Elevation gain: an easy 150m

      We are in Rioja, land of grapes and wine. We passed an experimental vineyard of white Tempranillo grapes, a genetic mutation of the traditional red grape. They were experimenting something or other....our Spanish is challenged by research projects ...but each row of vines was carefully marked.
      We were overconfident today, day 9 with no blisters. We ignored our usual rule of taking a break, airing our feet every hour and changing our socks at lunch. Both Trudy and i now have a blister each on our heels.
      Tomorrow we have to get to the Municipal Albergue in Azofra before 3pm, 23k away, else we lose our reservation.
      We are in a private hostel tonight, 2 beds, shared bathroom, a pillow case and bottom sheet, no towels, access to a kitchen for a total of €38.
      Empanadas (ham and cheese) potato chips and cookies for dinner. No lunch, just chocolate and an orange and a few sunflower seeds.
      Read more

    • Day 15

      Viana

      September 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

      Dzisiejszy dzień był inny. Obudziliśmy się do burzy z ulewą, która trwała przez wiele godzin. Byliśmy przygotowani aby iść w deszczu i burzy, co prawda nie z jakimś dużym zaangażowaniem emocjonalnym, ale byliśmy gotowi. Niestety moje kolano podjęło decyzję za mnie, można powiedzieć za nas, bo Kasia nigdy by mnie nie zostawiła, tak, że dzisiaj wszystkie spacery były zakazane. Świadomość, że nie można zejść po schodach czy wykonać skrętu, była bardzo powalająca, ale też bardzo prawdziwa. Zupełnie inne Camino, które może nie wymaga nic, ale pokazuje limitacje, które są i pewnie będą dalej. Nic nie jest gwarantowane, może tylko to, że trzeba być przygotowanym na wszystko. Chyba chodzi o to aby nie wyprosić łagodności i łatwości podróży, ale o to aby każda wędrówka była najlepszą z możliwych.
      Po śniadanku, przyjechała po nas taksówka, i z drugą parą (z Australii) pojechaliśmy do Viana. Po rozgoszczeniu się w schronisku ruszyliśmy na miasto. Wizyta w Kościele Santa Maria de la Asuncion z piękna figura Matki Bożej Virgen de Cuevas I świętym Jakubem na koniu , gdzie cała nawa Kościoła jest mu poświęcona oraz ruin kościoła świętego Piotra, gdzie w ubiegłym roku robiliśmy zdjęcia pięknego zachodu słońca, a dzisiaj po raz kolejny uświadamiamy sobie, że każde Camino jest inne, nawet jeśli przemierza się je w odstępie zaledwie 12 miesięcy ..potem na osłodę lokalne ciasteczka , potem pinchos, magno, wino i cydr, i gawedzenie z caminowymi przyjaciółmi z których niektórzy już kończą pierwszy etap swojego Camino.... wszystko napawa refleksją o przemijaniu... jak i zaskakujące , choć spokojne odejscie Jimmy Buffett, choć nie jego muzyki... potem zakupy w spółdzielni i powrót do schroniska. Teraz odpoczynek... Czeka nas jeszcze obiadek i z dużą nadzieja czekamy na poprawę wszystkiego i dobry dzień jutro. Dziękujemy wszystkim za duchowe wsparcie ❤️
      Read more

    • Day 24

      Now at Viana

      April 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Today was a shorter walk, actually 18.7 kms, and we started thinking it would be a breeze. But soon found out that it was full of many ups and downs - to the rivers, and then up the hill on the other side. Still stunning scenery and lovely towns to walk through. But every view in every direction has mountains in the background, so I guess we can’t expect anything but hilly walks for the moment! But tomorrow IS easy…it is just 9.5 kms into Logroño where we have a rest day on Saturday, and again I think we’ll take it very easy…! It is predicted to be a bit rainy on Saturday and that is just fine! It’s funny how our memories of the walks seem to blot out the hard bits (or we are just older!).

      By asking people, and using apps and Google we are confident that the main grain crops are wheat and barley. Apple photos offers to identify so I did a close up of one which suggested barley, and Amr’s app identified the other one as wheat…Today we saw some sheep for the first time round here. They were being herded (just by a shepherd, no dogs) down the hill and across the road, right across our path.

      We stopped many times for breaks and cooling - it gets very hot climbing the hills, despite the chilly early start. Surprisingly I think this camino May end up being hotter than September/October when it gradually gets cooler. I think on the meseta and when we finish at the end of May it may be very hot. But at least the meseta has no big climbs!!

      We continue to marvel at the contrast of the seasons…I looked up photos of today’s walk in 2018 in autumn, and the same view of vineyards and olive groves was so different - the vineyards at the moment are brown with dead looking branches just starting to think about sprouting leaves, whereas in autumn they are all green and laden with grapes soon to be harvested, and the surrounding grain fields are now green and in 2018 were brown stubble! Amazing comparing the exact same view! Both beautiful.

      Another funny thing happened when we were having a break at a little shrine where there was shade and a nice wall to sit on…there were a few assorted people that we had seen off and on during the walk…and a little Japanese woman came up to me and said “I am 80, and do you mind me asking how old you are”…so of course I said I was 80 too, and she hugged me and we agreed we were probably the oldest people on the camino - she had thought she was the oldest person and had to share the fame!! It was quite a moment…she is staying at Viana too..we said we’d have a wine, but haven’t seen her again yet.

      We were so hot when we walked in - I still have a bright red face, and probably will till I wake up in the morning! - and we stopped for a beer before even checking in at the hotel. This is one of the special hotels..we have been here twice before..a lovely old palacio building, and right on the camino. Beautiful room, but the wifi only works in the foyer - but a very pleasant and comfortable place to sit - where I am now.

      …Now back from dinner, and have to add that it was rather fun. This hotel has a formal almost fine dining room where we have eaten before, but also there is the cafeteria bar place which also does dinners, and was where we chose to eat…with their €15 dinner. Delicious - I had peppers stuffed with cod, and then chiperones…2 of my faves. But when we were starting, in wandered the 80 yr old Japanese woman, and then a young French Canadian girl we had been talking to on and off today and they both joined us (we were a course ahead)…both staying at the hotel. A good conversation…
      Read more

    • Day 11

      Day 8 Viana

      April 18 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

      Olive trees! There are tons here and they make the most tasty oil. We decides not to take a rest day tomorrow so we walked only 18 km today. Checked in just after noon. Tomorrow we plan on 20km. We are just not sure what shape we'll be in if we do the 28km scheduled.Read more

    • Day 10

      Day 10 On to Logrono, a bigger town!

      May 15 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

      We have hiked 153.5 kilometers of the Camino so far! We took a short day, hiking to Logrono today so we could relax and enjoy the bigger town. Enjoyed lunch on the main square and then tappas par excellance for dinner on famous Laurel Street. Having a great time! Going long tomorrow.Read more

    • Day 9

      Hotel Heaven in Viana

      September 30 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      Our night at the service station was the best nights sleep I’ve had so far. Amazing! Dinner with John from Liverpool was nice and a lift back into town at 7 saw us off before first light and on our way . Cool walking 8k til Torres de Rio for breakfast. Highlight was picking fresh figs for a sweet snack. Then a hot walk to Viana by 12.45 arrival with only a couple stops under trees for 11k. Viana is a lovely historic town. And we have a great almost luxury hotel with a bath, yay! This leaves a relaxing afternoon with plenty of time for recovery. Jem has 5 blisters giving him grief. It was 27 degrees as we walked into town. Hottest day yet. 28000 steps. 18k day.Read more

    • Day 11

      To Viana

      September 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

      Humidity, Mud, a Surprise and Bulls!

      We thought today would be a bit easier, since it was a little shorter, but our feet are TIRED! There was a huge thunderstorm last night and then it rained until 6:30 this morning. We ended up leaving a bit later than usual, so that meant the sun ☀️ hit us earlier in our walk. So, in the order of occurrence, we had:

      Humidity = tough to climb the hills, sweat, tough to drink enough, more sweat, and eventually heat rash 😡

      Mud from the Storm = wet clay build up on the bottom of our shoes and a very slippery path - so slippery a Camino friend fell and was covered in mud on one whole side of her body and face. She felt the mud would be good for her skin. 😂

      A Surprise = An Italian couple serving cold drinks and snacks along the path just when we were desperately wishing for a cool breeze and a place to just rest.

      Bulls = Fiesta in Viana with the Running of the Bulls today! Our hotel room looks down on the end of the run and it seems almost all the residents are dressed in white with red bandannas and sashes.🙂

      We had our first croquettes of the trip today 😋😋and bought some wonderful, small bocadillos from some young girls raising money during the fiesta. 3 € for two of them, and it included tiny cups of red wine. 🍷

      Tomorrow, we walk to Navarette.

      p.s. I’m going to try adding pictures of some of the people we have met.
      Read more

    • Day 9

      Los Arcos to Viana

      September 30 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      Another cool start for the day at 8 degrees, as we set off we were feeling the fatigue of walking the way for a week. Most of the paths today are natural and pass through farmland, shade is limited, as the day heats up you feel exposed. We did manage to find some shade along the way and rested and refueled, it felt today that I was somehow surrendering to the way. Rushing, and urgency to be somewhere other than now seemed to dissipate. We enjoyed a picnic lunch surrounded by vines and fruit trees full of pears, our shade was offered by an almond tree. We were in the land of plenty and it felt lovely.Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Viana

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android