Breakfast was completed 7.15am and Mark from Ottawa, today's walking companion, and I were on our way not long thereafter. It was my earliest start to date.
Part of the reason for an early departure was also that today's destination, the town of Logroño has a wine festival happening. A safe bet would be that a lot of peregrinos would probably like to stop there.
Dawn.
A bit of early morning vortexing but with notes underneath the rock piles.
Today's Camino was different again. The track went up and down and sideways and back and forth and next to vines and olive groves.
The weather was quite cool and good walking weather with a few spits of rain.
And the Camino goes on and on and on...
On the other side of Viana, on the wall of an underpass, this familiar artwork could be seen. It has been depicted many times in various Camino forums.
Why? As we arrived, 2 pilgrims on bike were at the top of it kissing. There were also a multitude of love declarations written / carved onto and into the bridge.
A very straight road means that one can assume there had been accidents or near misses between pilgrims and speeding vehicles. Hence the likely need to build the bridge. Viana in the background.
...to enter Spain's top wine producing region, La Rioja.
We arrived before noon in Logroño after crossing this bridge.
The next albergue was along a busy thoroughfare called Calle Portales. It was also in the same block as the cathedral.
A parade was already in progress at noon. A bed for 10€, taken.
Even though the dorm faces out on to Calle Portales (the 2 windows with bars)
After the usual pilgrim housekeeping duties, I skyped Good Mrs back home in Melbourne. Great to see her and hear her voice after 2 1/2 weeks.
A short walk in the vicinity and I bumped into a number of fellow pilgrims, among them Daina and 2 lady friends as well as The Aussie and The Pom from yesterday.
Looking for a simple bite to eat to tie me over to dinner, i found a bar selling these skewers for an amazing 1€.60 each.
I think the skewers are called Crianzas and i have no idea what meat it was, but it was absolutely delicious.
Yes, I had a second skewer.
A few more pics along Calle Portales.
This towering figure must be part of the festival somehow. The guy inside kept sliding and almost falling. Maybe heavy.
How you end up if you arrive too late or haven't made a bed booking. I think that these guys were pondering their next move outside our hostel.
Dinner was a 3 Americans, 1 Canadian and me affair. Daina seemed to like her vegetarian choice. Great presentation.
We finished dinner around 8.30pm and there was only me left as all the others went back to base. The restaurant was at the end of a park and you could hear distant music and see colorful lights.
I decided to check out the action.
Logroño was coming to life at 9pm. It was pumping. But it was not for me. I was getting cold and withdrew.
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