Logrono to Redecilla del Camino - Day 12-16 (282km)

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I have been walking for several days since I last wrote. Have enjoyed wonderful mild weather and met so many lovely people along the the trail as well as so many helpfull and gentle locals from people stopping to chat from the fiels to any one you for assistance or directions. A highlight was meeting Felicias Daughter Maria, a lady who welcomed pilgrims for over 20 years just before entering entering Logroño and now since she died her daughter does the deed and supplies coffee and toas plus a stamp on your credential for a donation. Her house is quaint and colourfull with lots of flowers.
I soaked my aching feet in a water fountain within our albergue patio and met by chance a few walking members from the Badajoz club I walked with back in 2004. In this albergue some pilgrims got up as early as 4am, some are quite rude and disrespectful to other resting pilgrims, but such is life.
Each church or Cathedral are just breathtaking, the amount of work it must have taken to build so many of them. Each town has a church with a high steeple and often it is the first thing one sees on arrival - a very welcoming sign to weary pilgrims at the end of a long walk.
I have been avoiding some of the larger towns as these tend ot get quite busy and noisy. In Najera we decided to stay in a private albergue and shared a 4 bed room with a canadian girl named France, next door we met a lovely man from Mexico who has walked the Camino several times. It is amazing how many people walk the various trails over the years and then repeat these or walk a diferrent rout.
This albergue was very nice, BUT the church bell kept me awake all night as they rang eavery half hour and becouse there was no snorring for a change I did not think of using the ear plug.
A wondefull trails of the monasteries was walked yersterday so I could visit the Nuns in a monastery off the main track in Cañas. I had the great experieance of meeting two nuns who were visiting the monastery from Burgos. They are all from the closed monasteries who do not come out into the public. We did later hear some beautiful singing. They do some great fine china paintings and have a very extemsive art musium.
Last night we arrived in a tiny town by the name of Cirueña, and were delighted to get a room in a brand newly opened alberge by a single man. He was very open about his life and was very interested in learning about Australia, he cooked us dinner of lentil soup and chorizo, wine, bread and an apple. He was a great hoast and all pilgrims sat around his kitchen table in a tiny kitchen. There was eight of us - and we all had a great evening. I spoke to a lovely lady named Carmen and learned a lot about her life in the region and about the tiny town. I have collected quite a list of names and addresses to sent photo back- when I say I will send them a copy their faces light up with happiness.
Stoms clouds this evening and some lightning - small amount of rain and the next morning (today) we had lovely clouds but no rain, this made a great day for some photo shots - of which you will have to wait.
Passing through Santo Domingo de la Calzada (of which I will tell some history later) I had the most extraordinary chance of being on time for a mass conducted for some of the closed nuns and I was alone in the church (Ron on the side) listening to their prayers for the pilgrims and to their singin was a great gift. I was also given the chance to receive communion as the only pilgrim in the church.
And now I am in Recedilla del Camino - a very small town.
Until next time, I hope the church bell does not chime all night long because the tower is just by my window.

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