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Published: June 21st 2012
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Rugged up against the elements
I LOOK happy.... despite talking legs and feet 13/14th April we walked from Los Arcos - in the Navarra region, to Logrono (La Rioja region then Navarette.... The views were stunning - see pics!
The walk to Logrono was fairly arduous , we were both feeling tired and the accumulation of days/kms walked was making itself felt .... legs and feet were TALKING to us - crying and shouting sometimes really ! I was also becoming aware that i NEED to eat before we set off for the morning - If I walk on an empty stomach for too long I start to feel a bit 'tetchy' and little aches and pains become all encompassing.... so best to stop and eat - refuel .
Joseph/Bep ( I wish he'd chosen just ONE name to intro himself) walked with us a while - but had a faster pace and went off ahead.... we caught up a little later , had a coffee to warm ourselves - it was a VERY cold day - and ate fruit/bread outside the church. Went inside the church after to look - and as almost always the case in even the smallest Spanish villages - the decorations and gold and carvings and art
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Rain on the horizon in the church were astonishing....SO ornate, so much crafting, so much money spent in very poor communities on religious artefacts, pomp and show..... Can't help thinking how some monies could be better spent helping those who live(d) in the area.... The church originated in the 13th century...Inside was an altar with and I saw for the first time - ELECTRIC candles..... I've always liked the idea of lighting a candle as a prayer or affirmation or in memory of someone...... have never minded making a donation to do so - but I balk at paying a donation for an ELECTRIC candle that switches on in a cold and clinical manner - Just aint the same as far as I'm concerned....so I didnt...
When we appeared blinking into the daylight again Diane and I saw a woman with the MOST ORANGE legs we have ever seen.... she'd really gone to town on the Le Tan cream/lotion/potion...... the legs were comically colourful , flaunted in an above knee skirt and short coat ( BRRRR) - Diane took a sneaky pic .......
We set off again , thrugh the village - stopping to buy some lovely bread - wholemeal even!! It
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One of the many memorials along The Way was often the case however that we'd buy the bread with intention of eating it fresh..... but sometimes was left in the backpack for 1/2/3 days! We would still eat it - even 'beyond its best...but thats ok - I've always been flexible with Use By dates - believeing that it means best when used by - NOT 'will kill you if eaten after' as many seem to think now.... Its amazing how great stale bread can taste sitting by a pathway, at the edge of a field or wherever. So... we continued to walk VERY rugged up - it was a REALLY cold day - about 4 deg I think - maximum - and the last few kms were a struggle and we were happy to get to Logrono were we saw Mike and Fran - an ( Irish?) couple we had chatted with previously ... they directed us to one of the 2 Albergue's in town saying this wa ' a bit more of a communal experience' but clean, tidy , with hot showers.... So in we went - paid 7 Euro for a bed in a 24 bed room - 12 bunks...... we were given a disposable
sheet and pillow case - that was a first! It was VERY squashy unpacking and trying to get things/area/bed sorted out as everyone sort of arrives at the same time - the room was filling and there was hardly any space between the bunks to pass...so felt very apologetic and in the way ... but so did everyone - all sweetly respectful and 'excuse me'-ing as they flattened themselves to try and get past . We named this the 'Sardine Room' The showers were indeed hot.... a shower in each corner of a bathroom - fully enclosed with glass doors - but absolutely NO hooks or anywhere to hang a towel or anything in the shower - just a hat stand - outside the showers in the middle of the bathroom. and it was cold cold cold.....so tried to avoid public nudity - but it was difficult .
We went for a walk after to the piazza - found a place to have Churros and Chocolate ... or so i thought - but something was lost in translation and we had churros and cafe con leche - churros is kind of like a straight donut . We wrote in
our journals while huddling inside the bar for warmth.... took a few pics of stork on church, town cathedral etc on the way back to the Albergue..... we rested there in the late afternoon - and both had and gave a foot massage - The legs and feet seriously feeling the result of an arduous day..... other folk around us napped on their beds.... anyone talking doing so in whispers...
Lou ( my daughter) graduated with a Bachelor of Media Studies at Adelaide Uni on that day - I texted and called...... I'm so proud of the lovely intelligent articulate vivacious young woman she has become.....
We had a Paella at a local restaurant that evening... and went to sleep in squashy room and slept fitfully ............ I havent had any memorable dreams as some people have mentioned - though I think Diane was dreaming quite regularly vivid dreams of her old home in Wudinna.
We set off at about 7-30 am - again in search of churros and chocolate....to no avail - walked with Bep for the last time as he walked further on - he was on a tighter schedule to do only a portion
of the Camino in his 2-3? weeks of holidays.... We gave ourselves a break and had a short day of 13 km walk - ... continuing again through beautiful scenery landscapes and weatherscapes ( rainy ones!) ... staying in a lovely priv Albergue that was a little hard to find... also while we were resting and having a coffee at the beginning of the town ( Navarette) - waiting for the time when the Albergues open in the early afternoon) we were embarassed to be caught out by the Spanish way of paying for food ( all food/drinks - even just coffee and a bocadillo - roll) AFTER you have eaten it..... we ate and drank - then left - and were called back because we hadnt paid.... felt very sheepish - I think the woman thought we were trying to get away without paying ....
We found and settled in to a priv Albergue - were allocated beds in a 10/12 bed room. The Hospitalero was very sweet and welcoming and managed to let us know all the ins and outs despite no English and our no Spanish ... he had a purple jumper I remember.... AND he
came and checked we were all in our beds and turned out the lights at 10/10-30pm....patted each of us on shoulder and said goodnight :-) ...... we met Nicole, Florence, Eric and a couple of others whose names escape me - had a shared lunch that Nicole organised .... then did our own thing for dinne that night , then returned and had a little more wine with the others.... I do believe I snored a bit that night.... allegedly ..... I think Diane hit me .....but its ok - I'll be fine after a few years of therapy..... :-)
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sandy shores
Sandy Shores
so enjoying reading your blog and seeing the great photos . . .