Blogs from La Rioja, Spain, Europe - page 9

We woke early on Wednesday to find it was raining cats and dogs, the tent was seriously wet, having hummed and harred over a cupper we went for the stay in place option for the day. With Ian’s highly accurate weather app telling us that the rain would stop at 8pm (it actually stopped at 8.02pm!) we decided on a catch up on laundry and find a supermarket day. Woolly say – I had a look outside the tent but couldn’t see any cats and dogs so I’m not sure what they are on about, there was an awful lot of rain though. Once showered we set off to find a supermarket, driving round the town of Zarautz was different, with stray people walking in front of Oliver and no sign of anything that looked like ... read more

Villafranca 19kms Very overcast,damp,but great for walking.Wide gravel track.We stopped in Belorado for breakfast for about an hour.I felt a little cold today and both of us were a little sluggish.I think it may have been all the food Ana gave us.ostly open fields again today,we arrived at 1.00pm The hotel had an albergue attached to it.He had everything from 5.00 euros to 70.00,pretty much had the market covered.Hotel San Abad.We met a south Texas couple,Dan and Mercedes,had dinner and walked a while with them. Sept 20 Atapuerca 19kms.left about 8.30,very foggy and damp.The first 12 kms were all up and down,I assuWred Aiden the views were supposed to be worth it.Did I mention the fog?The last 6-8kms it brightened up considerbly.We spent most of the day walking through pine and oak forests.There was some logging ... read more

Well I am 200 miles in Burgos Spain. Castrojeriz Spain to be exact. The other day in Burgos I broke a finger, my booger picker on top of that, pinched a nerve in my neck which hurts like hell and my feet are finally starting to heal. Other than that life has been great. We get up and go at the crack of dawn and are done walking by 1 or 2 depending on the heat. Thank god Scooter told me to take the walking shoes. Then we get into the albegure and wash our cloths and chill and do lunch. Spain has siesta everyday so the world shuts down from 1 to 7 pm. Nothing and I mean nothing is open. All the stores, if any are small. Basic necessities? no washing machines either. Everything ... read more

You may have noticed that in my headings I have put in brackets a description....This is mainly for Jacqui and myself to remember the albergue's that we stayed in. To remember the town names or the albergue names would be almost impossible as the names are so different to our names in Australia..... giving them a name relating to something that may have happened or describe the room.... has worked for us. There were small hailstones when we started walking today. We put our raincoats on.....have been wearing them for warmth lately. Had a few small climbs today and my foot is feeling a lot better with the ankle brace on. It seems to like the extra support which is making my life a lot better. Jacqui gave it a massage as well last night which ... read more

You ain´t no punk you punk You wanna talk about the real junk! (Garbageman - The Cramps) I wonder if this is the first time that The Cramps have been used to make a metaphysical point? Well if it has it was probably with Can your Pussy do the Dog? anyway... SOOOOOOO, enough of that... there reasons for using The Cramps quote are twofold. In conversation with a keen psychobilly fan (reason one for the reference), the view was expressed that the camino was a good means of clearing psychic debris from your life. It´s the equivalent of a bin night for your brain - a spring clean of the psyche... To give you an example from today. I was looking forward to making a detour off the camino today and visiting the monastery at Cañas, ... read more