Camino | Jenny and Stephen's Travel Adventure

Posts tagged ‘Camino’

Camino – Nájera (Day 11)

Date: Fri 17th May
Distance: 30km
Temperature: Cold/Wet
Mood: Mostly Good (until the end of the day)
Left: Logroño 8:30am
Arrived: Nájera 4:40pm
Santiago de Compostela: 595km

Please forgive us. We know you were all looking forward to a relaxing Saturday breakfast whilst catching up on our daily blog!

SMB on wheels – Enjoy the ride fellas! (Your numbers are dwindling!)

Our accommodation in Logroño was fab! After a typical breakfast we checked out and hit the road. It was a cold 5 deg start and we copped a shower as we walked out of town. The Camino trail out of town is also used as a local walking track and we were greeted by most of the friendly locals as we passed them with the typical “Buon Camino”.

This was going to be another big day with 30km back to back. I had pre booked the night before a private room at an Albergue so we didn’t need to worry about accommodation when we arrived, but we needed to arrive before 4:30pm else risk loosing it!

We enjoyed a morning coffee break in the village of Navarette and bought some lunch supplies before continuing on. The weather was looking very ominous the further we walked until just before getting to the small village of Ventosa a storm came through bring with it hail! We made it to a small bar just before the downpour! After a hot chocolate and the rain subsiding and 12km remaining, we left after 2:00pm knowing we needed to get to Nájera before 4:30. With about 5km to go, the legs were letting us know that they had had enough and the feet were getting sore, until we finally made it.

Well on top of 2 x 30km days, being wet and tired we met our “Raymond” (reference “The Way”). Going from a lovely Hotel in Logroño to a private Albergue room in Nájera were 2 worlds apart. (Note: Many Pilgrims stay in the Albergues for their entire pilgrimage and enjoy the experience. We admire them! Call us “soft” if you like, we have sampled every type of accommodation on offer so far on the Camino and there extremes are wide!). To top the day off, Jenny ceremoniously dumped her backpack on her bed and minutes late realised she had emptied the remained of her water bladder all over the bed! After a quick shower (A shame we forgot to take a photo, you had to see it to believe it) and after rearranging the entire room (see photo) we headed into town for a quick bit of sightseeing (Whilst we didn’t feel like it, we always drag ourselves out to see the town we are staying in and in this case we didn’t want to hang around back in the room!) and we needed to eat something for dinner.

“Raymond” had offered us earlier to eat at his restaurant for 9€ each, but after passing by and seeing no one in there we decided to play it safe and choose the cafe with the most people in it! We enjoyed the company of a French couple at the table that had 2 words of English between them (twice as many words of French that we had between us). So was a very entertaining evening as we discussed our Camino adventures in broken English, Spanish and French and with a lot of hand gesturing!

Back in our room all settled in for the night we are treated to the noise of what sounds like a rodent! And did I mention there was no WiFi!!!

We have experienced a low point! But don’t expect it to last!

More Photo’s

Camino – Logroño (Day 10)

Date: Thu 16th May
Distance: 30km
Temperature: Crisp!
Mood: Good
Left: Los Arcos 8:15am
Arrived: Logroño 3:15pm
Santiago de Compostela: 625km

A big day ahead, so needed to get an early start. Enjoyed a light breakfast in the local bar before heading off in a very crisp morning, but clear blue skies defying the weather forecast once more! Sansol was the first small village we passed through. Still feeling strong we pushed on expecting more small villages along the way we could take a break at, but this wasn’t to be as the next village was 20km into our 30km journey!

We finally made it to Viana, a beautiful old town that many pilgrims pulled up stumps and made it their resting place. With energy levels fully depleted, we found a bustling local bar and ordered Cafe con leche’s and a couple of bacon rolls. Next was a visit of the local Church Viana Iglesia Santa María. We just made it in before being asked to leave as they were locking the place up for their Siesta!

Before the last of the shops closed, we managed to purchase some supplies to make a picnic lunch all for 3€!

Now that we had refuelled, we headed off for Logroño. We were now leaving the region of Navarre and entering a smaller Spanish region called Rioja, known for its wine. Before entering the city, we had our credentials (pilgrims passports) stamped by a lady who’s family has been welcoming pilgrims every day into Logroño for many many years. (2 generations)

Checked into our kind or Albergue! This one came equipped with a bath! After a long soak, we took to the town and visited most of the Churches, including one that has a Michelangelo painting!

Enjoyed the pilgrims menu at a local cafe and headed off for an early night as we have another 30km day ahead!!! Ouch!

More Photo’s

Camino – Los Arcos (Day 9)

Date: Wed 15th May
Distance: 23km
Temperature: Cold with slight precipitation
Mood: Good
Left: Estella 8:45am
Arrived: Los Arcos 2:15pm
Santiago de Compostela: 654Km

After a very enjoyable laid back rest day with a little sight seeing and giving an Irish couple directions to their Hotel as they wandered in looking a little lost (then bumping into them again out for dinner). It was time to prepare for the next leg of our journey.

Weather forecast looked grim. Storm front came through around 10pm and rain forecast for the next week.

Hit the road around 8:45am (not too bad for us!). Whilst cold, it really is good walking weather as long as the rain holds off. Fortunately it did, with only a light sprinkling to give our wet weather jackets a tickle.

The scenery didn’t disappoint, but just not as photographic without the blue Spanish skies. Unfortunately a photo cannot capture and excite all the sensors. It misses out on the freshness of a cool breeze as it blows across the new growth of a velvet lime green wheat field giving the appearance of rolling waves. The birds chattering and singing, the crunch of gravel underfoot and the waft of cow dung hanging in the air!

We only take a quick rest break in Azqueta for a Cafe con leche and bumped into Leah, a fellow pilgrim we have been constantly bumping into since starting our Camino.

We pushed on to Villamayor and popped our heads into the 12th century San Andrés Church where a clergyman took delight in explaining what appeared to be a very special solid silver crucifix of course all in Spanish! But it did earn us a Selos! (A stamp that Pilgrims collect along the way proving that they have in fact walked the way!) Note: after some additional research, we discover that the special silver crucifix is a processional cross from the 10th Century, called the Cruz de Monjardin!

We arrived in Los Arcos shortly after 2pm. This is usually a good hour to secure a bed for the night before all the Albergues fill up, but not so in this town. All bar one were full and the only one with a vacancy, you wouldn’t even let your beloved dog sleep there (even if it were called Coco!). So it was either continue walking until we find something or go up market to hotel accommodation once more. (It’s funny how I never get any complaints from the other half when I have to break the news). It appears that the Camino is carrying an unusually high number of Pilgrims this year and accommodation is scarce. As we were hunting a young Pilgrim was looking for his accommodation that had been prebooked as he had learned the hard way earlier when he had to sleep on the bathroom floor! This Camino could get interesting (or very expensive!)

After a nice long hot shower, we visit the local Church Iglesia de Santa Maria del Los Arcos and finish off with a 3 course meal with a couple of glasses of Vino Tinto (who said we didn’t drink Red Wine?)

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A local winery provides Pilgrims with free wine on tap!

A bush toilet! Just what one needs along the way, especially when there are no public toilets!

More Photo’s

Camino – Estella (Day 7)

Date: Mon 13th May
Distance: 22km
Weather: Warm and sunny (got burnt)
Mood: High

Today the sun was shining and our spirits were high. We had paid our 4€ each for breakfast and arrived at the restaurant to find only a few well dressed pilgrims remaining. Suited us fine to have the place to ourselves! Breakfast was fantastic value and we stuffed our pockets with extra to take on the road!

Again the last to leave and a quick stop in town to purchase some lunch supplies before heading out over the 11th Century bridge and into the glorious Spanish countryside. Plenty of wild flowers, brilliant blue sky and a cacophony of birds singing. We really need to hit the road a bit earlier than after 9am! We are loving the rural scenery, the Olive fields and Vineyards and the villages we pass through. We rarely see much in the way of Spanish life which is a little disappointing. Spanish don’t seem to exist until after 7pm when they all come out, children and all into the village plaza’s where the kids play and the parents socialise over a drink or 2!

Around lunch time we bumped into our Melbourne friends at a popular cafe/bar (not hard to be popular if they are the only ones open along the entire route) We soon discover that we had enjoyed a full hotel buffet breakfast instead of the Pilgrims breakfast that was served down at the bar between 6-7:30am! (Whoops!) After walking the last few km’s with the Melbourne ladies we reached our destination of Estella. I had emailed a hotel before leaving Puente del Reine for a reservation as we had planned to have a rest day and Albergue’s only allow you 1 night.

We said our farewells and then needed to ask for directions from A local. A lovely young Spanish woman gave us very clear and detailed instructions with lots of agreement from her father. Unfortunately it was all in Spanish! At least we understood the general direction, so once in town consulted another young Spanish woman who had a tiny amount of English to get us to the Hotel.

After visiting the Church of San Pedro De La Rúe and a quick circuit around town we enjoyed diner back at our Hotel. Tomorrow is our designated rest day! Which means a nice sleep-in and no Blog! But also means we will probably lose touch with fellow Pilgrims we have been constantly bumping into along the way.