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| Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes |
Click here for Google Map and my starting point today
I went to bed early last night to catch up on my notes and look over my photos. The others in this small room retired early also but they were going to sleep so I felt under pressure to put the lights out. It was now that I noticed my bed was sloping to the outside and I was unable to get a comfortable position. I knew this was going to be another bad night with little sleep because the guy in the bed beside me added to my sloping bed problem when he started to snore. This was a unique sounding snore and the only thought that came to mind was that he sounded like a rabid gander, not that I have ever heard of a gander with rabies not to mention overhearing what he might sound like. Anyway, that's what came to my sleep deprived mind. See more on snoring in the topic below.
I got up at 5:30am and while getting ready I sat on my glasses and broke them. Lucky I brought my spares I though as I rummaged in my backpack. I found them and popped them on only to discover they were my old scratch pair and not my new spares. It was either these or contacts so I stuck with the old glasses for now.
I left at about 7:10am and walked all the way to Viana, nearly 20Kms., before taking a break. While going through Viana I met Ellie and mum Rose. They told me they were giving consideration to staying an extra night in Logroño. This began to sound like a great idea, two nights in a hotel to give this old body time to recover and catch up on sleep.
I was looking for a quiet spot to get something to eat and where I could catch up on my notes for today but I suddenly realised I was exiting the town without having found anywhere. I did not want to go back because I promised myself I would not backtrack at anytime along the way so I went slightly off the signed route to a small cafe. This was a lovely spot with lots of very well dressed thirty something ladies having morning coffee. Not a smelly pilgrim in sight. I ventured in and sat at the counter and attempted to communicate with a very pleasant lady behind the counter. She was determined that I ask for what I wanted using only Spanish. She was very helpful writing down the words I should be using and once I got it right she was delighted to assist. I only ate half my food because I decided I would find a quiet spot once back on the road to update my notes and finish my lunch.
I was looking for a shady spot but had to settle for a bench in the full mid day sun. I sat back against my backpack , boots off, feet up, eyes closes, absolute bliss. Then I finished my lunch and started to update my notes. A young Spanish couple came by, I had been listening to them singing and laughing while they came down the mountainside earlier. They came over and we had chatted, I complimented him on his singing and the quality of his voice.He told me he sings professionally and writes his own songs. His name is Ricardo and his girlfriend is called Francesca. She is training to teach young children. I asked about the song he was singing, if it was one of his own. He informed me that it was a very popular Spanish song from the 1970's. They went along their way. Four Americans came by and we exchanged greetings. Then a a lady I had seen several times on the route came over to me, her name is Charity from Vancouver. She stayed briefly and then said she was keen to get to While going through Viana I met Ellie and mum Rose. They told me they were giving consideration to staying an extra night in Logroño as soon as possible.
Sitting here on the bench, greeting everyone, I was so chilled (Mentally) but frying (Physically) in the hot mid day sun. I decided that I would head for Logroño, about another 10Kms. away, and book into a hotel for two days. I had always intended to take breaks along the way but so far did not feel the need, now I though that this would be a good time for a break before my body gets too wrecked.
Finally I got up and set off again. My body had seized up and my feet were screaming at me in pain. It usually takes about thirty to sixty minutes for my brain to ignore the protests of my aching body and just get on with the walking. Once this occurs the pain goes into the background and I even forget about the weight on my back. Stretching exercises will with the stiffness but can do nothing for the blisters.
I find the last few kilometres, as I approach my final destination for the day, to be the most difficult, they seem to go on and on. Coming down the pathway on the approach to Logroño I stopped at a stall outside a small house. The old lady stamped my credentials and I purchase a shell in return. Not a bad little cottage industry there : )
I decided I would find a hotel at the far end of Logroño, not too far from the centre but on the road out of the city to give me a good start on the morning of my departure. I settled on the Murrieta Hotel and was delighted with their response when I asked for an improved rate if I stayed two nights. There was a time I would not have had the nerve to ask for a reduction but after my US Road Trip last year I have got over that inhibition. (Note: Hotel rates along the Camino are very reasonable and I found the quality very good value for money) It did occur to me that by staying over in Logroño many of the people I had befriended over the last week would now be going ahead of me and I may not see them again. I would even miss those people I had never had a conversation with but always exchanged a salute, a nod or a 'buen camino'.
I was very pleased with the room and immediately set up home. I rinsed out a lot of my clothes in the hope that they would dry out over the next couple of days. After a quick shower and change of clothes I decided to go find the Cathedral and to take a few photos.I found the Cathedral and sat outside 'El Rey de Jamon' bar/restaurant to enjoy a beer. The photo opposite tells it all, relaxing with a beer looking out over the square and the cathedral, note book, guide book and watching the world go by. To top it off no pressure about having to walk tomorrow and time for my blistered feet to heal.
A lot of my Camino 'friends' were going by and many stopped to talk for a while. To my delight most had decided to stay over so I would not lose contact with them now : ) After a couple of beers I went inside the restaurant and had a great meal before deciding to head back to my room. Just before leaving I met Ellie and Rose again.
September 3rd in Logroño, a day of rest?
I got up early and decided to take a good look around this beautiful city. Strange that we choose to spend a day walking around the city on a day we decide to take a break from walking the Camino. Stranger still, I really missed the open road but decided to make the most of this opportunity to chill out. I saw one of the Northern Ireland guys and went over to join him at a table outside a bar in Plaza Mercado and opposite the Cathedral. His name is Jim and he told me his walking companion is his brother Markey. Jim's feet were bandaged and he had been advised by the doctor to give himself up to a week to recover and before walking on the Camino again. 
Before going on my way we agreed to meet later and visit a few of the local tapas bars. On the way back to my hotel I met Ellie and Rose and or the first time, Ellie's father, Peter. I sat with them for a while, Peter recently retired from the local Police force in his locality in Victoria and is now enjoying hie new found freedom. I then came across Alexandro, he had also been to the doctor's surgery to have his blistered feet attended to. He hopes to be able to get back on the road tomorrow maybe as far Nájera but if no doing well he will stop over in Navarette.
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| Peter, Markey and Jim |
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Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow
Logroño:
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Topic: Albergues and HotelsI don't have too much to say about the Albergues or Hotels and what I do have to impart is mostly positive.
Hotels:
The few hotels I stayed in were very comfortable and certainly good value for money. I also appreciated the fact that they would negotiate downwards when I asked for a better price over two nights. I only ate breakfast in one hotel and it was disappointing, no artery clogging stuff that we Irish like to indulge in when staying in a hotel. Other than that I found them very nice and the staff were always helpful and friendly. The hotel stop was always great for catching up on emails because they had WiFi and I was also able to recharge all my batteries.
Albergues:
Prices:
The price range for a bed in an Albergues ranged from €5 to €18 but most of them were between €5 and €10. Breakfast was usually extra but only cost a few euro. The evening meal, a pilgrim menu, could cost from €8 to €12. In every case this was good value for money.
Meals:
Breakfast in the Albergue was very basic but many people availed f it to give them a start for the day. I chose to hit the road and get my breakfast after putting some kilometres behind me. Breakfast in the Alberque included Tea or Coffee with Toast, Jam etc. I think it would not take much effort to offer hard boiled eggs or something like that. They could be cooked the night before. I do appreciate that you always had the option to pick up some food the evening before and have that in the Albergue before leaving.
Dinner, the pilgrim menu, also varied greatly but quality apart there was usually enough food. A starter may include Soup or and Salad, Bread always available, The main could be meat or fish, desert a piece of fruit or yogurt or ice cream and once or twice a flan. Like I said, usually enough food. Generally the quality was good, occasionally it was just OK and filled the gap. A couple of times it was excellent. I may mention the exceptional ones in the blog.
Facilities:
The facilities were usually OK in that they Albergues were always clean. Showers and toilet facilities must have been adequate in that I never found myself unable to gain access to either when needed although some places, often the municipal hostels were exceptional.
Washing clothes varied a lot. Some places offered washing and drying services and again here the price varied greatly. Some places did the washing and drying for you while others provided the machines with slots for coins. I think I washed my clothes by hand more often that by machine because either I could not get access to a machine or there were none in the Albergue. I think drying facilities is probably the most important and should be available in every Albergue. I was lucky in that most days were sunny so it was possible to get clothes dry but when the rains came it became a bit of a problem. You bring so few changes of clothes, to keep the weight down, it is necessary to wash every couple of days. If you were unfortunate enough to have consecutive days of rain the absence of drying facilities would become problematic.
A few of the Albergues had a swimming pool. a real luxury : )
Sharing the space:
Sharing a bedroom with others can be challenging and occasionally confrontational. The problem usually arose at night. Some people like to have the room cool, with windows open, while others like to warm with all sources of fresh air closed off. If you were unfortunate enough to be close to the window you could find yourself at the centre of this disagreement. I observed a few incidents where people became fairly irate with each other over this one. I think it was the only time I saw any hostility between pilgrims. Oh, there was one other one where one pilgrim, basking in the sun, became irate with another pilgrim who was accused of blocking 'their' sun.
Beds:
The quality of beds varied greatly. The beds that were most uncomfortable were those with plastic or rubber covering beneath the sheets. I always found the beds to be spotlessly clean and I never experienced any of the bed bugs I had read about prior to setting off. I slept in single beds, upper and lower bunk beds. Sometimes the head room for the lower bunk user was very narrow so it was impossible to sit on the side of the bed. I did experience one thing that I cover under another topic, i.e. sloping bed syndrome.
WiFi:
Most Alberbues advertised the act that they had WiFi but in most cases the signal was so poor that it would frustrate you trying to get at your email or any other service.
Power Supply:
There was always a scramble to find the available power sockets to recharge your phone or batteries for camera etc. A few Albergues had a power point beside each bed or bunk. Others Albergues had a limited number of power points but it was usually hard to get a turn on them. Then there were the Albergues where they did not provide anything in the line of power points or WiFi. I think the power supply should always be available because having a fully charged mobile while walking alone is a basic necessity. I know some may not agree with having any technology with you but a phone can be useful should any unforseen event arise.
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