Najera

Today I walked 28.9 kilometers, from Logroño to Nájera. That’s 17.9 miles for those of you on the other side of the pond.

It was my first day walking and while the last 5 kilometers hurt, it felt good to be walking and breathing.

Had a terrible night in Logroño. Stayed at the municipal albergue where a large loud group of Americans and Italians came in late, like after 10 pm!, and were so loud and drunk and obnoxious. It made me question myself entirely! Like who does this as a vacation? Sleep in bunk beds in a room with 24 other people!?

Today I’m staying in a private albergue with the perfectly reasonable number of 8 in a room. But we already have a snorer so as soon as I finish writing I’m going out to buy ear plugs.

I left the albergue at 6:33 am. A bit late for me. Very soon after starting I met Mary and Kevin from Montana. Retired, grown children, she a retired elementary teacher, he retired military. They were lovely to talk to and walk with. It was nice walking out of the city with partners. Walking into and out of cities isn’t my favorite part of the Camino- traffic, suburbs, not always well marked, so it was nice to be with others. And it reminded me what I enjoy about the Camino- the people!

We walked together until we reached a nice large park with a lake. They stopped to look at the swans, I stopped to take a picture of the cherry blossoms and this funny sign:

And then our rhythms were out of sync and we wished each other well- “Buen Camino” and I resumed walking alone.

I also walked with an interesting young man from South Korea who writes children’s books for a living and had never been outside his country before this trip and had never spent time with foreigners before this trip.

Finally I walked with Gianluca from Italy who knew all the wild herbs that were growing alongside the path. He would pick one and have me smell it and tell me all that it could do for you. Then he read my tarot cards over a beer. We pretended to understand each other. He spoke in an Italian/ Spanish mix. I spoke in a Spanish/ English mix. This is also his 3rd Camino.

And dear reader, now that you know the characters, would you like to know the setting?

Today was not the most beautiful walk I’m afraid. The park was green with new flowers just blooming- poppies, calendula, cherry and apple blossoms, irises, mallow, and this awesome bright yellow flowered bush. All the greenery is that sweet spring bright green.

Then onto the vineyards. I’m in La Rioja, the wine producing region of Spain. The vineyards covered in red earth, and the small grape trees just just starting to grow, small green buds- in Spanish brotes- sprouting here and there.

But too much of today’s walk was alongside highways for my tastes. And on hard concrete paths which aren’t nice on the muscles.

And now I’m in Nájera which is sandwiched between a river and this giant impressive red rock that caves have been carved out of. These pictures are from the room I am sleeping in tonight.