Torres del Rio - Logrono

Day 7 (Tuesday 14 May; 654 kilometres to go to Santiago de Compostela) A pleasant evening group meal with several other pilgrims (except for the french fries again - they're the only potato dish that northern Spain knows). I sleep for 5 hours straight from 22:00, and then fitfully after that. I'm up and repacked by 06:30, when a basic breakfast is provided downstairs. This albergue, Casa Mariela, is operated by a private company that has a network of 251 hostels across Spain. It's the new gold standard, even though the price is slightly higher than the municipal albergue's.

Afterwards, searching for some skin cream in the "basement" of my rucksack, I realize that my rain jacket is missing. After a moment's angst, I can picture it hanging on a hook in the albergue dorm room 28 km back in Estella. Airing out your gear is a good idea; gathering it around your bunk before going to sleep is an even better one. In any case, there's nothing for it but to press on and look for one in Logrono. Fortunately, there is no rain on the horizon. I'm away by 07:10.

Shortly after starting out, I encounter Calgary Lise, Toronto Angela, central Sweden Sven, and Yvon, a Dutch policewoman. I walk with them for the rest of the day. It's a beautiful one; mostly sunny, light winds, and temperatures early on in the 5 to 10 Celsius range. We are walking through gently rolling countryside on good, well-marked trail. I am learning to use the outside-zippered pocket in the hood of my ruck as what the Navy would call a "ready use locker". Such items as sunscreen, skin cream, and sunglasses are stored there, as well as a small, home-made first aid kit.

Around 09:20, we enter the town of Viana, 11 kilometres from our starting point. As I walk through the town looking for a place for coffee, I come across a small outdoor equipment store. The proprietor speaks good English and, yes, he has rain jackets. In fact he has one Gore-Tex model on sale; regularly 240 Euro, now priced at 99. This black jacket does not have under-arm zip-pits for ventilation, but is otherwise fine. Sold - I'm back in business. As my friend Mark Bucken said before my departure: "The Camino will Provide".

A bar that serves coffee is just down the street beneath a towering old church. We enjoy a leisurely break there, as we are only walking 20 kilometres today. Towards noon, we are approaching the outskirts of Logrono and come across an elderly lady selling some souvenirs. Her mother apparently did this before her, so she is entitled to her own stamp to press into our Carta de Peregrino (a personal pilgrim credential that is stamped and dated at each waypoint to prove to ourselves and the folks who award the official certificates in Santiago that we have indeed walked the whole Camino).

 

I noticed last night in Torres del Rio that the Spanish hostel company has an albergue in Logrono. We acquire a map from a tourist office for pilgrims that is along our route into the city and then navigate our way there. It costs 10.5 Euro, but it's worth it. Lunch follows at an adjacent bar/restaurant. After we return to the albergue, a lady for the bar tracks us down. We have no common language, so we seek the assistance of the hospitalera at the reception desk, who speaks some French. It turns out that the bar forgot to add the cost of our beer and wine to the bill, which Sven had kindly paid. With apologies from both parties, Lise goes back and generously settles the outstanding amount. I'm on for the wine at dinner.

I plan to walk 30 kilometres tomorrow, to Najera. Notwithstanding, the others have heard that the cuisine here is excellent, so we are going upscale from our usual prix fixe pilgrim's meal.

 

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