I was up and out of the hotel by 6 am. I was REALLY nervous about the weather hitting 100 degrees, so I wanted to get a very, very early start.
I got up at 5 am because, as I said before, it takes quite a while for me to wake up, pack, and get myself ready for the day. However, as I walked through the city before the sun rose, I was surprised at just how vast and extensive Logroño was!
It reminded me very much of walking the streets of Brooklyn at the crack of dawn, and it made me feel a lot of nostalgia for being back in a city and walking with purpose. If any pilgrim is craving more of a city-type environment, then Logroño is the place to be.
To be honest, when I first got in the city, I found it a little bit overwhelming for me, but it was probably just sheer exhaustion.
Thirty minutes into my walk, my feet still felt very sore. But I knew that as it warmed up, it would begin to feel better and better. It just needed to remember what it was meant to do, which was walking, and specifically on this journey, it was walking for 20 kilometers in a day (which didn’t happen, lol).
The path and arrows were not as illuminated and clear/distinct. Leaving the city, I mostly saw very faded arrows. However, I used the ninja app and was able to figure my way out.
A few other pilgrims passed me on my way out of the city. But besides that, it was a peaceful and empty morning. There is a part when you are leaving the park. That gets very confusing. I thought I had to keep walking straight in the same direction I was going, but it turned out the Camino was in the opposite direction. I found this out from a sanitation worker. There is a supermarket that should be on your left, and you walk straight past it. I will put a picture of it below.
About an hour into my walk, I meet an incredible father-daughter duo from Barcelona! I walked with them the whole way to Navarrete. We took pictures together, pictures of frantic squirrels, cute ducks, and even rabbits! I enjoyed my time walking with them.
At first, I was apprehensive because I’m so used to walking alone, and I don’t generally use people for energy. However, I think I was sent a tiny family that I needed.
She spoke pristine English, and the dad didn’t say a few phrases like “car danger” or “follow me,” haha. I also practiced my Spanish with them but mostly spoke to Patty in English. They told me about life in Barcelona and the political climate between Catalan people and the rest of Spain. We had such an affinity towards each other. Patty told me about her life as a 13-year-old girl going to an international school in Barcelona (loads of drama), her hobbies, and what parties look like for her age group.
We shared a popular Spanish rock candy that pops in your mouth. I heard multiple songs of her favorite drill and trap artists from all over the world. I was fascinated by how much music can be a unifier. The music genre created by black youth in the USA is now being reproduced by young people in Russia, Italy, and even Russia. She reminded me of myself at 13 and made me reminisce on fond moments with my father before he passed away. I told her to cherish these moments, and the dad loved that!
Papa Raúl tried to get his daughter to appreciate the quiet of the walk instead of talking her head off and wasn’t too happy about her playing music aloud. But I enjoyed her excitement and joyous teenage spirit.
Papa Raúl has walked the Camino 10 times!! When he could get a word in, he dropped some wisdom. He said there are three stages of the Camino
Physical
Mental
Spiritual
Right now, I am in the mental phase, and I agree! He says that this walk is an evolution of the self on each level. I wanted more wisdom and secrets, but he winked and told me, “little by little, I will tell you,” before he dropped the last nugget that the universe has many signs, and they don’t always come in the form of a physical sign post.
Leaving Logroño, there were incredible views! I walked through maybe one or two nature reserves or recreational parks. Unfortunately, I was not able to get as many pictures because I was busy talking. However, there were many trees, benches, and wildlife; it was a beautifully kept slice of nature.
Further, into the walk, I walked past more vineyards, a massive rocks excavation, and a slight detour with signs.
Time passed so fast! My feet were hurting, but Patricia kept me distracted and entertained. There was a steepish hill and decent at a certain point, but I didn’t take out my sticks to help.
We made wooden crosses and placed them on a wire fence above a highway. I said a prayer, and it was a lovely symbol of my intentions for this walk.
Something very cool happened on the way: There was a precession of men, a young one had these tiny gold cross pendants, and another had a giant statue attached to his back. They offered me a gold pendant, but I declined because I thought I would have to pay. I remember maybe times in Andalusia, I would be offered a flower or trinket by a local
person, but it meant I had to pay, and if I didn’t pay, I would be cursed. So I was skeptical and declined. Papa Raúl was ahead, and when we caught up with him, he explained we should have taken one because they were blessed charms. ☹️☹️ We were super upset and started yelling for the men to come back haha 😂 Supposedly they are walking the Camino in reverse from Santiago and handing out these gold charms to pilgrims. I missed my chance to be blessed, I guess!
I enjoyed my walk today because of the company and because it wasn’t super physically demanding. I wanted to go to Ventosa but felt led to stop in Navarrete. So, I did.
I am staying at A la Sombra del Laurel. It’s out of the main square, which is a con. However, it’s super quirky and thoughtfully decorated. My room is immaculate, with a private bathroom. The host Esperanza is so cheery and a beautiful soul. I entered the hostel kind of a mess, and I thought I lost my passport. ☹️ She calmed me down and called my previous hotel for me. I found it in my bag but was touched by how motherly she was to me.
I had a delicious tortilla at Bar Kairos! Best so far outside of Paz Tortilla in Madrid. I wanted a proper lunch, but it was too early. I arrived in Navarrete at 10 AM and I left Logroño at 6 AM.
The town of Navarrete is charming and has a couple of food options too. There are beautiful old buildings to appreciate. I also took in the ruins of an old hospital for pilgrims from the Roman era.
I spent thirty minutes in the church and even attended mast and lit a candle. I then walked back to my hostel via an old passageway.
I finished the day off with a cold foot bath!
Overall, an excellent short walking day. However, I wonder where my feet will take me tomorrow!!
Liosuelo 