Camino francés - Page 5

Los Arcos - Logroño (ca. 30 km)

In terms of weather, it was one of the few sunny days. Also the path was not difficult to run from the profile. After Christmas many Spaniards used the holidays to hunt. Thus one heard already early at all corners and ends gun salvos. Now and then a dog came running, but they only barked at me from a distance. In general, my previous fear of free-running dogs on the way had not confirmed. The more aggressive of the species were chained, the others were mostly tame. Only later once we had to defend ourselves from two annoying little mongrels. A stick is enough for that. Many pilgrims used these Nordic Walking sticks. I had tried to walk with a stick before Estella, but it was useless for me and so I threw it away. I had my shell on my backpack, so I was recognizable as a pilgrim. After Viana, an unusually neat and modern city, I stopped for lunch. On the holiday, all stores had closed on the way, so I took food from yesterday to me.

From here I could already see Logroño, but there were still 10 km to run. Arrived in the suburbs, I became a little more cautious, strange characters lived here. Because I carried all my belongings with me. On the outskirts of the city gypsies met and made noise. The hostel was relatively well signposted and once there, a man opened the door for me, after ringing the bell several times. He let me in and led me to his sick companion who spoke good English. So I learned that the hospitaleros came later and they both had to stay here for a few days because of his nausea. It was warm and quite showers were hot and there was a huge kitchen with all cooking equipment. A few hours passed and there came 4 important hostel people and stamped and cashed us. After the setup procedure, I went again in the city for edible and found even a few open Muslim stores, they had today no holiday.

However, these people do not sell alcohol 😒. The city center is quite worth seeing. When I returned to the hostel, I met Razuz and the Mexican couple. I asked them how they got here without passing me. They had taken the bus. Hostels on the Camino were usually open until 10pm and are usually not open for admittance until after 4pm in the afternoon. That can be, but like everything here in Spain, one could not generalize. So then also shortly before 22 o'clock still a Spanish large family arrived. These and Razuz made such a snoring canon during the night that I was glad to be allowed to get up early at half past seven.

Logroño - Nájera (ca. 28 km)

I had breakfast at the hostel and then left around 8. After several kilometers it went out of Logrono and again into the free nature. It was rainy and cloudy, which is why I can not write so much about the actually quite appealing area. After a few rather boring hours of walking, I had lunch in Navarrete and bought some food for the evening. You should always get some more here, you never know what to expect at the hostel place. In the worst case there's nothing at all, neither bars nor stores. After the withdrawal of yesterday, I also preferred to take my San Miguel from the store with 🙂.

In Nájera I asked my way to the hostel, a young girl then led me there. From the hostel I was thrilled, very warm, clean, shower water hot and the friendly hospitalera spoke very good English, even a few bits of German. I was the first pilgrim here and after my stroll through the city, the 2 French from Logroño arrived and at a late hour again the noisy extended family. The giant dormitory was ventilated, I could once again get all my clothes dry and slept here very well. After my feet I had not looked for a few days more, but the pain gradually subsided and the blisters went up in the rain already during the run.