Back on Track—and a New Favorite

We are back on the Camino after a week of medically recommended break. Our unintended extra days in Logrono, led to it become one of our new favorite cities in Spain. This capital of the Rioja region, known for wine, is big enough to be interesting but small enough to not be overwhelming. It has all the services we needed, including urgent care for me and electronic parts for Laurie.

And, it was fun to hang out on Calle Laurel known for great pinchos—or small plates of food. Basically, pinchos or tapas are like small appetizer plates and it is easy to make a meal of them. In the north of Spain they are called pinchos—spelled pintxos in Basque Country, but are called Tapas in Madrid and other cities south. Laurel is Laurie’s given name—and she rolled up six points on me in backgammon in honor of hanging out on her personal Calle.

On our first night we stayed at the Albergue which is hosted by the adjoining Church of Santiago el Real. Every night they have a blessing of the pilgrims after mass. Then, the priest explains the elaborate retablo, or altarpiece, with nearly 20 renditions of Santiago, or Saint James, in his life and afterlife. The priest was proud to say it has the most depictions of the Saint of any Camino church.

The people are also friendly. On our way out of town this morning a couple offered to take our photo with the co-cathedral in the background. And on the trail in the countryside we were wished “Buen Camino” more often than in any other region.

One unusual site coming into Naverette, our home for the night, was one of the iconic Osborne bulls. These billboards were designed in the 1950s to advertise a brandy. EU law forbids billboard advertising of alcoholic beverages—shockingly enough—but 91 of these bulls were allowed to remain, although with their advertisement painted out.

It was a pleasant day to be back on the trail and my leg appears to be up to the task.