Day 8 - Los Arcos to Logrono

Day 8 and this was a long one, 28km.  Up and on the road at 7:45.  It is hard to believe that some perigrinos, such as George and Jack had started at 5:00!

We left the city through a portal that said 'you are what I once was, and will be what I am now'. Leaving we crossed a bridge over the Odron River, where yesterday Jack said he saw eight snakes in the water. No snakes were to be seen, only flotillas of obviously carniverous ducks!

The first thing we usually do leaving town is climb a hill.  Not today, it started out as a very pleasant walk.  It was overcast and cool again.  Shortly after starting we passed a perigrina with three loaves of bread stuck in her pack.  She said it was for the small animals who had to be fed.  We passed the animals, three young girls, just ahead.

We passed through olive groves and past vineyards.  A very nice walk, designed to fool you into what was to come. By 9:30 the sun was out and it was hot.

At Torres del Rio we saw the Iglesia del Santo Sepulchre.  Linked with the Knights Templar, it bears a striking resemblance to the church at Eunate we visited a few days ago.

Surprise, very steep hills ahead.  We then climbed to the Ermitage de la Virgen del Poyo.  Outside on the Way two clergy were performing a mass with a broken chalise causing them no end of grief. Two peregrinas we recognized were intimately involved. Later we asked them about it and the priests had just asked if they wanted to have mass.

Up, down, up, down, all the time we could see today's destination, Logrono, in the distance, not really getting closer.

Shortly after the mass we caught up to John and Margaret from Tasmania. We walked the rest of the way to Logrono with them, which made the distance pass very quickly. I told Margaret why I was walking the Camino.

Finally the steep hills and valleys came to an end as we reached Viana.  Here we found the 13th century Iglesia de Santa Maria, the burial place of Cesar Borgia, who was killed nearby on the morning of March 12, 1507. We went inside the magnificient church. It had one of the most beautiful chapels we've seen so far.

We met up with George, Jack, and Martha in the square in Viana and the fellow whose backpack Russ had found days ago took a group photo of the lot of us, with everyone's camera. We stopped for coffee con leche at a restaurant and when we went to order a gentleman of about 80 was sitting at the counter reading a pornographic magazine. More contrasts on the Way. The peregrino we met from Italy, also called George, joined us with his hazlenuts to share.

From here it was pleasant walk with wonderful companions to get to Logrono. This was John and Margaret's last day on the Camino and we wished them a pleasant journey home and they wished us a buen camino. Margaret told me she had said a prayer for Kristine in the church in Viana which gave me renewed hope.

Another high point entering Logrono was encountering a friendly face on the side of the trail as we left Navarre and entered Rioja province.  She was a very old woman and has been greating perigrinos for years.  She smiled, stamped the passport, and bid us Buen Camino.  A few cents were put into her basket for good luck.

We reached Logrono with very tired feet. This is a very vibrant and beautiful town but our feet are just too tired for sightseeing and tomorrow's walk is 31km. Lord we will need your strength to fulfill our intentions tomorrow!

Summary - a good long walk today.  Spirits are high but there is sadness as John and Margret leave the trail to go on to other adventures, and George from Italy goes home as well.  Friends so easily made and lost on the Camino.

Distance today - 28km
Distance total - 168.5km