2 & 3 May Logrono to Najera to Santo Domingo 52 km or 32 miles

2 May
The clouds were trying to let rain fall on us as we departed Logrono for Najera but only a mist fell and after about 6 miles we were walking in over cast skies and a slight wind from the west. Logrono is certainly a city that you would want to visit if you were doing a driving tour of northern Spain. A mix between modern and thousand year old architecture. Once outside of town everyone commented on the parks and recreational facilities and how well kept they were. We slowly started our long climb to Navarette, a small village about one third of the way to Najera. In the distance we could see the towering Cathedral as it looked down on the pilgrims making there way up the steep streets to city center. We were fortunate that the doors were open and we could go in and have a few minutes of rest and peace. The inside of the church was nothing short of spectacular. The main alter area was gold leaf from the alter to the ceiling. Un believable. Even in the darkness of the church it looked like gold water falls running from the ceiling to the floor. Photos were not allowed so you will have to walk the camino if you want to see this treasure.

The day was long, we stopped in Ventosa for lunch and ended the day in Najera. 20 miles . The country side continued to be farm land with an increasing amount of grape vines. The one thought that struck me today was that the real beauty of the farm land was that there are no fences or hedge rows separating parcels of land. It is a continuous large fields of grain , canola and grapes. The valleys look like one, no farm equipment anywhere.

So my thought of the day comes from the daughter of Fava Ronaldo a good friend of Bob Pelrine's. Fava walked the camino lsat year...

"Don't walk behind me;
I may not lead.
Don't walk in front of me;
I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my friend" (Albert Camus).

3 May

A short day with few hills according to John Brierley the author of the Camino de Santiago guide book that most of the Pilgrims use for maps , billeting and general information.
We started to question John all most immediately as we departed Najera straight up a hill for about 3km. Not good on breakfast or your early morning mental state. The reward was ours though as we crossed the crest of the hill and all you could see for miles were fields and a trail that made its way to a city in the distance named Santo Domingo. It was not only the easiest day of walking but one of the most refreshing. We had sun, the earth turned to bright new colors. No more mud, no more wet gloves, just views and pilgrims talking to each other as friendships continue to form on the trail. We pasted our first golf course. The diving range was in better condition that most golf golf courses. We arrived around 1 PM allowing most Pilgrims to do laundry, find personal items in the local stores and of course to work on blisters and sore muscles. Tomorrow the fun begins again. Several large climbs and we pass in to the region of Leon. 10 days in the books.

The thought of the day...again from my friend Kyra...


"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us."
- John Steinbeck

Happy Cinco De Mayo

I am sure my team at St Mary's can find time to discuss both thoughts of the day....