Viana to Navarrete.

Day 10 of walking:

So today started a little on the slow side compared to recent starts, but the albergue had a breakfast with note then toast. They actually had packages of mini muffins and cold cereal.

We struck out and soon entered the vineyards and just served to fly, arriving in Logrono around 10am and promptly were greeted by a pilgrim information center!  Like a tourist information center, only for pilgrims.  And a restroom with soap and hand dryer! - man they spoil pilgrims in that town!

We started across town following the trail and entered the church square, while taking a picture of the water spigot, is happily photo-bombed by Melanie for Alabama, who were hadn't seen since the day we left Roncesvalles.  We had a great chat and then we all continued out separate Caminos.  A short block later and the bit lace from my right boot caught in a latch on the left boot...  It was a most graceful forward fall, dampened with the hiking poles...  Camino injury, check (blisters are their own category).
Feeling very much the desire to be back on the remote Camino trails, we continued to march thru town, taking a detour to the Spanish post office, we found it closed.  Feeling emotionally stressed, I felt the need to get the hell out of Dodge...  Well until we walked past "The Drunken Duck"...  The restaurant that has:
One egg on toast
3 strips thick bacon
Pile of hash browns
A grilled hotdog, nicely cutup prior to grilling
And backed beans.
The English breakfast they called it. With cafe con leche all for €3.80!!!  I cannot even begin to describe how spiritually uplifting that was.

Back on the Camino, were were crossing a side street and this elderly Spanish lady saw us "Peregrinos! "...  Now I could pick out parts of what she said, but she gave us both hugs and kisses on the both cheeks.  She was saying something that we guessed was her pride in us walking to "Santiago!", She Obviously held Peregrinos in high regard.  My pack felt 10 pounds lighter (I checked, everything was where it should be :) ).

Later on, three elderly gentleman whistled and pointed the right was around a park.
Even later another Spanish elder exclaimed "Peregrino!", and blew a kiss.
Wow did that ever help give me a huge c emotional uplift, all the goodwill towards fellow man.

The trail leaving town is beautiful and runs for kilometers thru a parkway, by a park around what I assume is the public water supply (LOTS of large carp) and into another vineyard.  Leaving that we came to the fence bordering a highway for a while.  Here Peregrinos take sticks they pickup and weave crosses into the fence.  Thousands of crosses on this fence, and I certainly put mine there as well. The arrival in Navarrete was uneventful and our nightly accommodations are awesome.

Spent some time talking with family and went to the beautifully adorned church (the whole alter area is adorned with gold!) and used that time to pray for the well-being of many sick people know and love and for a recently deceased friend of my father-in-law.

An awesome assortment of spoon-tapas made an awesome dinner.  Later I learned that to order absenth it doesn't translate well into Spanish.  So you translate " Green liquorish liquor".  That makes a lightbulb go on, this tiny wine bottle looking thing comes up from a hidden drawer under the bar and given a gratis taste of "orujo de hierbas"...  Heaven in a glass!  Quick trip to the Pharmacia, which the bar owner called to make sure they were open for us, and I was back for a full shoot of "orujo de hierbas"...  Wow!  Not something you shoot, you sip this and enjoy...  Let says it makes you hallucinate, but I saw nothing out of the ordinary, just the albino pink elephants, she must have her facts crossed.

Just have to say, today the emotions are more prominent then before, my low was feeling the need to get out of the heavy population area, but at the same time they have me my high as well, as they demonstrated the best part of humanity.
The weather has been incredible, most days are 22c (kids 70s) with enough overcast you don't bake in the hot sun.

(photos are not fully backed up yet for today, bit here is yesterday's) https://goo.gl/photos/uSTf4qvF9k4GGi5h6

Beth Camino!
Kevin.