El Peregringo

This was a day of vineyards. That’s to be expected given that I’m walking through the heart of La Rioja. I didn’t take too many photos today, because I have plenty of photos of vineyards already, and honestly, a photo just doesn’t do justice to what I feel as I walk through this wine producing kingdom.

I did snap a couple of interesting shots for those readers who may not have seen too many vineyards. From a distance, they’re lovely lines of green, but many people don’t realize that grapes actually don’t grow well in “good” soil. They do best in “challenging” soil–if you can call this soil at all…

Everywhere you looked all day long there were vineyards and small wineries. I have no idea which winery the last image is here, but it’s pretty typical of what you see. Spanish wineries in general have done fairly well in the last decade, so many of them have built new facilities and/or expanded their facilities. Unfortunately, the actual growers aren’t doing as well as the wineries themselves, as grape prices are about as low as they have been in a very long time.

After a week of following the yellow arrows, it’s beginning to feel like life is going to be difficult to navigate without them. It’s a subconscious thing, but when I don’t see the arrows, I feel a touch lost. I had to laugh, though, when I came across this particular arrow. The Camino itself seemed to come to the edge of a paved road, and it looked like it might actually cross (crossing pavement isn’t all that unusual so far). Just to make sure, the painters of the arrows left clear indication that the path that “looked” correct wasn’t the way to go… If only life itself were this well indicated…

Since the Camino has been traveled for well over 1000 years, ruins of pilgrim hostels and hospitals are fairly common. Today I passed the ruins of the Hospital de San Juan de Acre.

This hospital was founded in 1185 and was in business until the late 1500s. It was finally completely destroyed during the Carlist wars in Spain. According to the information I have, the portal of the hospital was moved to the other side of the next town, Navarrete, to serve as the entrance to the cemetery. If I see it, I’ll grab a shot of that as well and include it later.

Some of the other pilgrims I’ve encountered in the albergues these last few days are planning on going on to Nájera today… I decided that 20 km. is enough for today and that the extra 10 km. is more than I want to do. To get to Ventosa, there is a small side detour of a couple of kilometers. I am SO glad that I decided to stay in Ventosa. Though I don’t have images, this was the best albergue I have encountered yet. Entering the front door, there is Vivaldi playing in the living room and it’s a beautiful, recently renovated facility. The hospitalero is Spanish, but he’s spent the last 10+ years living in France. What a wonderful place…

Dinner with my french pilgrim friends and Carolina, the german girl whose birthday it was in Logroño. I really don’t know these people, but I feel so very close.