13-07-2011 Los Arcos – Logroño

Today I was told it’s a heavy stage of approx. 28 km. We were awake early, 5.25am. Huib looked outside and said it wasn’t raining. I went the garden to pickup our laundry. When I arrived in the garden I noticed it was really dark outside. I felt drops falling on me… it was raining but you couldn’t see this due to the darkness. Luckily we put the laundry under a little roof to be able to dry well. The laundry was not completely dry, felt a little damped.

We took apparently a long time taking the breakfast as we start walking at 6.45am. An hour and 15 minutes to get up and being ready to walk is too much time… normally takes me 15 minutes.

The streets looked wet from the rain but the raining stopped. Good. I looked to the cloud and it didn’t look pretty. Huib asked if we could stop by a doctor to check his knee. He said that his knee felt strange and he noticed a weird crunching sound in it. We walked together and I thought his pace was still fast considering he had injury.

After a while walking together we were sitting on a nice little park bench. He showed me some private pictures and I did the same to him. We talked about some private topics.

Then the difficult parts of the stage came. It was going smoothly. It felt you become more and more trained. After walking approx. 18 km we took a little break at a fresh water source. I had to fillup my water and Huib just wanted to rest a bit.

A french couple which we saw several times before but were difficult to communicate with because only the woman spoke really bad English. But she tried. Her husband offered to look to the knee of Huib. He pulled and pushed Huib really hard on his knee. I asked Huib if it’s hurted and he said it didn’t, actually felt better. Huib noticed pain on 1 spot. The french man said nothing is wrong he only need to rest and not forcing the knee. Huib felt the knee was better since the man did help him. We started to walk again.

The next street we saw a bar. We walking ahead the bar and saw it looked closed. A beautiful Spanish woman from 35-40 walked towards us. I asked in Spanish if the bar is going to open. She said yes, please go inside. Her purse was still on the counter. It was even still dark inside. Huib asked if I could ask her if she had something to eat for us I asked her politely if she had a sandwich or so for us. She answered kindly she can make a tortilla for us. If you have a little bit time please wait here so I can close my car and then I make the tortilla for you both. It was a really, typical Spanish, beautiful woman. She was beautiful, friendly and professional. Exactly what I feel important qualities of a woman. Knowing what you are doing and doing it good. Then they are the most beautiful. Pfff… muy guapa. The tortilla Española was  really delicious. We had to pay 12,20 so it was 6,10 per person. After eating the tortilla and drinking Fanta Orange we started again walking. We also bought some chips. I had chosen Doritos and Huib 3D Buggles. When we continued to walk Huib was much faster than me but I was able to keep his pace.

Arrival albergue Logroño. No first something else.

When we arrived in Viana I saw a nice church. Huib said he didn’t enter a church. I said I do. I wanted during my camino to go inside every church were it was possible to go inside and take a moment for all people I love and care about. Huib changed his mind and wanted to go inside but there was a sign you cannot go inside the church with short pants. Huib told me that I should go inside and do what I wanted and that he will wait outside. I was gratefull to him for this. I was in the church for reflect. Pilgrims like to keep on walking so I found it nice that Huib waited for me.

When we arrived at Logroño we had to pass a bridge. This bridge had locks in a lot of places. Some locks had messages. Looks strange but also nice.

Back to the arrival albergue Logroño…

At first the albergue was not really friendly when the owner welcomed us with a negative tone. A young lady was working there and said with a demanding voice she needed my ID. I gave my ID and she told me she couldn’t accept this as an ID. I said yes but in The Netherlands it is. I looked for a moment and I saw that I didn’t gave my ID to her but my drivers license. I said immediately sorry and admitted it was my mistake and gave her my ID. I said… I’m tired… She smiled and the atmosphere was now nice and positive. Then it went well. The owner still looked annoyed at us. Not really friendly to say welcome to pilgrims who are tired because of walking.

I looked around and I saw the most pretty girl I ever saw in my life. Wow… she asked us to follow her. I didn’t look if Huib was following me because I was enchanted by her. She walked in front in me and how tired I was… all my energy was used to see how beautiful she was and which nice femine curves she had. Nice long dark hair. I enjoyed her curves. After walking a while I noticed I forgot Huib. He came walking somewhat later. I said sorry but I was distracted. Later I went to shower, clean up a bit and lay in bed to listen to music. I choose shuffle and then came a song which I know will always remember this girl. The song was Blue Jean from David Bowie… and indeed she had a nice blue jean which showed her curves wel… Blue Jean… I will always remember Logroño….

At our bunk bed was a group of young women and I said proudly ‘Hola Españolas’ which means ‘Hello Spanish girls’ in Spanish. They looked and me and gave me a ‘look’ which could possibly kill me. We are not Spanish… We are Basque. We don’t say ‘Hola’ but ‘Kaixo’. I said sorry but I cannot speak Basque only Spanish, English, German, Dutch and a dialect. They found that interesting…. the dialect. They asked me to say something in dialect. They said it was sounding like a ‘strong’ language. Flirting was a quality of these girls. I kept speaking in Spanish but they kept answering me in English. Then I quit speaking Spanish and continued in English so Huib was also able to understand the conversation. He asked me how I was able to make fast and smoothly connection with women. I said that I think these women feel I’m calm and in love of another woman, women feel this. They are not afraid I try something with them. I said to him with a smile : “Maybe better they think this…”.

We continued with our typical pilgrim rituals. Showering and looking where to go to eat. At a certain moment was Huib looking out of the windows and sees the Danish couple walking. Huib went downstairs to speak with them. I continued to do my things. When Huib came back after a while he told me Sarah was injured so much on her knee she wasn’t able to walk the camino anymore. They went by bus from the one place to the next one. They are experienced walkers and in their begin twenties. And they got injured. They were also started from Saint Jean Pied de Port on the same day and albergue like us. It was special to here some news about them. I was wondering where they were. The others also thought they were far ahead of us. Always keep caution… an injury can happen in a second.

Huib said also that we are going to eat this evening together. They were already one day here and knew good restaurants. I said it was a good idea.

Just 5 minutes later the Spanish, sorry Basque, girls asked if I joined them for dinner… Arrrrghhhh.. I said of course no because I already promised with the other… And.. I wanted to stay on my path… test or not… my focus was to see during the camino if I loved someone or not… and what I wanted in life and what not….

I walked with Huib heading to the centre. I had a lot of pain in my knee. I was worrying about this pain. It was not the regular pain. We arrived quickly at Sarah and her boyfriend. She was injured but she still walked really fast. A shame they had to take the bus.

We asked if they know a nice restaurant. They yelled both at the same time “There is a Burger King here!”. I said… I don’t know… I need energy to fill up my body reserves and I think that will not work with Burger King. Huib also shared this. We needed good decent good… the sins were nearby… we went to Burger King because when during the camino will you have again a chance to eat a hamburger at Burger King? I have to admit is was delicious.

The hard plastic seats were not good for my legs and muscles. Walking back to the albergue was exhausting me. I went to take a nice sleep.

Photo gallery:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pilgrim stamp Logrõno

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramond in Logroño during the Camino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burger King in Logroño