A later start this morning, since the albergue folks like to sleep in at this time of year. Climbing gently out of Torres, the view opened out and I could see today's destinations - Viana on a hill but spreading out below and Logrono, my first city, having taken the Aragon route and missed Pamplona, sprawling across the plain, the River Ebro bisecting it.
The sky was fascinating. Glowering above, some blue appearing, shafts of light to the south, a rainbow to the north, rain over Logrono, Viana in a sunny spotlight.
In Viana, a coffee, pastry, water, wifi and an hour catching up online. Stepping outside, I see it has rained. Wandering on, a smiley policewoman call me: "Are you looking for the Albergue?"
"No, going on to Logrono", I reply, "but Viana is very beautiful".
"You must see the ruins of the cathedral of San Pedro", she says.
I go.
Most of the churches are locked, which is rather peculiar to me, since the Camino goes from one to the next. I like to go inside when I can, for the energy. Maybe it's because they are constructed at the intersection of ley lines, maybe it's the hundreds of years of prayers, maybe both. The stained glass windows are amazing to see, though Durham's is as good as any.
On to Logrono. The graffiti grows. Some political, some philosophical, some banal.
It is 1.15 when I arrive at the municipal albergue. The notice says it opens at 3.
The parochial albergue looks rather grim, so I wander on and find a private one.
It is open, Juan is friendly, the place has a good feel.
A little later, a surprise. John, an American I met briefly in Puenta la Reina, turns up. I wanted to talk with him, thought he had moved on, and here he was. He runs the bar at the family hotel in Croatia - summer only. Looking for something. We have a warm conversation, some philosophy.
At six, Remy arrives. A French speaking Swiss, he has covered 40km today and is pleased to find Pilgrim Soup waiting for him. My Spanish, slowly improving, switches to French as I find out about his journey.
Another surprise - an offer from a Helpx host from Ourense, handily situated between Santiago and Portugal. Come and teach English for 3 or 4 hours a day, in exchange for accomodation. Share buying and preparing food. Perfect. And the reason for this temporary lapse into traditional punctuation, since I sent the link to the blog.
Such is the life led free and open-hearted.
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