Burgos was my last stop on the Camino de Santiago. Due a case of food poisoning I didn’t walk the 26 km into Burgos. These things happen on a long distance walk and you make adjustments. I took a taxi instead. Besides, I was very happy with the 260 km I did walk (about one third of the French way). There were advantages to the drive, namely Rueben, my taxi driver from Burgos. It was like he gave me a guided tour on the 25 minute ride. I learned so much about Burgos, from the industries (there are many from auto parts to cosmetics), the mystery of the parched sunflower…

My second rest day walking the Camino was in Logroño. I arrived on September 21, the main day of a week long wine harvest festival (fiesta de la vendemia) called San Mateo. I had a day and half to enjoy the festivities. A small amount of time, certainly, but enough to get a sense that “wine harvest festival” didn’t totally capture the spirit of what I saw. I thought I might see people stomping on grapes (the gentleman at the information office hinted at that). I did not. I saw wine. Yes. Tasted wine. Absolutely. But that’s a typical day in Rioja, and most anywhere in Spain. So what did…

The first thing I noticed in Pamplona was the energy. The buzz was positively simmering. Every time I stepped out of my hotel, it was like I was stepping into a party zone. Socializing, eating, drinking. Music. One street in particular, Calle San Nicolas, was heaving. People spilled out of the bars. The chatter reverberated off the walls of the narrow street. The party vibe was full force at lunchtime and night. I soon discovered a similar frenzy in other northern cities along the Camino, but Pamplona was my first. Pamplona was also my first encounter with pintxos! Or pinchos? No matter the spelling (it’s “pintxo” in the Basque language, where…

You tend to pick up little insights on the Way. Maybe it’s something somebody said, a note you read on sign, or simply the play of light on the trail. On these final stages, a man operating a rest stop gave me four Latin phrases to ponder. The one that stuck at that moment was Tempus Fugit. Time flies.  Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado – 22.5 km Belorado to San Juan de Ortega – 24 km San Juan de Ortega to Burgos – 26 km (not walked) The fields of sunflowers had merely started in Rioja. All through these stages in Castilla y León sunflowers baked in the…

Rioja is beautiful. A small region with big landscapes, and of course, big wines. I walked across it 3 short days. It could certainly be done in 2 but I was glad to extend my stay. The days were over far too fast. Logroño to Navarette – 13 km Navarette to Najéra – 16 km Najéra to Santo Domingo de la Calzada – 21 km A nice easy stroll out of Logroño, through city streets and a green park where people were walking their dogs. Less than 5 km after leaving, the path curved around a lake (with ducks and swans) and into pine trees in Parque de Grajera. Before…

Many pilgrims walk from Los Arcos to Logroño in one stage. I divided it in 2 shorter segments and stayed a night in Viana – relaxing and enjoying vino rosado (rosé) with some other pilgrims on the main street in town. Los Arcos to Viana – 18.5 km Viana to Logroño – 9.5 km The sun was rising behind me as I left Los Arcos. The flattering light set the landscape aglow in orange. And elongated my shadow diligently accompanying me. The landscape was changing. More and more vineyards with bunches of grapes positively dripping from the vines. The smell of fermented grapes perfumed the air. Some pesky little mosquitoes were…

It’s been a good three days of walking across, up, and over the landscape of Navarra. Green mountains, distant chalky cliffs, red soil, small villages, a hilltop castle, and, oh those lovely vineyards with deep purple grapes. Pamplona to Puente de Reina – 27 km (includes 3 km detour to Saint Eunate) Puente de Reina to Estella – 22 km Estella to Los Arcos – 21.5 km The first part of the walk to Puente La  Reina was defined by wind. As soon as I left the outskirts of Pamplona I could see a line of modern white windmills along the crest of a mountain. The more I walked the…