Day 6-7, May 15, 2016 Los Arcos to Logroño

 May 15, 2016

Logroño
Apostle Albergue
20.26 miles, 47748 steps, 50 flights 7:30hr

Los Arcos, Spain

I've leaned another Camino lesson: if you see windmills in the distance, that means you're going to be climbing a ridge.  It makes sense: wind is strongest on a hill.  This was certainly the case on the Alto de Perdon on day 3 between Larrasoaña and Uterga.

Alto de Perdón sculpture

Windmills and Spain...how can I resist quoting Cyrano?

de Guiche: Have you read Don Quixote?
de Bergerac: I have and found myself the hero.
dG: Be so good as to read once more the chapter of the windmills, remember that if you fight with them...
dB: My enemies change then, with every wind?
dG: ...they may swing round their huge arms and cast you down into the mire!
dB: ...or up among the stars!

I have been thinking of this classic confrontation between the practical man and the romanic from Cyrano de Bergerac.  Immediately before this hike we were physically in Bergerac, where Cyrano comes from. Like Cyrano, there are many romantics on this trail, some tilting at their own windmills and expecting the path to provide the answers, and solutions to their relationships, lives and problems.

Personally, I find the allusion more interesting because as I walked past the windmills, I read in my guide book that the name for the Milky Way in Spanish is Compostella, the end goal of the Camino. In the early days, Charlemagne had a dream directing him to follow the Milky Way to Santiago to free St James' shrine from the invading Moors. Thus the original Camino was formed as Charlemagne cut a bloody swathe across then Moor-occupied Spain.

Today, as hikers pass the Alto de Perdón, the inscription on the sculpture says: "where the way of the wind meets the way of the stars". It is oddly romantic to think that even today pilgrims on this trail are still following the Milky Way to the end of the earth. 

I hope they find their answers, I'm not sure I even know the questions.

May 14

Rest Day in Los Arcos

As for me, today I am a practical man and hope only to find my feet (literally... no clever double meaning allusion to being "grounded" coming). Since the second day my feet have become progressively blistered and painful. As I walked into Los Arcos, I really couldn't take another step. I actually resolved to spend an extra day trying to get my feet under control. I tried new sock combinations, I had my new friend Will drain the blisters I couldn't access.  My lovely friend Anja from Denmark offered to perform a healing ceremony over my feet, stating that she has healing powers that alleviate pain. Even after the day of rest, drained blisters and faith healing session, and even with a new sock combination, my foot pain was crippling.

As I walked through Viana there was a sports store open directly on the Camino (on a Sunday!... That alone qualifies for a miracle. remember: the Camino provides). To make a long and boring story short... I have new walking Tevas sandals, and will never make fun of Germans wearing socks with sandals again. Of course there is still pain from the healing blisters, but the new addition is much more comfortable, and I can already feel myself getting better with each step. I have regaled all my fellow walkers with the fascinating footwear discussion... Okay, it's not great conversation, but it's a big deal to me. Small pleasures mean a lot here.

Foot pain was not my only reason I staying in Los Arcos... I was looking for any excuse because it's a beautiful church, and they had their local "Running of the Bulls" festival last night, and I didn't want to miss it. The boys were dressed in white and red and were up all night drinking in the cafe, and they were still there in the morning. At 6:00 pm the crowds were in place and the bulls went running through the square with no incident. For the first round I cowered behind the gates, but later I entered the square. You can see the fumbling camera in the video, as I run for cover....

 

Now I am in Logroño. I have crossed into the state of La Rioja... Famous for wine. So I will be leaving In a minute for wine and Pinxos (after my clothes are dry). Of course I will wear my fabulous new sandals and socks.