Day 10 Sunflowers

Day	10
Date	Sep 18
Start	Santo domingo  de la calzada
End	Villafraca de Motes de Oca
Distance	34km
Elevation +-	1600ft
Sleep	San Anton Abad

Long day started before dawn.

Crossing over from La Rioja to Castilla Y Leon today. La Rioja is still partying hard with the 7 day wine festival. Sleeping near the town square during festival means not sleeping. I got to listen to pretty good  Spainish Queen cover band through the open window ( at 3:30am).  Lots of energy on the streets which is fun but i look forward to sleeping.

Land use changing from vineyards to wheat and sunflowers.

Had a hardy pilgram's meal at our destination. We were pretty hungry.

Day 9 Saint Domingo

Day	9
Date	Sep 17
Start	Najera
End	Santo domingo de la calzada
Distance	21km
Elevation +-	300m
Sleep	Pandor de santo

Visited the tomb of Saint Domingo today.  He has quite the cult following. Saint Domingo is the namesake of the town. He is best known for his work helping pilgrims circa 1090-1110.  He is also associated with chickens and miracles. 

Museum-Church of Saint Domingo

The church is also the home of many works of art.

This is a puzzle from the 14th century.

Tomb of Saint Domingo is below the church.

We are staying at the refuge across the street which was modernized in 1928.

Body Damage Edition

The Way of Saint James has banged us up a little bit.

This where I leaned that "valley of thorns" is more than a clever name.

One of us took a tumble. The path is rough in places and balance is tricky when carrying a pack.

The camino is a blister factory.

Day 8 Vineyards

Went off main trail today. Spent most of the day in vineyards. Was a long day 30km.

This church had a Miguel Angel (Michelangelo)

Today was the first time we hiked by a lake.

Day 7 Wine Country

Day	7
Date	Sep 15
Start	Los Arcos
End	Logrono
Distance	28km
Elevation +-	600m
Sleep	Hotel Sercotel Portales

615km to Santiago.

Today was our last day in Navarre.
At km25 we entered the semi-autonomous La Rioja region. The area is most well known for wine.

Los Arcos town square were we ate.


Land we walk through was mostly grapes and olives.

Got to see the knigkts templers church of the seplucher. 

Logrono's annual wine festival was in full swing when we arrived. That might sound like fun but thousands of the drunk Spainards at 2:00pm having a wine fight was a bit unsettling.  I was wine soaked by the time we got to the hotel.

Day 6 Fountain of vino

Day	6
Date	Sep 14
Start	Estella
End	Los Arcos
Distance	24km
Elevation +-	700m
Sleep	Pensión Ostatar

Fortress church of San Pertro. Its a bit odd to see churches with arrow slits.  There were a number of churches that doubled as military forts in this area.

There are water fountains along the path which is nice in the hot spainish sun. This fountain has two taps, water and wine.

Most of the walk today was thru hilly farmland.

Day 5 Estella

Day	5
Date	Sep 13
Start	Puente la Reina
End	Estella
Distance	24
Elevation +-	300
Sleep	Hospederia Chapite

Landscape is more arid and its getting hot at mid day. Lots of rolling hills farmland and little villages.

We walk on our first stretch of roman road.

This is the view from our hotel room.

Day 4 Queen's bridge

Day	4
Date	Sep 12
Start	Pamplona
End	Puente la Reina
Distance	24km
Elevation +-	800m
Sleep	Hotel Jakue

Leaving the mountains today and moving into farm land. There is still quite a bit of hill climbing.

Knights templars church

Queens bridge

Day 3 Running of the bulls

Day	3
Date	Sep 11
Start	Zubiri
End	Pamplona
Distance	21km
Elevation +-	400m
Sleep	Tres Reyes

Started the day in the forest

Ended day in Pamplona.

Path takes the same route as the running of the bulls

Day 2 Valley of thorns

Day	2
Date	Sep 10
Start	Roncevalles
End	Zubiri
Distance	24km
Elevation +-	250m
Sleep	Txantxorena

Day started with thick fog and light rain.  The afternoon was sunny. The hike was through a birch forest.

This bridge is said to cure rabies.

View from our room

Day 1 Napoleon pass

Day 1 Sep 9

Start

St Jean Pied-de-port

End

Roncevalles

Distance

29km

Elevation +-

1500m

Sleep

Hotel Roncevalles

Forecast was for heavy rain but the weather was great. Pass known for bad storms so there are stone shelters.

Animals can graze all the way to the top of the mountain.

This pass is famous for Roland's army getting ambushed by the locals circa 778. 

Start

Saint Jean pied de port

After 2 flights 3 trains and 1 hike and we are at the starting point of the French way.

Saint Jean is in Basque Country in the south of France.  The area is rugged and remote. It is also quite pretty.

We got our pilgrim passports and we are ready to roll first thing tomorrow.