The Love Hate Relationship That is Logrono

Sansol to Logrono – 21kms

I have determined that walking the Camino is like childbirth. You’re so caught up in the glow of this beautiful baby, that you forget the agonising pain it took to get there!

Everyone who has been on the Camino shares these life-altering stories and how amazing it is, but leave out the parts where you are literally crawling on your hands and knees to your room because you physically cannot put any more weight on your feet!

Everything started out great. I was a little sluggish due to not enough sleep, but I knew the Camino would sort that. I told BC my goal for the day was to make it to Logrono without spending any money. 30 secs later I was dropping a coin into a box so I could see the inside of a hexagonal church.

After the minor delay, we were on our way. BC has a friend back at home who has done the Camino and said it was a “lovely” walk to Logrono. Somewhere else we read that their were “bothersome” hills.

Within 30mins, I wanted to punch BC’s friend and the word bothersome was replaced by a lot of other choice words that cannot be repeated here.

I HATED the walk to Logrono.

It was hot, dry and constant up and down hills as well as steps. (The husband of BC’s friend also said there were no steps on the Camino!)

My feet began to struggle after just 7kms. The signs were also messing with my head, saying the towns were further away than what they should have been. We have worked out that the metres are shorter than what they say, but the kilometres are much longer than stated.

Fortunately, we came upon a small rest area with a log under pine trees and a seemingly screened area up a hill to make a toilet stop. I trotted up the hill to duck behind the scrub bushes without being seen by any pilgrims below.

Pity I didn’t have the same kind of screening from the car that came down the hill just as I managed to pull my knickers up!

I had another Camino moment not long after our mini break. After huffing up another short, steep hill, I saw two big flat rocks. I lay down on the rock and just stared out at the valley below.

It was stunning.

From here though, it became harder and harder. My feet were screaming and by the time I got into Viana, I was close to tears.

I sat down on the cold, sandstone blocks out the front of the church and messaged BC to let her know I was in Viana. Almost instantly I received a message from Irish saying they were both in a cafe up from the church…. and there was a footbath!

I didn’t realise I had it in me to stand up as quickly as I did and hobble to the cafe. Pilgrims Oasis in Viana is a MUST for anyone doing the Camino. I got to put my feet in icy water and munched my way through a plate of raw vegetables and the most delicious homemade hummus.

This is when things really went off the rails. I knew how bad my feet were before Viana and thought I should play it safe and get a taxi. After the footbath though, I went back into, oh no, I need to walk it. I still have trouble trusting my instincts.

A few kms on, I was already hobbling. The heat was beating down and there was no shade and nowhere to stop.

My poles were being used more as crutches. It took 3hrs to walk 10kms. By the time I reached the apartment we were all staying in, this was the point I was crawling on the floor.

Logrono though is famous for pinxtos (tapas), so after a few hours, I’d recovered enough to wander out and find the fabulous alleyways filled with bars.

We were in heaven. There was so much amazing food and constant wine, we were having a grand time as Irish would say.

Irish became a bit too excited about the tapas, because when she saw a bar advertising a tapas of the week special, she didn’t hesitate. We were convinced she was eating the testicles of some animal!

I think we finally rolled into our beds around midnight!