577 km to Santiaga
We woke up at 6 AM. Neither of us felt much like breakfast – just some milk from a vending machine, homemade coffee, and bananas. Headlamps on, and off we went. We had to carefully follow the Camino markers through the vineyards to avoid getting off track. The vines have been our companions for days – the hallmark of the La Rioja wine region.
We headed toward Nájera. After ten kilometers with no villages in between, we arrived in this small town. We had coffee at a café and restocked our supplies at a grocery store. Nájera has a rich history, a monastery, and reddish hills in the background that frame the scene.
Next, we continued toward Azofra. There, we enjoyed a beer and filled our water bottles for the upcoming stretch. Our destination today was Cirueña. But the road dragged on endlessly.
Along the way, we saw many broken Camino signs. It saddened us – it’s clear they weren’t damaged by time, but deliberately. We’ve been seeing this since Ventosa. We also passed several memorials dedicated to pilgrims who died along the way. That too is part of the Camino.
By now, we were walking on autopilot. The body moved forward, while the mind was lost in thoughts, problems, and questions. It’ll probably stay that way for a while.
The vineyards gradually gave way to fields of grain – soon we’ll enter the region of Castilla y León, where wheat reigns.
In Cirueña, we found a place to stay with a rather quirky host who runs the albergue Virgen de Guadalupe. He cooked dinner for us, and the house was filled with his artwork. It wasn’t the best choice, but it will do for one night. He tried his best – and that counts.
Have a lovely day or evening – depending on when you read this.
Warm greetings from the Camino,
Martina and Ive
