Days 11-12 step by step

Day 11
Logroño to Nájera--17.98 miles; 32,340 steps; 583 km. to go

Breakfast today is in a cafe in the little town of Navarette. A TV shows the morning´s Running of the Bulls in Pamplona--the first one of the fiesta. Strategically placed cameras show the entire thing from the start, through the streets, and into the bullring. Guys, probably hungover from all night partying, are running like mad, arms flailing, lips pulled back from the force, eyes wild. They tumble and spill. Drugged bulls charge over them. It´s utter mayhem. All this show of testosterone (on both the idiot guys' and the bulls' part) is played to the background music of Enya.

Poppies on the side of the road

Back on the trail... I see a kind of heavyset Spanish guy sitting in the middle of the path with his boots off. He has blisters the size of quarters on the bottom of his feet. He´s sticking a hypodermic into one of them. Yikes!

Today starts out easy but ends up a slog. On one hill I pass a monument to Roland, who supposedly battled on this spot against a giant named Ferragut who was a descendant of Goliath. Well, we all know that Roland ate it before making it back over the Pyrenees.

Next is the town of Nájera, known for its beautiful monastery (it really is). The story here is that Garcia III was hunting partridge in 1004 when his hawk disappeared. He finally found it in a cave, and also in this cave was a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary, with a vase of lilies. Next to it sat the hawk and partridge, in peace. Garcia proclaimed an incredible miracle in the making and built the chapel. The statue is there today, with fresh lilies in front of it. There used to be a lot of jewels adorning the virgin, but these were eventually taken and divided up. Pedro the Cruel gave one of the jewels to the English Black Prince, and the Black Prince Ruby now adorns the front of the English coronation crown.

The monastery at Nájera

Well, the refugio at Nájera is run by the local monastery and is housed in a large modern room filled with about 100 bunk beds. It looks like something Hurricane Katrina victims would find shelter in. Donation only (2 euros). It´s going to be an interesting night.

Beds in the refugio at Nájera--not for the claustrophobic

My Italian camino friend, Manuela

Day 12

Heading west to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

Nájera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada 13.02 miles; 25,620 steps; 562 km. to go

The night wasn´t too bleak, a little stuffy. 99% of the people try to do their best, but then there´s always the asshole with the headlamp, casting a strobe around the room or someone rooting around their plastic bags at 3am. Anyway, it was a great walking day through wheatfields.

Santo Domingo is a charming town, with lots of cafes, decent shops, grand monuments, and a 4-star parador, which I´m in for the night (thank you Aunt Mary, rip).

The way into Santo Domingo de la Calzada

When I go to check in some Americans are clustering around the front desk, blathering on about their Amex card. All pilgrims with backpacks radiate intense heat and sweat, and I move close to them--to hurry things along, of course. :-)

The lobby area is gorgeous, and there´s even an elevator. Don´t think I´ll need the fitness room. The best feature is the marble bathroom with a tub so big I can stretch my legs completely out and take the hand sprayer and spray my feet for half an hour. Towels are immense, and there´s moisturizer and a shoe sponge, which I try out on my boots--not bad, now presentable for the lobby in this place.

The lobby at the Parador--much better digs for the night than the last place

I go out on a wander. You can always tell the pilgrims by the stiff way they walk. Anyway, I hear from a side street "Pamela!" I turn and it´s Marie-Agnes. She´s at the end of her camino; her husband has driven down to fetch her. She´s happy to see me and twitters away.

Spanish wedding party in front of the Santo Domingo's church

Well, I´m going back to my night of luxury. I´d stay two nights, but tomorrow is Sunday when everything is shut, so I might as well keep walking.