Navarette remains a major pottery center and has been so since the 16th century.
9/14 Navarette Pottery
9/14 Navarette
I attended mass in the cathedral only to realize later that I’d crashed a funeral.
9/14 Stage Nine: Viana to Navarette
Had a good night’s rest in a beautiful property in Viana, but still woke shaky and very tired. Very few villages to take a break on this stage. I needed to spend time in Logrono, a city of about 120,000, to take care of a few things: had left an adapter with three cables plugged into a wall somewhere, needed a stop at a Farmacia for a few things, needed to go by the Orange network store and recharge my SIM card.
I determined my body needed a break, so I bussed to Logrono, took care of my business, then bussed on to Navarette. It was the right decision. As I write the next morning, I’m rested and ready to walk on.
9/13 To Viana: Rest
The stone benches face the back of a church. It looks like a place where mass was held. Or some other ceremony. Baptism? Appears to be an alter and a font. Now, it’s a nice pilgrim rest stop.
The little bar on the path has an amazing selection. On the other side of the path, across from the bar, are 6 metal tables surrounded by red metal chairs.
A generator sits in his vehicle trunk supplying power to a little George Foreman type grill. I had a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and a coke.
9/13 To Viana: Today’s Paths
Ups and downs. Highway walking. Flat, gravel paths. A snail’s pace on the ups n downs, and a shift into high gear on the flats.
9/13 To Viana: Animals of the Day
One skittish kitty and one very affectionate dog.
The fellow petting the dog is Pilgrim Damo, from Northern Ireland.
9/13 To Viana: Where’s the Arrow?
I walked out of Los Arcos to a highway intersection. Stood, scanning, scanning for an arrow pointing to the Camino. Zilch. Three options: left, right, straight. No arrow. No pilgrim. Me standing looking lost. Then, beep! Beep! A guy at the intersection rolling down his car window, “Camino!” With large sweeps of his arm showing me the way. Off I went. It took the help of two other villagers before I found my way.
9/13 Stage Eight. Los Arcos to Viana
A strange day of steep ups and downs, highway walking, and flat gravel paths. A guidebook said this section is referred to as the “knee breaker.”
9/12 to Los Arcos
Today’s paths: A mountain and a dry, hot, flat road.
Luckily, had a private room at an albergue. But I had to share the bathroom with the two guys next door.
9/12 to Los Arcos: Animales del Dia
One shepherd, two dogs, and a bunch of sheep.
The excited dogs raced to the water tank. One finally got so excited he dived into the tank. Then panicked because there was no climbing out. The shepherd shook his head, sauntered to the tank while the dog is thrashing and wild-eyed, grabs the dog by the scruff, and hauls him out of the tank.
