Day 9 (Camino II): Los Arcos to Logrono

According to the hotel receptionist, the name "Los Arcos" originates historically from archery during wars, which has transformed to mean now the arches. So there is no specific arch the town owes its name to, unlike Puente la Reina. Today's stage is a long walk of 28 km and the plan is for Chisoon to walk up to Viana at around 18km and take a taxi from there to Logrono.

Leaving Los Arcos

Outside Los Arcos: cemetery with the inscription, "You are what I once was. You will be what I am now."

It is a sunny day, great for now but likely too warm later. Chisoon spots another lady sporting a dark umbrella, immediately connecting with her in more ways than one. She is a Berliner who works for Doctors Without Borders, which receives the most amount of admiration from us as well as donations. She works part time for them, or more accurately, job-shares an HR position (and have a six-month block off - an ideal job for the Camino, really). She nearly had a heat stroke the other day. She points out the word "parasol" exists for a reason. We completely agree and think perhaps we should be founding members of the Parasol-Para-Camino club.

The first town, Sansol is in view.

Umbrella sisters: Chisoon finds her soul mate.

Approaching Torres del Rio, I have a mini mission. In "The Way" a Ramon offers free beds in his house but guests discover his rather unusual behavior. The actual Ramon lived in this town and did something similar. At the bar we stop for snacks, I ask the elderly owner where Ramon's house is. He instantly recognizes that I am talking about that man, but unfortunately he speaks no English and my WiFi hotspot does not work, so I resort to an alternative to Google Translate called the body language. I end up with a hand-drawn map but finally understand that Ramon is dead and his house no longer stands.
After I make a micro-pilgrimage to where his house was, we walk up to explore the 12th century Church of Holy Sepulchre. This octagonal structure, modeled after its namesake in Jerusalem, is beautiful inside and out. The old lady collecting one Euro for entrance to the tiny church seems irritated when some pilgrims just step on the threshold, take a quick look and turn back. So she turns the light off as soon as she determines they are not coming in, and turns it back on for those of us who already paid and are inside. Quite a funny scene.

Torres del Rio

Torres del Rio: the site of the house of Ramon, a legendary figure on the Camino

 

Torres del Rio: Octagonal Church of Holy Sepulchre

Church of Holy Sepulcher: 12th century cupola and 13th century cross

Looking back at Torres del Rio as we leave

Cairns near Ermita de Nuestra Senora del Poyo

As we enter Viana's well-preserved medieval town, a drawing of Cesare Borgia, an illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, hangs on the gate. He was killed in this area and his body is buried at the Santa Maria Church here, a major sightseeing point for Chisoon. As planned, she calls a taxi to get to Logrono and happens to run into a French-Canadian couple who share the ride.

Gate to Old Town Viana with César Borgia on top

Grave of César Borgia at Santa Maria Church

Viana: the convergence of a hotel and the ruins of San Pedro Church near the exit of the Old Town - nice spot to have a taxi come and pick up  

The last 10 km I walk alone without another traveler in sight. Either peregrinos are staying in Viana or they have move on. I take a water break at a nice stone bench in a shade. I notice a couple of small caterpillars crawling on my arms and swiftly shake them off. And then I find more. And more of their colleagues on my backpack, my hat and my shoes and socks I had taken off. I get out of there instantly. I don't know what those are or what genus they belong to, but I don't want them on my stuff or my body again. The adventures of Sinbad flash in front of me - what creatures are around the corner?
Well, what happens next is not quite along those lines, but something that does affect me. The piece of paper that had a map of the site of Ramon's house in Torres Del Rio blew away in the wind. I even retrace my steps a few hundred meters to retrieve it, to no avail. Apparently I have become a bit attached to it, and now I am trying to recall what it showed - go behind the albergue, turn right just before the church (get off the Camino), and look for the empty lot past the bank. Oh, then I remember I have a photo of it. I feel like a pirate rediscovering a lost treasure map.

Sharing the bench with a bunch of these little creatures nearly freaks me out.

Map drawn to show the house of the legendary Ramon

After walking well over two hours by myself, crossing the rather unremarkable Navarre-Rioja border and passing by Felisa's house, a traditional pilgrim blessing point, I finally arrive at our hotel in Logrono. Inside the 13th century Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Redonda, we discover a small Michelangelo painting. After a brief stroll through Calle Laurel filled with tapas bars, we settle into a sit-down dinner with our new friend Sunjin.

Logrono: Cathedral de Santa Maria de la Redonda

Logrono Church: 50 cents gets you the illumination for this small and well-guarded Michelangelo piece

Logrono: Laurel Street, filled with tapas bars