We left Navarrete around 8:50, after having breakfast. We took the camino, among vineyards and wineries, where they were getting ready for the grape harvest.
The day was cloudy and cool (14-15 degrees); we stopped at Ventosa to get the stamp (a pilgrim pig) and then followed a part of the camino, where the pilgrims have made small stone mounts on the sides.
Stone mount, near VentosaWe had to push the bikes a little, as there were steps on the camino. We arrived to Nájera, by the Najerilla river. There, we visited the church of Santa Cruz and the Monastery of Santa Maria la Real, where we didn't enter but we spend some time chatting with a group of retired officers, who came to see the bicycles, convinced that ours had a small engine...
We left Nájera and it was uphill until Azofra, where we stopped to take our "second breakfast" of coffee and toast. We arrived at the same time as a fairly large group of German "pilgrims" who also stopped for a stamp and had breakfast. When we were leaving, just out of the town, we saw them happily boarding a tourist bus...
Our intention was to go to San Millán de la Cogolla to visit its monasteries, so we took that route, but the kilometers seemed to be "elastic" and it turned out to be farther than expected. As we passed the village of Alesanco, a lady shouted to us "os vais a mojar!" (you are going to get wet!).
We stopped at Cañas and decided instead to visit the Monasterio Cisterciense de Santa María there, as we would not make it to San Millán in time for the visit hours. The one hour guided visit was very interesting and we commented on how this order, that was trying to live in a very simple and modest way, didn't get to be prosecuted as heretics, as other groups were at that time.
Monastery of Santa María, CañasWe continued around 2pm and once we moved to the next valley, there was a big change, not only in the landscape, now with cereals, sugar beet, sunflower and potatoes, but also because the sun was shining and the temperature raised.
In Santo Domingo de la Calzada, we stopped in front of the Cathedral to have our lunch; got a stamp and went to the local fountain, to refill our bottles. There, we saw two Spanish cyclists and one lone Irish one.
Cathedral, Santo Domingo de la CalzadaNext, came Grañon, were we caught up with a Danish couple who have come walking all the way from Denmark. At Redecilla del Camino, a very nice volunteer lady was thrilled to have someone to give a short guided visit to their church. We had arrived to Burgos province.
Around 5:30, we arrived to Viloria de Rioja, a small hamlet, where we followed the recommendations on the forums and had arranged to stay at the hostel of Acacio and Orietta. This lovely couple has renovated an old farm house, so there is one large bedroom with 12 bunk beds, showers and toilets, a very cozy sitting room and the kitchen/dinning area, where Orietta was very busy preparing the comunnal dinner.
We enjoyed a nice cold beer, while chatting with the other pilgrims, a lady from San Francisco, a Dutch fellow and two Brazilians.
At dinner time, we were first asked to introduce ourselves and explain briefly why we had chosen to do the Camino. We laughed because when I introduced myself, Bernardo, the young Brazilian jumped and said that his grandmother was called Ligia! so there you go, I've managed to have a grandson without ever having children!
Comunal dinner at Acacio and Orietta'sDinner was great, rice, feioada (beans prepared Brazilian style), veggie, Spanish tortilla, bread, lots of good wine and plenty of nice conversation.
Acacio and Orietta, with their lovely welcoming attitude and their cozy hostel, are keepers of the original concept of hospitality!
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