Getting into our stride

Each day´s walking becomes a little easier than the last as we pace ourselves and enjoy the amazing countryside around us here in Navarre.  Yesterday we had barely left Estella when we came upon the Bodega of Irache where the Benedictines had established a monastery in the ninth century and produced wines and provided hospitality to the pilgrims en route to Santiago. 

Benedictine monastery of Irache and the Bodega Irache in the foreground

Not slow to the potential marketing benefits of this tradition the winery still offers hospitality in the form of free wine issued from a fountain : naturally we fortified ourselves (very moderately!) for the day ahead and partook of same.  You can check out their webcam here  and see for yourself!
http://irache.com/fuente-del-vino.php

Our path veered into delightful woodland and it was so pleasant to walk on pine needles and soft ground as there has been a lot of harsh surface under our boots since we started.  Good too to take a break at lunchtime and lie in the grass observing the birds who are normally so shy.  Later in the afternoon we would come across the first animals we had seen since starting out - a herd of 300 sheep grazing on sparse weeds around the harvested wheat fields,  their shepherd keeping a watchful eye.  Today we met another shepherd who turned out to be from Morocco - there are many migrant workers in this area.  He told us he walks them up to 20kms a day in search of sufficient fodder.

We chatted with a vineyard owner who was overseeing the contract wine harvester - a huge contraption which clears the rows of vines and spews them into waiting trailers.  He told us that for him this was cheaper and less complicated than employing workers - so the machine has  replaced the pickers of yore.  My sister Sue spent some memorable weeks in France many years ago picking grapes - perhaps some similar work still exists through woofing?

Our albergue of yesterday was a busy and noisy one, and our sleep was not the best, so this evening I am writing from a very pleasant hotel in the hilltop town of Viana, where we are allowing ourselves the comfort of spreading out our things and soaking in a very welcome bath or two.  It means I don´t have to go to the local library to update this blog, and we can enjoy home comforts for another night!  We did intend to go to the pilgrim hostel, but it is closed and so we are here instead!

As in all these little towns the parish church is of huge proportions, dates from the 11C and is resplendent in gold and silver. The tourist picture will give you some idea of the richness : unfortunately we missed evening mass here but yesterday Frank received a pilgrim blessing at the evening mass in Los Arcos - another magnificent church with equally majestic interior.

And so, shriven, washed and well fed, we shall retire to our comodious quarters but promise we will be back on the strait and narrow tomorrow!  Frank cut two stout cherrywood staffs on our second day on the road, and with these we can manage the many steep ups and downs that are part and parcel of the Camino in these parts.  Our destination is another hilltop town of Navarette (some 21 kms from here), passing through the capital of the Rioja region, Logrono, which was the gastronimic capital of Spain in 2012 : anyone for lunch?



And with all that, I had better sign off.  Thanks for all your interest and support along the miles - you can presume we are not wasting away...