It’s pretty sad when you have to set your alarm an extra 30 min earlier to look after your foot care, but at this stage in the walk it’s essential!

With all our tootsies taken care of, it was time to hit the road!  Up the hill and steps we went to rejoin the Camino path, and rather than backtrack a block or 2 to find breakfast, Dan felt we would find something on the way out of town! 8 Km later we feel be coffee and sustenance in the village of Ventosa, and that was with a 1 km detour!!! Delicious and much needed sustenance!

As you can see, aspirin is part of the Camino breakfast of champions!!! Shortly after breakfast we passed the following sign… Just goes to show you can’t trust those wineries for distance measurements!!!

As you can imagine, the walk through the Rioja valley was filled with vineyards… Farmers active in cultivating the new crop beginning to spring from the vines!

Walking today for Dan was ok for the first 8-10 k, then painful for the next 8, then an act of personal strength to finish in Azofra… The lesson here for all is to start the Camino with new(er) boots, preferably ones that are a half a size too large and have insoles still in them!!! Also, new merino socks that actually have more padding on the sole than on the upper would also help!!! Oh well, dan is making due with lots of gauze and sanitary pads for soles!!! (Actually a highly regarded technique here!!!)

Back to our day… Our next major town was Najere… Beautiful medieval spot and full of activity in the core with a large festival going on in the streets and a wedding in the old church! What a wonderful and energizing place to walk through!

Once we climbed out of Najere… Yes, if you don’t climb into a town, you most likely will need to climb out… We walked through a park then more vineyards before arriving at our Albergue in Azofra.  We are staying in the municipal one, which offers double rooms only… One of the best on the Camino and certainly a bargain at €7 pp!

Tonight, we will go into the village for dinner and then make a early night for our day tomorrow as we’d like to visit San Domigo on the way to our projected Albergue at Grannon… Not sure we’ll have wifi there, so may have to send a double entry the next day…. One of the reasons we are going there is that it has one of the most authentic pilgrim experiences… Mats on the floor( don’t worry, I will try the opposite end of things in Burgos in a few days with fluffy white towels and my own bath!!!

Over dinner tonight, we decided that Dan should go on to Burgos to meet us… He desperately needs time to heal his feet… His continued walking is only re injuring them… The disappointment was heavy, but whether together or apart, we are each doing our Camino…

My apologies for fewer pics… The wifi is not very strong here… Will write again when I can!!!