Easter Sunday: Logrono to Ventosa

Easter Sunday:  Logrono to Ventosa

What can I say?  We got up in the morning and we walked. As crowded as the Albergue was in Logrono, we noticed immediately that there were less pilgrims now on the camino.  The Spaniards were going to service in the morning, and then getting in their cars or trains and leaving for home.

I suppose I wanted to go to Easter service in Spain.  But we left so early in the morning, and I wasn’t really thinking about anything other than our next town.  The previous day’s walk had left us both in pain, and we decided on a short day, not only for the rest, but to get off the guidebook and to start enjoying some of the “famous” stops along the way.

That morning as we walked, I decided to sit down and figure out our next move.   I told Leo to go forward, I would catch up.  The walk was a nice romp around a reservoir.  After a few minutes, I continued along the way.  There was a café about an hour away, and when I got there, Leo was not there.  I checked the bathrooms.  No Leo.   Hmm, our agreement was to always stop at the next café until the other person caught up.   I began to hurry up the next mountain.

Leo always went much faster than I going up, so I was not surprised I did not catch him.  At the top however, once past a giant billboard of a cow, I could see the path for several miles to the next town. And though the people were small, I did not recognize Leo’s backpack at all.   I began to panic, mostly because I figured he had gotten lost, and somehow he was going to blame me if he did (because I had the guidebook).  I began to hurry down the hill.


Eventually I reached the town of Navarette.   No Leo.  I asked the other pilgrims, most of whom I knew by face, not by name.  No Leo.  I desperately searched for Wi-Fi in this tiny village, hoping to get a connection, knowing if Leo were lost, he would find me through Facebook.  No Wi-Fi in this town, and No Leo.   I had decided to walk to the next town, when I passed a café and Leo was sitting there having a beer.  He had no idea I thought he was lost.

So on this particular occasion, there were two routes going the same way.  I took the fast route, Leo took the route through the zoo.  He saw all sorts of animals, while I had a small breakdown.  We would get separated several times again, but I never worried as much as I did on this day.

We continued our short trek, and detoured off the main way to the small village of Ventosa.  The Albergue was quiet, and though it eventually filled, our room was a quiet one that night.  We met Garry, two rr’s, from Australia, who was 79 and proud to be walking the camino.  We had a dinner of swordfish in the local bar, and went to bed.  Easter Sunday had passed.