The long shadows on the path after “Los Arcos”

Route segment: 8

Tuesday 3rd October 2000

Today I walk the Camino again with Caroline. She is faster today and is already ahead of me on the path. The path here is very straight and the sun is very low so our shadows are long.

Today is going to be another hot day and Caroline is having trouble with her knee so we take to the road where it threatens
to start climbing up and down. The road goes through “Torres Del Rio” and we stop for something to drink and eat. There is a fancy bar here and it looks open but when we try to go in it is closed. Caroline buys some “Doritos” and coke and has that for a snack.

I am beginning to notice that the Spanish have a passion for building towns on the tops of hills. A comment about this to Caroline and she says that is because, when they were built, they had to be defendable from the moors or whoever. Geordie turns up by himself and I wonder why, but I do not find out the reason.

The road to “Logroño” with “Viana” in the distance

Later, on the way into “Viana“, I suddenly I see a car come off the road onto the path beside Caroline. I fear the worst and
try to speed up to catch her. But it is a police car and they are looking for “Daniel” who has lost his wallet somewhere. I find
out later that he walked so far on the road, thought he had lost his wallet and got a bus back to the start and re-walked it
again. But his wallet was with him the whole time, buried somewhere in his camino backpack. We joke with him later that he is a “wanted criminal” and he takes it
good-naturedly.

The heat is getting oppressive now and I did not put on any sunscreen not having any and I will pay for this dearly later
when I start to “cook” badly. There is a grove of trees next to a church and we stop there. Caroline has decided that she is
going to take a siesta and adjusts her backpack as a pillow.

We eventually reach “Logroño” and find the refuge fairly easily. I have made some comment earlier in the day about her not
showing any bare skin and she says it is because she has a sun allergy. There is a small fountain and Caroline has taken off her shoes and paddled in it. After a bit of coaxing I do the same and although it is bitterly cold it is the most refreshing footbath I have ever had. My feet feel marvellous afterwards and I assume it was the numbing effect of the cold water.

I am “cooked” now and after a shower I go off to find a “Farmacia” to get some sunscreen.

We have beds next to the Spanish couple and we agree to go out that evening for a meal. It is the first full Spanish meal I
have had in a city and it seems oily to me. In any case, I am hungry and look forward to settling down for the evening with a good book.