Viana to Logrono

The freezing cold weather has returned today and rain is forecast for tonight. I slept well at the Palacio last night and didn’t wake up till 8.30 am. I must have been tired! This meant I missed the early morning bus into Logrono, so I decided to be really lazy and take a taxi. My destination was Hotel Calle Major, where I’ve stayed before: very central and convenient with helpful staff.

I began with a quick visit to the Cathedral, very Baroque in style, so not to my taste. A Mass was in progress so I sat down and observed it for a while (it was cold outside). Then I wanted to find a supermarket to stock up on a few essentials: green teabags, packet soup and some fruit. This was a model supermarket: I’ve never seen one so good anywhere in the world. For future reference, it’s called Mercadona. Beautifully laid out and stocking everything you could possibly need (including nail clippers, which I’d forgotten to pack).

Cathedral

Fish counter at Mercadona.

Logrono has plenty of visitors, regular tourists strolling around not just pilgrims. It’s full of people walking along the pedestrian streets in the old town in spite of the miserable weather. There are more people wearing masks in this town, even though they don’t have to.

The Camino is marked with Logrono’s own unique brass plaques set into the pavement:

Pilgrim statue.

…later:

 

I found a restaurant that was serving dinner early. There was a bullfight showing on TV that I couldn’t help watching. The event was taking place in pouring rain. The spectators were sitting there with their umbrellas up and some had pizza boxes over their heads! The ring was a sea of mud, and the bullfighter had to change his shoes at one point, in order to gain traction.

Fish soup for Primero.

Lenguado for Secundo.

This is the restaurant.