Logroño

The wine harvest is just starting.

Well another 17 mile day, but this camino is humiliating me enough to make me realize that I need to take it a little more slowly sometimes. Especially downhill which is very hard on all leg joints. My knee is much better today, though not 100 percent yet. I checked into the municipal albergue about 3 pm. It was full by 4 pm and turning pilgrims away. Logroño does not have many pilgrim facilities for the size of the city.

I walked the first few kilometers this morning with Peter, a 37 year old German, who owns a hostel with his brother in Equador. The hostal caters to English speakers, so he is fluent in German, English, and Spanish. We discussed political problems in Germany, USA, and California, as well as environment and health care. It seems like all of the Germans that I have talked with are fascinated with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Loroño , which is the Capitol of La Rioja, is having a wine festival this week to celebrate the start of the harvest. There were some signs of the festival in the main plaza and I can hear a marching band now.