Pretty much all of our training has been along Linear Park and all the while we have been accompanied by the chatter, twitter, warble, squawk, screech, caroling, quacking, cawing and outright laughter of myriad birds; when we haven't felt much like walking it has always been the colours and chorus, the babies and the antics of the birds that have changed our 'drudgery' to joy. Sweet little reminders of God's amazing creation.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Day 7: Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada 23.4 km

Quilt - an undulating crazy quilt of greens, the obligatory yellow patch to catch your eye, and the careful herringbone of hops. Seamless, as we haven't yet seen a fence. No vines today although we are still in La Rioja for a little while yet. One village we passed through was edged by the 'soulless apartments' by the hundreds and we figured finally the sad part is they are so because they are all but a couple, empty. One young man selling fruit, drinks and souvenirs outside a town had his cardboard sign to say the unemployment here is 60%. We are staying tonight in an albergue run by nuns, for a donation; built I think in the 16th century but to the eye could have been well before then!