9/25 Navarrete to Najera

Some tide seems to be turning. Maybe the slopes are more gentle? Maybe all that stuff about a “sabbath” makes some sense? Maybe the shorter days? Maybe Camille is walking a little slower? Whatever the reasons, things are feeling easier. Physically we just walked a bit over 10 1/2 miles today and largely gentle rolling hills through the heart of the Rioja region. Mentally, I think surrendering the thought we need to march X number of miles has made the walk much more pleasant. It’s the journey, right? (Right?!?) For a goal driven person it perhaps feels a little sloppy to lower the expectations and take the journey as it comes.

It did feel good to walk through beautiful countryside and have time for thoughts besides, “ouch”. When one enters Navarrete from the East there is an ancient ruin of a hospital built to attend the pilgrims – which I am now better able to imagine how they would have need!. When you depart there is a cemetery which has the hospital facade they relocated in 1870 or so (our Civil War era). Here it is known as the “new facade”. Just another reminder however of a time when buildings were not just utilitarian but also made to be beautiful. Navarrete, as I believe Camille mentioned yesterday, was founded (around 1200) to protect and shelter pilgrims on the Camino. I noted their city symbol is the shell (Camino) with a sword in it. Thankfully no swords were necessary but the city did provide us shelter for a night. Thank you, Navarrete.

The walk from there was through field after field of grapes ready for harvest (and being harvested!) We were touched a few miles later when passing some workers on break who asked us if we wanted some “jambon”(ham) or chorizo, “pan” (bread) or “vino” (wine – yes, wine for mid morning break. Don’t all farms operate this way?). It was just so generous and spontaneous. Made me feel good and bad all at the same time. How could we say yes, but we couldn’t say, no…

Once again I was reminded to keep looking down but not forget to look up. The path is NOT for those with bad ankles or dragging feet, but to only focus on your feet would also mean missing the view. Sure there is a sermon in there somewhere (and who doesn’t walk through Spain looking for sermon ideas?). Part of us is also missing home but a couple John Deere tractors helped. We did find some trail side unattended “free” vines in the ditch so tasted some grapes.

It was a good walk. Najera is an ancient city with a beautiful church and monastery that served the community well. It’s still impressive but somewhat damaged after Napoleon invaded and housed troops there. The “enlightened” French troops were not very respectful and removed the heads of the statues and used the courtyard for target practice. You can still see bullet defects in the walls here and there. Inside the “new” church (built just after Columbus bumped into a new world) are buried kings and queens from 500 years ago. The impressive altar area was built in 1770 and looks good for a couple hundred more. Imagine people whose homes were dank, dark and tight coming into a space with soaring ceilings and glittering surfaces… must have been awe inspiring as well as a reminder of how little they were!

What did I think about today? Mostly just how transient we are. Camille and I spend a day walking through here, but even the people who spend their whole life working here (and sharing their wine and ham with strangers on the trail) come and go. The hills will look the same for eons. The fields and churches have probably appeared similar for centuries. But, somebody built that church or stone wall, or tended the vines and played a part in what we see today for better or worse. Napoleon and his army thought they were mighty and left their mark. The ordinary masons and farmers and artists also made a mark here. History tends to celebrate and remember the Napoleons but I would raise a glass of rioja to the millions of forgotten people who made this place beautiful.

Buen camino!