9/24 Logroño to Navarrete

The day began with us trying to figure out what day it even is! Once we established that it is Tuesday, September 24th, we left our hotel in Logroño, and made our way to the downtown área for some breakfast before reconnecting with the Camino trail. We were delighted to run into Laura, from Sacramento (who we met the second day), and we had breakfast and COFFEE with her. While we were waiting for our breakfast, Leah (the young Spanish teacher from MN) appeared. It was fun introducing them and sharing some of our common experiences. We left town and were almost immediately walking on a beautiful parkway that went several miles out of the city. There were picnic tables, playgrounds, and a comfort station, like we would have at home in a state park. The people of Spain seem to be very active and it is always fun to see children and adults enjoying the green spaces the cities provide. Walking with Laura made the miles go quickly, and we were soon at our hostel in Navarrete. We decided to make the day a shorter walk (still in recovery mode), rather than longer…there isn’t always a convenient mid-point with lodging, so we were done walking early today.

We checked into our hostel, showered, and decided to explore a bit. Navarrete is a town that was founded in the 12th century by King Sancho VI of Navarre to protect the route of the Camino, and it has been a significant stop for pilgrims since medieval times. Navarrete is known for pottery making, and for its wine-making…both crafts still enduring today. Like many of the communities on the Camino, the biggest attraction in Navarrete is a church – Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Asunción. This church, started around 1553, took over 100 years to build – imagine laboring on this church knowing you would never see its completion?! Or giving your hard-earned wages to the grandeur of this space – hoping it might make a difference in the lives of generations you would never know?! I must admit, I have mixed feelings about these man-made, gold-laden spaces…they are spectacular works, to be sure. The altar is Baroque and is a stunning work of art – it is beautiful to look at and it provides a peaceful place to sit and think. But as I sit and think, I am reminded that God does not live in houses made by human hands… Acts 7:48-50 says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord? Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?” These beautiful churches, as well as our own home churches, serve a purpose – an essential place to gather with fellow pilgrims/believers/Christians…but when we leave these places, we can be assured that God is in every space of His creation, as well as in those special, created spaces… HE is not confined to a building, and all of the gold-leaf pales in comparison to His creation!