Author: Thom

The Parlamento de La Rioja building – where the government of La Rioja is located – was once a tobacco factory owned by Tabacalera. This company was originally the Spanish tobacco monopoly. It was founded in 1636, making it the olded tobacco company in the world. This statue near the Parliament building commemorates that history. Date: 08 April 2013Place: Logroño […]

Another example of public art in the towns and cities of the Camino. No idea what it’s supposed to represent, though it might be a sly dig at the building behind us to the left, which is the Iglesia de Santiago el Real – the Royal Church of Santiago in Logroño. Date: 08 April 2013Place: Logroño (La Rioja, Spain)Today started: […]

On our trek out of the city of Logroño, we followed these tiles in the street. They are quite different from the marks we followed into the city. Older, probably, and certainly more worn. How many millions of pilgrims have walked this way before us? Date: 08 April 2013Place: Logroño (La Rioja, Spain)Today started: in Logroño (La Rioja, Spain)

Here we are, dawn on day 7 of the Camino. Our pilgrim family is rousing itself for the walk from Logroño to Ventosa. Despite last night’s revelry, we are more or less awake, and I at least am feeling pretty good. From left to right: Patrick, Petra, Ali, Viola, Eamon. Not pictured: everybody else. Date: 08 April 2013Place: Logroño (La […]

After our adventure to the Drunken Duck, we gathered for dinner. Here’s what I said in my journal: “Massive evening dinner for Carlos’ 30th birthday. Festive, loud, singing. At least 18 people for the dinner, and six or seven more who came in later. Riotous good fun. Met many more pilgrims, too numerous to count.” Date: 07 April 2013Place: Logroño […]

In our quest for beer, we passed by a promising looking place called “El Rey del Jamon” before stumbling into “The Drunken Duck”. They had beer! It was Spanish beer, but Petra and Viola decided that this was good enough. I had no complaints. I still have one of the napkins stuffed into my journal. When we passed by three […]

On our quest for a decent beer, we passed through the Plaza del Mercado and feasted our eyes on the Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda. It’s an amazing church, though as you can see it was closed, so this was as much of it as we were able to see. Also, we were pretty sure we wouldn’t find […]

Spain is primarily a wine drinking country. It has some amazing wines. Most of my favourite wines are Spanish. It is not known as a place for great beer, and for good reason. However, there were two Germans in our little Camino family who were desperate for a proper beer. So Eamon and I followed Petra and Viola into the […]

Like many churches in Spain, the Iglesia Santa María de Palacio in Logroño was built and rebuilt over the course of centuries. Construction began in the twelfth century and continued in fits and starts until the eighteenth. Nevertheless, it has achieved a lovely harmony of shapes and proportions, most evident in this view of the sanctuary from the nave. Shame […]