Just a quick update since I haven´t done one in a while...

I had a minor set back a few days ago due to an overworked/ strained achilles tendon. After staying in Cezur Menor we walked 25+ kilometers to Cirauqui where we had a great stay at a little albergue in a small village on a hill.

The next morning we walked through Estrella where we stopped around 9am (after 2 hours of walking) because my achilles tendon was causing some pain. I pushed on a further 12 km to Villamayor where we called it quits for the day. The next morning I put my boot on which only made the pain worse, and the next town was 12km away with nothing in between, but I took some advil and walked on. In Los Arcos I called it quits. Milton walked on and I sat an waited for a bus that I discovered would not go to where Milton and I were supposed to meet. I walked back into the main square where I found some fellow pilgrims who helped me get a taxi. Milton was happy to see me - a few hours late - in Torres del Rio where we spent the night.

The next morning I pushed on with my sore heel but gave up in the first town after 8km of walking. Once again, while we had our first cafe con leche of the day, our pilgrim friends helped book a pension where they would meet up with me after my short bus ride and their 9km walk.
We had a fantastic stay in Logrono. Nice quiet rooms (no snoring of other pilgrims!), a great Spanish meal in the old quarter of town, a visit of a wine cellar (we are now in Rioja - the wine region), and of course tapas for dinner as it was Friday night and everyone is else. I also found time that afternoon to make it into a sports store where I purchased a pair of trekking sandals in which I feel no pain and have been able to walk 50km in so far.

Saturday was a 30km day from Logrono to Najera. It was a beautiful town on the river and all the locals were out enjoying the sunshine. There was a big soccer game on tv - Manchester vs Barcelona, and the whole town was out on a terrace to watch it projected on a big screen at a bar.

We stopped after only 20km today - feeling a bit tired from the 30km yesterday I think - and we are settled in at Santo Domingo de la Calzada for the night.

We are both feeling pretty good and have done a total of 215km so far (in 9 days), and I will continue in sandals while my heel recovers.

We are loving our routine: wake up and start walking between 6-7am, stop after the first hour or two for coffee in a small town, walk on until noon or 1pm (in the beautiful 25 degree weather) when we check in at our destination, shower and clean up, eat lunch, SIESTA!!! and then explore the quaint towns, have beer with fellow pilgrims, dinner and bed by 9pm (10pm is the latest we´ve been up!). A great routine and a great way to experience Spain!

Hope all is well back home. Í´m still looking for a spot to upload photos and I will write again soon!