Today was a beautiful day with many pleasant things we could report on. With luck, we’ll have more of that in the days ahead. Instead, though, we want to share something that gave us pause.

After walking through rolling farmland in the morning, the path became a much steeper climb through oak and pine forest in the afternoon. At the top of this trail through the La Demanda and San Milan mountains were picnic benches where we could rest.

Across from us was also a concrete monument with a prominent number, 1936. The guide booklet we used mentioned that the tall marker commemorates those who died in the Spanish Civil War.

To our great dismay, we learned from the signage on the site that this was the spot of two mass graves of Republican fighters executed between July and December, 1936. Three hundred people died here. The bodies of 160 people have been exhumed and relocated to a mausoleum in the nearby town of Villafranca.

One mass grave containing 30 bodies was abutting the Camino. Another larger one was about 100 meters away.

The graves were opened in 2011 which means that for about 70 years pilgrims were unknowingly tromping past (on?) these remains.

Camino pilgrims who labor to travel to the site of one man’s relics (Saint James), also pass over the remains of hundreds of people killed — some would say martyred — for the cause they believed in.

The site was extremely sobering and thought-provoking to witness.

The first two generations after the Spanish Civil War didn’t want to talk about it. It was the third generation that began to insist on finding out what happened. It’s been very controversial, but the families of the people killed here prevailed in exhuming the remains of their kin, naming those killed and giving them a dignified interment.

Plenty of atrocities occured in the Spanish Civil War; in all wars, no?

The question Lori pondered on the long walk down the mountain was,  how do we ever stop doing this to each other?

Let’s be honest; today wasn’t the prettiest hiking day we’ve ever had. While sections were through pastoral rolling hills of agricultural land, a lot of the path was adjacent to the highway with vehicles whizzing past at 50+ mph.

We crossed out of Rioja and said goodbye to the vineyards. Now we are in Castille and Leon where wheat (already harvested) and sunflowers (ready to be harvested) dominate the landscape.

But the highlights today were around starting to talk more with other pilgrims. At breakfast, we enjoyed meeting Ingrid and Andy from Australia. When we later passed them on the Camino, Lori suggested we meet up for dinner. They happily accepted.

Complications meant dinner won’t happen for a few days, but we have a date down the road in Burgos!

Today’s 13-mile walk brought us to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Saint Dominic dedicated the later part of his life to living in this small town. He was somewhat of a hermit and spent his energy supporting pilgrims. Among other things, he built a bridge over the river for them and improved the road.

The cathedral here is home to one of the most famous miracles or legends on the Camino de Santiago. (It involved a roasted hen coming back to life. We won’t explain the whole thing since you can read it here). Hence, the cathedral reportedly has a cage with a live rooster and hen living in its choir loft.

After resting and finding some dinner, Lori said she wanted to go to Mass. Jane opted to come along. We were very late arriving and had to plea to be let in. The church was packed. Apparently, it was a ‘special’ Mass. We were so wrapped up in the whole experience that neither one of us remembered to look for the chicken(s) until we were out of the now-locked church.

However, once outside in the plaza, we found ourselves carried along with a procession led by a youth drum & bugle corps. Church elders carried golden staffs. Someone carried a painting of the Virgin Mary. Quite the spectacle and a highlight of our day.

We started our first and longest day on the Camino this morning with a rainbow as we walked out of Logroño. Eight hours, three rest breaks, and 18 miles later, we were elated to reach Najera, our stopping point for the night.

We’re so happy to have completed today’s trek & enjoyed this beautiful day, including cool weather, so refreshing after training in heat & humidity all summer.

Time to enjoy a glass of Rioja wine!

We made it to Logroño where we launch our Camino tomorrow!

Lori had a bad case of nerves last night and didn’t get much sleep–worried about catching the train, mostly. But the spectre of breaking her foot the last time she rode a train also haunted her (January 2023, Italy). Jane apparently was not similarly inflicted.

All for naught, as everything went smoothly and we arrived here around 1 pm.

Got our first stamp in our Camino credential and wandered around the old part of Logroño. We reshuffled our stuff so that only hiking stuff is in the backpacks. Now, early to bed for a big day ahead!

When you only have one full day in Barcelona, what do you do? Try to see as much Gaudi architecture as possible! Actually, we only saw Casa Batlló, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia.

We added the non-Gaudi but also beautiful Hospital Sant Pau.

So lucky to have the kind of weather here today that leaves you asking, Why don’t I live in a place with a Mediterranean climate?

We arrived in Barcelona around noon on Sept 10, a bit bleary-eyed after an uncomfortable overnight flight (seats not meant for human habitation), but so relieved and excited to finally be here! Even though we desperately wanted to sleep, we headed out for a leisurely afternoon of looking around. With luck, we’ll get a good night’s sleep!

Lori loves a market and Barcelona’s didn’t disappoint. Jane was delighted to see that the America’s Cup is being held here, this month and next, with preliminary races already underway. (Just missed yesterday’s!)

Always a bit of a space/time continuum warp when you leave the changing fall colors of northern USA & arrive in Mediterranean breezes & palm trees swaying in 6 hours time.

Lori on the shuttle to check in for our flight to Barcelona tonight. Spent a great few days with family in New England, so we’re leaving straight from Boston. We start walking the Camino from Logrono on Friday.

We’re at Gate C7 waiting for our flight to Boston. (Thanks, Darla, for the ride to the airport!).

It’s the first leg of our eventually trip to Spain… but first Jane’s cousin’s wedding this week. Congrats to Louise & Anders! We fly to Barcelona on Sept 9 from Boston.

Finished our training schedule today walking to Prospect Park’s vintage water tower, affectionately known here in the neighborhood as the “Witch’s Hat”. On the highest natural land area in Minneapolis, it stands as an iconic sentinel above the Mighty Mississippi River below.

Jane’s parents settled here with twin daughters on the way. Betty, Jane’s Mom, loved this neighborhood, and Jane always nods at the Tower while passing it on the roadways nearby.

So, for Jane, the next stage of this journey to and on the Camino begins where she began her life 67 years ago.