Pilgrimage Pt.27.

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Weather has changed. Finally! Rain and grey skies, alternating with sunny spells. Nice small village on a hill side to hang in today. Not in the same brutal expectant for the morrow. Stopping at Logrono - famous for La Rioja. First Cahors now I'm in La Rioja: they'll be no complaints about the wine, however the queso campagna is very average. Must go out of my way to find a special cheese to stick with a robust but yielding vino tinto. What more do you need? Brebis?

Hung about until seven for our pelegrino supper. Three courses, bread, wine and water for only €10. Pleasures of conversations too. Bo, elisa, guy. A dane and two bretons. My broken French is exactly like 'allo 'allo policeman. Not too impressed with the green label Rioja; the lower levels of that wine are using the DOC moniker, but they're not more than vin du table. Rioja needs to re-assert it's expectations and firmly say no the wine calling itself Rioja!

The ball of my left foot feels crushed under the weight of my bag. Let's see what tomorrow brings for a later walk? I've noticed everyone has some injury from their ventures on the way.

The laughter of last night made me realize there has been something missing on the Way since I left Cahors. Frequently you miss the obvious thing, but I think I maybe found some persons with whom to find humour in our adversity. It is not a challenge to walk to Santiago. Too much walking always tests my resolve.

The earth gives and never takes away. We take from the earth but never give. Today I reduced into tears at 8:44am by Animal Collective and my mood of reflections. I saw curls in the forests upon nether hills.

Do you believe they put a man on the moon drifts to me from yonder workers citroen and I come to Viana. No hurry. Time for a reflex break: lomo, chorizo, figue and naraja. A full flask before the final flat leg in the plane leading to eros and Logonos. I exchange pleasantries with Kristoff from Switzerland. He departs before I finish my fix, I fix my gear and finally flee Viana; vitally.

Final 6.8kms from Viana were tough. Forth day of Camino de Compostella; one hundred clicks down only six hundred to go?

Crossed the final stage with Cho of Seoul. Picked up a new pendant to replace what was forgotten off the path. I've been toying with walking in all white. I'm having my John Lennon/Jesus Harry Christ delusion. From a hello to a friendly chained sorrowful guard doggy to the pelegrino welcome. I am now changed, bocadillo filled and second glass of wine, blanco and a much needed excellent crianza martinez alesanco 2010. 80/20 tempranillo Y garnacha.

I found all the signs said Snap out of tourist aubergue mode. I'm donated to donativo. For four days had shagging dogging and asslicking I think this Rioja thingy might be the monster's medicine?

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