Pilgrims on the Way

Where most medieval towns are on the high ground, snugged around a defensible hill, or located in a narrow and easily defensible bit of land, the city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is in a river valley, open to the world. It’s defense seems to be that it really is difficult to see until you are very close. Or […]

At last, we have come to the city of the holy saint, Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Because the town is in a river valley and the land is so undulating, it’s hard to see it until you’re practically on top of it. It’s always exciting when you finally arrive! Lunch awaits. Date: 09 April 2016 Place: In view of […]

And then, out of nowhere, we were buzzed by a small aircraft. It was flying so low that I thought it was trying to land in the nearby field. I mean, it’s not exactly flying monkeys, but I’m going to assume that it somehow fits into today’s Wizard of Oz theme. Date: 09 April 2016 Place: Between Cirueña and Santo […]

We continue our Oz theme from a couple of days ago in this absolutely gorgeous vista of endlessly rolling hills as we search for the fabled city of… Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This is a city where, so the legends go, “the streets are paved with chorizo and jamon, the fountains flow with vino tinto and the river is […]

You may recall that as you enter the village of Cirueña, there is a metal sculpture which is sort of an “inverse pilgrim”. Well, here’s where the scrap cut from that piece of art ended up: the roundabout as you leave Cirueña. I think I like this one better. Date: 09 April 2016 Place: Leaving Cirueña and heading for Ciriñuela […]

Following our second breakfast, we hastily sought to remove ourselves from Cirueña. A sign in the bar indicated that it was but 5km to the city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. I had great memories of this city from my previous Camino, so we followed the yellow brick road out of town and on our way. Date: 09 April […]

We turn the corner and leave the empty modern housing projects behind. Instead, we wander through a collection of much older buildings. Eventually, this leads us to the old village center of Cirueña. Most (but not all!) of the buildings are much older and reflect a more eclectic architectural style. Away from the new and back into the old, suddenly […]

This is the lovely townhouse portion of Cirueña’s vast, but empty, housing developments. I’m sure this would actually be a pleasant place to live if you had neighbours. There were a couple of these townhouses that appeared to have owners, but no people were to be seen. Perhaps they are being used as holiday rentals? Date: 09 April 2016 Place: […]

We continue walking through Cirueña’s vast, but empty, housing developments. We finally spot somebody who isn’t a pilgrim! In an otherwise empty playground in front of several blocks of empty apartment buildings, a lone maintenance worker cuts the grass. Date: 09 April 2016 Place: Cirueña (La Rioja, Spain) Note: in all fairness, I should point out that just as you […]

As I mentioned yesterday, Cirueña’s housing developments stand nearly empty. We are here surrounded by apartments, and we are walking towards a street of townhouses. All are empty. Nobody lives here. The whole place is eerie. The only people you see on the streets are pilgrims passing through. Spooky. Date: 09 April 2016 Place: Cirueña (La Rioja, Spain) Map! Here’s […]