day 34 – draft Friday, 6 October 2017 Azofra to Viloria de Rioja

day 34 – draft
Friday, 6 October 2017
Azofra to Viloria de Rioja
31 km today - 236 km on Camino Frances - 969 km from Le Puy - 551 to Santiago

Woke about 07h, packed and gone by 08h.  Sunrise is about 15 minutes later but I cant find a setting on my camera that shows the colours of the sky. After 10 km I pass through the outskirts of Ciruena.  This looks like a dormitory suburb.  I get the impression several housing developments were been started some time ago and not progressed.  Wikipedia say the town has a population of 131 and I have passed several of them at about 10h.

Six km on is Santo Domingo de Calzada – Saint Dominic of the Causeway.  I stop here for breakfast and lunch and to inspect the Cathedral and very significant museum on the north side.  On later reflection I believe the museum occupies the (former) monastic rooms around a cloister.  If so, the cloister is unusually situated on the north side and would be shaded by the cathedral proper.  Inside the cathedral there is reinstatement work for the stonework of the choir underway.  The chancel has an interesting arrangement.  There is a U shaped bench seat furthest from the people, with the bishop’s seat given prominence in the middle.  This bench seat is on a wooden platform that extends towards the people and on which is the altar, presiders seat and an ambo for readings and sermons.  Were I to sit in the bishop’s chair and looked slightly left of centre I would see an elevated, glass (?) fronted cage containing a rooster and hen.  The rooster regularly crows.  To learn more please visit https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_de_la_Calzada and scroll down.

On leaving Santo Domingo I cross the River Oja by means of a very substantial bridge. The river is very wide and I can imagine after rain this river would be treacherous.  But today it is quite dry.  It is about here that Saint Dominic around 1150 had first a causeway, and later a bridge, built for the needs of pilgrims to Santiago.

A further 8 km on is Granon.  The cafe owner shows me a photo of another kilt wearing pilgrim.  Having said the afternoon office and having consumed one coffee (cafe americano, por favor), two orange juice drinks and one banana I am off.

After yet another stage of 8 km I reach the village of Viloria de Rioja.  The sign boards for the alberque Acieto have an appeal.  I head for it and am warmly greeted by the owner: it is late in the day and she is busy preparing the communal meal.  As it has been a hot day, all the clothing worn is sodden. I put it to one side and have a lie down.  When dinner is called there are six pilgrims, the owner and her partner sitting down.  Going around the table a male Hollander, a male German, a couple from Bolivia, a male from Portugal (or Brazil), the Italian owner and her partner, and a female from Brazil. We are quite an animated lot.  I arrange for my clothes to be machine washed (cold cycle) and they mostly dry quite quickly.

And so to bed.