Navarette to Najera

We have yet to see a lot of work being done by anyone along the way, but as we left the town of Navarette we came across a crew hard at work laying down huge lengths of pipe for irrigating the vineyards.  

We are currently walking through the largest wine growing region of Spain, known as La Rioja, and that guarantees that the wine that comes with our evening meal will be good, as was the case last night.  Regarding meals, we look each evening for cafés or restaurants that offer what are called pilgrim (peregrine) menus.  These range in prices from 9 - 14 euros, and include 3 courses: a primero (salad or  pasta), a segundo (meat or fish dish, often with fries), and dessert - and the menu includes as part of the price a basket of bread, water, and a bottle of wine.  Average price we are paying is 11 euros each for dinner; we found a place for this evening that charges 10 euros each, and is situated right alongside the river in town, as seen below...

Today was one of the shorter days, so we spent a little extra time over coffee in the small village of Ventosa, one of the few picturesque places along our way today...

It's always exciting when you have to climb a steep path, because you wonder what you'll find over the horizon, and our only real climb today did not disappoint...

As I said, we walked through one vineyard after another today, enjoying a picnic lunch near this interesting structure whose function remains a mystery to us.

 We arrived at today's destination, the town of Najera, early.  We are in a cozy hotel in the old part of town, just across the river you see behind us...

Here's the view from our attic room, so you know what I mean when I say it's the old part of town:

After cold brews and warm showers, it is siesta time...and then dinner.

One correction I need to make: I referred yesterday to some wild lilies we had seen in a park outside of Logrono.  Anyone knowing anything about flowers would know that what we saw and pictured were not wild lilies but wild irises!

Until tomorrow, when once again we walk while most of you reading this back home sleep!  

Distance today: 17.4 kms

Time on the road: 5:10

Total distance to date: 196.1 kms

Walking days remaining: 27