Day 86 - From Navarra to La Rioja (wine)

Day 86- Viana to Navarette- 22kms Mon 18/8
A snoring night from the Spaniards in the next bunk.  No breakfast here so we hit the road after a quick dispensing machine coffee and head to Logroni for breakfast. Down from the town then along a track and later bitumen, descending into the valley. Coming into Logrono we pass Felisa's Table- figs, water & love- a landmark of the Camino for many years. Today it has changed with small souvenirs rather than figs & water. Shortly after though I get to eat some wild figs from the tree near the bridge. We track on into Logrono with its unique Camino symbol of a stylised scallop shell & yellow arrow to point the way. Walking thru the park between the cypress trees I find a rose bush in flower, the Camino de Santiago Rose. Very pretty. Up the steps and across the bridge into the city of Logrono. Breakfast of coffee OJ & toast gives me a chance to eat some Vegemite. We pass the Iglesias de Santiago with its huge statue if Santiago Matamoros. St James the moorslayer. We leave Logrono via the green grassy park, mind the sprinklers, through an underpass with a pilgrim mural before continuing upwards past and around a lake. More uphill climbing. Bitumen now all the way thru vines & alongside the busy highway but high above it as it goes thru a cutting then down past the big black El Toro on the skyline. Across the highway then past a poplar plantation before climbing steeply into the old town if Navarette. By 12.30 we are settled in to Hostal El Cantaro where I have stayed before. It is fiesta here- Saints day- and the kids are playing under a foam making machine, great fun with loads if suds & foam. Everything closes at lunch time. There is a bull ring set up and in the evening there is bull teasing where men try to catch the attention of a young bull then run away when it comes near. All restaurants are closed so it's tapas for dinner. We have now left the region of Navarra and are in wine country La Rioja.