Lograño Day Off

I had a nasty surprise when I got to the room, yesterday afternoon.  I thought I had brushed by a stinging nettle plant when I was jumping to avoid a puddle.  Yep, the back of my leg felt like it was on fire.  It was all mottled red.  It is better today. At least it didn't itch.  Besides, if I didn't have a few disasters, life would be so dull!  I have long said nobody wants to read perfect, perfect, perfect :)

Today started with all the chores...first the supermercado and then the lavanderia (laundry).  I love the laundromats over here.  You don't have to bring soap.  It is added automatically and the facilities are always bright and clean.

This is the door to the Cathedral de Santa Maria de la Redonda.  Usually pilgrims can get a stamp for their credentials books in all the major cathedrals but not this one.  It was still a beautiful thing to see.

The main altar was very ornate in the way that the Spanish seem to prefer.  All of the cathedrals have such a holy feel to them. I can almost sense the presence of the prior pilgrims who have said prayers for their loved ones.  And the chain continues with all my prayers for you.

The  twin towers of Santa Maria are considered the center of the old city.  They were added at a later date and can be seen for miles in any direction.  You know you are almost in Lograño when you see the towers.

I can't resist beautiful flowers.  

The Art school of Logroño.  I liked the building. Definitely different from the highly Gothic cathedrals.

 I love the beautiful, highly carved entrance or porch of the Iglesia San Bartolomé. .  

I entered just as the priest was setting up for mass. I would have stayed but it smelled so strongly of incense that my eyes started to water.  I like the incense but only in slightly lesser amounts.

Dennis and I crossed over the Rio Ebro footbridge.   The water in all of the rivers is over the banks in many places.  We were hoping for a tour of a winery but our timing was off.  Not to worry we found plenty of wine other places.

We had our first stork sightings.  

We both love the storks and the Spaniards think they are good luck.  They are protected.

Stork nests are huge for such tall, skinny birds.  

We found this little tapas bar and shared a carne bolas which is a battered, deep fried mound of mashed potatoes with mystery (?) meat ground up in it.  Quite tasty.  

I took this photo while looking into the bar window at this handsome fellow.  Oh, wait.  I took him home with me.  He looks like he has had more wine than he has.  This was only glass two.

We then shared a patatas riojanas which is a stew with potatoes and chorizos.  It is the broth in these Spanish stews that set them apart.  I told Dennis that I wanted to come to Spain just to learn how to make broth.  I don't know if it is a Southern thing or not but when I was a kid we used to eat in little diners (that is all there was in West Tennessee) and they would have these cylindrical jars of peppers in vinegar.  These were the exact same pepper. I loved them then and I love them now. We then had one chili rellenos atop a shoestring potato basket atop a slice of toast.  I have always loved chili rellenos but I associate them with Mexican food.  Both good!  Then just to be really bad, we stopped at the gelato place for a little snack.

Perhaps the perfect end to a wonderful day was this fellow.  You gotta be brave to play on the street with a bozo nose.  He even honked it at us.  What was so special was that he was playing "I believe in Angels."  and I do so believe in angels.