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Day 15 | 9 August 2025 | Walking the Camino Francés
From Cirueña to Redecilla del Camino | 17.6 km 10.9 miles
Another day and another amazing sunrise! It would be our last day in La Rioja and in the afternoon we crossed over to Castilla y León the largest autonomous region in Spain.
We stopped in Santo Domingo de la Calzada as being a large town there would be banks where we could take out some cash – I slipped my card into the ATM, and that dreaded thing happened – it got stuck. Completely. And because it was Saturday, the bank was closed. Brilliant. I had to cancel my card via my phone.
With one card left between us, we found another bank. As I stood there with my card poised I couldn’t help thinking, what if this one gets eaten too? It was then that I noticed there was a cashless symbol on the machine – and it worked – a tap with the phone and out came some euros. In Spain you do need a card to take out cash. Relief.
We heard him before we saw him.
There was a strange putt-putt-putt motor sound for a couple of minutes and then over the brow of a hill he appeared – gave us a wave – and disappeared in a haze of blue engine smoke. Wow we thought – that was a bit random.
Apparently it was Thomas, a 78 year old German adventurer who was making a 5,600 km return journey from Munich to Faro aboard a vintage 1960’s Rotavator along with a 3-meter long trailer. Buen Camino! Thomas.
Later, while sitting at a café, I noticed a vending machine across the street designed specifically for pilgrims walking the Camino – it had the most you would need including the all important Compeed blister plasters! While we were there, it was restocked, a clear sign that it was well used.
That evening, the only restaurant in the village happened to be closed, but our hosts at the guesthouse kindly offered to prepare dinner. When they asked what we would like, I mentioned we had enjoyed Alubias a la Riojana (Rioja-style beans with chorizo) a couple of days earlier. They kindly cooked it for us, and it was even better than before.
