Leaving Los Arcos,  D. and I soon see the town of Sansol on one of the hills in the undulating landscape. And after that town, one called Viana.
As we enter Viana, we notice that the locals are dressed in bright red and white costumes. On a street someone is cooking a red stew in a wide vat. As we get to the town center, there are more and more people in increasing excitement. We are stopped and are advised not to continue down the the camino (which is the main street here) right now, because bulls are about run down it towards us! One pilgrim (L.) is distressed because they think there is going to be a bullfight.  I don’t anticipate that any animals will be harmed, but on the other hand I don’t know what is happening here either.

People start running towards us, with bulls charging behind. The bulls then run into a large enclosure, surrounded by cheering crowds. The bulls (actually steers, I am told) then walk around and appear vaguely annoyed. Local men yell at the “bulls” trying to get a reaction out of them, but get only reproachful looks.

Before long, I see the backs of the bulls as they run back down the street. (Much later on the Camino I meet a 20-something English pilgrim who said that he ran with bulls here.)

 

I received a sincere “Buen Camino” from a local person when crossing the bridge in Logroño.

I had carefully curated and packed an assemblage of small bottles of soap, shampoo, lotion , shaving cream and other personal items. Once I arrived in Logroño I determined that I had, with exemplary comprehensiveness, left all of them behind in Los Arcos, along with some clothing as well. This I attribute to insufficient skill in packing in the dark, in crowded conditions, before coffee. I locate a pharmacy where a friendly person helps restore what I lost.

On the Camino I will encounter three classic  types of things which can be left behind easily (and I did all 3) :  1) toiletries in communal shower/sink area 2) clothes left on the line to dry and 3) Power adapters plugged into the wall. As well as of course, hiking poles.

 

At this albergue I first met people that I would meet again later on the Camino, such as L. and K.