Leon Rest Day Two

By hanging around like this we are losing all our momentum. I'm sure we will get this back as we are facing some very stiff hills in the coming days. This morning we explored the old city of Leon. It is quite lovely here. Most fun of all was meeting fellow pilgrims we have gotten to know over the last few weeks. 

Last night we had such a cosy evening with Joyce and Arlene joining us here at the Parador. Then this morning, an extensive buffet for breakfast. Even papaya available. It will be tough getting used to bread and jam for breakfast again! 

We are trying to give our feet a break by staying off them.  Hard to do in such an interesting city!

Enjoying a lovely evening with Arlene and Joyce!

I am sitting on the steps of Gaudi's building. One of the first secular buildings using private funds. Before that it was religious institutions or aristocracy that funded buildings like this. We think that it is a bank.

Jeff, sitting beside Gaudi who is sketching. 

Gaudi's dates

Some of the stained glass wonders in the cathedral

Great stop for a cafe con leche and treat

With all that walking we can afford a pastry, or two. 

Leon Rest Day One

"One...was not only walking across space, but across time as well. " by Kerry Egan from Ultreia! Onward!

We have been reunited with Bert and Diane and are enjoying this beautiful hotel. The Spanish government has taken on the task of converting historical buildings into smart hotels. This chain is called Parador. The one we are in now was once a pilgrim's hostal. Today it is part hotel and part museum. We had fun wandering around the cloisters and statues. One plaque read that in the 1930's this property was used as an especially horrible concentration camp. Today it is a peacful retreat for tourists and pilgrims. 

Leon Parador hotel

Statue of a weary pilgrim taking a break in front of the hostal.

One of the cloisters of the Parador.

Admiring the cloisters from the interior garden.

Yes, we had lunch at a McDonalds. A nice change from all that white bread!

Leon

This morning, while the rest of the group began their walking day, I took a taxi to Leon in order to get an extra rest day. The ride took 50 minutes and covered two days worth of walking. It felt very strange to be whizzing by like that. Within the hour of leaving I was already in my hotel room. I needed to give my feet a break so I had lunch here in the hotel. I was treated like a queen and ordered a fancy salad and some soup which contained a whole poached egg. Later in the afternoon, after a bath and a nap, the phone rings and it is Jeff, downstairs! He has walked today's 24.5 K plus tomorrow's 18.6 K to be here with me. He assured me that I did not miss a thing and that the path was very stony. Needless to say, I am very pleased that he is here. It is now Monday and we don't walk again until Thursday. So, a nice break. The sun is shining, too!

This is the couple who looked after us so well yesterday. The true spirit of the camino! This place was spotless, too. The pilgrim's meal was one of the best. I had pork cheeks!

Diane and I tasting our host's homemade coffee liquer. 

Jeff taking a photo of what I missed today. Not much!

The Leon cathedral we plan to explore tomorrow. Apparently famous for its stained glass windows.

Caldzilla de los Hermonillas

We have arrived in the most charming of inns. A lovely couple run it and they bend over backwads for us. Right now we are sitting in a living room and a fire is going to make it extra cosy. For lunch they served up a beef soup that they assured us would wake the dead. Believe me, I needed that kind of soup today.

I have hit the wall. My feet hurt with each step and my body seems stuck. Last night I could not eat dinner because of exhaustion. And I love my food!

I have decided to take a few rest days in Leon. My incredible husband made all the arrangements and I will go to Leon after breakfast tomorrow. He will meet me there the following day. As will Bert and Diane.

Today was supposed to be a short day but we had to backtrack to get on the right route. We made our way through lovely woodlands and fields and were rewarded with poppies, lavender and other wild flowers. 

Last night in Sahagun we had the misfortune of staying in a rundown place. In addition, there was a wedding party below and we heard booming music until 2 PM. We also were very cold and I wore thick clothes and socks in bed. This morning we all had a laugh about our shared woes. And then Bert spotted a cockroach. Needless to say, we feel well taken care of in this neat, cosy place with these nice people.

This morning's poppy field. We managed to avoid rain and it turned out to be a pleasant day.

And the road went on and on.......

Some of the lavender we encountered.

Sahagun

lToday we walked 22.7 miles to the large town of Sahagun. On the way, we had cafe con leche at the small village of Terradillos de los Templarios. This town is the half way point between St. Jean Pied de Port and Santiago. It is hard to imagine that we have already walked 400 K. It is equally difficult to think that we have another 400 K to go. However, it is going well except for some blisters that make my feet feel like minced meat at the end of the day. I am hoping my feet will toughen up really soon. The town is also famous as a former stronghold of the Knights of Templar. 

After two days of wind and rain we had a glorious day of sunshine. The route was also better with more variety and villages to stop in. In one place someone made us a crusty sandwich filled with fried egg, cheese and ham. That went down extremely well. 

Right now we are in a bit of a dump with a very small room and the tiniest of bathrooms. But I suppose we should be thankful for a private room and hot water. And we are!

Soon, we will meet Arlene and Joyce for another pilgrims' dinner at a place recommended by an Englishman from Yorkshire we met this afternoon. He is going home because his legs gave out. 

This is a very long walk and sometimes really hard. However, soon we will be in Leon for a rest day. We are all looking forward to that!

Today's walk. No wind, rain or mud. Lovely!

A typical "senda" where the camino goes beside a road. This one was pleasant with flowers and fields.

Calzadilla de la Cueza

Today we had to walk just 17.1 K so we left a little later and treated the day like a rest day. Big mistake! This is the only stretch on the whole Camino that has no villages to stop at. So it was a slog through a featureless landscape that just went on and on. On top of this, we had to deal with a serious headwind almost the whole way. However, the sky was blue again and for the first time we noticed wild lavender growing along side the path. 

Finally we arrived at the tiny village of Calzadilla where we were warmly welcomed with beer and delicious pizza. We chatted with three ladies from Oregon/California about our morning. There is a huge, immediate bond between everyone, young and old, because of common experiences. Everyone struggled with that wind this morning and everyone thought the trail was too long and boring. And we keep bumping into the same people.  

On the straight and narrow this morning. This is a Roman road as well but it got covered up with gravel.

Dealing with hot spots on my feet!

A break! Bert is either helping Diane back onto her feet (we stiffen up) or he is handing her some of that wild lavender.

Finally approaching Calzadilla. Notice all those little pebbles. You sure feel each one after a while!

Our pilgrims dinner last night. Nice to reconnect with Joyce and Arlene.

Carrying on to Carrion de los Condes

"I loved the feeling of a portable, waterproof house over me. I was a pilgrim, going slow, but getting there, a travelling turtle". by Shirley MacLaine in Ultreia! Forward!

Today we were on the road by 6:45 AM because we had another long day. The weather was the same as yesterday with a cold wind and rain. We all bundled up and our gear worked for us. But it was a slog, walking into that wind for hours. On one particularly long stretch I suddenly remembered that we were walking on the longest stretch of original Roman road left in Spain. That perked us all up for a while. Twice we stopped for cafe con leche just to get out of the wind and warm up. We are becoming grateful for small things. In one place someone made us a chicken soup which hit the spot.

When we arrived in Carrion, there were Joyce and Arlene. Had not seen them for a few days. We all caught up with each other and might try to go together for a pilgrim's meal later. 

Today we were introduced to the "senda" which is a pilgrim's path right next to a highway. This path went on for hours and became quite tedious. I suppose we should be glad not to have to walk right on the shoulder of the highway. Hopefully, we won't have too much of this in the coming weeks.

Old Roman road with the cobble stones. Most pilgrims walk on the edges to protect their feet!

Jeff and I having fun with yet another pilgrim's statue.

The fields of poppies that continue to delight us.

The magical entry into Hontanas on Monday. It was hidden in a small valley. We went to an English pilgrim's mass in that church. Note the yellow arrow on the rock. The arrows have guided us for almost 400 K already!