We only left Sahagun at 8:00 am, because we slept in until 7:00. Wow! There was a glorious sunrise and the promise of another wonderful hiking day, not too hot, nor too cool. No breeze other than a diesel one, as Nancy would say, but you can't have everything.
I have a huge blister on my right heel, but my friend Lucie came and patched me up with all these newfangled European band aids, the night before, so I am all set.
Baerbel and Nancy are hiking with me; Nancy for the first time in over three days. I am happy not to be taking care of Michel! He and his wife Marie-Lynn have gone on ahead.
We stop and have a wonderful breakfast of bacon and eggs in Mansilla of Something. Our first bacon and eggs in this country. Yummy!
Baerbel, our German friend from Day 1, whom Nancy has succeeded in reconnecting with through email, and she of "hoping for a miracle" mention in my blog, still isn't feeling well, and Nancy either, so they decide to take a bus into Leon, after hiking six km. They leave me at Villamoras.
I continue to hike another 18 km into the city of Leon, by myself. I have no problem with that; I am on a path right by the motorway, and althought there is no shade and it is warm, I just keep going by myself.
Most Peregrinos completely skip the Meseta between the cities of Burgos and Leon, but not THIS Peregrina. I only see one other peregrina, a German lady who speaks no English. I enter the industrial area, then the suburbs, stopping only in the shade of a big Mazada dealership, to take a litttle break, attend to my feet and drink some water.
Once I enter the city limits, I see a young Brazilian named Joel, across the street. He is my first real Peregrino, so I yell
out to him. I recognize him as having been at the same two Albergues as us the last two nights. He is a sweet 31 year old who is 8 days older than my daughter. His feet are killing him. It took us a further hour to arrive at the Monastery. Nancy has booked us into the hotel part of the Monastery, which means our own room and no dormitory. Alleluia!
I have a great lunch of mussels and sangria, rest, blog, and go out for a late supper in the older town of Leon, which is gorgeous and so bustling on a Friday night. Joan, a six foot three inch. American from San Francisco, shows us around, after a wonderful supper near the Cathedral. We help a Czech get into the Albergue attached to our hotel, before it closes at 10:00. We rush through the streets of Leon. His name is George and he is ever so grateful for our help. A wonderful end to a magical evening, topped off with a FaceTime audio chat with my own Joëlle.
A few things I know for sure:
My left side is more tanned than my right, because of walking west.
My moustache is back, (sun and age spots above my upper lip!) Merde!! This is a personal blog remember, so if you don't like this personal womanly stuff, lo siento!
Buenas noches Janelle! Buena suerte en la universidad!
Con amor y agradecimientos de Leon, Espana.
No comments:
Post a Comment