The Camino Frances

The Camino Frances

Monday, May 12, 2014

In Leon

Day 20 Mansilla de la Mulas to Leon 18 km

A very easy day today - we were in Leon, lined up to get into the Madres Benedictinas refuge in the Convento Santa Maria de las Carbajalas by 11. We saw a lot of friends in the line-up, and were very happy to be settled into the segregated (by sex) dorms at noon. After a shower and laundry we headed out to see the town.  It is the forth largest city on the route.
The Cathedral is spectacular, and the stained glass is as magnificent as anything anywhere in Europe, to quote the guidebook. We bought the tour and it was worth it to help us appreciate it´s history.





We had a late lunch, instead of a late dinner, and as we sat on the sidewalk and enjoyed out ensalada mixta, squid in it´s own ink and a bottle of wine, we were joined by Patrice and Brian from Victoria. We had a lovely chat with them while we finished the bottle of wine.
Quite a few people came by that we had met, including Mark, whose pictures I keep sharing on facebook, and Trudy, whom we met on our first evening in Orrison.
It was such a different day for us. The walk was easy, and only took us 4 hours. The weather is lovely for people watching, and it was a treat to encounter so many we had not seen for days.
We wandered around the old city and marvelled at all the Spanish  people out for a stroll. The smaller villages we go though seem so deserted, and we never seem to see any evidence of children, or their schools, but today we saw several groups of school children, visiting the city.
We plan to go to vespers tonight with the sisters, and be up at 6 tomorrow. They offer breakfast, so we will be fueled and on the road to San Martin del Camino by 7 am.

10 comments:

  1. Darlene and Wendy, I loved Leon, I spend 4 days there figuring out if I was going to continue. It was a weekend, and a festival going on as well as the Morcilla festival ending. I went to St. Isadore for Noon blessing and was the only pilgrim there - it was the most emotional blessing of my Camino. We are finally having wonderful Spring/Summer like weather. Yeah.

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    1. Maybe one day I´ll do a slower one - I know we miss so much. We met one woman on her umpteenth Camino, and she started in Santiago, and was doing a cultural trip. Sounds like the blessing was very special to you. We went to vespers at the convent. No comment.

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  2. News Alert: Rabanal, refuses to close for fumigation of bed bug infestation. The hospitaleros, have begun a campaign of attrition, confiscating tea bags and counting on sleep deprivation to drive the bed bugs out of the albergue. On the up side, there are now plenty of tea bags available for tea. However, some are slightly soiled by bed bug secretions? It calls for discernment.

    Pop Quiz: According to Rabanal's reports, how many bed bugs generally share a teabag as a bed at night? A: only 2 (it is a British Albergue), B:always 3 (CSN style), C: there are so many on a teabag we lose count.

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    1. Mike, you are crazy and entertaining. Thanks for perking up my blog. I´ll go for none!

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  3. Also a caution when using your guide book for answers: the Saint, in the parish church dedicated to James, in Ledigos shows him as a pilgrim.
    Your guide book author, might not be actually going into these churches. Is this the same guide that told you,you were looking at a Roman bridge?
    Maybe you are on a parallel universe Camino.

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    1. I just did 30 km today. I can´t make sense of your questions, but we are using the Confraternity guide.

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  4. What shocked me during the audio tour of the Leon cathedral was when it was mentioned that it was built when Leon was a town of just 5,000!
    Stunning, and also probably the same for the Burgos cathedral that I also really liked!
    Enjoying your blog,
    Michel.

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    1. Thanks, Michel, for commenting. Someone else mentioned that fact to us before we even took the tour. Where did the money come from to build and decorate this cathedral?

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  5. Replies
    1. Hey, vicki - glad to hear from you. This time it is once again challenging and stunning, but I think I am getting better at it!

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