In León, city life for 2 days!

We left Mansilla de las Mulas just before 8, before sunrise, after a delicious breakfast, and with a very good feeling of this town at last. Our hotel was good too - we were completely independent...once we were let in initially and passport checked and key given and told where to have dinner and breakfast at a lovely little restaurant round the corner, and given the front door code, we never saw anyone again...just came and went, and departed this morning having left the key and our bags (which have reappeared here safely).

It was again cold when we left, and I was contemplating buying gloves my hands were so cold! The big moon was there again, but today it didn’t set till long after the sun rose....and by about 10 the sun started to be hot, and we did get hot and sweaty and removed jackets before too long. We walked for 19 kms, along the road for a while, then across the countryside for a while, but when we should have crossed the highway on a pedestrian overpass, it was closed and there were arrows for a “Camino deviacion” which led us up hills and through a village, and finally we found ourselves on the highest hill around where the communication towers and satellite dishes are before we came steeply down a stony track back to the highway and another bridge over it, and we were back on track....we feel sure that this deviation didn’t need to be so arduous! Someone who thinks pilgrims should suffer obviously planned it...

Anyway, we walked into León, a beautiful city, and very proud of itself, its cathedral, its produce and everything Leonese. We found the hotel quite easily (!) and it is in the old centre, and very atmospheric with wooden beams, stone...a lovely place for 2 nights, and 4 pillows!! Our bags had not yet arrived (we arrived about 12.30) so we went out for a drink and food, still sweaty and had a walk around to get our bearings. A beautiful day, and market day in León on Wednesday in the square by the cathedral. Garlic was €2 a kilo, and Manchego cheese was €5 a kilo...

Now back at the hotel, bags here, washed and changed, and have to last till 9 pm when we walk to Cocinandos, our special restaurant for tonight, a 15 minute walk from here. What a treat...it’s almost 4.30 now, we will last without crashing...will be giving a special report on the dinner tomorrow.

Not sure about the strength of wifi so will just post the words first. The best wifi always seems to be at the most modest places, and this is pretty fancy!Read more