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Camino de Santiago de LeónCamino de Santiago de León
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A 25-day adventure by Paul Read more
  • Paul Williams

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  • Spain Spain
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Culture, Group travel, Spirituality
  • 479miles traveled
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  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    arrival in León

    May 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Arrived in León! After 27 hours traveling, we walked our first mile, from the bus terminal to our apartment (here for 2 days). Also we got our first "Buen Camino" at the Madrid airport. It was a stressful drive to JFK airport because to traffic backups, but we made our flight with seconds to spare.Read more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    Walking Day 1, León to Villar de Mazarif

    May 24, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Walking through Leon was difficult for me because the yellow arrows were difficult to see while watching for traffic and the uneven pavement ect. Sad to say that because of my vision i would not be able to do urban sections solo. Once outside the city, i did well. I'm glad i made the commitment to learn some español, it was very useful today. I spoke with an older local man who visited his professor son in Mexico recently, and also my albergues roommate from Chile, A kind S Korean woman gave us fresh cherries. The only annoyance is the rude cyclist that fly by with no warning and don't give me. any berth. I'm learning to look behind me and hold my poles horizontal to force them over. We stopped for coffee and baño at an improv stand asking only for donations. He had a world map and asked us to put a marker dot on our home location. It's so amazing that I am actually here and doing this! (i just teared up writing that) My feet, however are not that thrilledRead more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    Walking Day 2 to Hospital de Orbigo

    May 25, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Last night after eating a tortilla de España I spoke with Kevin, a project manager from Dublin he is walking the Camino because the found a melanoma on his leg. This morning i walked alone about 5 miles, then caught up with Hernando from Santiago,Chili and finished the walk with him. We stopped for coffee, where i met Yung Xi, a woman from S Korea. Her English was limited but we enjoyed trying to communicate. i am never sure what language to greet someone, but Hola seems to work best. Hospital de Orbigo is a beautiful town with a 200m 13th century stone bridge. I walked through arid plains with old irrigation canals. I came across a noise unfamiliar to me, turns out to be frogs the also have their own language. My attitude here is to simply receive and appreciate whatever comes my way, and so far, it has been incredibly richRead more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    Walking Day 3 to. Astorga

    May 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 54 °F

    We ate at the Los Angeles restaurant last night, Hernando joined us and we had a lot of fun trying to understand his Chilian Spanish. He was happy to share pictures of his family. The boys had seen him before but didn't realize it was the same man that didn't close the bedroom door when he was getting into his pajamas.Over slept, so i had to rush my breakfast. A little rain and cooler today. The B&B was very nice. I walked about 5 miles solo again until i meet up with Nikki from Sydney. It was nice to speak English again. She was walking for the adventure. We got to a rest stop on the top of a windy hill, where i caught up with Doug. Then Doug and I walked more or less together to Astorga. 12.7 miles today. It was the hardest day so far, I think because I haven't had enough sleep. I discovered that learning to speak another language is a humbling experience. You can't expect to be perfect or even correct, you only have to try. The crosses scattered throughout the path are very moving. They remind me of the ancient history of the Camino and the millions of souls that passed this Way , all with their reasons, burdens and humanness.Read more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    Walking Day 4 to Foncebado'n

    May 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    Last night I visited Los Aminos Museo in Astorga, many ancient t artifacts in the cathedral . Started a little earlier for a long walk today. I walked 16.2 miles, mostly alone but the last 4 miles ascending the mountain with Donnie. I ran into Dan from Los Angeles for the 3rd time. We meet pilgrims from Alaska ( originally Brighton NY), Slovakia, Phillipeans, England, Australia and more today. We saw many stone walls and wondered when and how they were built. The arid plains transformed to hills and then to mountains. Foncebadon looks like an unlikely place for a village. Exhausted today and we have to do it again tomorrow and we may start early to see the sunrise at the highest point on the Camino, Cruz de. Ferro.Read more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León
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    Walking Day 5 to Ponferrada

    May 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Dinner at the El Trasgu restaurant, We "salute" with a shot of scotch. We decided to start early tomorrow so we could catch the sunrise at the Cruz de Ferro, 2km ahead at the top of the mountain and at 4950' the highest point on the Camino. We arrived at sunrise and I put down my stone with all the others accumulated over the years. It's a sacred place. The next 8 or 9 miles we descended the mountain on the path of exposed mountain and rocks. I didn't have my poles today, because i left them in the store yesterday. I had to watch the trail carefully because there were many cliffs, fences and tripping hazards. The Montes de León were stunning. It was a cold and still morning with the sounds of cowbells and cuckoo birds. Most of the trail was quite narrow, so it would have been hard to walk beside someone, but i did meet Cassie from London and Taksu(?) a retired lawyer from Tokyo who was alone but his wife planned to join him in Sarria. We finally came into a village about 10am for breakfast and cafe con leche. The sun came out and i felt much better. A man was handing out cherries deep in the mountains, and stamping passports. The next village we had lunch. We almost always dine on the street. Then we raced to beat the thunder to PonferradoRead more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León

    Recovery day in Ponfarrada

    May 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    No walking today , except around the old town The Castillo de los Templarios built in the 1100,'s is 2 city blocks long. I also stopped in the Virgen de la Encía church. The rest of the day i tested and did laundry. I'm in a 2nd floor apartment and i dropped a shirt into a courtyard and can't find a way to get to it. Oh well, it had a stain on it anyway. Matthew is joining our group tonight and will stay here with meRead more

  • Paul WilliamsTravelerCamino de Santiago de León
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    Walking Day 6 to Villafranca del Bierzo

    May 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Back on the trail again 17.2 miles to Villafranca. I felt very good today, walking strong until i arrived at the hostel Cruce. New faces on the trail because we took a rest day yesterday. It was flat for the first 10 miles, then some fairly steep grades. I walked nearly all the trail alone today. A couple times i waited for pilgrims to go by, so i could be sure i had the right way. One older fellow was a little rude to me when I asked for direction, "Can't you see the sign?", he said. I couldn't see it. It cuts a little bit, even when I know it shouldn't. I stopped in a small church for a few minutes after lunch. It felt like something i should do. next I stopped to get a drink with a retired Korean couple. We converced with the Google translator. I asked why so many Korean pilgrims?, He replied " i think there are a lot of Americans!" LOL. His wife told me they come to escape the congestion of life in Seoul. Next, i walked through the Spanish vineyards and listened to the nighrengale songs. Finally arrived at Villafranca, but still another 1k to go. The streets here are very very steep. The village is at 1650', but that changes quickly.Read more

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