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  • FRENCH CAMINO 2024
    11
    Day 18

    Day 15. Calzadilla de los Hermanillos

    September 15, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    23km walked.
    Again there is no room for the full title of our departure village and planned destination. We headed off in half light along a very quiet country road. Beanies were worn for the first time. It's always special to walk pre sunrise. The landscape was flat with irrigated fields of sunflowers and corn. The colors popped as the sun rose. We had a 17km section before the next town. As it was Sunday all was very quiet. No coffee for us in that town. We continued on for another 6km to our planned destination but a brilliant idea was formulated. Our guide book advised catching a bus for the 18km journey into Leon. This will give us 2 nights in Leon and thus a full day to explore the city. Unfortunately we discovered that there would be a 4 hour wait for the next bus but tall Paul managed to negotiate a €30 taxi ride shared with another pilgrim. Now in hotel having a well earned rest. We have covered 410km in 15 days and most certainly in need of a day off.
    Will hit the tapas bars tonight and enjoy a sleep in tomorrow.    Read more

  • Camino
    1
    Day 27

    Day 25 Reliegos to Leon

    September 7, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Started the day with a little bit of rain and a headwind. It was slow going for the first half of the day. We took a break for lunch, changed socks, and doctored feet. After this, things went smoother. The rain stopped, and we had good weather into Leon.

    Leon is the largest city so far, about 120,000 population. It was busy on a Saturday. We checked into our Hostal, showered, then explored the area.
    The cathedral was huge, we didn't tour this one but plenty of pictures of the outside. Had dinner with Lorreta, Denise, Hannah and Scott. We hadn't seen them for a few days. It was great seeing them    Read more

  • TravelerPalencia
    3
    11
    Day 12

    Leon

    September 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Leon hat ein tolles Flair, viele schöne kleine Gassen und Plätze und die Kathedrale ist wirklich atemberaubend. Mein Stellplatz ist ein Km entfernt und ich bleibe, egal wo, der rote Fleck, in der Autocaravanen- Landschaft🤣Read more

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  • TravelerCamino francés
    1
    142214
    Day 28–29

    León Day 3

    August 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    I was awoken at 5:00 pm in the morning by a group of youngins that were calling each other "puta," something "muerte" (you're going to die), and one of the males spat in a girls face twice, he was banging on tables, kicking on doors, and throwing food. They were obviously drunk and having sone kind of lovers quarrel. Bruno, a historian from Brazil, also was awoken and we talked about why he is leaving Brazil to relocate in Italy. Politics are corrupt, inflation, homophobia (he is gay, not that it matters to me) but there are many deaths of transgender people so the environment has a lot of hatred. We went for breakfast and then he left to go to his volunteer job at an albergue that he arranged through "Workaway." He is an English teacher in a poorer neighborhood with challenging conditions.Read more

  • Camino de Santiago
    12
    Day 25

    Rest day in León

    July 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Today was a very relaxed day in Leon. We decided after 19 days of non-stop walking we needed a break and a chance to relax before tackling the last 305 kilometres.

    It puts us a little behind our usual walking group but gives us a chance to meet some new people.

    A visit to the Cathedral and Casa Botines (Gaudi designed building)was well worth it. Finished with a few drinks with fellow pilgrims then back to our hotel to pack our bags for a 5:30am start. Another hot day predicted for tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Camino de Santiago
    2
    1113
    Day 27

    Denios on the Way

    July 19, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    It’s the first day of the brother’s walk. Steven was a half hour late because he was still on west coast time and couldn’t fall asleep last night. We all got gourmet picnic meals from the parador to take with us. And we were off…

    15 minutes after we start walking they all want to stop and get a coffee. Sorry boys, no “go cups” in Spain. You gotta stay and drink your coffee onsite. Not long after that, we spot a peacock and some chickens strutting around in a park. We stopped to enjoy the moment. Let’s just say the day got off to a VERY…SLOW…START….

    But it was just fine. We aren’t in a rush. The time is ours. We know where we need to go and how to get there. The day would turn out to be one of the hottest days on the Camino for me so far. I’d normally finish walking by noon. Today we finished by 3 pm. 🥵plus I was still feeling the early stages of a gout attack and my stomach wasn’t doing all that great. Bonus challenge is that when I read the label of the pepto bysmol it said not to take if you are taking gout medication (sigh). No catastrophes. Whew!

    The unexpected joy from the day came when two new pilgrims who started their walk in León today walked with us for the day. They are Amerigo (19) and Lisa(18), a couple from Italy who decided to do the walk together. They met for a dual interest in playing guitar. Started a band together a d are heading off to university in the Fall. We all thoroughly enjoyed the two of them and had a great exchange about our different cultures. As per the usual, Lisa, when learning about my work got into a conversation about religion and faith. Again another young person who chooses to stay away from the church because she sees the church as not practicing what it preaches. It is one thing to know intellectually that all these young people have difficulty with certain practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church. It is another to hear a real persons story time and again share the same issues. I did my best to represent the Catholic faith and respond to her questions which I think at least helped Cheeto see some of the issues more broadly and differently.

    We said good bye to them as we went to our Alburgue for the night. A delightful owner but the accommodation are vastly different, with no a/c and 90 degree weather at 10:30 pm indoors is stifling- even with a fan! I’ll see of if I can sleep tonight. Tomorrow is a 20 mile day. 😱    Read more

  • TravelerThe Camino de Santiago
    1
    Day 26

    Denio de Leon

    July 18, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Our time in León was a delightful way to start the sibling segment of the trip. We spent leisurely hours between the main cathedral and the basilica, with time spent at cafes wasting the day away with nothing to do but talk. It was just perfect.

    What wasn’t perfect was that I began to feel the symptoms of my gout coming on. After some stumbles in my selection of food and drink (I learned that it’s not just beer but liquor that can instigate a gout attack. And red meat, which is most of the dishes in Spain, is a no-no.)

    Thank God there has been no flare up. I’m on an alcohol, meat, and fish fast for the next three days to flush my system. David provided me with some anti-inflammatory green juice so I’m hoping it speeds up the process.

    I’m the evening David bowed out to get some sleep (he hasn’t slept more than 4 hours in the last four days). Jim, Steve, and I had a dinner where they both asked about my faith and work. Steven said something so powerful about it - he said it’s the first time he understood what I do and the first time we had the chance to talk about what I believe. He said it was really helpful to him. The following night he said it was a moment where he saw God in the day by hearing me talk about the Catholic faith. It was an important moment to share with my brothers. And it was a profound thing for me to hear how much my explanation struck and helped him to understand the Catholic faith.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Camino de Santiago
    2
    11
    Day 25

    Hermanos & Hope

    July 17, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    My first four miles of my walk today were all under 20 minutes per mile. I’ve been averaging a little over 20 minutes per mile generally. There certainly was motivation today for my walk…to see my brothers!

    I caught them on video walking into the parador where we will be staying in León for two nights. It will be my third “zero day” of four for our trip. I can’t wait to have a rest day, to spend the next few days with my brothers, and to stay in this stunning parador (the one filmed in the movie, The Way, if you ever seen it.)

    A day can feel differently when there is something anticipated to come ahead. It changes the way one sees the day. It’s a reminder to me of what it means to be a people of hope - a Christian. My life, hopefully, is lived differently because I call myself Christian and live in hope that this world and the world to come will be transformed by love.

    Today the brothers and I spent lingering hours chatting about our lives. It was so nourishing and exactly what I had hoped for. And this is only day one with them! We laughed and listened to each other. They were nice to say that out of all of us, I’m the only one of the four who could’ve pulled off getting all of us together. I’m glad they all agreed to come knowing, like Mary, that it’s a sacrifice for Angela, Heather, and their kids. I know that Jim also sacrificed as he is starting a new business and it’s an important time for him.

    True to form, upon seeing it was 12:30 am I told them I’m turning in. While they all decided to keep the party going. Hope to see them at breakfast at 8:30! 😳    Read more

  • TravelerWalka'bout thru Spain & Italy
    1
    11
    Day 23

    Part 3 of Day 18

    July 12, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Our hotel was built above ruins. Most of Leon is and the floors have glass, so you can see below. The Albergues is a part of the pilgrimage experience, but a hotel room is so lovely. We found a location for dinner that made tacos and quesadillas. We had to try them and they were good. Not taqueria good, but we're in Spain, not mexico.Read more

  • TravelerWalka'bout thru Spain & Italy
    2
    1
    Day 22

    Part 2 of Day 18

    July 11, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    The Cathedral of Leon... Built in the 1300's and it took 50 yrs to be built and 40 to restore it when a portion of the ceiling collapsed. It comes in 2nd in the world to have the most stained glass windows. I sat in front of the cathedral and had my 1st Gin & Tonic with Cas. I felt like I was an extra on Downton Abbey. I don't wanna wake up from this beautiful dream.Read more

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