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Casa Botines

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    • TravelerCamino Frances
      2141
      Day 34

      Not another...cathedral

      October 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      A few hours on a bus to Leon and a two days of rest hasn't made it any clearer how this journey will end. You all like a bit of mystery and suspense though right.

      An hour and a half of soaking in a spa and sauna was definitely a good use of my time and I had the best night of sleep afterwards.

      I've been a good girl and tried my best to rest up in Leon. I've stocked up on drugs and ankles supports and found some warmer clothes as mornings and evenings can be chilly and hopefully I'll be back in the mountains soon.

      I took a quick tour of Leon cathedral just because it was obvious from the outside that it had so very many huge stained glass panels that I couldn't really miss.

      Leon is also a attractive small liveable city with a nice river and old town centre, plenty of history, art, culture and good food.

      Tomorrow I'm bussing out of the suburbs and trying a short walk to my first stop, with more hopefully manageable walks planned for a few days heading for Astorga. We shall see how that goes. Hopefully my ankle won't get worse. At this rate I'll never make it to Santiago on foot but I'll have fun however far I get.

      I figured out I've walked 280km on the Camino so far. I need to do roughly that again if I'm going to finish on foot. Luckily it was always about the journey, rather than the destination.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino de Santiago
      1
      Day 24

      Leon in the shade

      April 15 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      After my scrubby shower and tea and toast I went to bed - not to sleep but to let fresh sheets envelop me, and stare at the ceiling and let my brain go free range. It went to many areas it's not supposed to, looked back to see if anyone was going to yank the leash, and got a bit suspicious of the freedom so eventually walked back on its own, assuming it was a trap.

      I then got dressed and took myself to an Asian fusion restaurant, once it opened at 8.30pm. Leon is the last city before Santiago so it was my only chance before Portugal for something not Spanish. You stand absolutely no chance in the villages.

      This place was very cool, it had good reviews and I did a really good job of doing it all in Spanish, actually. The waiter could see I was trying and kindly didn't switch to English, I think that might have pushed the last bit of air out of me.

      I splurged on more food than I needed just because it was going to be crunchy and fresh and a different flavour and I wanted cheering up. The ssam spring rolls were excellent without qualification - no 'for Spain' or anything, it was amazing. The bun itself was nice but the sauce was innnnncredibly salty. The gyoza were fine - he was very excited to explain the sesame sauce injections, I thought it was darling, if odd. As a package, the variety was a relief. Good move, if my most expensive meal yet by far.

      I walked around like my own ghost for an hour afterwards, winding up at a bus stop of course, which are like mini-airports in a way, you see all sorts of lives in all sorts of conditions. I leaned on a wall watching it all, feeling lonely, before making my way back with astonishing accuracy. I am genuinely really good at directions in old towns now. I'm like a bat.

      As much as I gave myself the night off from updating this, writing is an outlet rather than a burden on trips with a language barrier, particularly when travelling alone. I've made a personality out of being articulate so when I can't do that verbally it upsets me more than I think I realise, and I need to redirect it. Even if it's just my own echo, these entries make me feel I have made myself understood.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino
      Day 32

      Leon rest day

      October 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      How nice was it this morning to wake up knowing it was a rest day! Our 3rd and last rest day on the trip.
      We had a fabulous night catching up with Irish family and went to the most sumptuous restaurant that we have been to on this whole trip! It was almost in a time warp . I had Beef Wellington and bomb Alaska for dessert. Not sure I have ever had it before plus a black pudding starter! Vanessa and Fiona are real foodies so were pretty impressed. As you can imagine there was lots of chat and catching up . Rugby did not get a look in!
      Last night the streets were alive with the festival celebrating when the Christians took over the Muslims in the 13th C called San Froilan . There was opera folk and tradional music wherever we strolled..
      Today has been a day of soaking up the atmosphere of this beautiful city and doing a little shopping but we can't buy much as no room!
      We went to a medievil market and the food was amazing. Photos to follow but pigs in spits; paella, sausages of all descriptions and gallons of sangria!
      We are all going to eat there tonight.
      Beautiful day again but the mornings are cold.
      Bill arrives anytime and tomorrow we hit the track again and looking forward to getting into the Galicea region.
      Buen Camino      Read more

    • TravelerOne More Camino in Spain 2023
      1
      Day 43

      An eventful day - now in León

      May 9, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

      Today was our bus trip to León. We left at 10.30 and Amr thought it was a direct trip, and about 2 hours…well, it took about 4 hours till we got to the hotel here…but it was fun, and much more interesting than if we’d just zoomed through on the autovia. We did set of on the freeway, then fairly soon turned off and from then till Sahagún, we called in on small towns and picked up and dropped off passengers, often peregrinos who wanted a bus for some stages! And we called in on several towns on the Camino like Carrión de los Condes, Mansilla de las Mulas, Sahagún and Terradillos de los Templarios…so we felt quite close to the Camino, and sometimes the camino was on a path beside the road and we saw pilgrims walking…we loved that! And we now have seen the meseta in spring….we were looking forward to walking it, but we saw the green of the grain crops, and ploughed fields ready for sunflowers - so beautiful.

      And now we are in León, a beautiful city, with a spectacular cathedral, for 2 nights. Apparently they talk about a heatwave here, but it is cold in the morning (sometimes single figures) and gets to the low to middle 20s in the heat of the day, and by 6pm people are putting on jackets, quite cold…we are in the same hotel as 2018…an old building in the centre, and our room is on the 3rd floor, the top and we have sloping beams and a skylight…very charming.

      We walked round a bit at first, looking for somewhere to snack and drink as it was almost 3 which isn’t the time for that…siesta time, and even bars close quite often…anyway, we had a little and after a bit more wandering, I went for a little lie down while Amr had more walking. Revived when he returned and we had a pre dinner drink at a place we’d seen, and then had a lovely walk right round the walls of the city - huge, like all these cities…even adjoining the cathedral. Then we went back to the place we’d had the drink and had a meal…a great place, as you can have a huge meal, or choose as little as you want. And we each had a glass of wine: Amr a Ramon Bilbao, and I had an Alberiño, both happy. Amr had an enormous salad, and I had stuffed peppers, my favourite (after chiperones) …both happy again. I find I can only eat small amounts, and slowly…I think my stomach has shrunk with so long not eating! Learning how to manage. That is our day in a nutshell - now off to bed.      Read more

    • TravelerVon Eyendorf nach Afrika
      Day 74

      Leon, Museum of art, Hostelleben

      April 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Ich habe heute das Kunstmuseum besucht.
      Manchmal denke ich die Künstler wollen einen veräppeln. Viele der Bilder hätte ich mit Kindergarten Kindern malen können.
      Wieso dürfen sich zwei Flaschen und zwei Teller Kunst nennen?? Oder Zementsäcke mit Nackenkissen?? Da fühle ich mich fast petsönlich angegriffen, wenn ich so ein Mist sehe. Oder Bierkästen hinter einer Mauer...
      Das schönste war das Gebäude, soo schön farbig. Weil ich so frustiert war, habe ich selber von mir Fotos am Gebäude gemacht. Ich kann ja auch mal Kunst sein. :-)
      Heute morgen hat mir Lisa aus Schweden endlich mal die Haare geflechtet.
      Ich habe ihr dafür Muscheln aus Marokko geschenkt. Lustiger Weise teilt sie die Liebe zu Muscheln. Heute morgen sagt Juan zu mir, ich liebe dein T Shirt. Mein Schlafshirt. Bullishirt.
      Heute nachmittag haben wir viel über das Reisen gesprochen. Juan hat vier afrikanische Länder bereist, nachdem er 27 Jahre Manager war. Er hat gekündigt, ist viel gereist und führt seit 6 Jahren das Hostel.Ich mag Aussteiger!! Er hat mich gefragt, ob ich das Hostel ein, zwei Monate leiten möchte, ich würde hier gut rein passen...
      Auf dem letzten Bild ist der spanische Architekt Gaudi zu sehen, er hat wunderbare harmonische Gebäude entworfen, besonders mut Mosaik in Barcelona.      Read more

      See translation
    • MikkaTo the End of the World
      Day 17

      Leaving León

      August 2, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

      It will be a hot day and though I’ll have only 26 kilometers ahead of me, most of it will be pounding asphalt on my way out of León and along N-120.

      After last nights‘ discovery of vino de verano (wine with Kas lemon) I slept a little too long, but the feet are happy and the pack feels light, so I have high hopes to arrive with a smile.Read more

    • The World is Out ThereCamino De Santiago
      41
      Day 3

      Casa Botines

      May 21, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

      A house built by master architect Antoni Gaudi. (I would go on to visit the Gaudi castle in Astorga, the Sagrada Familia, Park Gruell, and Casa Botlla in Barcelona. Many consistencies with parts of those works.). He was a true master incorporating key influences from Nature, the Catalan culture, and Catholicism. He never married and was a very private individual and devout Catholic. He was the only person to have spoken Catalan in the presence of the King and not immediately severely beaten. He tended to prefer an almost ascetic existence and his clothes were old and worn. In his seventies, one day he was hit by a city tram in Barcelona. Because of his unkept dress he was taken to a paupers hospital where he languished, untreated for several days. A wealthy benefactor happened to be volunteering in the hospital and recognized Gaudi, but though the city battled mightily to save it’s most famous son, he passed away. Luckily, he had just completed the Nativity entrance to the Sagrada Familia and had left detailed plans and models for its eventual completions over 200 years later.Read more

    • TravelerCamino 2019
      Day 23

      Villar de Mazarife

      September 13, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      Bis man in und aus León ist, muss man durch viele ehemalige Dörfer laufen, die heute hässliche Schlafstädte/Industriegebiete sind. Tragen aber noch tolle Namen, z.B. Virgen del Camino ;-). Konnte kein Selfie mit Gaudi machen, da er noch pitschnass war, nachdem der Straßenreinigungstrupp ihn mit dem Hochdruckreiniger behandelt hat :)). Danach haben Julie und ich die Alternativroute genommen, um endlich von der Autobahn wegzukommen. Es ist auch wieder richtig warm, knappe 30 Grad.
      Heute in Leòn hatte ich auf den anderen Camino abbiegen müssen, aber der passt nicht mehr in meinen Zeitplan und ich fühle mich auch nicht danach, jetzt mutterseelenallein durch die Berge zu stiefeln. Vielleicht ja nächstes Jahr :-).
      P.S. Unser junger tschechischer Freund zahlt heute, damit ich für ihn mitkoche :)      Read more

      See translation
    • Two wheels to the Tiger's Nest
      2
      Day 20

      Day 20 - Leon

      September 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

      Relaxing day off in Leon doing tourist things, including the Gaudi building, Roman walls, and Cathedral. Also visited the laundrette, to catch up on washing. Surprised to see it had a specific washing machine for pets.Read more

    • TravelerCamino Frances
      Day 25–27

      Leon, Day 2

      October 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

      Toured the Leon Cathedral today and it really is stunning in its scale and amount of detail. It has nearly 1,800 square meters of stained glass windows.

      As we stepped out into the cloisters, people were gathering for Las Cantaderas, a traditional ceremony celebrating the end to a mythical practice whereby the Asturian kings annually gave 100 maidens to the Muslim caliphs as payment for something. (Not sure what--I think the tradition is essentially based on ancient disinformation!) This is part of the weekend's whole Fiesta de San Froilan, which had the streets packed yet again today with crowds, processions of ginormous flags and a fair number of bagpipes. (BTW, were you aware of the Celtic/Iberian connection? I wasn't but it's a thing--look it up!)

      We popped into a couple other must-sees, minus the tours: the Basilica of San Isidoro, and Casa Boutines by Gaudi. Then we escaped the crowds by snagging a table at Casa Daniel the minute it opened and enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing and filling lunch. It's hard not to eat a lot when lunch and dinner are three-course meals. Good thing we will be walking it off on tomorrow's 15-mile hike to San Martin del Camino.      Read more

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