Spain
Catedral de León

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    • Day 27

      Into Villar de Mazarife

      October 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

      We walked to Villar de Mazarife but the travel booking people had us catch a taxi from there to San Martin del Camino. We’re staying in a private room in an albergue.This albergue has a pool to soak your feet AND excitingly a washer and dryer! We are very excited!!! We’re sitting in the nice weather (rain yesterday, rain tomorrow, rain Tuesday-Friday next week) reading our phones having already done the Wordle, the Mini Crossword, and done Connections. We are at an albergue that serves dinner too so we don’t have to go out looking for food! Life is good!

      I’m putting pictures from last evening’s visit to the cathedral in León on this post. It was amazing! It always makes me wonder what medieval people thought of cathedrals! There were no big buildings at that time so cathedrals must have been mind-blowing.

      Today’s walk was pretty flat, though suburbs first and eventually through countryside. We saw some parachutes around a small airport near a little town called Chozas Abajo. Chozas are huts, usually thatched roof huts. Although we didn’t see any chozas, it seems like a funny name for a town with an airfield. The town was small, like maybe a couple hundred people max.

      So today we had a cool experience. Somehow I’m taking David’s hiking poles in and out of the sides of my pack, his floppy sun hat fell on the ground. When we discovered this we were bummed. That hat is goofy looking but it’s so helpful for hiking in the sun! And also if it’s just raining a bit it keeps the rain off his glasses. BUT! About an hour after we discovered the hat was lost, we took a break and saw this very striking, elegant woman we’ve crossed paths with many times. She wears billowy dresses and uses an old school walking stick. And when we saw her today we saw that David’s hat was hanging from her walking stick! So we finally had a chance to chat with her. She’s from France and said she just found his hat in the middle of the Camino. We gave her many merci bou coups for returning his hat! And then we saw her later in the village we walked to. A new friend!
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    • Day 19

      19. DAY | 12 km

      May 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

      Hola León...

      Heute habe ich nicht viel zu erzählen, die Route war weder lang noch besonders. Aber ich habe es dennoch genossen. Das Abendessen habe ich mit einem Teil der Camino Freunde verbracht, nun gehe ich ins Zentrum und treffe Simone. Ja ich könnte behaupten es fühlt sich in diesem Moment nach Urlaub an. Sobald ich in den Großstädten angekommen bin wie Logrõno, Burgos oder León habe ich das Gefühl bekommen ich hätte nie woanders gewohnt. Bald ist 21 Uhr dann spielt Real Madrid und natürlich werde ich in eine Bar gehen (nein mich interessiert dass Spiel nicht) aber man hat nicht immer so ein schönes Publikum. Ich sehe euch grinsen während ihr diese Zeile liest auch du Papa stimmts ? Ich denke immer an euch und war glücklich die letzten Tage endlich den ein oder anderen gehört zu haben, denn fast 3 Wochen ohne vertraute Stimmen war für mich eine große Herausforderung. Vorher wäre es nicht möglich gewesen, es ist für mich wichtig zu lernen alleine mit mir selbst klar zu kommen auch wenn es schwer wird.

      Übrigens in der Zeit bis Simi an die Kathedrale gekommen ist, bin ich zur Fotografin der Touristin geworden und eine der Gruppen fragte mich ob ich die Pilgerin sei, die den Rucksack passend zur Leggins hat (interessant was die Menschen von einem denken, während man ohne Gedanke an ihnen vorbei geht).

      Elli

      Hola León...

      Oggi non ho molto da raccontare, il percorso non era né lungo né speciale. Ma melo sono goduta lo stesso. Ho cenato con alcuni amici del Cammino, ora vado al centro e incontro Simona. Sì, potrei dire che in questo momento mi sembra di essere in vacanza. Appena arrivata nelle grandi città come Logrõno, Burgos o León, ho avuto la sensazione di non aver mai vissuto altrove. Tra poco sono le 21.00 e gioca il Real Madrid e ovviamente vado in un bar (no, non mi interessa la partita), ma non sempre c'è un pubblico così bello. Vi vedo sorridere mentre leggete questa righa, anche tu papà, vero? Vi penso sempre e sono stata felice di sentire finalmente uno o l'altro di voi negli ultimi giorni, perché quasi 3 settimane senza voci familiari sono state una grande sfida per me. Non sarebbe stato possibile prima, è importante per me imparare a cavarmela da sola, anche quando diventa difficile.

      Tra l'altro, nel tempo che Simi è arrivata alla cattedrale, sono diventata la fotografa dei turisti e uno dei gruppi mi ha chiesto se ero la pellegrina che aveva lo zaino nello stesso colore dell leggings (interessante quello che la gente pensa di te mentre gli passi accanto senza pensarci).

      Elli
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    • Day 35

      Leon Rest Day

      May 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      Leon is by far the biggest city we have walked through but it is an elegant city with charm and a sense of presence as an historical city of substance and importance. It has been beautifully maintained and developed. It is worth a visit for a few days with the churches, museums, historical architecture and so many choices to sample the wonderful food.
      We moved from our first night albergue, just outside the city wall, after doing a full load of washing of everything in our bags, a cup of coffee and tostadas! We moved to the centre of town, 50m from the Cathedral into Albergue Leon, the 3rd story of a buildings overlooking the main mostly pedestrian road. After dropping off our bags we went off to see the sights, starting with a building by the famous “Gaudi” of Barcelona fame and a photo sitting next to his statue.

      We stepped into the Santa Maria de Leon Cathedral - a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance in style - and were immediately mesmerised by the many stain glass windows (1800 square metres of glass), 125 in total - set high in the walls that shed a lightness of touch to the interior (different to so many of the other churches which are rather dark). One of the chief functions of the medieval church was to instruct the illiterate and give them pictures they could understand, to show them the story of the Gospels and the legends of the Saints. Many chapels are placed all around the sides, each beautiful in their own way. The choir is a masterpiece on its own with one of the best organs - one day we hope to be back to enjoy a recital.

      It was Siesta time so everything was closed so we went into Barrio Humedo, area, renowned for their tapas, for lunch and a beer. We then had a quick shower and arrived at Saint Isadora church and museum as they opened. We had a guided tour showing us a snapshot of its varied life over 2 thousand years, firstly as a Roman fortrace, then during early Christianity, the period it was under Muslim control and finally when it returned to Christian rule in the 11th century. During the tour we saw some restored frescoes and she told us how they did it too. Quite ingenious. We saw a library full of books, hundreds of years old and a bible with illustrations and footnotes in perfect condition from the 12th century. Then through the cloisters and into the palace where there were ceiling paintings of the life of Jesus in original condition from around 1200. They were stunning and are know as the Romanesque Systine Chapel. A great visit.
      We then went to mass at the Cathedral and had good intentions of going to the Cathedral museum but were “museumed out” by then so we joined a few friends for drinks and then all went out for a fabulous dinner. They brought us large share plates of cured meats and cheese, garlic prawns, salad, cod in a spicy sauce , oxtail which was a highlight and then rare beef steak on a sizzle plate. We ended with a “herbal liqueur”. It was great seeing everyone in a relaxed state after a day without walking. Before retiring for the night we saw the Cathedral all lit up for the night - another impressive sight.
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    • Day 24

      Day 23, rest day in Leon

      June 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      I woke feeling so much better than 24 hours earlier and enjoyed the luxury of sleeping until 8 and then dozing for another hour. I was sorry to say goodbye to my room in San Martin hostel which had been such a refuge when I felt ill but we had another hotel booked for the 2 nights I’m spending here with Fiona.
      The new location is at the back of Leon’s magnificent Gothic cathedral. I met up with Rachel and Mike to visit it this morning - bumping into Fiona who had just arrived heroically from Mansilla as we went in. The cathedral is simple and wonderful and flooded with light from the most stunning stained glass. The side chapels were much less elaborate than at Burgos and included a rare depiction of a pregnant Mary. I absolutely loved it - both internally and externally it is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. Apparently it had suffered some baroque ‘improvements ‘ including a heavy dome and a gold altarpiece which obscured the stained glass. The later structural alterations had undermined the integrity of the building. In the 19th century it’s survival was in jeopardy but thankfully restoration work was successful and, among other things, the original altarpiece reinstated.
      I met up with Fiona at the hotel where we both did some washing and dried it on our perfectly positioned sunny balcony. Very satisfying.
      And then we visited the Gaudi museum, Casa Bottines. This was another great building with excellent information on display. The diminishing size of the windows on the upper storeys, for example, was apparently carefully calculated to ensure similar levels of light in all parts of the building. I’m struggling to describe the furniture which was quirky and fluid and somehow delicious.
      This evening we went out to celebrate Nick’s 65th birthday. In fact there were two other pilgrims also celebrating birthdays in the same bar. After a deal of searching for a restaurant to suit all tastes we opted for an Italian in Plaza Mayor. Tomorrow our little group breaks up and, from now on, all the others will be a day or two ahead of us. Rachel and Mike are taking a bus 35kms along the route and will walk to Astorga from there. Nick and Paul will set off walking and reach Astorga the following day. We are staying in Leon one more night and pacing ourselves quite gently so may not be in sync with the others again though we hope to overlap in Santiago!
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    • Day 18

      Etappen zwischen Carrion und Leon

      October 5, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      Leider musste ich wegen einem grippalen Infekt die restlichen Etappen bis Leon mit dem Taxi zurücklegen.
      Diese Entscheidung fiel mir nicht leicht, auch Tom riet mir zu diesem Schritt.
      Drei Tage werde ich vorerst dort bleiben und hoffen, dass es mir danach wieder soweit gut geht, dass ich weiter Richtung Santinago laufen kann.Read more

    • Day 23

      Day 23 - León

      October 2, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

      Our stay in León has coincided with the Festival de San Froilán, and Allan made a brief foray into the throngs of hundreds of thousands of visitors today to reach an open farmacia.

      The weather has warmed up nicely today, making for a beautiful day for such a gathering in front of the cathedral, and the nearby streets and plazas.

      According to a local news story, the banners he saw lined up in front of the cathedral were marched through the streets and ceremonially stowed away earlier this afternoon.

      The donkey-drawn cart that Allan encountered was likely one of the provincial town’s entries into a competition, where the year’s “best” cart was to be selected this afternoon. They are laden with baked goods, cured meats, and traditional clothing and ribbons. After a two-year hiatus, the field was comprised of 37 carts: 16 drawn by bovines, 12 by donkeys, and 9 by horses.

      Tomorrow we will finally leave León, taking a taxi 102 kilometers to Ponferrada, where we would have been without this unplanned stop.
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    • Day 19

      Adios Leon

      August 18, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      I really like to be in a city but I don’t enjoy walking in the cities. Leon is very nice, full of tapas you get for free with every drink- so different from the Pinxchos you get in Navarra and Castillia! The Cathedrale is stunning and my sleep was very good! Time to get the day started with a quick breakfast at the Main Station!Read more

    • Day 24

      Homecoming in Leon

      September 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

      Two Leo 8s strolling the town of Lions (Leon). It's difficult not to feel like we're coming home to a place we've always belonged. Gaudi's first building is here - Casa Botines - and the Cathedral is a majestic and mystical wonder.

      I've never entered a space and felt what the Cathedral summoned within me. These pictures simply do not convey the feeling that this container of faith evokes. The ceillings are so impossibly high and the arches undulate from our feet to stained glass above our heads, casting invisible colors across the dull grey sand stones. Most of the churches we've visited have been about political power - conveying it to others that you have some special relationship with God or that you are so wealthy you've built this temple - but the Cathedral in Leon is different. This Cathedral is a giant middle finger to all the things those in power obsess about. This Cathedral reminds you of how impossibly large God is and how much mystery there is in faith and how small we are in the scheme of that story and yet, lest you think this is intended to humiliate you, it is your story because it is exists for you. I find myself thinking of Meister Eckhart:

      To be full of things is to be empty of God.
      To be empty of things is to be full of God.

      In these vast empty spaces there is an invitation to invite God to speak and to attune your heart to listen.

      I am thankful for what I heard this afternoon.
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    • Day 34

      Leon

      September 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

      Prognoza pogody wyglądała bardzo groźnie, miało padać przez pół dnia i temperatura miała gwałtownie spadać. Ale.....znów się udało, mieliśmy deszczu może przez 10 minut a potem tylko coraz zimniej i wietrzniej. Dzień generalnie mało ciekawy, byliśmy już wczoraj można powiedzieć na przedmieściach Leon. Albergue piękna, ale posiłek beznadzieja, wszyscy z obsługi latali bardzo nerwowo z małą tolerancją na odchylenia lub pomyłkę, na szczęście był gin i tonic.
      Rano nie spiesząc się ruszyliśmy w drogę mijając coraz więcej budynków. Podtrzymywała nas na duchu chęć zobaczenia kamienia, który chował dla nas skarb w zeszłym roku no i udało się. Kamień wciąż był , napis trochę wyblakł przez pogodę , skarbu nie było, ale za to wspaniałe wspomnienia.
      Zanim dotarliśmy do postoju na noc zatrzymywaliśmy się w małych barach, ciesząc się winem, kawą, herbatką i rozgrzewając Soberano i delektując pinchos.
      Nie wiem co się jeszcze wydarzy dzisiaj, dopiszemy jak będzie coś ciekawego. Liczymy na wizytę w katedrze katedrę i jej witraże, na razie była zamknięta.
      Dopisuje już dzisiaj bo wczoraj padliśmy. Spotkaliśmy się z AJ, który na nas czekał i pewnie będziemy już podróżować razem. Nowy człowiek, nowe przyzwyczajenia i adaptacje
      Udało się wejść do Katedry. Cud architektoniczny XIII wieku. Gotyk w najpiękniejszym wydaniu. Pomijając misternie ułożone kamienie sprawiające wrażenie lekkości to witraże. Jest ich ponad 1000 metrów kwadratowych. O ciepłych kolorach z sekwencjami religijnymi pięknie dobranymi. Każda pora dnia czy też kąta światła przez nie wpadającym sprawia, że za każdym razem wyglądają inaczej.
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    • Day 19

      Day 19 - Leon (Meseta 4)

      September 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      We took advantage of the speed of the bikes today to do 2 sections of the Camino that most people avoid. The first was the Roman road which adds 2km to the journey and bypasses most stopping places. We only saw about 10 people in over 30kms! Made a nice change from ringing the bell every 30 seconds, and meant we avoided long sections of straight road. The second was around lunch where we took a 6km detour to see the monastery that was a stopping point for the original pilgrims. We’re now in Leon. Our hotel is right next door to the Cathedral- so no commute into town for us!
      53kms cycled today, 374m up, 379m down.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Catedral de León, Catedral de Leon

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