In Leon and well rested...

Have been in Leon two days now and I am feeling so much better.   Stayed at the Benedictine monastery run by the nuns who do a great job with the  help of many volunteers from all over the world.  No pillows or blankets here but it is so warm now blankets are not necessary but no pillow was a bit uncomfortable.  There was a lovely pilgrim blessing from the nuns that night and a lovely service in the church....I find these occasions very moving.


Leon is a great city...I love it...in fact I love the Spanish culture very much.  The restaurants, cafes and bars abound here and the atmosphere is very relaxed and carefree.  There is very little traffic in the centre of Spanish cities as the streets are so narrow.  Yesterday Gizzla and I became tourists for the second time after Burgos and toured all the historical sites.  I must research my Spanish history a bit more...other than the Spanish Inquisition I know very little but it is rich in its history and beautiful buildings, cathedrals and castles.

Gizzla and I shared our last meal together with a very pleasant Austrian man from the alberque who unfortunately had the bad experience of having his boots stolen.  I cant imagine why anyone would want to steal  someone else's boots...they are so personal.  Must have been a very poor pilgrim I think... He has had some very bad blisters and sore feet but walking nearly 30 kms a day is hardly surprising...

So this morning Gizzla and I made a tearful farewell.....she will complete her pilgrimage to Santiago and hopes to see Finisterre probably by bus and complete her journey.  I had a very sincere invitation to visit her in Berlin sometime....we shall see. 

Today I get the bus to Bilbao (six hours drive)...it will be nice to watch the scenery go by and rest.

Tomorrow I plan to visit the Gugenheim? Museum as my flight back to UK is not till 10.30 pm.

So adios amigos, farewell my friends...the journey we have travelled has come to an end......I have enjoyed so much sharing it with you and thank you so much for you prayers and support........May we meet again another time to finish the Camino to Santiago de Compostella.......

Mansilla to about 7 kms before Leon 11 kms

Had a good stay at Mansilla at the municiapal alberque.....had the best sleep in days.  The hospitalero there is somewhat of an expert on blisters so Gizzla and I along with another German had our blisters inspected.  I was concerned that mine may have become infected but they were OK.  Wish they felt OK but still quite tender.

Since we had time to spare we decided to walk to the town nearest to Leon about 11 kms.  It proved to be very tiring...our feet have had enough.  It is recommended that you get the bus from Mansilla into Leon as the route is mainly alongside the busy route into the city.  I would encourage this view though many die hard pilgrims were up very early like 5.30 am to walk into the city.  We have met pilgrims today who have walked over 30 kms.....I shudder!!

There were beautiful fields of wild flowers along the way which gave some inspiration to the walk in the hot sun. 

The alberque here is OK with about 12 beds....we had a pleasant meal and now I am ready (again) for my bed.  We are hoping to get a bus of the remaining journey into Leon.

The sun is very hot now and there is much sense in getting an early start if you are going to walk.

I caught up with the young Australina guy in Mansilla who I met way back....he was pleased to see me again...a familiar face that speaks English I think.  He said he had found the journey very hard which was quite consoling to me, in fact there have been several younger people who have said the same.  I suppose it is the difficulty of the terrain that puts us to the test and sharpens us up and hopefully reshapes us. 

When I look back and reflect on my photos I find it hard to believe that I have walked where I have walked.

BERCIANOS DEL REAL CAMINO TO MANSILLA DE LAS MULAS 7 KMS

As you can see we didnt make it very far today....My feet were not in good shape and I was feeling quite weak...maybe something to do with a bad nights sleep.  However, our stay at the municipal alberque though quite quaint and rustic turned out to be one of those Camino moments.  The hostel is run by the local church and the priest welcomed us all at the evening meal prepared by the volunteers.  It was served up at 8 pm so we pilgrims were ready to eat the table legs we were so ravenous. 

WE had a very tasty mixed salad for an apetizer followed by the most delicious lentil broth with sausage and potatoes.  It was served out of the biggest soup pot I have ever seen and it took two people to carry it in.  It was placed ceremoniously in the middle of the dining room and suddenly there were about six soup ladles and six volunteers seving out the soup.  We had wine and bread to go w ith it.

Afterwards we had to wash up outside in the laudry tubs.  For some reason I had had a spurt of energy earlier in the day and scrubbed out the sinks.  Lily, the one and only Dutch lady there, who was drying up the dishes, shouted at me....its good thing you cleaned out the tubs eh!!  It was great fun everyone pitching in to clean up.

We are now in Mansilla.  We walked 7 kms then got a bus....this was the second success bus connection.  I wouldnt be very optimistic about catching buses on the Meseta.....there was never a one when I needed it....tourist bus apart. 

I will have a couple of days in Leon and take in the history and culture of t he city before heading back to Bilbao on Sunday....I am starting to feel a bit sad at t he prospect of leaving this all behind......

Currently in BERCIANOS del REAL CAMINO

I have lost a few days and with little time on a pay internet cant really catch up....hopefully later I can fill in the gaps.

The last few days have been very hard but there is joy in finding a bed for the night and a place to rest my head and FEET.  We have walked long roads without any rest point apart from the side of the road.  Gizzla is unhappy about sitting on the cold gravel road....personally I couldnt care less.  Today I am feeling stronger for the first time in many days though a cough is still hanging around. 

We walked through Moratinos and I remembered that Rebecca of the Santiago Forum lived here so I said to Gizzla I would like to stop and say hallo....not really expecting anyone to be home, called The Peaceable Kingdom.  Not only were Rebecca and Paddy there they invited us to stay the night and we enjoyed their warm hospitality and lovely food and a quiet place to rest our heads. 

Today we walked 20 kms...it was a marathon fete for us both.....even Gizzla started to complain about sore feet....usually it is just me.  My poor left toes look like they have leprosy with compeed stuck on every toe except the big one which has escaped blisters so far.  Gizzla now has two "flusters" ...blisters...and is very unhappy with them...

There have been about three memorial crosses along the way since  I started and today there was the third one....A Perigrino (Pilgrim) of Santiago died there in 1998.  Tears stream down my face...I  have no idea why I am crying....but I let the tears flow.  Gizzla says Oooh! he was from Germany and touches my arm with understanding....we continue our walk to the alberque about 2 kms to go....we walk in silence and forget about our sore feet.....someones son, father, brother, lover, husband or friend.  It is very sobering.

The sun is getting  quite hot now.  But today we started early at 7.00 a.m.....By 9.30 we had walked 10 kms to Sahagun and were very pleased with ourselves but the next 10 kms were much harder.

It is quite comforting in a selfish sort of way to notice the other pilgrims hobbling around.  I have seen some corker blisters which make mine seem quite tame.  It is hard walking in the hot sun.  About two days ago after walking about 17kms and I couldn't take another step I saw a church tower not far off (always a sign of hope).

I said to a Frenchman who we had met further back (who had already walked 30 kms) if he thought the alberque was there...he said: No that is the church and the cemetery...I convulse into a cough splutter....He said laughing...It is for you..Oui!  The alberque is just over the hill ...and so it was....not a step too soon.


The heart of the Camino is meeting the people and sharing experiences even when you don't understand each others language....there is a universal language of groans and laughter.  The Camino is a global village....with everyone looking out for each other.....Oh that the political world were the same....

My mind often flashes back to the lovely cool surf that I enjoyed so much in January and February in Australia as the sweat drips down my back and neck as I walk along....

In two days I should be in Leon and wondering what to do as my bus is booked for Sunday....maybe I will keep walking!!!! Oh no!!.......

I am currently in a rustic alberque in above town.....The alberque for tonight is run by the local  church and they are preparing a shared meal....I think there are at least 60 pilgrims to feed so it will  be interesting....