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......