Hospital de Orbigo and on to Astorga

The sopa castellana turned out rather spicy, due to an accident with the cayenne pepper, but for a first attempt without help, it was very good.  It took the boys longer to cook than they had anticipated, but I think they had fun making it.  W sat out in the back patio of the albergue to eat, and I started chatting with the other pilgrims. There was a group of young Spanish students who has just started their walk in Leon, and had walked the kilometers that we had just done on the bus, an older Spanish couple and guy from Cuba.  The boys cleared away and washed up, and the disappeared - the conversation was very fast and I could barely keep up with it, let alone join in.

It was a lively discussion, covering many topics, and continued until the hospitalero came out to lock up.  Lights out was at 10pm, with breakfast served at 6am the following morning.  I really enjoyed the evening, very relaxing and the perfect antidote to the stress caused by the bus ride earlier, and I was sure  I was going to get a good night's sleep.  When I chose my bed, I had not taken into account the bright orange emergency light that shone right into my face.  When we had arrived at the albergue, the sun was shining through the windows and I had not seen the light at all.  

I woke up after fitful sleep, and waited for breakfast to be ready.  We were down first for breakfast, followed by the young students, all of whom looked like we had after our first day - barely awake, complaining about the snoring and stiff and achy in places we had never felt before!  I do not know what time we left the albergue, but the morning was beautiful, clear and crisp, the path well-marked, and we were on our way.

We reached the first village quickly, too early to stop, only to find that the second village did not have a cafe that was open.  Nico and I went into the albergue there, and used their "comfort" facilities quickly, because there was a sign that said they were only for guests of the albergue, but there was no one to stop us.  I would have paid them if they had wanted me to!

We made really good progress through the countryside, and I would share the pictures, but they are on my camera, not the iPad, so I will share them later.  Suddenly we were looking down on Astorga. There has been s town here for thousands of years, it was an important garrison town for the Romans.

We walked through the satellite village, past the cafes (by mistake), and the Camino seemed to be heading straight for the cathedral, where the albergue we had chosen was located.  Suddenly the Camino took a sharp left, and through an ugly part of town and up a very  steep hill.  We walked past the municipal albergue, past the Roman excavation, through several squares and finally to the cathedral.  We had been joined by an English guy, and together we finally found the albergue.  We checked in, chose beds, showered, washed clothes and headed out for lunch (but not before I found out that Dave is from Biggin Hill, close to where I grew up!).  Lunch was tricky for some reason, and Nico split his toe open on a step, but we were finally fed, and then stopped in at the supermarket to buy food for supper.  Back at the albergue, it was siesta time, which was sadly interrupted by a very loud conversation upstairs - the floorboards are the only thing that separate the floors - but the couple that we had met yesterday are in the same dormitory, and he went upstairs to ask them to be a little quieter.  

After resting, we went down and had a cup of tea, which we shared with Dave, and also began to prepare supper. We then visited the cathedral and the Palace Gaudi designed for the Archbishop, which is now a museum.  A quick Skype call home while we cooked supper, and then an earlyish night - we have a lot of walking to do tomorrow.

The remains of the sopa,and a couple of views of the Plaza Mayor in Astorga.

Farewell to Leon

As we made our way back from our supper of raciness we stopped at a cake shop, and the boys again had chocolate con churros, and I had chocolate and a flaky pasty thing - this really could be a food blog!  

I haven't actually said where we are staying.  It is the Parador in San Marcos Square.  It was the monastery next to the church,and is now a hotel.  It is also not the most expensive hotel in Leon, but is is one of the most beautiful places the boys and I have ever stayed in.  The cloisters are open to hotel guests, and they are an oasis of cool, calm and quiet in the middle of the heat, hustle and bustle of a major city like Leon. 

 We all slept very well and woke refreshed, and ready for breakfast ,which was included in the price.  It was delicious, and so much choice.  We then checked out and walking past was our Chica Loca, on her way out of the city.  She kindly took a picture of us by the pilgrim statue, and we hope to see each other again in Astorga in a couple of days' time.  

We then walked to the bus station, to catch the bus to our next stop, Hospital de Orbigo.  That turned into a bit of an ordeal, as we missed the first bus, because it wasn't signed, nor did it have the number on it.  The next bus was 1 1/2 hours later, and it was all a bit confusing, with a women shouting at me that we were not getting on the right bus, and another saying that we shouldn't be taking our  backpacks on the bus.  Fortunately, we were on the right bus, and the driver told us to keep our backpacks with us.   45 minutes later, the driver dropped us off in Hospital de Orbigo and we were sort of lost.  We were rescued by a kind man who walked us to the Albergue San Miguel, which is serene and beautiful.  Because it was already past 2pm, we had to find a bar to eat in, so the boys decided to cook dinner tonight - they are trying their hand at soap castellana.  

Photos of the chocolate in Leon, the cloister and pilgrim statue at the Parador San Marcos, the bridge at Hospital de Orbigo (one of the longest medieval bridges still in existence), and the  Albergue 

More Leon

In the late afternoon, we walked out of the hotel to the church next door.  Again, the architecture and engineering outside, sand the artistry inside are stunning.  There was also a small museum with only one room open.  Inside it had a tombstone bearing the coat of arms of the Cabeza de Vaca family ,and also a little history of the cloister area.  Francisco Quevedo, a Spanish writer, had been imprisoned there in 1636, in his later life, for a critical comment made against one of the King's advisors. He had been dragged there in the middle of winter, with barely a blanket, and left of 3 years, with no help, and living. Off the charity of others.  He died from illness some 2 years after his release. Some 300 years later, Francisco Franco had used the same building as a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War. Reading this left us chilled, so we walked out into the sunshine and down to the cathedral area.

We met a few people that we have chatted to on the walk.  They were really excited that we were taking time out to visit and experience their country.  As we walked down to the Plaza Mayor, we met the Chica Loca, or crazy girl, who had been so worried about Nico's blisters way back in Najera.  She could not believe how well they had healed.  She had had to catch a bus a couple of times, because her blisters had got so bad.

We were looking for the church of San Martin.  It was hidden round the back of the PlazaMayor, and when we found it, it was shut.  We walked round a little further, but there was no other door.  As we walked back, the doors were opened,  another moment of serendipity, so we went in.  This is a simpler church, but again with the vaulted gothic ceiling.  Over the alter hung a large crucifix, and the lighting was such that behind, but on either side was a clear shadow, which made it look like the 2 other people who were crucified alongside Jesus.  It was special.  We sat and contemplated this for a while, and then quietly left.

 

The bright sunshine warmed us again,and we stopped to have drink in the cathedral square.  It was a beautiful evening, and most of Leon was out walking or having something in a bar.  Nico and i had real horchata de chufas, and Jonathan had a fruit smoothie.  We explored a little more and then decided to find somewhere to eat.  It was still a little early for tapas, but we found a small place and order a racion of croquetas, patatas  in garlic mayonnaise and chorizo in wine.  It was delicious, but the croquetas were eaten before I could take a picture.

To Leon

We were up very early the next morning, and eating breakfast.  It surprises me how many people do not eat breakfast before they start out.  We were not the first out of the albergue, but we were on our way by 7:15am.  It was a beautiful morning, and although the first part was next to the main road to Leon, it was not too busy and it felt good.  We made excellent progress, and by 9:30 had covered just over 10km.  We walked up a steep hill into a very small village, and decided that a comfort break would be a good idea.  In the small bar, we met the 2 girls from Portland, Oregon, who we had met 2 nights before.  They had not stopped in Mansilla, but had walked to the next village.  As we were chatting with the barman, he said that a tall Swede had been the only one in his albergue that night - KJ.   What a good decision he had made!  He had not only had a room to himself, but the whole albergue!  Second-guessing yourself is not good, but I rather wish we had listened to that little niggle we had all had about staying in Mansilla.

Anyway, refreshed from coffee and cake, we walked on into Leon.  It was a good walk and at the top of one hill, we stopped as Leon appeared in the valley below.  We followed the Camino shells in the pavement, and walked into the old town and to the albergue run by the Benedictine nuns.  The line was very long when we arrived, but the albergue is large, and then we were greeted by Norman, the Australian who we had met earlier, and who had stayed at Santo Domingo to volunteer as a hospitalero.  It was a pleasant surprise, and we decided to buy a ticket for the evening meal and eat with him.

The domitories here were separated onto males and females, so the boys were in a different room from me.  This was only a problem when I realised that I had both the shower gel and the bar soap.  So I showered and washed my clothes, and then had to wait for the boys to find me and hand them over.

We then went out, got some lunch, booked into a hotel for the following night, walked around, had a drink and visited the cathedral.  It is magnificent.  I really have very few words to describe it that will do it justice, it is breathtaking.  The entry fee includes an audio guide, which explains the architecture, various chapels and the restoration works.  The stained glass windows are stunning, and the boys were both in awe.

We left the cathedral and went back to the albergue to have a rest before dinner and the pilgrim blessing.  Jonathan is having a hard time sleeping, and is very tired.  We went to dinner at 7:45 and Norman joined us just after 8.  As we were chatting after the meal, Jonathan put his head down and literally fell asleep.  Although I tried to persuade him to go to bed, he came to the pilgrim blessing, which started later and went on a little longer that I had anticipated. It was close to 10:30 when we got back, and the boys and I said goodnight and went off to our separate dormitories.  Soon after, the lights went out, and it was time to sleep.

Mansilla de las Mulas

We made good progress, although we did have a sandwich emergency. I had made jamon and cheese sandwiches for lunch, which were in  a plastic bag, hanging from Nico's backpack.  One of the edges of the bread  must have been very sharp, because suddenly Nico shouted "the sandwiches" and they had fallen to the ground, with the bag completely cut across the middle. We grabbed them quickly, rewrapped them, and put them into a backpack. 

 We continued on, on a path alongside the road until we got to Reliegos, some 12 km down the road.  We stopped for coffee and some tortilla de patata.  Some of the Martin Sheen film, The Way, was filmed around Reliegos.  Refreshed from our stopped we continued, and were soon in Mansilla de las Mulas.  It was only 11:40, and the albergue was not yet open.   We had a choice, to stop here or have a short break, eat lunch and continue on a little way.  While we were sitting with a drink at the bar outside the albergue, KJ walked by.  He was going to to walk on a further 10 km, or 2 more villages.  It was already getting hot, and we had seen a good looking pilgrims' menu in a bar/restaurant with father name of someone we know, and had more or less decided to eat there that evening.  Sometimes a decision comes back to bite you a little.  This one did.  KJ joined us for a drink, and then carried on and we registered at the albergue.  We found bunks, got showered and the washing started and I st in the patio while the boys rested.  Gradually more and more people arrived, and it soon turned into a party albergue.  Gerry arrived and we chatted for a while, over a beer, but by then I knew that our decision was one we might end up regretting, especially with one of the characters who had introduced himself to us.

The boys and I had a quiet meal in the restaurant, which was very good, and then walked back to the albergue.  I got a bottle of wine, which we shared with Gerry and another couple of Spanish  people we had met in El Burgo Ranero, but shortly after that we went to bed.  It was rather difficult sleeping with the party going on the the patio down below.   I am not sure that the good meal we had outweighed the interrupted sleep.

Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero

We were up early this morning, ate breakfast and then set out to walk.  The backpacks were heavier than yesterday because the water bottles were full and we also had food for lunch and snacks.  

As Nico was tying his boots, a Spanish man stopped him and showed him a different way, tying the laced part and then the loops.  That way the foot stays secure and the part around the ankle is tighter. It has made a difference to him already.

Sahagun is a strange village, but the old main gate and the bridge over the river were amazing. After a couple of days off, walking was a little more difficult,  we then had to make a decision - the Camino has 2 routes.  Originally we were going to take the old Roman road, but we decided to follow the route that goes next to the road.  It is longer today,  but shorter tomorrow, and there are 2 towns.  It being Sunday tomorrow, I am a little concerned about getting food on the long stretch.

We stopped for coffee at the first village, and the boys had "second breakfast" of a chocolate croissant.  We then stopped at the little grocery store to try to get a single packed of pocket tissues.  The 2 women serving were deep in conversation with the person they were serving, and were taking a long time.  A little old lady came in behind us, and asked what we wanted.  When I said a packet of tissues, she said  to ask, and when I couldn't get the shopkeeper's attention, she motioned to us to follow her,as she only lived the other side of the road and she would give us some.  We followed her, and sure enough, she soon stopped and went into her house and came out with pocket packets of tissues.  She gave one to each of us and then an extra one to me.  I could not thank her enough, and she wished us "buen camino" and we left her, rather surprised and a little overcome with the unexpected generosity.

We continued walking along the poplar-lined road, until we arrived at El Burgo Ranero. The albergue was closed until 1pm, and it was only 12:10, so we ate our chorizo sandwiches and waited. There was another pilgrim walker waiting, and he had an attack of sneezing.  I paid forward the earlier kindness of the lady in Bercianos by giving him the extra packet of tissues.

  I then walked down to the shop and bought some milk, and by the time I got back the albergue was open.  We were greeted with hugs and kisses from the hospitaleros, registered and went to our beds.  It is a strange place, and I can't quite describe why.  We showered, washed our clothes, and then Nico and Jonathan were invited to play cards.  I went upstairs to take a siesta.  A little while later, Jonathan came up and said they were setting up for dinner and they had been invited.   The albergue itself is run on donations, so I will leave a little more, to cover their food.  I need to go to the shop and get something for breakfast and lunch tomorrow because there is a long stretch without anything, not even a fountain,so we need to be well supplied before we set out.

I went back to the little shop and got eggs, cheese, ham and bread for the morning, I also made myself an omelet with some of the cheese for supper.  KJ,, the tallest Swedish guy I have even met was at the albergue..   We met way back in Roncesvalles, and  had not seen him since Larrasoana.  Wee had met again in Sahagun -he is a very interesting person and the boys and I like  talking with him.

 Jonathan and I were tired,so went to bed early, while Nico stayed downstairs and chatted with people.  Gerry, a way-walker from Catalina, was very funny, and has excellent English, having spent time in St. Ives in Cornwall.  He had acted as hospitalero when we arrived, and was great at welcoming everyone.  The conversation was lively, we could hear it from the dormitory, but eventually sleep came, and Nico also went to bed. The albergue was made of traditional building material  - mud and straw, and the walls were very thin.  The beds were also the creakiest ever, and so none of us slept very well.  We were up and out early the next morning, on towards Leon.

Leon

Sadly, Jonathan did not get a good night's sleep, and was by tired again this morning.  The lights came on at 6:30, but I was already awake, because other walkers had got up at 5am, and were long gone. The albergue provides a light breakfast, which is paid for by donations.  We put a donation in the box, but I heard comments from the hospitaleros that people were leaving without doing so.  I also heard one say that this year there are many more young people who are not taking the time to clean up after themselves, and are not using the facilities in line with the spirit of the Camino. That made me sad. Last night the nun had explained the significance of the rocks left along the way.  The original early pilgrims had carried a large rock on their back, not a back pack, and at each cross, they had chiseled off a piece, as if leaving a sin on the way.  Thus, when they arrived at Santiago, they were freed of the last piece of rock, as a metaphor for being liberated from their sins, because a pilgrimage such as this one was an act of penitence.  To hear that people are abusing the hospitality and kindness shown to them in albergues, which run on donations and volunteers, made me sad.  One of the hospitaleros also commented about how much I do for the boys, how I look after them, instead of them looking after me. This is not the first time that has been said to me on this trip, and somehow I need to teach them to be more independent, and step back.

As we left, we were embraced by 2 of the volunteers, who somehow knew that the boys and I were disappointed in the poor behavior of some of our fellow walkers.  They seemed to know that the boys and I are getting so much out of this experience.

 It was still early, so we walked up to the cathedral square, and marveled at the outside of the building and how amazing the architecture and engineering is.  Then we went to a cafe for "second breakfast" as it was still too early to go to the hotel.  It was another great experience - we got an extra little pastry to go with our coffee/hot chocolate.

After writing and posting some postcards, we went to the hotel.  Even though it was early, our room was available, so we were able to leave our backpacks and boot in the room before heading out to the tourist information centre to get a good map, and the San Isidoro basilica and museum.  We also stopped at a Pharmacy to get some plugs for the boys for the rest of the journey!

San Isidoro is beautiful.  The museum is fascinating, with 10th century painting and bibles and choir books, and other treasures that you are not allowed to photograph.  They are indescribable - a chalice donated by Queen Urraca made of gold, amethyst and onyx, the reliquary of San Isidoro, other boxes with ivory inlay and other techniques dating back from the 10th and 11th centuries. Again we were in awe.

We left San Isidoro and had lunch , still thinking abut the treasures we had seen.  Then it was back to the hotel for a siesta, and the boys were soon fast asleep.