19. Mansilla to León

Camino Frances - Day 21 - September 16th. 2013: Mansilla to León (19th day walking)

Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes

Click here for Google Map and my starting point today

Cathedral from narrow street

I am happy to report that I slept reasonably well last night. Probably the best sleep in any Albergue to date but that would not be difficult. I did hope to sleep in a bit this morning but the early risers eventually left me with no option but to get up. I left the Albergue at about 7am and walked to Arcahueja before stopping for breakfast. Hardly a sinner around the small town and when I did locate a small cafe I ended up paying almost twice the normal rate for a sandwich and tea. Still cheap by Irish standards. 

León:
I arrived in León at about 11am and made my way to the Cathedral to get my bearings. I sat there in the square taking in the splendour of the Cathedral, the Plaza, Cafes and shops. Sitting there I checked my guide book and found a reference to Hotel Paris just around the corner from the Cathedral. I went there and the receptionist informed me that she had just one single room left. I took it for two nights. The room was small but it had everything I needed. The bath was about three feet (one meter) long but I did manage to squeeze into it. I then caught up on my washing and created a wind tunnel using a large fan in the room. This, I hoped, would speed up the clothes drying process.  I hung my wet socks out the attic window, facing into the full mid day sun. 

Ed and Ger

As I left the hotel I heard my name being called. It was Ed. He and the rest of the guys, Jim, Ger and Bob were across the street from the hotel in a small Subway type fast food restaurant. I joined them and had a great chicken and bacon sandwich. The guys had been in  León since yesterday and knew their way around by now. Jim departed, the rest of us went and had a few beers. Mary, Kathy, Jo and Anna came over to our table seeking help choosing a place to eat. Ed recommended the place they used last night. We would go there later and enjoy the food too. Before parting we went for a final beer in a bar close to my hotel. They would all be leaving in the morning while I had my chill out day. I wished them well and said I hoped we would meet up in Santiago.

Gaudi building in León

Camino Frances - Day 22 - September 17th. 2013: Rest day in León : 
Missing the open road today:
I suppose it is hard for anyone who has not experienced the Camino to understand how you can feel when you are not walking. I am missing the open road from the moment I wake up. However, I believe I will feel the benefit of the break over the the coming days. 

I booked a massage for 7pm  before leaving the hotel. I really look forward to having my aching muscles massaged and ready for some more punishment.

Reminded me of a TV programme from years back

The Cathedral:
I started my day in the city with a tour of the Cathedral. I have to confess that I love the Cathedral tours in each city I visit. The history, the architecture, the art, fittings, alters, colours and the atmosphere all combine to create a sense of the history and the power of the church in Spain. I wish I could spend more time in these magnificent structures but there is much more to see and to do. 

Plan my exit route for tomorrow:
At some point each day I seek out my exit route for the following morning. I find this particularly useful when leaving the larger towns and cities. It means I get off to a good start and minimises the risk of going astray as I did one early morning. I usually build this into my tour of the city as I get to know the streets and lanes. 

Looking at my options for the coming days:

Before going back to my hotel I found a small cafe and had a great lunch. Back in the room I took some time out to look at the remaining stages between León and Santiago. I was giving some consideration to walking about 30Klms each day but taking factors like, my level of fitness, the terrain, the recommended stages and the availability of beds. In the end I decided I would just see how I got along, how I felt each day and not put myself under pressure.

Not for the first time, I decided I would try and avoid beer until I reached Santiago. It was becoming a bit of a habit, an enjoyable one at the end of a hard day walking but I did not want it to become routine.

Ger entering a shop that sold everything

The Massage!

Do not read this section if you have a vivid imagination or a sensitive stomach. I arrived in the gym area within the hotel at 7pm as planned and booked this morning. The young lady showed me to the room and indicated I should remove my clothes and put on a tiny paper thong. Now, thankfully there were no mirrors in the room because that's an image I never want to have jumping back into my head while awake or asleep. I apologise for placing the image in your head too.

The massage was just OK. I think she was not strong enough and could not get into my muscles. She had practically no English but indicated that my back was very hard, tense, and indicated this by banging on the wall and then pointing to my back. Well, that's what I think we was suggesting. She also indicated that my legs and arms were in good shape. A the end she suggested I go back to my room and take a warm shower to remove the oils and to relax the muscles. This I did. I feared I might have a nightmare tonight. 

Dinner and Learning more Spanish words:
I left the hotel to soak up the atmosphere of the city and find somewhere lively to eat and observe the people come and go. I finally settled on Mercado Bar and Restaurant where I took a seat with my back to the wall and a great spot to people watch. The young waitress who approached me had no English and so started a very entertaining evening. I had WiFi access and looked up many Spanish words to help me through the meal, ordering food, asking for cutlery, translating Spanish words back to English etc. We had good craic as she frequently drop over to my table and give me more Spanish words, writing them down for me and teaching me how to pronounce the word. Apart from the very helpful waitress the food was fantastic. I was given an appetiser of potato chunks in a spicy sauce, a lovely compliment to the beer I was drinking. So much for my decision earlier today to avoid beer. The main course of sea bass was served on a large plate with olives, scalloped potatoes, roasted onions and peppers and a white wine sauce, fabulous. A great desert and I did manage to get what I thought I had ordered, followed up with two americanos. 

Today was really relaxing, I had great food I believe will not be surpassed before getting home and a massage to ease the stress out of my tense muscles. It was time to go back to the hotel and prepare for tomorrow.

Emotional roller coaster:
Back in the room I started to sort out my gear. I took a break to check my email and found a note from my 10 year old grandson Jack telling me he had posted a video on Youtube. He recorded himself playing a game with a voice over offering tips to other players, brilliant : ). This day keeps getting better. 

I called my Dad. He was just back from a trip to Lourdes with my two sisters. He had a great trip but suddenly turned my perfect day upside down.  He told my about an old friend who only had a few days to live after a lengthy battle with cancer. (see Topic: Desensitised - Resensitised ) I felt so down after the call, but not for long because the phone rang again. This time it was Brenda, we had not spoken for more than a week, so we were both elated to have this opportunity now. We talked for ages despite the rising cost of my mobile phone bill for September. We finally parted hoping we would get another opportunity to talk with each other before I reach Santiago. What a mix of emotions over such a short period of time. I knew our friend would be on my mind over the coming days. 
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Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow 

Mansilla de las Mulas:
Images of Mansilla de las Mulas on the internet
Wikipedia on Mansilla de las Mulas
León:
Images of León on the internet
Wikipedia on León
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