Hola from Maria´s casa. We are in Leon and living the city life. I´m wearing one of Marias shirts and perfume!! Feeling very upscale here. She is an amazingly generous host and it feels wonderful to be in a family´s home with moms and warmth.
The big news of the morning was the sizeable amount of frost on the ground when we got walking. Yikes! It didn´t feel too cold last night, but I did feel the drop in temperature this morning. All in all the weather today was above average. It warmed into the 50s during the day (mid teens as they say in this part of the world) with mucho sol. We think these next few days will be our main chance for snow, but after we get into Galicia there shouldn´t be any concern.
Other news from the morning, there was the CUTEST French gay couple in our alburgue. They had several completely matching outfits that they wore. Matching shirts, pants, shoes, and I´m guessing socks. We spent a lot of time today imaging the conversations that take place in the morning as they decide what to wear that day.
Justin and I are now seriously considering this route as a couple. Let us know what you think.
We both slept well last night and were pretty warm. They had space heaters there which one of our new friends was VERY scared of. Whenever someone messed with one he would hide behind the door. I guess there are a lot of explosions in Spain with them. We´ll watch out for them.
The trail wasn´t too scenic today. We were beside or on the highway for most of the day. We did climb two hills though which is a major change.
We had lunch at a very cute bar where the tapas were free with a beer (Maria says that´s the trend in Leon). The bartender´s little sister came out at one point to practice her English with us. It was very adorable.
And on that same vein, Justin´s been endlessly practicing his Spanish. He wants me to teach him more, but it´s a bit like the blind leading the blind. So today in Leon we got a Spanish-English dictionary and he has it out all the time frantically looking things up.
We both think we want to take some kind of Spanish course when we get home.
Once in Leon we bought 2 new books- A Picture of Dorian Gray and Great Expectations. So with those and Catch 22 we should be set for the trip. We also will be ready for Intro to English Literature 101 if we choose to enroll.
Tonight we are going out for more tapas and to Maria´s friends house. Tomorrow we might meet up with people from the trail last night for karaoke.
Thanks for all the camino people linking our blog to their pages. We really appreciate it!
Besos y brazos!
My immediate future
14 years ago
1 comment:
"...but after we get into Galicia there shouldn´t be any concern."
The highest point on the whole camino - even higher than in the Pyrenees - is about 4 km after Foncebadon and Manjarin - just below a military radar station you are at 1517m (almost 5000ft).
The 2nd highest is when you cross into Galicia at O'Cebreiro which is 1300m and which is almost always covered in snow, fog or mist. Don't pack your waterproofs away just yet!
At Manjarin you will meet Tomas Martinez le Paz - or Tomas the Templar - a quixotic character who was an ordinary middle-class citizen (albeit he had some history of being a subversive character) who lived in Madrid with his family until about 15 years ago. Then one night he had an ephinany and left his family to build the pilgrim refuge at Manjarin on the Irago mountain. He proclaimed himself the last of the Knights Templars. There is wonderful footage of him on the DVD video "Within the way Without" walking around a pilgrim with a wooden(?) sword, calling upon the Archangle Michael to expel a pilgrim’s fears and demons.
Tomas has his Templarios ceremony every day at 11am (when it is 12pm in Jerusalem). He is the kindest, most sincere hospitalero on the camino Frances.
I stayed at Manjarin last year and it was the closest thing to a medieval pilgrims' shelter on the whole camino. No electricity, running water or toilet but a wonderful lunch, dinner in lamplight and a warm bed in the stone barn. Give it a try - you won't be sorry!
Buen suerte,
Sil
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