Day 26 - Day on the Camino : Exploring Leon
Exploring Leon
A Break from Pilgrimage and a Day of Rest
This morning was a tough one. A combination of being a little hung over from our celebration last night, and the lack of quiet from a nearby bunk, meant that we left our beds at 5 am still pretty tired. Note that I do not say that we awoke, as no one in our room slept last night. This was courtesy of a man who ate candy all night long, digging around in the crinkly bag and then unwrapping each one individually, one after the other, continuously, until 4:30 AM when others decided they'd had enough and got up. Ironically, by 5:30 he was yelling at others, telling them to stay quiet, as some pilgrims liked to sleep. All I can say is that I repeated the same prayer all night, "dear lord give me the strength to get through this and grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change."
In this atmosphere we got up, collected our laundry and packed our bags, resisting the impulse to make as much noise as possible. We headed down to the kitchen for a wonderful communal breakfast of coffee, oranges, toast, and homemade jam. Neither of us was too excited to strap on our packs and set out for a nice long hike, but we knew we could only stay one night at the monastery, so we reluctantly headed into town. We made it as far as the plaza in front of the cathedral, which was beginning to be lit up by the rising sun.
Early Morning in Leon Spain
We watched the sky change colours for about an hour and then decided to find a cafe con leche for encouragement. It was really too early to find or check in to a new albergue, so we decided to continue following the Way to see what possibilities presented themselves.
We passed by the magnificent and somewhat gaudy Parador, a beautiful statue of a pilgrim resting outside of it, and the point where the Camino Frances merges with the Camino San Salvador.
Shortly afterwards we crossed over the Rio Bernesga on the edge of town and came to the Hotel Quevedo. This lovely establishment not only checked us in at 10 AM but allowed us to put our bags in our room at that time!!! Not being inherently lucky people, I have to say that once again it seems that on the Camino the solution has presented itself when we were most in need.
Reflecting on Camino Challenges
As a brief aside, I wanted to take a moment to mention that I think I am starting to gain an appreciation (although by no means a full understanding), of what it must feel like to be homeless. Walking on the Camino with nothing but the clothes on your back, not knowing where your next meal or lodgings will come from, is an uncertain feeling, even though the Camino provides its own kind of safety and a fairly steady stream of amenities. No matter where you are, your safety, comfort, and well-being are largely at the mercy of the weather, the place you find yourself in, and the people around you. As people who chose to leave everything and hike for fun, we have the money to buy food and the "right" to stay in an albergue or hotel each night, and if things go really badly we could simply board a plane and return to our nice safe home, encouraged and supported by those who love us. Ours are definitely first-world problems, but doing this kind of hike has opened our eyes to the kind of uncertainty and stress that refugees and homeless people must face every day. I have come to believe that a large part of my Camino is about me becoming more aware of the needs of those around me, in my life, my community and in the world.
With all that said, today we were fortunate to find a place to stay for another night in Leon. After a brief rest, we decided to explore the grounds of the nearby Parador Hotel and attached museum, the Museo de Castilla y Leon. Inside we had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the architecture and statues and to relax for several hours in the peace and quiet of the attached cloister. Afterwards, enjoying our day off hiking, we completed the mundane tasks of the trail including grocery shopping to resupply, mailing a package home, and enjoying dinner in a nearby plaza.
Evening in Leon
Clearly, today was not an overly eventful or physically demanding one, especially given that we largely relaxed and enjoyed not having to hurry off to any particular destination. I think that might be the key to enjoying the Camino - trying to take one day off the trail per week and letting yourself stop rushing from place to place.
However, I also have to admit that bodies are odd things - they can need to relax and replenish, and yet at the same time continually pull at you to keep moving onward. The trail beckons and I cannot refuse.
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Practical information:
Distance: 0 km
Max Temperature: 24°C
Accommodations: Hotel Quevedo (50 Euro for double room)
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