DAY 15 To Leon

We weren't able to get a seat on a bus to Leon until the 17:20 bus.  We had a nice lunch.  Vic bought a sweatshirt and me a hat.  I bought a paperback Guide to the Camino.  Just what I need, nore weight to carry.

We were killing time next to the Burgos Cathedral when out steps Peter and a friend, Larry.  We met Peter at the Albergue Jakue in Puente la Reina.  We had wine and dinner with him there.  This is our first encounter with Larry, an American from Indiana now living in the UK.  They were both sporting shorts.  Obviously northern boys!  Vic and I were dressed in sweatshirts and jackets.  It turns out they were taking the same bus to Leon.  They have to be in Santiago by May 3rd to meet family.

We shared our experiences on the Camino and talked about all of the nice people we had met on the Camino.  Peter remarked how family oriented people are in the Spanish culture.  Vic and I had observed the same thing frequently, but had not really assimullated the concept until Peter noted it for us.  Now in Leon during Holy Week, we can't seem to escape just how family absorbed the locals seem to be.  It reminds me of my youth before my own family became disbursed throughout the US.

Our conversation seemed to be overheard by a woman setting on the next bench.  She was obviously reacting to the humor in our banter.  I asked her if she spoke English and she replied yes.  Her name was Julie. A Canadian from Montreal who walked the Camino in 2009 and happened to stumble onto the filming area of "The Way".  She ended up as an extra in the scene in Burgos where Tom's pack gets stolen.  She pointed out the bar there in the Cathedral square so we could take a picture.  Vic asked her if there was a public restroom.  She pointed it out to Vic, but Vic declined and took a picture of the WC instead.

We crossed the Mesata on the bus.  It at times looks like the Texas panhandle in spring.  We were glad with our decision not to hike it.  Peter and Larry escorted us to downtown.  They headed of to an Albergue and we looked for a room in a pension or Hostal.  We found a nice room with a private bath at the Hostal Orejas.  We will be staying at least three nights.  That will give us six days rest.

I haven't mentioned it before, but it messed up my back by steeping off of the curb twice in Lograno while taking pictures with the iPad mini.  My back was getting better until I really screwed it up by missing a step on our descent from the fort at Burgos.  I was contemplating another picture at the time.  What a klutz!  Hopefully the extra days will mend me enough to allow hiking.  We still have a long, hard way to go.

We sight see in Leon on Sunday.