Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

And here it is, the end of another day!! Hard to believe that by putting one foot in front of the other for so many days can take you so far!!! I have no idea the total number of KMs walked, but I suspect, it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 400???? No one was counting, especally not me. 

I slept in a hotel last night, but do you think I could get to seep. I'm not sure what the story was there. And I could NOT get my Fitbit to charge. The darn thing is deader than a doornail. I Googled how to restart it and that didn't work. This happened once last year and it's almost as if the power outlet, sucked absolutely all the juice out of the thing!!! Last year, I recharged the next day and all was fine. Not so today!!

I was a bit bummed about that, but in reality, I'm not checking steps from it, so that doesn't matter and if I needed the time, then I could use my phone. It's just annoying is all, but I must learn to NOT let those little things get to me and I think I managed pretty well 

Iˋm still bandaging my two toes every night. I sure wish I didnˋt have to, but it seems to be keeping them happy so it's a small price to pay. OH--- and remember, I am NOT using bandaids, but gauze and tape. That's all I need now is gauze and tape to protect them. There's no open skin, just loose skin that Diane insists I do NOT cut off to protect whatˋs there. And that mohawk callus on the end of my toe (Iˋll spare you the ugliness of it) is just one big long hard lump of skin thatˋs starting to dry up! 

But anyway --- I didnˋt need an alarm to wake up and even though the albergue was right eside the hotel, I heard NOTHING from them, but I sure heard the young kids in the backyard! I was so tired and my knee wasn't happy that I didn't even go out for dinner last night. I had a snack bar and guess what? I survived!!! 

I was awake at 5 AM, but refuse to get up until 6 AM. Then I was off. I spotted a few more people on the route today and I was in no hurry, although I think I arrived in Leon at 11:30. I stopped along the way to take many pictures of that darn aquaduct system. Why am I so fascinated by it? Who knows and who cares --- it's just super interesting!!! 

There wre single troughs of water, and at one point there were double and there were some new ones and some old ones. But it's an amazing system. Who built it? How old is it?

I had another Napolitaine Chocolate for breakfast. OK -- those darn things are addictive. How will I wean myself from them when I go home? Stepping on the scale will probably help! I swear I've put on weight on this trip. Someone mentioned that I'm walking a lot, but not a whole lot moe than I would walk in a month at home. Just diferent. 

I probably walked about 100 KM more on this trip than I would have waked at home in the same time frame. But of course, no crazy hills or other wild terrain to mess up my feet and it makes a diffeeence if you don't walk all at once. I walk several times a day at home and just general steps.

Can you believe that even the guide book suggested catching the bus to get to Leon? Why? Despite all the things that I have broken down to do, I wuld NOT consider taking a bus or a taxi, unless, I physically could not walk. The first 2/3 of the day was similiar to other days --- flat and the path followed the roads. Then we got into the suburbs and it became a bit more interesting in some places. 

The best was coming around the hill to spy the ciy of Leon and there was the magnificient cathedral in the distance. Just keep walking --- that's the desintation. 

So i arrived in the center of Leon and decided to go to the square as I was early to check into the albergue. I had lunch --- I'm getting pretty brave to randomly order stuff off the menu. I don't even bother trying to decipher what it is, although after it came and I looked, I see what it was. It was actually good --- cheese, and pear on a piece of bread. I would have warmed it up a bit, but that's OK. 

The square was FILLED with tourists and tour guides. Such a shock from the tranquility of the villages. I must say that I prefer the small villages to the chaos here. I will NEVER make a good tourist. I am a quiet person at heart! 

Once I finished my lunch and walked away I realized that I left my phone on the table. DUH!!!!! I ran back (kidding) and the wait staff had just picked it up. GASP!!!!! What the heck was I thinking -- I had never done that befoe. And in such a busy place -- I was lucky that it was only a few minutes before I realized it and it was a staff person who picked it up. 

I see so many people hurting. Bags are being transferred,  knee braces are being worn, limping, bandaging feet parts. and a whole lot of other injuries. Are we crazy or what? But there's a comeradery amongst the group. 

I met up with Sandra again - she's at the same albergue, so we caught up on the news of the last two days as we did not stay in the same town last night. 

And I had to laugh as I was having a shower. There was a young girl (I think she was young -- maybe 30) and she was chaatting on the phone to a friend about her troubles on the Camino. Apparently, there is a group of them that have hooked up over the time walking. Now the group is starting to fracture apart and people are gettting mad at each other because they don't want to walk together or stay in the same albergue. 

Thank god - NONE of that drama happened to me. I quietly told her that it was HER Camino and she should walk it how she wants to, not the group!! Wise word of wisdom from the 'old lady!'

I think that covers all the exciting stuff of the day!! I must say hat it's more of the same every day!! Just try to keep the injuries at bay as best as possible and keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

Have a geat day!

Ciao!!!

One sentence

A super day walking into Leon. The city is filled with tourists, but the cathedral is magnificent. A culture shock to be amongst so many people after so much solitude of the last couple of weeks.