Mansilla to Leon, 9 May (by bus)

Gaudi's Casa de Botines, Leon

Sitting with Gaudi

The guide book recommended taking the bus into Leon, to miss all the industrial suburbs.  I arrived at the bus station to discover that the next bus was at 9.00 a.m., having just missed the 7.30 one.  This gave me time to sit in a sunny corner of the bus station to write up my diary.

On the bus, we passed the familiar stream of pilgrims heading out of town.  On arrival in Leon, I made my way from the bus station, across the river and up the main street towards the Cathedral, knowing that the Posada Regia was just off to the right.  When I asked for a quiet room, I was allocated one in the annexe nearby: a similar historic building with creaky wooden stairs and interesting pictures on the walls.  The room on the ground floor was where we met the Fresco Tours group in 2011.  There was also a public Internet terminal down there in a quiet corner.

I had a nice lunch at the restaurant belonging to the Hotel Albany, an upmarket place with an interesting menu, changed daily.  I had scrambled eggs with shrimps and mushrooms, followed by fresh anchovies and pimientos de Padron, plus 2 glasses of Rosado, all with a view of the Cathedral diagonally across the square.  How lovely to be back in civilisation after days on the Camino!  After that delicious lunch, I was ready for a 2-hour siesta, from which it was difficult to wake up!

Lunch with a view

Scrambled eggs and vino rosado

I then made the effort to take a tour of the Cathedral with the audio guide and tried to take photos of the magnificent stained glass inside as well as the architectural features outside.  I decided to stroll down to the Parador and back since it was such a lovely evening: 26° at 8.30 p.m.  On returning to my hotel, I just ordered a cheese platter and a glass of red in the courtyard, before going to bed at about 10 p.m.

Cathedral spires

Rose window, Leon Cathedral

One of many stained glass windows

Cathedral by night