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

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla, 8 May (19 kms)

After a quick breakfast at Piedras Blancas, I left town at around 7.45 a.m.  Miles and miles of senda again, but perfect weather.  How fortunate have I been this year?

With about 18 kms to do, I wanted to take it fairly steadily, and stopped several times at the pleasant shaded rest areas en route.  At one of these, I chatted to a couple from Cairns with identical backpacks to mine.  The guy revealed that he also had had a case of food poisoning, his at Teradillos. He'd had to seek medical advice and discovered that all pilgrims are entitled to free medical treatment in Spain for problems encountered on the Camino.  There was even a phone translating service of the doctor's diagnosis available if required.  Worth knowing about!

I stopped for a late coffee and tortilla at another Piedras Blancas establishment, Bar Gill II, just outside Reliegos.  I sat at a table under a tree and relaxed for a while.  Lots of pilgrims were sitting there in the sun.  I pressed on.  The last hour of these 18 km days is always the worst, the pack always heaviest.  If only I could divide the route into 15 days!

I finally entered the walls of Manzilla de las Mulas ("hand on the mules"), a welcome sight.  My chosen 2-star hostel, La Albergueria, was full, the last room having just been bagged by an English guy from Oxford and his American pal.  I was desperate for a beer, which I drank in their lovely little courtyard, attempting to chat with the old granny, aged 84.  They told me to go further into town to La Puerta, and there were plenty of rooms to be had, but not so nice, at €35.    I was givena room above the noisy bar.  I managed a siesta, but later in the evening was disturbed when they moved all the furniture indoors at 11.00 p.m.  I must ask for a quiet room at La Posada Regia.

I went back to La Albergueria for the pilgrims' dinner at 7.30 p.m:  mixed salad, fish and chips, flan.  Just before dinner, I walked around the historic sites, the bridge out in the direction of Leon, the medieval walls and also the new albergue, where I was able to use their Internet terminal for half an hour.

Medieval walls of Mansilla

"Hand on the mules" coat of arms