We left this morning about 8am and with a plan! The plan was to walk to Valverde de la Virgin and stay the night there. Well, we walked through some pretty streets in Leon (no garbage, streets are washed everyday, etc.) and then we were walking through the "working man's"area (lots of low rise apartments, empty shops, rail yards, dirty streets and men drinking beer at 8:30 am)! We ran into a couple of pilgrims who were from London, Ontario. They knew Glencoe and apparently had met some other pilgrims from Mt. Brydges! It's a small world!:-)
After walking along for a bit we walked up a funky foot bridge over the train tracks. It was built kind of in platforms, you walk uphill it levels then uphill it levels and so on until the top and then down the otherside! We were passing throug the outer suburbs of Leon now and came upon some quirky bodegas. They look like bunkers built into the ground, with a front door, a chimney and covered with grass. Apparently, this is where wine is stored! I spoke to an old fellow who had stopped to chat as I was taking off some layers. He was waving his arms around saying something but I could only understand vino and bueno. I'd like to think that he owned one of those bodegas! :-)
We kept going and eventually were out of Leon and before too long in La Virgen del Camino. We found a cafe and I had a grande coffee leche, first one of the day so it had to be big! :-) There was a sign on the building that said 340 km to Santiago! We got our passports stamped and water bottles filled and headed off again. After about 3 km or so we reached Valverde de la Virgen. We passed a church that had stork nests on the bell towers, cool photo op! Before we realized we had walked through the town so we decided to look for a bus stop while walking the next couple of km to San Miguel del Camino. I asked a cafe for directions to the bus stop and the felllow showed us which way but was not sure of bus times. Left the cafe but could not find the bus stop. Soooooo. keep walking!
It looked the path was going to run uphill right along the highway and on pavement, neither one of us were too keen on that! We had gone maybe 75 m or so and then the path veered off so no more pavement! :-) The path was gravel so not to bad walking overall. After walking for 20 min or so, a chair had been conveniently placed by the path and in the shade! I took it as a sign to have lunch! Sandra was not far behind, she had stopped to take off her boots, and when she caught up I was finished and it was her turn in "The Chair"! :-) We decided that it would make sense if I went ahead and got us beds for tonight as both of us are worried that the albergues would be full. I left Sandra eating her bread and cheese, sitting in the shade!
The path is right next to a busy highway so the noise is there. I got tired of the Whoosh Whoosh, so turned on my ipod. Singing along to old country tunes made me pick up the pace and I was at the albergue at 2pm. Booked our beds and am now waiting for Sandra!
I had sent Sandra an email telling her where her bed was but in the meantime she had sorted out a ride and was 5km ahead of me in the bext town. Too late to walk so am here in Villadangos del Paramo in the Municipal Albergue. After showering, laundry and sorting my gear am off to explore. Very small town with a busy truck route going through. Crazy speeds! Anyway, I found what must be the Spanish equivalent of our legion! Too funny! I swear average age 97! :-) Old folks, all watching the cycling race or gambling at slots! So I did find a beer but took it outside, found a pilgrim who had found the grocer, downed the beer and went food shopping. You do not mess around on a Sat. night, in a small town, in Spain when pretty much everybody is running to Mass! Who knows how long any stores would be open! :-)
The grocery store was efficient! I foung supplies for the morning and splurged (Stu you will be so proud!) on a 1€ pouch of cabanarra noodles! So, a mini baguette, a split of wine and back to find a kitchen. Geez the stoves here are complicated! Sorted it out cooked my noodles, found some dinner companions, all is good! One guy from Italy said as soon as I sat down "that is not cabanarra"! :-) We had a good laugh! Had dinner with 3 Canadians and Mr. Italy! Had a fun dinner! Lots of stories and laughs. Off to find my bed!
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