León to Villadangos del Páramo

I have a cold

So I woke up this morning and my sinuses were all full. I took the remainder of my Tylenol sinus daytime and pushed through the 22 km walk. It was really hot so I was not sure if I was sweating or had a fever. We made it into town and we stopped at the first Albergue. I laid down right away and had a two hour siesta.

Then Martin and I walked farther into town to find the pharmacy. So my medical translation came in handy to make sure what they gave me was ok.

We had a great dinner - spaghetti. It was the first time I ordered pasta off the pilgrims menu.

I am always so impressed when we come across these tables. People will leave food for the pilgrims. Sometimes they ask for a donation some times not. Here are two that I have come across in the past two days.

I was glad to leave León today. It was crowded and hot. We saw many people that we have seen over the past weeks and chatted over drinks with a few.

As we left León this morning we had to sit by the pilgrim statue.

Caminos Jacobeos:

Arriving at St. Mark

we all gathered

seating by the Cross.

From there two routes start:

One on each side,

one towards Sn. Salvador,

the other to Santiago.

While in León I picked up new lighter socks. They seem to be helping a lot today with my blisters.

Take care everyone, 12 days to Santiago as long as I can stay healthy.

Love
Lauralee

"The mind grows by what it feeds on."

Josiah G. Holland

Moratinos to Bercianos del Real Camino and on to Mansilla de las Mulas

So the past two days have been pretty uneventful. The path is very similar. Although I love the trees along the path. They do offer a certain amount of shade.

I was also feeling a little home sick. The dog at the albergue was very cute with his spiky collar. And reminded me of Avro.

I was also thinking a lot about my friend Barb who passed away a year and 1/2 ago. She was a dear friend and Avro and I miss her. This also made me think of the boys and my pets which also made me homesick.

Martin and I walked separately this afternoon which was so nice to have the alone time to work through my feelings.

I hadn't mentioned that I have sent my pack ahead a few times since I have been here. It helps when my feet are sore or when it is a particularly long day. It costs 5 euro each time but it is well worth it and I consider it to be another form of self care.

The Easy Camino

We transport your luggage

We are at a beautiful albergue called El Jardín del Camino. It even has a trampoline.

I feel very blessed to have Martin here with me. He is such a thoughtful travelling companion.

We will walk into Leon tomorrow and I have found a hotel with a bathtub for a reasonable rate.  You really learn to appreciate the simple things when you do without them.

I am on the downhill now, 15 days to go. It is said there are three parts to the Camino - the first part is physical - the second part is mental and - the third part is spiritual. The physical part is long gone now. It took all my effort to stay positive through the Meseta. When we leave León in a couple of days we will enter the Spiritual. Although, I can certainly feel it starting already.

Love

Lauralee

"Finding inner strength is looking beyond the visible

and focusing life's search on the unseen." 

As We Understood...

Carrión de los Condes to Moratino

Ok the terrain is starting to look the same now. We walked 28 km today because where we wanted to stay had no beds left. So we had to keep going an extra 3.2 km.

At this point, we had 6 km to go. I had just broken down and taken some Tylenol to get through as my feet start to ache around 20 km now.

Martin kept me going with conversations on pipelines, recycling and driverless cars. It helped to get through.

When we got in to Moratinos around 6:00 pm the Albergue gave us a private room which opens on to a balcony.

The pilgrims meal was home made beef stew, salad, ice cream and red wine for $12.50 euros. A great deal for sure.

We were just sitting out on the balcony relaxing before we headed to bed.

We now know that Martin takes about 10 minutes to get ready where I need 45 minutes to an hour. It appears I can "putter" on holidays too just like when I am home 😉.  So I will get up at 6:00 and wake Martin when I am almost ready.

Lauralee

PS I have walk more than 1/2 way now. So it is all down hill now.

Fromista to Carrión de los Condes

Our day began with a good-bye to George. He only had a week to walk with us and then something came up at work and he had to get back to Canada.

I was really sad to see him go because it had taken me three days to get the hang of his dry sense of humour. He is so intelligent that if you are not paying close attention to his wit you miss the joke, the small sheepish grin and the wink that goes along with it.

I truly appreciated some of our conversations around the qualities we are looking for in our next partner. Martin and George have been the perfect people to help me examine what I am looking for in my next relationship. 

Martin and I walked the 19.3 km to Carrión de los Condes. I absolutely loved another walk by water, this time by a meandering stream.

I took the time to finish my Wab Kinew podcast on Red Man Laughing with Ryan McMahan. I just love listening to the two of them. It was hopeful, honest and inspiring. I was so taken by the podcast that I wrote an email to Wab Kinew to say thank you.

Martin and I checked in to our first Albergue for $5 euro per night. Martin has the top bunk. The fellow, who checked us in, kept thinking we were a couple which made us laugh after.

We had a lovely pilgrim dinner and then headed back for free Wi-Fi at the local restaurant.

We have a little longer day tomorrow but we will get through. My feet are healing well with the shorter days. I only have two blisters on my heels which are almost done.

Take care and see you all in 21 days.

Love

Lauralee 

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart."

Carl Jung

Castrojeriz to Fromista

The walk today was another beautiful day on the Meseta. Miles and miles of fields. So, I am at 351.8 km of the 776.2 km. Not quite 1/2 way yet. 

I enjoyed the walk into Fromista today. At the end, was a wonderful walk for 5.8 km beside the canal. Lots of trees for shade. It was truly beautiful. I was also listening to the Podcast-Redman Laughing. It was a recap of some work with my Band - Nipissing First Nation. The message was one of hope for Elders and Youth to come together. Then I listened to part of an interview with Wab Kinew. And as I came up to where Martin and George were waiting for me, Wab was talking about how the Aboriginal way is from a place of love and kindness. It just made my heart soar, as I realized this is where I try to always start. It is so interesting that I came to this place not through my own Aboriginal culture but through my own path. It is amazing how you get to where you need to if you watch, listen and learn the path that your HP sets out for you.

It's an amazing journey and I am blessed to be on it.

Lauralee

"The question is not what a man can scorn

or disparage, or find fault with,

but what he can love, and value, and appreciate."  

John Ruskin

Hornillos to Castrojeriz

We had a fabulous walk today. This is our second day on the Meseta. There is little shade and miles and miles of crops. We set out at around 8:00 am and got in to Castrojeriz around 1:40 pm. Lots of time to get things done.

George and Martin are such good friends. They are also very good company. George is an engineer with a very dry sense of humour which I am slowly getting the hang of. We seem to be getting into a bit of a rhythm now. I do like a bit of time alone in the mornings. So Martin and George get into a pretty fast pace and then they take a break to give me a chance to catch up.

So I have been using my Fitbit to log my progress. Today, George and I kept comparing our numbers and my numbers were higher than his, so the engineer in him kicked in and we adjusted my Fitbit so hopefully it will be a little more accurate now.

Once we arrived in Castrojeriz we showered and then headed up the hill to the Castillo ruins. It was a long steep hike but worth the walk. The view was amazing.

We also had to try the selfie stick out.

Again, so much fun and some good laughs.

Lastly we had dinner together that I made with George's precision skills with a knife.

This is the most amazing trip. 

Love 

Lauralee

Slowing down

I am so grateful today. I made it safely to Burgos. Although, the last 6 km really took a lot out of me, I am slowing down with Martin and George. We got in relatively early to the albergue. I am use to being rushed to have my shower, do my laundry, write my blog and then socialize. Today it was all doable and we had an extra glass of wine after dinner.

We did 25 km in about 6 hours.

We had to wait for our beds to be ready. Another experience I have not had on the Camino.

I said good-bye to Eric and another UK couple that I had met the same day I had met Eric. We exchanged emails and wished each other the best of luck on our remaining journey.   It is wonderful to learn so much about people out here and to feel the sense of closeness that only the Camino can give you.

I am looking forward to what the next 23 days looks like and if it is anything like the first 19 it is going to be so much fun.

Love

Lauralee

"Sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness until it flowers again from within" 

Galway Kinnell

Something else I thought of sharing

"You are passing through the site where the Melgar Pilgrims Hospital used to stand.

It was managed by the order of St. John of Jerusalem, founded in 1099,

following the Benedictine principle of hospitality, as said in chapter 53 of St. Benito's rules:

Everyone who stops by must be welcome as if welcoming Christ,

 since He said: "I was a stranger and you has welcomed me."

Proper respect must be shown to anyone,

especially those who share our faith, and any pilgrims."

The Friends of Irache