We made it to León! Encouraged by our Camino friend Karin Flemström, we covered 180 kilometers of Meseta--from Burgos to León--in 5 days, versus the recommended 8-day pace. To celebrate, we're spending an extra day in León tomorrow to relax and visit this beautiful provincial capital that we've never seen.
True to form, we woke up at 4:45 am and were out the door by 5:10 am this morning. Unlike other days, it was really cold outside--in the low 40's! We could see our breath from under the headlamps. Bundled in fleeces and jackets, we trudged through the Meseta in the cold and dark, grateful for the chill and the lack of rain. We walked along a sensa, a walking path alongside the highway. Only two cars passed us in two hours, and not for more than an hour into our walk!
In the Meseta, the distances between towns can be really significant. This morning was no exception. The first town we passed (read: first chance for coffee!) was 13.1 kilometers away. We made it there by 7:45 am. We were a little worried that nothing would be open so early on a Sunday morning. Thankfully, we found a lovely cafe right at the edge of town and enjoyed an early morning breakfast in the cool sunlight.
Just as we were preparing to leave the cafe, our Camino friend Jeet passed by. He, too, was looking for coffee but decided to go further on into town. We followed him on the way. We passed many bars and cafes but none were opened. We finally figured out what was happening: the shopkeepers were dividing the business and limiting the competition. Some cafes, such as the one we visited, were open early and also closing early. Other cafes opened later and stayed open late into the evening. This way, the community could be served at all hours, and each establishment could have its share of the business. We've been seeing the same phenomenon in town after town: one bar/cafe closes, just as the neighboring business opens. It makes sense.
The next town we passed was heralded in the guidebook as a gem of a town. It was also the ending destination for one of the Camino stages (full day trek). We expected a wonderful, vibrant town. Instead, we found a tiny but cute village with about two main roads and some cafes and albergues. We had coffee and walked on. Lesson learned: guidebooks can be deceiving. The Camino route can be deceiving. Sometimes, you're scheduled and routed in specific ways so that you pass certain businesses, shops, albergues, and such. It matters to businesses which side of the road you're told to use; sometimes, they let you use either side (likely to appease the businesses there). You can't trust the books too much. Common sense has to prevail!
The last leg of today's journey was an 18 kilometer slog into León. Interestingly, the guidebook author John Brierly suggested that pilgrims consider taking a bus into town instead of walking the route (!). We walked. Most of the path was a sensa. Given that today was Sunday, there were very few cars on the road, so traffic and noise were not an issue. We walked along old Roman roads and crossed old Roman bridges. It was a delightful walk.
| Paco crossing the river adjacent to an old Roman bridge |
The final stage of the walk was tedious. We walked a few kilometers through modern León, which was okay but we had no idea where the old town would begin. So we kept following the arrows until we reached our destination: the Puerta Moneda and the old Roman walls of the historic city. Our hotel is in the beautiful Plaza Mayor. What a treat to be here, finally!
| Old City Hall in Plaza Mayor, at Dusk |
| View of the 13th century Cathedral |
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