Entering León
I started the day with low expectations. Breakfast was fine, the room was comfortable, and last night Spence and I both slept well. For several miles it was unremarkable scenery. Much of it ran alongside a secondary road and occasionally on the shoulder of that road.
The first pungent odor of the day was fertilizer. I'm guessing it was manure in some newly planted fields. Luckily it didn't last long, and the scent of wildflowers was much more present.
Along the way, the trail passed through some parks and over a couple of rivers. In one of them I got to watch a fly fisherman. He seemed very much at peace as the river rushed by.
Every once in a while there are markers set along the trail counting down the kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. Translating kilometers into miles kills a few minutes as I process the math in my head.
There are two ways that seem to work: I can divide kilometers by 1.6, or just think in terms of how many 10K races it would take to get there. Each 10K race would be 6.2 miles. This also gives me the opportunity to think back on the stack of race t-shirts buried somewhere in my house. One day, those will be made into a huge quilt. One day.
About halfway through the day we left the flatlands. There were some decent hills, but unfortunately there was also more industrial development, and more cars on the larger highways.
Descending into the city area opened up a great view across all the buildings and the main cathedral.
I took a short break as I entered León past graffitied trail signs, and saw that Spence and someone else were behind me by about 100 yards. I waited for them to catch up and then got to meet Scott, an anesthesiologist living in Tucson, AZ. He has climbed many mountains and even fallen into a couple of crevasses. Scott has traveled extensively. His wife was his travel partner and planner on many of their adventures. Cancer took her about a year ago, so this time she is with him in spirit. He is taking her ashes the route of the Camino.
It was an odd coincidence to run into Scott after listening to a Fresh Air podcast today, featuring a doctor who spoke extensively about how working on a cadaver at medical school changed his life. It inspired him to donate his body to a medical school when he passes.
There was nothing morbid about our discussion. In all seriousness, it was interesting to talk with Scott about what the options are when I'm done using this body. I'm already an organ donor. But the question remains, how much value is there going to be in the parts when I'm done using them? I fully intend to use all my parts until they wear out.
People think about all types of things when they're on the Camino. Now I have the luxury of time to contemplate what best service I can be down the road, even though I expect to have a lengthy period of time before that decision becomes imminent. They say the Camino makes you think about all kinds of things and changes your life. Who knows? Maybe this will be a serious decision for me in my remaining time on the trail. Or maybe I will be distracted by another podcast.
As the three of us sat over coffee, three of our fellow travelers appeared: Beth and Fred, from Chicago, and Angela from San Francisco. It is hard to describe how you run into people along the way. Some people blaze through and catch up with you when you start out. Other times, like today, people that you've met before will catch up with you during a break.
We were all strangers a few weeks ago. In the hours that we walk together, we exchange life stories. I think it is fair to say that we have become friends.
The heart of the city held an almost deserted pedestrian mall.
We saw the Museo Casa Botines Gaudí, designed by and exhibiting the work of Antonio Gaudí.
About 30 minutes into the city, our group broke up as people headed to different hotels. Tonight is a splurge night for Spence and me. Inspired by the 2011 movie, The Way, we are staying at the Parador on the Plaza San Marcos. Spence jumps for joy at our arrival.
Of course, we did not get the same type of room Martin Sheen had in the film, but we enjoy seeing historical artifacts throughout the building. We also enjoy having a shower you can actually turn around in.
We enjoyed a fun and indulgent evening inside the hotel dining room with Beth and Fred, Angela, and Scott.
The view from our room windows overlooks a bridge that is part of the trail. We will rejoin the Camino the day after tomorrow. This is our break before finishing the journey, and we’ll spend two nights in León.
