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BIG CITY BOUND!
I'm always surprised by how many people are already gone from the albergues by 6:30 am, but I shouldn't have been today...everyone was keen to get to Leon and enjoy a bigger city for a day. I set out into a comfortably cool morning that got warmer as it went on, and the bright sun kept spirits bright. When I stopped for breakfast, it was at a Bavarian themed cafe blasting classical music that had everyone there humming The Blue Danube Waltz, and when I saw they offered a trucker breakfast -- fried eggs! Real bacon! Coffee and fresh squeezed oj! -- I sprang at the opportunity to enjoy a decadent taste of home. It proved to be the first great treat to myself in what would become a day of indulgences... rewards for a walk well done so far.
As I have mentioned, there were many warnings about the walk into Leon through its industrial outskirts being as unpleasant as the journey into Burgos. However, I didn't find it anywhere near as bad. Maybe it was the bright sun, or the relative variety or brevity of the phase, or being psychologically prepared, or being able to SEE Burgos laid out before us as we approached (as I have observed before, the effect on the headspace of being able to see one's destination can't be overestimated) ...or maybe it simply isn't that bad. Whatever the reason, I enjoyed this entry to the city much more, and sauntered into town quite cheerfully. Adding to the good mood was the fact that a team of volunteers stood at a bridge near the entry to the city to greet and help direct pilgrims into town, which was a really nice welcome that made me feel like I was part of something. I was in such fine humor that when I saw a greengrocer's I stopped and treated myself to fresh strawberries and cherries...more delectable than any of the ice cream or desserts that come so readily on pilgrim menus. Heaven.
Leon proper is a walled Roman city, and it's impressive how much of the encircling structure remains. Pilgrims pass through the "Money Gate", into a network of narrow streets that retain their medieval feeling even though the stores that inhabit them are contemporary. I was instantly charmed by the tidiness and how well maintained the city is, and the pleasures of the many small squares you come across as you wend your way along. The streets were was also well peopled, which gave it an active and invigorating feeling that I've often missed passing through smaller villages so quiet they seem abandoned.
I bumped into a very relaxed looking Janet and Linda, whom I hadn't seen since we'd roomed together in Terradillos de Templarios after The Very Long Walk...they were on their second day in town, having trained in from Mansilla for a bit of a break. I always marvel at how as we all go along we all seem to bump into each other in various combinations along the way, but it is harder in the big cities where we have more area in which to disperse...so it was nice to see some familiar faces.
I continued on to my own big city treat -- a room at the Alfonso V, a perfectly located hotel dominating Santo Domingo Square that was old world on the outside, contemporary boutique on the inside. I arrived on the stroke of noon, revelling in having some deluxe digs all to myself for a night. Just what the doctor ordered (and the husband delivered!) . An excellent base from which to enjoy the town. I feel better already!
IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING
I relaxed a bit, then showered and hurried out, but soon realized I was cutting it very close to when things I wanted to see would be closing down for siesta. This is a chronic issue that sort of makes me laugh: for all that the Camino has been around for a thousand years, the pilgrim schedule is inherently out of sync with that of the towns we pass through. We wake up and start walking very early, well before almost anything (except the places that have set up breakfast just to cater to us) are open...Spanish cities are still feeling sleepy at 9:30 am. We hit towns around siesta, which varies slightly from place to place but is always when we are newly settled, showered, and ready to explore...and things (including dinner) don't really kick into high gear until around and after 9 pm, by which time we are already headed for bed because most albergues have a 10 pm curfew. Even more comical is the fact that as we lead up to the solstice, the days are in fact getting longer, so we go to bed in daylight and wake up in daylight even in the wee hours. Someone recently joked that one of their goals on the Camino is to see the stars at night...and indeed, I do feel a bit like we've been living in the land of the midnight sun. It's just funny is all.
Given the timing, I made the most of things by doing a little walkabout to orient myself and map out where the things I wanted to see were. After an hour of that, however, my legs launched a formal grievance. I decided, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So I headed back to the hotel for a DELICIOUS, deep two hour nap, resolved to resume exploring once I'd given my hardworking bones a decent and well-deserved rest. I am newly respectful of the restorative power of sleep and am learning to obey when my body demands it.
KINGS OF LEON
I've always known that I would leave my nephew Will's rock somewhere in Leon. After all, he is our little prince, and a Leo to boot, so the royal city of lions was a natural choice. I set out in the late afternoon to find a good place to leave his mark.
My first stop was a visit right across from the hotel to the Museo de Leon, a refreshingly secular and contemporary venue from which to learn about the city. For a small institution they had a remarkably varied collection of artifacts... even their numismatic exhibit made the most of a pile of old coins by talking about the contexts for money in a general way as well as that specific to Leonese history. From there I wandered through various exhibits documenting the city's history from its time as a major Roman centre in Iberia to its marginalization as a suburban regional seat...And I particularly liked its subsection on the Camino, which not only discussed the religious and spiritual tradition, but also revealed how the Camino helped Spain keep ties with Europe during periods of foreign domination and influence. It's fascinating how entrenched the Camino is in Spanish history and culture...as rooted and broadly engaged as bullfighting or Moorish influences or pork products, but strangely lower profile and less discussed somehow. Anyway, I quite enjoyed the whole thing, probably because many info plaques were translated into English..that always helps.
The most obvious place to leave Will's rock would seem to be the cathedral, so I went there next. However, this was a disappointment, especially on the heels of a spectacular treasury like the cathedral in Burgos. In contrast to Burgos' light airy whiteness and rich layers of detailed artisanry, Leon's central temple is just another dark, towering Gothic cavern, with far less decoration and far more uninviting empty spaces that invite that cold dankness so common in old churches. Even the audio guide was briefer and less detailed than the intense info overload provided in Burgos. About the only notable element in Leon is the vast array of multicolored stained glass windows, which are admittedly impressive...And I did learn some interesting details about what strength and clarity of shades are placed where in a cathedral, so as to create different effects with the different kinds of light you get from the various directions. That was something edifying I'd never heard about or considered before. But even so, I was so underwhelmed that I ended up leaving after only 15 minutes, and didn't even bother going to the cloisters.
Since that was an unworthy spot, I continued on to San Isidoro, a church and archival institution a few blocks away. Several 12th century princes and other royals of Leon are buried there, so I thought it might suit. But when I got to the austere church, the moroseness of the place didn't really inspire me as a place for Will, so I continued on.
It occurred to me that if my softhearted nephew had been a real prince of Leon, he wouldn't have just been the sort to sit on a throne and whatnot...he'd be a knight, the noble kind who helped protect pilgrims on the Camino. So that made my next stop San Marcos, the ornately decorated and quite massive complex that houses a church, a museum, and was once a pilgrim hostel and headquarters of the Knights of Santiago. Today only the poshest of pilgrims find shelter at San Marcos; it is arguably the most luxurious and impressive in the parador network of converted palaces and monasteries turned hotels. (It's where Martin Sheen splurges on a decadent night for his new Camino friends in THE WAY.) I wandered into the lobby, which is so full of antiques it looks like a medieval castle, and looked in at the cloister courtyard right out of an old monastery, and knew this was a place fit for a prince. Finally, a location that felt right. So I left Will's rock on a ledge by a carved face just by the front door, and hoped he might come look for it there someday.
Mission accomplished, I decided it was time for dinner. I was sorely tempted for some good old chicken fingers and fries offered by an American-style diner called Peggy Sue, but thought that was a waste of an opportunity to try local fare...so instead I tried some tapas at a place called (appropriately enough) TAPAS DE LEON. However, I was soon reminded that as lovely as tapas are, they are really not something one eats alone, and trying to do do made me feel lonely. I retreated to my hotel where I chatted with Matt online, soaked in a long hot bath to soothe my still-sore muscles, and ordered room service -- something I never do, but which on this much-needed day of indulgence was s fitting treat. (A travel tip: in Spain, a club sandwich is not what you think. Mine was a triple decker of toasted bread with ham, egg and tomato, and a hole cut in the top slice for a fried egg. Surprise! Interesting, and very tasty...but, y'know, I just thought you should know that some things get lost in translation.)
Pix from my Leonese perambulations are included in the photo update.
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