The Grind.

I had a nice day in Leon, though it was a bit windy and cold for my tasting. It was a mere 24 degrees with a cool breeze. Which only speaks to my condition more than anything else. After walking in some serious heat I had gotten used to completely different temperatures and was sensitive to any cool air. Crazy! I do get cold quickly as a rule so this just reminded me that I actually love some serious heat. A couple of years ago I would never have said that I am a hot weather person, but I am getting to know myself a little better in this respect and I am learning some new truths about myself. Anyway, I spent the day in Leon taking in some of the sights, the Cathedral being the highlight. It was a quiet night as I rested and got ready for the next day. It was exciting! I was in new territory for the first time on this Camino, as I had not been able to walk this leg last year and I did not know what to expect, except for the details in the guide book. Having rested the day before I was motivated and wanted to make some good distance knowing full well that the next day was a 30km leg. Also, there is a beautiful medieval bridge in Hospital de Orbigo, some 35kms away. It is one of the most amazing sights on the entire Camino and I liked the idea of stopping there. After grinding it out for the entire day I finally arrived there at 6:20pm. I was TIRED! But, I was happy too and my body still intact. And seeing that bridge was all the better at that point. It is truly a beautiful sight. After the usual regimen of getting showered and organized it was time for some well deserved food. The only decent restaurant that I could find was "Los Angeles". What can I say, it is amazing how American culture finds its way into other countries in the funniest ways. And on that note, all bars play music in the back ground, and the majority of the time it is English. Yet, most people can barely speak a word of English. I am baffled by this phenomena. I like English music, but how the Spanish can appreciate it without understanding it is confusing to me. At the local store I stopped in to get some fruit and granola bars for the next day. As I was stuttering away in a horrible attempt to make myself understood the lady starts speaking, the most perfect fluent English. I was speechless. Finally I asked her how she could speak such perfect English. She told me she had lived in Hamilton, Ontario for five years. Small world. That made the shopping an easy endeavour, and the conversation a nice break from the tedious attempts to get by.

Yesterday I got up and left at a decent time, 7:30am. It was nice to be on the go before it got too hot. Except, yesterday it was already hot and there was not to be a morning break from the elements. Yikes! Another 35 degree day with limited break from the elements and rough paths to walk. It was a grind from the beginning. After about 12 kilometres as I was coming up the hill, chatting with a Hungarian girl and feeling the strain of the day I saw this field and an old barn up ahead. As we got closer I saw some people sitting in the shade and I thought about the shade and how it would do me some good too, hot and tired as I was. Then I got the biggest surprise. A woman got up and came towards us, holding a plate of watermelon. "Please, have some", she said. Well, she did not have to ask me twice, and I dug my teeth into the best watermelon ever! She kept talking and told us we had to come over and enjoy some home made cake, water with lemon, cookies, and more fruit. Stunned, we finally asked some questions and her story was amazing. This was a gift for the pilgrims, donations only. And the barn she and her husband, who walked around Spain this year (pilgrim), covering 3600kms in two months (averaging 61kms/day) with no money, plan to renovate and make into an albergue. It too is to be run in the old fashioned way, by donations only. She herself walked "the way" this spring and they are now devoted to make a positive change for pilgrims along the route. They already have one albergue (which I looked at today) in Santa Maria, about 10 kilometres past Astorga. It was the most amazing moment and I was grateful beyond words for the gift of people like them. That is truly a sign of hope for humanity.

After the short break I was walking again, and after another hour and a bit I did the long and weary walk into Astorga, through the industrial suburbs. But, that too did end and as I arrived in the old town I got a fantastic surprise. It was last day of their Roman Asturian celebration and the city was turned upside down. People were in the most amazing medieval costumes and their battling entertainment was rich. I tried to take some pictures, but realized that they fall way short for description. Because of this I decided to stay and enjoy the rest of the day in this most amazing medieval town.