Day 21...

Wednesday October 6, 2010

Day 21 on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela

El Burgo Ranero to León

Dear Blog Readers,

Leave the hotel after a quick breakfast at 8 a.m. - croissant, jam and tea - the sunrise is beautiful in the east, but dark overhead and a chilly wind is blowing.

We all hurry off, as the wind picks up the dust in the streets of the deserted hamlets as the pilgrims hurry off to the next town.  We have to use our headlights as the Camino is very dark. Nothing on the way for the first 13 kms. but after only 2 kms. a slight rain begins and the sky is now quite dark.  Then it begins to pour, everyone and everything is wet - pilgrims hurry on in the down pour.  Walk with Marcella, then Tanya, an stunning Irish redhead, who lived once in Galicia, the last province we’ll trek through. Through the rain we chat about life, and what to expect in Galicia. 

Everyone stops for a hot chocolate in the hamlet at the 13 kms. marker - then hurry on to a small hamlet outside of León, where we can take the bus into the city center as no one on the trail wants to continue walking in the wet - guide books warn of the lengthy trek into the City’s centre.  By noon, we are in the town and wait for the bus, everyone is so cold and wet no one is talking or happy.

Check into the beautiful, Parador de San Marcos, a Monastery converted into a 5-star hotel and head for the room and a hot shower.  A lovely maze below our window.  Will enjoy my last rest day here in León - and shop for warm clothes for the mountains, which are coming up in a week´s time, as the weather forecast has not been good about the province of Galicia.

Trek for today 20 kms. what an interesting day today!

Blessing from the Camino,

Yasmin

My personal thoughts for today - It is interesting listening to each pilgrims story on the Camino.  Tanya’s story is no different from just about every person you meet on the path.  I did not expect to meet so many young people making this pilgrimage trek, all searching for answers or the next direction to take in their life.