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| Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes |
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| Contour Map: Copyright John Brierley click here to see notes |
NOTE: I started in León today and ended up in Hospital de Órbigo but I used the alternative route from my guide book so it will not correspond with the contour maps above.
Sleep abandoned me last night kept at bay by the caffeine from the two americanos and compounded by the sad news from home.
I made an easy exit from León picking up the signs I noted yesterday. I walked as far as La Virgen del Camino before breaking for breakfast. After I left I made a call to my sister to ask about her friend. I had to stop to take on the magnitude of what was happening. (see Topic: Desensitised - Resensitised) I stopped briefly at Villadangos del Parome to buy fruit and a couple of energy bars. I should have taken a proper break here because I intended to keep going all the way to Hospital de Órbigo today. Socks are so important:
I stopped in San Martín del Camino sat on a bench and took off my boots but left my socks on. In hindsight I should have taken the socks off too in the hope that they might have dried out a little bit and I could have let my feet cool down. I lost a pair of socks somewhere along the way. (See Topic: Socks, below) and was now down to just two pair of heavy socks.
I finally reached Hospital de Órbigo and checked into Don Suero de Quinones with a great view over the old bridge. After my shower I took a nap for a couple of hours, there goes my chance of sleeping tonight.
I developed many new blisters today but they are small and mostly on the tops of my toes so I hope they don't bother me too much while walking. I completed one and a half stages today and I was considering doing the same tomorrow if my body, especially my feet, held out. This may be too ambitious, as it is 16Klms to Astoga and another 22Klms to Rabanal del Camino. That kind of distance immediately after the long walk today may just take it's toll on this old body, I will review it as I go along.
I went for a walk around the town. It was so quiet, much the same as all the small towns along the Camino. I found a pharmacy and purchased more compede for my growing collection of blisters. I also bought an after sun cream because my legs were a bit red. My legs tended to get most of the sun during the day. My head was always covered with a wide rimmed hat protecting the top of my head, my face and neck. I also purchased a couple of energy bars and some fruit for tomorrow.
Back in the hostel I had a beer while waiting for the evening meal. I know, no willpower. There was just one couple at a table over looking the bridge and myself at another table in a large dining area. When the owner came to take my order I asked for the menu he said there was no menu but he told me my options. I made my choices and he went off. The food was fabulous but I was surprised when he hit me with the bill. This clearly was not the pilgrim menu option. I paid it but I would advise anyone eating here to get the prices ahead of ordering their food. I enjoyed the food but felt a bit ripped off. Not that it was not value for money, if I was eating in Ireland or even one of the big cities I visited along the Camino. My sense of being ripped off came from not being advised of the prices up front. However, I did not let this spoil my overall sense of well being and good will towards all the people of northern Spain who were generally very welcoming and never, up to this point, exploitative.
____________________________________________________________
Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow
León:
Images of León on the internet
Wikipedia on León
Hospital de Órbigo:
Images of Hospital de Órbigo on the internet
Wikipedia on Hospital de Órbigo
____________________
Topic: Socks
Socks, Socks, my kingdom for more socks.
Looking back on my Camino I know I just did not have enough socks. While it is essential to keep the weight of the loaded backpack as low as possible I think I would definitely bring more socks next time.
I lost a pair of socks somewhere along the way. This is unusual because we all tend to lose just one sock at a time in our washing machines. On the Camino they disappear in pairs. I also lost one of my undershorts. Now maybe 30 years ago, in a moment of extreme vanity I could have given a brief thought to some stalker taking a souvenir (only joking) but now, in my early sixties I can only assume some crazed cat or a rabid dog snatched them off a washing line somewhere along the way. Anyway, I digress, back to the importance of socks. After the loss of my socks I was down to three pairs of under socks and two pair of heavy socks. Ger had suggested to me that changing socks during the day long walk reduced the risk of blisters and also made you feel refreshed, especially on the more difficult stages. If I was going to change my socks, using two pair of under socks and two pair of heavy socks each day I would have to wash my socks every night and hope they would be dry by morning. This I knew would not happen so I made a short clothes line out of a spare boot lace. When I set off each morning I wore a dry pair and had the other socks dangling behind me on my makeshift clothes line and fully exposed to the high sun. It may have looked a bit strange but it guaranteed I had a clean dry pair to change into along the way and helped maintain my feet in relative good condition.
Next time, should it ever happen, I will bring more socks and under shorts and maybe even one extra pair for someone who may need a pair so badly they help themselves to my stock. : )
I finally reached Hospital de Órbigo and checked into Don Suero de Quinones with a great view over the old bridge. After my shower I took a nap for a couple of hours, there goes my chance of sleeping tonight. I developed many new blisters today but they are small and mostly on the tops of my toes so I hope they don't bother me too much while walking. I completed one and a half stages today and I was considering doing the same tomorrow if my body, especially my feet, held out. This may be too ambitious, as it is 16Klms to Astoga and another 22Klms to Rabanal del Camino. That kind of distance immediately after the long walk today may just take it's toll on this old body, I will review it as I go along. I went for a walk around the town. It was so quiet, much the same as all the small towns along the Camino. I found a pharmacy and purchased more compede for my growing collection of blisters. I also bought an after sun cream because my legs were a bit red. My legs tended to get most of the sun during the day. My head was always covered with a wide rimmed hat protecting the top of my head, my face and neck. I also purchased a couple of energy bars and some fruit for tomorrow.
Back in the hostel I had a beer while waiting for the evening meal. I know, no willpower. There was just one couple at a table over looking the bridge and myself at another table in a large dining area. When the owner came to take my order I asked for the menu he said there was no menu but he told me my options. I made my choices and he went off. The food was fabulous but I was surprised when he hit me with the bill. This clearly was not the pilgrim menu option. I paid it but I would advise anyone eating here to get the prices ahead of ordering their food. I enjoyed the food but felt a bit ripped off. Not that it was not value for money, if I was eating in Ireland or even one of the big cities I visited along the Camino. My sense of being ripped off came from not being advised of the prices up front. However, I did not let this spoil my overall sense of well being and good will towards all the people of northern Spain who were generally very welcoming and never, up to this point, exploitative.
____________________________________________________________
Other Links, relating to this section of the Camino, you may wish to follow
Images of León on the internet
Wikipedia on León
Hospital de Órbigo:
Images of Hospital de Órbigo on the internet
Wikipedia on Hospital de Órbigo
____________________
Topic: Socks
Socks, Socks, my kingdom for more socks.
Looking back on my Camino I know I just did not have enough socks. While it is essential to keep the weight of the loaded backpack as low as possible I think I would definitely bring more socks next time.
I lost a pair of socks somewhere along the way. This is unusual because we all tend to lose just one sock at a time in our washing machines. On the Camino they disappear in pairs. I also lost one of my undershorts. Now maybe 30 years ago, in a moment of extreme vanity I could have given a brief thought to some stalker taking a souvenir (only joking) but now, in my early sixties I can only assume some crazed cat or a rabid dog snatched them off a washing line somewhere along the way. Anyway, I digress, back to the importance of socks. After the loss of my socks I was down to three pairs of under socks and two pair of heavy socks. Ger had suggested to me that changing socks during the day long walk reduced the risk of blisters and also made you feel refreshed, especially on the more difficult stages. If I was going to change my socks, using two pair of under socks and two pair of heavy socks each day I would have to wash my socks every night and hope they would be dry by morning. This I knew would not happen so I made a short clothes line out of a spare boot lace. When I set off each morning I wore a dry pair and had the other socks dangling behind me on my makeshift clothes line and fully exposed to the high sun. It may have looked a bit strange but it guaranteed I had a clean dry pair to change into along the way and helped maintain my feet in relative good condition.
Next time, should it ever happen, I will bring more socks and under shorts and maybe even one extra pair for someone who may need a pair so badly they help themselves to my stock. : )
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