Seven Kilometers to Leon

The following day we had only seven kilometers to walk before we reached one of the largest cities along the way, Leon. Simon’s condition was much improved so the three of us could walk together without going too slow.  The kilometers going into a city usually felt the longest. Walking on pavement hurt my feet and knees and the outskirts were always more grimy than interesting. 

However, seven kilometers was a marvelously short day and it was nice to be able to take our time and revel in the three of us walking together again. The two hostels mentioned in the German guidebook Marc and Simon used were closed. Thankfully, we found a great one near a Mcdonalds. The three of us enjoyed a fast food lunch as a big city indulgence. 

The rest of the afternoon was a normal one for the camino. We showered, relaxed, and did laundry. As I waited for the laundry I talked with a gentleman from England. He had done the camino with his daughter. He told me proudly how she’s a runner and the walking wasn’t enough for her, so she’d take a run every afternoon after checking into a hostel.  I felt so lazy hearing that after my many afternoons of siestas and long showers. I also felt that this woman was possibly crazy for running 10 miles after walking 20.

It was great to meet another pilgrim. I was wondering if walking with my two closest friends would mean giving up meeting new people and hearing their stories. The new experiences were exciting to me, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to stop walking with Simon and Marc.

It was well into September, but the air was still warm and the daylight long. That evening we bought bread and cheese from a grocery store and ate it on the steps of an ancient building.  We people watched comfortably as dusk turned to night and then roamed the city center to sightsee a bit. The cathedral in Leon was quite impressive, especially lit up in the darkness. 

Reaching Leon meant most of our journey was over. Gone were the days when we might doubt that we would make it. The only question now was what adventures would we have before finally reaching Santiago de Compostela.