Up at 0630 or so, usually befor most others so no problem with basins / showers / loos ( which tend to be far less than the number that pilgrims require). Pack kit, modest breakfast provided by me or othe albergue. Set out some 45 minutes after rising.
Just a bit of light in the sky (a few light clouds today) but have to watch carefully for the yellow arrows and signs which indicate the Camino. A recce the afternoon before is usually invaluable (time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted!).
On the Camino look back east from time to time to see the sunrise (about 0755); beautiful one today, changing cloud colours, vapour trails pink, leaves on trees hues of pink, yellow, green as the sunlight catches them, church tower (with stork´s nest) silhouetted against the sky, the morning star due west visible until just before the sun rose.
Five minute pause after one hour – rucksack off – resume walking. No one else in sight in any direction. Do I hear a shot? Yes, definitely! A hunter or 2 must be nearby. I put up some grouse so perhaps they are shooting those: not sure. Hunters usually have one or 2 dogs with them, no idea what kind but they ain´t Labradors! Have passed through wooded country and am out in flat, open country.
Ten minute pause after 2 hours. I find these stops useful for me (others do not stop for 2-3 hours). March on, drinking water all the while. Need to pee – nobody around (those people way over there wouldnt know if I was on my head or heels), good. Colour of water? Clear, so am drinking enough (if yellow, not drinking enough. Most important to drink plenty or tendonitis and / or other problems might arise.).
About a 15 minute pause after 3 hours, need some calories so eat banana (takes some 7 minutes to get into the system I read somewhere once) and it gives a boost.
Here comes the Swede: “Everything OK?” he asks.
“Yes, fine thanks. Where are you stopping tonight?”
“Sorry, please repeat.” So I do.
“At Mansilla, another 16 km or so.”
“Probably see you there.....buen camino!”
March on in solitude admiring the vista all around. A village comes into view; shoulders are tiring with the weight of the sack so I´ll have lunch there, if there´s a bench to sit on. Yes, stop for lunch; greet 2 pilgrims who pass and wish me “Buen provecho” as do 3 locals who walk by. I reckon on lunching about 4 hours after setting out.
Move on. Back onto a track again so faced with decision of which bit to walk on, where the going is best (deja vu!).....
Here comes a slight up slope, therefore a view in prospect, marvellous! Oh! Is that the village of Reliegos way off in front which means, if so, that Mansilla is another 6 km beyond? Hmm, I calculate that means 10 km or so to go, and I´m feeling pretty knackered! Let´s walk on and see.....Great! Here´s Reliegos, just in front of me (hidden by a slight hump I hadn´t seen back there), so it´s only 6.5 km to Mansilla. Lift in spirits as not so far to go – easy!
Stop in the bar at Reliegos, greet the 2 French Canadians I have been seeing periodically since Burgos. Have a hot chocolate. Nice to get out of the wind which is quite strong. The bar has a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the room. The barman puts on some wood and within 5 minutes the place is filled with smoke. But it smells good!
Continue; reach Mansilla de las Mulas about 1600 hrs. Find albergue without any problem – select bed (mattress on floor) in a room with 6 other pilgrims who have arrived before me and who have selected the lower of the bunk beds. Ablutions – write up diary – plan route and lodging for next day – pay the hospitalero of the albergue – brew tea and eat biscuits / patisserie – wander briefly in the village to look at sights (church, main square, route out for tomorrow) – identify shop / “supermarket”. Plan food requirements for next day. Breakfast supplied or not by the albergue? No, therefore must buy breakfast or go to a café (if open at 0700 hrs) and buy lunch too. [Now, here is a difficult moment! If it is a decent shop it will have all sorts of goodies one has not eaten, or, indeed, even thought of, for weeks. I cannot buy much at all because I cannot carry it! So the goodies sit there on the shelf, things like different cheeses, gazpacho soup, varied breads, fresh vegetables to name but some.]
Supper at 1930 in adjacent restaurant. Menu del dia for €7: macaroni, chicken and fritas, fruit, wine. (I was recently told that in Franco´s time it became law that restaurants have to provide a “daily menu” at a cheap price. I am not sure if that applies, in principle, to all restaurants.) A third or half litre of wine is always provided, or another drink, within the price.
Bed at 2145, lights out, p & q, zzzzzz.........
............zzzzzzZZZZZZ at 0130 the man in the corner is snoring loudly (some people wear ear-plugs to combat the blight). Did I say p & q?!
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Each Spanish city I have visited has greeted me with rain. Leon is the worst; heavy rain yesterday afternoon after I arrived and again this afternoon. A morning´s worth of sun allowed me to see the town today, which is quite spendid and the Cathedral did not disappoint. Some 1800 sq m of stained glass windows adorn it, and it is quite enormous. The Iglesia of San Isidoro has a fine painting backdrop to the altar, and the old town with its narrow streets make it most attractive. It is a lovely place.
I caught a glimpse of the mountains to come this morning. The Cruz de Ferro, which I should reach on the fourth day of walking from here, will be the highest point on the Camino. The forecast for the next 2 days is rain and I want clear views when I start climbing on day 3! And I am heading towards the wettest part of Spain!
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