Day 19

It’s hard to describe or find the right word to describe how we felt about leaving La Meseta and walking this part of the Camino that will eventually bring us into Leon. We both agree though that this part of the Camino is our least favorite part of the journey so far. Most of it parallels four lane highways with cars and trucks whizzing by, bright headlights in your face, fumes, noise, some of the more industrial sections that are usually a part of any big city’s urban sprawl. It was jarring, a real shock to the senses and somewhat disorienting. This lessened the closer we got to Leon, the biggest city we will have traveled through thus far. Leon will be one of our planned two night break and ‘rest’ stops. We managed to find our hotel, grab some grub and people watch for a bit. Not too much walking here today. We’ll rest, plan out what we want to see tomorrow so we aren’t just aimlessly walking about.

Dawn breaking just after one stretch of highway land with an even worse stretch of it to come.

Crossing over the river Porma.

The Puente Ingenue, a twenty arch medieval bridge.

It turns out to be a bright, sunny day for this sheherd leading his sheep across the road from one field to the next.

Not everything is bucolic.

In Leon, registered in our rooms, out people watching and getting a bite to eat.

Ditto!

A fellow pilgrim we’ve met at several stops, Sandy, spots us and stops for a pleasant visit and small reunion.