Stage 19: Reliegos – Leon – Camino for Closers

Stage 19 – the day I could take a day off

Start: 5:59, 11 ºC, sunny

End: 11:30

Distance: 24/452.9 Km

Stayed at: Slow Leon Apartamentos Turisticos

OST: Get Lucky (day 1), Self Control (day 2)

After more than two weeks, I could finally afford a rest day!
I spent two days in Leon, and it was more than enough.

I first came here in August 2001, when I did my first Camino Frances by bike. We arrives after dinner time and went straight to bed, I didn’t see much more than a fountain outside the hotel

This to say: I have been waiting more than two decades to revisit Leon, and I was not disappointed.

I ended up booking an entire apartment, AirBnB style. It was… nice, definitely nice, and the bed was seventh heaven compared to any albergue before that.

I needed that – I was forging ahead, but fatigue was real.

Other pilgrims from my “circle” had already experienced physical problems, and they ended up staying in Leon for several days.

Day 2 in Leon was simply a rest day. I ditched tripadvisor entirely, rented a bike and had lots of fun cycling around the city center. I spent some time zooming around a random park, where I did NOT befriend the local peacocks.

I also managed to find Annette, ex consultant, now figuring out her next step – outside some silly hotel which took over Leon’s former Convento de San Marcos.

It’s simply stupid – or maybe it’s just capitalism doing its job. Without a reservation, I could at best admire the Convento’s lobby restaurant.

I had missed Burgos’ cathedral, so I made sure to at least visit a couple of attractions in Leon.

Drinks with Tomas, Colleen and others were a nice closure of this two-days stage. To celebrate the celebration, I got my back checked by a Thai massagist, who effectively punched and kicked my back and legs until everything stopped hurting.