Camino Pilgrim

It felt so good to sleep again without any alarm. By the time I finished breakfast, the sun had started coming out. Nature was changing a lot before reaching León compared to the endless flat Messeta earlier. Meditation while walking really helps generate new insights and ideas. I just have to remember to keep writing them down. Otherwise, most of it will be lost by the time I get back home.

This day was like a celebration of pilgrims. The rest areas they build along the Camino are really nice. Today there was one with a wooden roof and stone floor, chairs and tables. There are always plenty of fresh water sources around. Before reaching the big city of León, there were even volunteer officers helping pilgrims with information about the city.

I had a lot of fun greeting locals in León in Spanish. They were people from a city where the main source of income was not pilgrims anymore and everyone was still so welcoming. It really shows how important the pilgrimage is to their culture itself. The old town in León was the most impressive and is most definitely worth a proper visit. I especially loved the statue of a holy man sitting in the shade of a cross resting his feet and sandals on the road.

Walking pretty much all day on hard surfaces is hard on the feet, but recovery is happening faster now than in the beginning. The body has really gotten used to travelling on foot.

Tomorrow I’m most likely going to take a longer scenic route to enjoy more of nature. Walking fast next to the highway offers no real value in comparison.
I can’t believe how much closer the finish line is getting every day. Just ten or so days left until Santiago. Hopefully, I will continue with a bonus adventure afterwards. Spain is a wonderful country to discover.

PS. it’s really funny to instantly recognize new pilgrims starting their Camino. Their shoes are so shiny and bright, while all the pilgrims I have walked close to 500km with have dusty old boots.