LEON and CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

LEON and CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

The purpose of our trip north was the result of an invitation by Alfonso and Maria to stay with them and to be shown around León and surrounding areas. Alfonso and Maria spend their time helping people, animals and the environment, whether paid or as volunteers. We had met them in Malta. This summer Alfonso had been in the Dominican Republic for three months, and Maria in Mexico. Now he is working in a shelter for the homeless in León at nights.

With the spare tyre fitted we continued to their home just outside Leon at San Miguel del Camino. Everywhere we saw signs of Camino de Santiago, and even a few pilgrims walking in the cold damp late November air. Thousands pass in the warmer months.

Next day they took us to the city and we walked around seeing city walls, some ancient buildings and a building designed by Anton Gaudi, better known in Barcelona for his exciting architecture.

We followed Camino signs in the pavement to a church. Alfonso pointed out that pilgrims not fit to continue to Santiago de Compostela could pass through a door and consider that they had completed the pilgrimage. We went into another door of the church finding a simply decorated interior. The surprise was that each pew of the church had it’s own radiator so the church felt warm.

León experiences real winter. The temperature dipped to 4 degrees Celcius while we were there and at times was heavy rain. It is common to have snow and to drop below zero.

One another day they took us up into the mountains to the NE of Leon. At the first stop in the mist two large sheep dogs, not like English ones, came to the car so our dogs were not allowed out. 

We drove on to the Cascada de Nocedo, a wonderful waterfall, and to La Vecilla Monturto where we walked for a while before it started to rain. Overhead more than twenty vultures circled, a first time for our hosts who are regular visitors there. The whole area is green, wet and beautiful.

Back in the village we walked around seeing more about the Camino. 

We realised after that there are many Camino routes converging on Santiago de Compostela, the Roman Catholic Holy place.

Finally Alfonso came with me for the new tyres to be fitted. They are special tyres to hold the weight of the camper during long periods of activity, so are stronger and of course more expensive. In Spain the left and right treads must be the same type so the blow out cost me two expensive new tyres, as well as the body damage from the explosion.

The mechanic reversed the vehicle without care and damaged the rear bumper. They made a temporary repair.