Day 8 - Rest day in Leon

A day in which the stresses were alcoholic rather than climb and distance! Sunny and warm throughout. 

We started with a splendid breakfast in the lovely interior of the Parador. This was the cold course. The breakfast, although good, was no comparison to the one in 2012 when the Parador was fully open. 

The map shows our itinerary for the day. Direction bottom to top. Starting at 12:00 with the intention of having a drink in every Plaza of the old town. Until 4:00 we were given tapas with our beers. After 4:00, no tapas and we switched to G&T’s. 17:30, four Plazas short, we went back to the hotel for a siesta. I am writing, and publishing, this while Derek sleeps. We will complete this evening and I don’t want to have to do anything other than sleep when we get back! An early, and unusual, start tomorrow  - but more of that tomorrow. 😀

Some plazas are not capable of being captured by a standard photograph. 

This was Lindsay on our 2012 Camino and Derek in 2021. 

Tourist shots including a classic Gaudi building. 

Typical Plaza bars. 



Selfies. The bearded gentleman is Martin from Germany. He is a scout leader. He is a cancer survivor (stomach and leg) who had 16 operations and 7 rounds of chemotherapy. He is in his 40’s and his doctor told him he needed a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He told his doctor something rude and is walking the Camino. The first stage, 26 km in the Pyrenees, took him 14 hours. We met him on the path and by chance again in Lyon. Bought him a beer. Burn Camino Martin!