Surprises around every corner!

Mansilla de las Mutas to Leon – day 21 – 18.66km

Last evening…. It is a quiet town of Mansilla… couldn’t get into the church…

Every thing is locked in the afternoon…took a beer in my Albergue garden bar…

Caught up with Sarah and Perry….and my Camino friend Jan who had caught me up, for a drink and dinner….then off to sort my life out for today’s walk!

As I was lugging my suitcase down the Stairs, I met a lady called Jean…who has been having a tough time…going off trail .. we took a coffee together and headed out around 8 am..,

Leaving the Roman wall …

Crossing the bridge…..

And the sleepy village of Mansilla behind us! We had a common denominator….my friend Sue from Michigan had walked with Jean a couple of days…so off we went….

Out into the countryside….now let me say here…everyone said to take a bus into Leon…and I am so glad I didn’t….

This guy..Trish he is for you!! Just sleeping with the geese…and looking adorable!!!

No sign of the promised industrial walk!

Just kind of close to the highway….but far enough away on regional sidewalks…

More Cows!!! A bit of real kiwi feeling going on here! Around about now, my friend Jan caught us up….as I was taking my time taking snaps…and then there were 3! A Dutchman, a Kiwi and an American…Jean was happy to enjoy a Camino walk with yellow arrows and blue shells….none of these she had had for her first 20 days!

There they are….chatting!

Over rivers and through trees …

We were getting closer to Leon…ready for a coffee break(me at least)….

I tried…to take the stepping stones…but some gaps too far apart! (And we do not need a broken leg)

And finally a village…Arcahueja…10 kms in… great coffee, bathroom break and pilgrim yarns!

A Roman/Spanish washing machine….historical of course…and 5kms out we got into the dreaded industrial estate…

So this is the real world of the working folks of León..and it was very short lived , certainly not enough to destroy a great day!

A little road construction…. But then it was over, as we spied León over a rise…

Now beside a main highway but well up!

We kind of keep bumping into each other (Jan and I) ….

And closer to the city… a short 3 km walk to the cathedral… the end point of today’s Camino…

Finally some street art for the day!

And Storks and babies (the bird kind)…hanging out on the church steeples, that they seem to be attracted to!

And of course, over the bridge..

A bit of a scramble through town…until we spied the cathedral de Leon….gothic style!

And super impressive…as far as churches go! We made it just in time to get our church stamp…but not to see in side the church…

We did manage to sneak into the courtyards , once again, as with the monastery, impressive masonry artwork!

So the day that everyone said take a bus, was a great walking day….meeting lots of familiar pilgrims along the way!!! Of course a beer was in order…took a while but was very nice when it did arrive, check in and going to meet my Camino mates for dinner!