Caminar ala medieval

not just yet, but in the afternoon, I am going to visit the museum and sample some of the products. mmm. looking forward to it.

Leon - San Martin del Camino - Hospital del Orbigo

so, I decided that, considering my state with tendernitis again, I am taking the bus to avoid as much tarmac as possible, and bused it to San Miguel del Camino, thus overrunning almost all other pilgrims, trodding the uninteresting suburbs of Leon. I did feel a tiny little bit guilty. :-) but this escapade did enable me to walk all the way to Hospital de Orbigo. I took the original and now less recommended road along the main N120 - and I can tell you that it is really not interesting, even all the albergues are on the busy main road (though the first one in San Martin was very friendly).

in Hospital del Orbigo I stayed in the beautiful and welcoming albergue parroquial with wooden and painted porticoed patio and fine kitchen. I treated my feet with a bath of salt and vinegar and made a tour of the famous bridge called Paso Honroso, with 19 arches from 10C to 19C. once I will have to be here for the big tournament at the end of June.

my medieval look impressed two French pilgrims so much that they invited me to dine with them. and afterwards I had a really good laughing evening with Hanya and Norbert, a young Polish couple.

Hospital del Orbigo - Astorga

a relieving walk over hills covered in oak forests and arable fields. on the plateu before Cruceiro de santo Toribio, in a former stable, an organization raised a table with free/donativo refreshemnts for pilgrims - I enjoyed some juice and a really good fruit cake. just before the 22% climb to Astorga a new bridge over the railway prolonges the route for about 400m, so long and numerous are its ramps.

here I am staying in the albergue municipal with a magnificent view over the countryside to the east, that was a hospital already in the 11C. I already visited Museo Romano with a unique huge supporting vault for the most important temple in the middle of the forum (we got free tickets in the albergue). and now I am waiting for the afternoon hours of Museo del Chocolate.

if one of the computers will be free in the evening I will tell you how good the chocolate is. :-)

take care!