At 8pm last night I got up and went to a nice restraunant a block away that I probably could have gotten in the back way by climbing out my window. I was messaging English Tom and he said he had had lunch there and it was a very good place. I walked in and asked for a table for one (loser). I had to wait a few minutes and so I ordered a beer at the bar. It came with some really nice jamon.
While standing drinking my beer my Dutch friend Winand walked in. I flagged him and he joined me for dinner (not a loser). The hostess called us over and we headed downstairs after I fumbled for some change for the beer. I must have pulled my wallet with a 50€ note and my credit cards out of my pocket and on to the floor because when Winand had it and he said a woman at the bar had given it to him. Yikes! That was almost a major rookie mistake.
Dinner was excellent and the conversation too. It was a long Spanish dinner where the room was nearly empty - why the wait? - when we started and packed when we finished at 10:30. I was exhausted and headed straight to bed.
I got a late start and it was nearly 8am when I left my comfy hotel and headed out. The Camino does a circuitous route through Leon to go through the beautiful old town, past the catherdral and the very fancy Parador hotel.
Leon went on forever. I walked, stopped for coffee, walked and all the time in an urban environment. at one point it started to get a little industrial and a pilgrim over took me. It was Robert.
As Marie and I suspected Robert took a wrong turn yesterday. He got horribly lost in the pouring rain and wandered around Leon industrial areas for 30 minutes before getting back on track. Our track. His hotel was near ours.
Robert and I walked the rest of the day together. It was not a very nice walk. Most was beside a busy freeway and my feet hurt. We took it pretty slow. We had a decent 11€ menu del dia about 4km from the end and then pushed on through to San Martin. We had both booked the same albergue but I had a private room and he was with the common pilgrims.
After a little recovery I needed to get toothpaste and there was a tienda about 300 meters down the road in town. The traffic whizzed by and at least some of tomorrow may not be great. Nothing a beer can't fix. Introduced myself to Laurel a young American from Virgina as we have been passing for a few days now and had been at the same table a few times. Now a few beers with Robert before dinner.
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