Day 1 Camino de Santiago - May / June 2018

Day 1 Leon to Villavante - Monday 28 May - 33km. 

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu.

I've decided to put a quote at the top of each of the day's  accounts of my pilgrimage. Thought today's appropriate as I start on this journey of 325 Km.  Alisa's niece Leila and nephews Oscar and Jake worked out that it is the equivalent of going from Perth to Augusta, which sounds rather daunting!

Ready to go

Breakfast at the hotel this morning was fresh orange juice, muesli and yoghurt, the biggest best croissant I have ever eaten, with butter and marmalade; and a cafe con leche (good latte). I have brought my muesli from NZ, which I am pleased about, as there weren't any cereals on offer. Yoghurt and a banana were given to me to go with it when I asked for them.

Basilica of  San Isidora de Leon

Then it was pack on and out the door to start my Camino!

I walked my first day on the Spanish Camino de Santiago today from Leon to Villavante.  For my birthday our family had given me, among other things, "a Pilgrim's Guide to The Camino de Santiago (the Camino Frances)" by John Brierley. A wonderfully informative little resource, it gives a detailed map of each day's walk, a diagram of the route showing elevations, features to look out for on the way, and the author's personal reflections. This particular way is one of the oldest, having been traversed by pilgrims for 1100 years from St Jean Pied de Port in the very south of France. There is a steep ascent to start with over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles in north-eastern Spain, and the Camino then goes in a westerly direction to Santiago de Compostela - a distance of 800Km.It is traditional for pilgrims to have a scallop shell

Bernesga River

It is traditional for pilgrims to have a scallop shell tied to their backpacks to identify them as they walk on the Camino. I put stickers of the NZ flag and a little kiwi on mine.
We all carry a "Credential de Santiago" - Pilgrim's Passport - and get it stamped as we go along at churches, our accommodation etc.
My first stamp is from the Leon Cathedral, so an auspicious start.

16th century stone Puente rio Bernesga

I had booked with an Irish company, Camino Ways, who had suggested the best routes to take; pre-booked my accommodation, which included breakfast every day and dinner in all but three of the larger towns; and one of the best things was that they arranged to have my bag picked up every morning and delivered to my next destination. So all I had to carry was a day pack.

Beautiful city gardens

The main route from Leon first wound its way through the old part of the city and its historic buildings, lovely parks and river for about thirty minutes. Then about an hour walking through suburbia to the edge of town.

Hobbit houses!

An interesting sight on leaving Leon was several what looked like Hobbit houses set in to the hillside, which had apparently been used in the past for keeping food and wine cool.

Bodegas -used as storage units for food and wine pre-fridges

Looking back over Leon

Also had a great vista looking back
over Leon.

Welcome grassy track, all to myself!

The main trail from there ran adjacent to the highway for the next two days, which wasn't what I would have wanted. Camino Ways suggested an alternative scenic route through the countryside away from traffic to Mazarife, a small village.

Spring crops poking up among the stones

New crops growing beside the track
were thriving in very stony soil.

Met and walked with some interesting people along The Way -Masana and Loriana, a couple from northern Italy who had started in Bruge; a couple, David and Sandy, from Louisville, Kentucky. Sandy was limping and had a knee support on. Said that the knee wasn't a new injury, but one she just lived with. Dan, recently retired from Boeing, and his mid-20s daughter Emily from southern California, Emily had recently graduated with a health sciences degree, and was planning to do a post- graduate opthalmology Masters.

Scallop shells & yellow arrows show The Way

Lunch stop with Dan and Emily

The forecaster had threatened that there would be rain all day, but fortunately the weather gods didn't listen to him, and conditions were perfect -overcast and calm and about 16C. Dan and his daughter stopped for a lunch break with me. They had started at St John Pied de Port so had already covered about 500 Km. Dan took off his boots and socks after lunch to reveal some quite nasty blisters on his toes, which he retaped. Sincerely hope I avoid those. Am wearing two layer Wrightsocks which Desiree recommended. They came with a promise of no blisters, so hope they live up to it.

The plan was to waIk 23 Km to Mazarife, but accommodation was fully booked there, and my reservation was for a place 10Km further on, so as the weather was still good,  and I was feeling good, I decided to keep going. I could have been picked up in Mazarife, and taken back there to resume in the morning, but thought I would kick myself in the morning if it was raining. So I walked 33km and did have some showers for the last hour, but my umbrella and jacket kept me mainly dry. The last 10km from Mazarife was flat going, on an asphalt road at first which looked to stretch to eternity!

There was no-one else walking, and only a few cars passing, some of the drivers tooting and waving. To keep myself amused, I sang while I walked along. During The Wheels on the Bus and Old Mc Donald I could visualise adorable Olivia watching me with her big bright brown eyes, moving her head and feet to the beat as she listened. When I eventually reached an intersection at the end of the asphalt, i looked back to see a sign saying it was 4 Km back to Mazarife. No way, it was at least 6 Km.  When I arrived at my destination I was surprised to find the my R) calf was quite tight. Probably because it had been flat walking and hadn't been stretched at all in those last 10 Km.

With Mercedes by a roaring fire

Staying tonight in a lovely country home. Mercedes, the owner, and her husband Marcel, are absolutely delightful. On a shelf above the fire is a row of clogs, which Mercedes said are ideal over shoes on wet ground
when they go outside.

Breakfast with Fiona, Francoise, & Antonio,

I had a hot shower, massaged my calf, and did some stretches, and it feels OK now. 
There are five other pilgrims staying - 3 Aussies, Fiona & Francoise from Melbourne and Antonio from Adelaide; and two Dutch women, Joss and Mary Jo. Mercedes has just cooked us a delicious dinner. Conversation during it was interesting, as four of the others had started at St Jean Pied de Port, and had stories to tell.

My bed looks very comfortable and inviting. You will see that it has a wide pillow with a single pillow case. In Spain, this is the case no matter how wide the bed. A king size bed has a very long pillow. Interesting.

Pouring with rain now so hope it stops by morning. So only 21 Kms to Astorga tomorrow.
And at the bottom of the pages, I am going to note something I am grateful for.

Today's is:

Having the good health, and being fit enough, to come on this pilgrimage.

I was really happy to achieve 33 Kms on my first day

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