2112

It was hard to leave León. It's an amazing city, and like the others it's actually physically difficult to leave. In this case it was 8 km of sprawl and industrial parks. If we walked through Auburn, Kent, and Renton to get there, we passed through Lake City, Lynnwood and the like leaving.

We had another relatively short walk planned, 21.5 km (13.4 miles) to Villar de Mazarife. It was hard to know we were turning south today, seemingly away from our goal. Looking out at the snow capped Cantabrians, it's good that we're positioning to pass them at the best location. Positioning is what these next few days feel like. Shorter distances, moving to a place where we can summit those guys, and getting rest for the feet.

We stopped for 2nd breakfast in the nondescript Fresno del Camino. Shortly down the road toward Chozas de Abajo we heard the broken english shouting of "Hello father and son walking team!" That seems to be our brand out here, the father and son team. Except with the French pilgrims, to them we are "The American who speaks French, and his father".

It was Eszter from Hungary running to catch up with us. We had spoken briefly to Eszter on several occasions, usually with her stopping to check on us, see how our feet were doing. She's from Budapest, a city high on our list to visit, so the 7.3 km to lunch went by quickly. I kept looking at her backpack, which I would never want to carry. It rode low on her back, the weight not distributed well at all. Without having to ask about it, she disclosed that she had fashioned her own pack out of automobile airbags, old jeans, with seat belts for shoulder straps. Like many out here, and like in the movie "The Way", there's a story for why she's walking this that hasn't been fully disclosed yet.

Villar de Mazarife is another "bumpkin" Meseta town as Ben describes it. Our albergue is just paces away from the primary sight, the mudbrick Iglesia de Santiago. This is a nice place to rest and regenerate though, and Ben got some needed dog time in the courtyard with our beer and paella.

The church is simple and dedicated to the Patron Saint of Spaniards, Saint James (São Tiago, Santiago). Built in the 16th century, it's actually called La Traslacion de Santiago Apostal, "The Journey of Apostle James". Pilgrim James is at the center of the Altarpiece, and the imagery around him depicts the tales we've heard along The Way including the transport of his body to Spain in a stone boat, and his appearance aboard a white horse in battle (earning him the title Saint James the Moor Slayer).

We've walked for 21 days. We have 12 more.

Buen Camino.

Outside the San Marcos Parador, leaving León

Hobbits! Baggins? Brandybucks? Hornblowers?

Eszter's handmade pilgrim's pack

Mozaic at the entrance to Villar de Mazarife

The white storks have taken over Iglesia de Santiago, Villar de Mazarife out the window of our albergue

The classic pilgrim. We think he's holding a copy of our Camino guide book

Iglesia de Santiago, made of Meseta mud, Villar de Mazarife

Ben's Albergue buddy

La Traslacion de Santiago Apostal, Altarpiece

I so relate to this guy. The combination of determination and exhaustion. Mostly that he's taken his sandals off his achin' feet.