To Leon

2006 - Autumn

In 2006, Joe and I stopped for a night in what was then a ghost town called Bercianos.

After checking in, 

we discovered bedbugs in the beds 

and made a quick exit.

It was getting late, and so we walked very fast 

to the next village,

El Burgo Raneros,

and found lodging and dinner.

But in racing to beat the setting sun

I got shin splints and could not walk 

the next morning.

And so we took a bus to Leon.

When we arrived in Leon, 

we were greeted by nuns checking and spraying everyone's packs for bedbugs!

My pack aired out all night.

 I slept in a top bunk, and next morning, 

the young man sleeping below me told us 

he had fought bedbugs all night long!  ::laughing:: 

He was hilarious!

I have since decided to always get a top bunk!

2009 - Summer

In 2009, we tried walking the Via de la Plata in June.

What a mistake that was!

In the end, 

it was so hot and we were so unprepared, 

it was dangerous.

So we jumped a bus and went to Leon,

and continued on the Camino Frances.

Once we finished there,

We walked a portion of the Portuguese Route from Porto.

I left this book about the VDLP 
at the Benedictine Monastery in Leon,
a move I've regretted ever since.

We were so happy to be walking the Camino Frances!

2012 - Early Summer

When we reached Leon in early June 2012, 

the weather was overcast and cool. 

Work was being done to clean 

the outside of the Cathedral,

which was no less imposing.

Some scary demons on the archivolt on the Cathedral

City walls

Leon was founded in the year 70 to protect the Galician gold mines from the indigenous populations of Astures and Cantabros, according to Gitlitz. It was also the Roman capital of northwest Spain. 

The Cathedral we see is the fourth church built on the site, others being constructed ca. 924 over ruins of a Roman bath, ca. 1084, ca. 1175, and the Gothic begun in ca. 1205.

The Roman wall was completed in the late 3rd or early 4th century and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. 

The site of the Basílica de San Isidro, 

which is worth visiting, 

was once the site of a Roman Temple to Mercury.

2013

In 2013, walking alone, 

I decided to have some fun:

Churros and Chocolate!

Took my picture with Elvis

And with Santa's Elf

Then I visited the Cathedral Museum 

2014 Summer

The weather in 2014 was beautiful, clear, and sunny!

St. George and the Dragon

Lots of sidewalk cafes

Inside the Cathedral 

You never know who or what is under your seat

Horned Moses

Round Window outside

And from the inside

This can be interesting when it rains... 
be sure to look UP!

I found some special prices for food!

Here are some links to previous blogs I've written about Leon:

Leon Cathedral

And some photos from the 2014 trip to Leon:

2014 Leon Trip

Breakfast in Leon:

Desayuno en Leon

Some history of Leon:

Leon History

Enjoy!
Annie