Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

Still cold and wet this morning but now I have my waterproof things I felt ready for anything. It was an easy but not very pleasant walk. Even if you are dry it is not so nice walking in driving rain and of course walking into a city is never all that nice with inevitable traffic, bridges etc.

However I got to Leon in good time and as planned texted Karlos that I was at the cathedral. I had understood he was close by so was a little disappointed to get a text right back saying ¨great, see you in 30 minutes¨. There is something about arriving wet and carrying a pack that you just want to dump the pack and get dry. I wished he could have told me the name and address instead of insisting he come and meet me but he was sure I would never find it.

This is the camino so I stood around in the drizzle and one by one met quite a few pilgrims coming to look at the cathedral. Among them was Clare, a Scottish photographer from a couple of days back. Turns out she and Karlos were at the same pension and she was able to mark it on the map for me. These places never have any name outside, just a ¨P¨ outside a building. When Karlos was then 10 minutes late I was tempted to text him again and say, never mind, I found it, see you there later. But then he did show up. He was in a flap because he lost his passport and poncho the previous evening and just realised it now.

Eventually I did get to the pension but not before he had stopped at several places, asking, leaving his name etc.

The pension is really nice, luxury after the albergues. I would post a photo but in the way of these things I have now found cheap long internet but there is no card reader grrrr.

Carina and Mario turned up much later in the day and then about 7.30 we went out for a drink and to look for some dinner. Karlos had a place in mind but couldn´t find it. He had eaten there the previous night and loved it. Then the whole story came out. He had gone out on the town until 7.30am. He had been to many places and was in no state to remember where they were or which one he had left his things in. Also the reason he was 40 minustes coming to get me was that my text had woken him up!

Anyway, we had a really enjoyable evening. Of course we were out early for the Spanish. Mario and Karlos both say their families wouldn´t think of eating before 11pm and we were looking for food at 9pm. By 11.30 just as everything was cranking up we were heading to bed.