I caught the 12:15 pm bus to Oviedo and arrived there at 15:00, my next ticket clearly stated my next bus leaves at 18:30, in three and 1/2 hours time. At 17:00 I saw on a digital board the list of buses leaving including Leon at 17:30!!? I arrived at Leon at 19:00 walking from the bus to the station I feel the chill in the air. That'll be coming straight from those snow covered mountains I took pictures of on the bus tween Oviedo and Leon, sometimes the road was closed in on both sides with these mountains. At one point I even saw snow on the road side. It was so warm inside the bus station that I decided to just stop for a while to gather my confidence and thoughts for my next best move. No wifi here so I don't know if Fredy has answered. I see a cafe over there with wifi but my phone battery is nearly flat and I only have € 14 left and I may need it for una mapa de Leon, y la cama y el agua. ( a quick note here to explain that I did have more $ in my account but it costs a minimum of $10 NZD to get any out so I minimise my number of withdrawals .... keeping it to one a week or less)
.... after a while I followed 3 backpackers out of the station. Soon they had a flurry of Spanish with a local then one went left and the other two went right. I approached the one, she spoke English well - I swallowed back the tears. I asked if I could walk with her for a while. (I may as well get to know a city with someone than on my own) She said after visiting the Cathedral she's going to a small hotel-where do I want to stay tonight? A backpackers? She said maybe I'd like to follow the other two cos they just asked directions to one. I thanked her an hurried after the bright red trousers, I watched them .... They asked about every 3rd person they passed for directions to la casa de mochilero. I asked in broken Spanish if I could join them - they agreed - their English was less than my Spanish.
:-) I asked if they were Mexican -no Columban -Brothers? -no hijo y papa. After walking about 2kms we discovered the hostel is now closed down. A policeman (and many others) direct us to another. When we arrive he says it's € 10 a noche, my friends exclaim "muy mucho denero!!! No gracias! " They stepped aside and gestured if I may want to stay. I chose to stay with my companions. Then after much more walking we get to Albergue de Peregrines. We leave our large packs on the floor and go up stairs. I feel dizzy It is great to sit and relieve the shoulders. Spanish words buzz around like happy bees, there are Jesus tee shirts and badges and rosary beads for sale behind the hostel guy, my friends look at me smiling saying "solo € 5" I put € 5 on the desk and the Columbans produce some sort of "credential" but I show that I don't have any, they look at me sadly. The hostel guy has very few English words. He takes my new friends down stairs and I follow - he motions me to stay, when he comes back we go back up stairs he indicates me to give him something . . . The bees are still happy . . . . I offer my passport even though I know he didn't say passport in Spanish, I don't know what else to give him. He looks at my passport . . . An back at me . . Nueva Zelanda ....I nod . . Si.
More explanations with finger tapping on the desk to give added clarity. . . Then he says something I understand "Camino de Santiago" . . . My face lights up. . . Now I know a little of what he's going on about :-) he gets a booklet like my friends had out of his desk and starts copying from my passport. He puts a stamp on it and hands it to me motioning me to follow him . . . I stand up and am reminded that I'm still dizzy. I check out my new credentials . . . Ah! Now I get it! This is a hostel for peregrinos de camino de Santiago. ... Pilgrims of the walk of Santiago. . . . Of which I am now one. I don't know how the Tibetan prayer flags that hang from my pack go down with this :-) He shows me to the women's wing, I am given a top bunk against the wall, this room sleeps about 30. I put my phone to charge and have a quick shower, push the button on the wall of the shower it gives you a burst of hot water- enough to soak you! Now lather -soak -soak and out. I slept very sound. 7am everyone's all of a bustle. I decide to let the crowds go through first. Soon I am told in Spanish everyone out by 8am.
But was later told our packs could stay. The hostel would open again at 11 Ready to go I ask in Spanish where I could find a map of Leon, came the reply ... the information centre near the cathedral. Thanks! Now all I have to do is find the cathedral, it's not obvious so far. But almost nothing opens in Spain until 10 ish anyway
So as not to lose the whereabouts of my backpack I begin to write up my own map. Damn its cold! Many streets have no sign posted name, I can see where it Was but the plaque has fallen off the wall, in Spain that's where almost all street names are . . . On the corners on the walls of the buildings. I walk and walk to keep warm and to think. I found no Orange shop and no info centre either. I keep walking because things won't open till 9 or 10 anyway. I need water but I won't trust my good health to these street fountains that I Cari introduced me to, nor the taps in the hostel. me being a foreigner Cari agreed with me. I found a friendly looking hippy with dreds and bright colours .:-) I approached Oscar and he very kindly led me to the Cathedral, he lives in the mountains about 60 kms away, he's only in Leon to visit a friend in hospital. Now at the cathedral I sit on a park bench an write until the information centre opens at 9:30 ; I know that Simon is waiting to meet me online right now but there's nothing I can do about it. The sun is trying to shine - but I am not sure if its overcast or smog. A map is going to make an amazing difference to how I feel in a city, and having my connection with my people back too :-)
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