Rest day, Leon, June 25
June 25
The rain was forecast to stop today. I looked out the window and the road was dry, so I set off on the kilometre walk to the old part of town, dressed in running shoes and a hoodie. Of course it started to rain again. I prowled around for a while, making sure I knew how to get out of town tomorrow, then retreated to my room for a bit of rest.
I passed some nice buildings, but it's not much fun being a tourist when you're all soggy.
On the way back I saw a hostal close by that offered pilgrim meals, so I went in and asked what time they started dinner. After a good deal of mime and misunderstanding, it turned out to be 9pm - I certainly won't be eating then, as I have plans for an early night tonight.
I didn't go upstairs, but downstairs I found the biggest supermarket I've yet seen in Spain. I could well grab food there and have a quiet dinner in my room very cheaply. I was tempted by the liquor department. The two 500ml bottles of whisky I bought in Frankfurt seem to have evaporated.
After writing all this I was feeling a bit peckish, so I went back across the street and bought the wallet. You can't eat that, so I went downstairs and bought a tub of pasta and a bottle of water for lunch, two beers for pre-dinner and a huge sandwich for dinner. I should have bought a small bottle of wine and may do that later - after the siesta (did that too, a fine half bottle of Rioja wine for 3 euro). All in all, it was a satisfying expedition - the rest of the day's meals and beer for 6 euro. It does you good to have a fling occasionally.
It's 2pm and it's still raining - this rest day was meant to be.
Or possibly not. Woke at 4pm with the sun pouring in. Got tempted by a ridiculously cheap suitcase at the supermarket, until I discovered you had to also provide 10 puntos (supermarket stamps). No change of that, so I'll stick with my old battered and broken one - although now I know what a suitcase costs, so I'll look out for another bargain.
Now it's really hot - the sun is streaming in, but the washing is very dry and the sun is about to set majestically behind the supermarket. I'm watching the old Martin Sheen movie - The Way (on YouTube) - he's a hopeless actor and the movie is pretty pathetic, but I soldier on to see if I recognise anything. Despite myself, I'm often moved to tears by small moments in the movie. I often find myself that way on this walk - maybe I'm shedding my past life, as they say you will. I'm often moved to moments of acceptance, rather than denial too - don't ask me to explain that, it may become clear later. The movie is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA6aq85WhXU&t=5004s
Finished the movie. Maybe it's the beers, whisky and half a bottle of wine, but I feel very close to my friends, my family and those I love. It's thinking of you all that keeps me walking day after day. Tomrrow is going to be a hot one - breakfast is at 7am - I'll be on the road straight after that.
Here's today's meagre photo haul:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/
As the saying goes, Absence makes the heart grow fonder (and there's a joke on that riff that has the punchline 'Absinthe makes the farts go Honda'). But to stick to the topic, I once spent a week in Wyoming visiting ranches in winter. I didn't have much in common with my hosts, so -- after a week of lonely meals in a Laramie motel -- I starting weeping when watching something sad happen to Billy Jo on a rerun of Bonanza. I knew then that I needed therapy, so flew to Tahoe to catch up with a friend. A week's skiing with a good mate and the blues were gone!
ReplyDeleteWhat ho old fruit - Boris here. I'm surprised that you purchased whisky with "Spirit drink" on the label - but I'm sure you soldiered on to the end and bested the swine
ReplyDeleteIt's still a work in progress
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