Jessica's Buen Camino: United States

Thursday, June 13, 2013

20130613 Leon, Spain

Everything's fine here. Well, I had a very exhausting day and am in Leon, though I am on the mend, I think. I started walking this morning, and the tendons in my left shin started squeaking and hurting and also my arches like always, and to top it all off I felt a twinge in my left knee. Plus yesterday it finally decided to act like June and I have a very bad sunburn on my left shoulder and behind my left knee. Also my mood was not in a good place, maybe because of my shin. I started thinking why the hell am I doing this?? This is so stupid, why are we all doing this, what is this proving?

I made it to Sahagun (all that damn concrete!), but it took me twice as long as it should have, I was walking so slow. I sat in a cafe and looked at the map and saw that tomorrow and the next day were through more cities, meaning more fucking concrete and I just wanted to cry. I told the bartender to call me a taxi. When the taxi driver asked me where to go I didn't know what to tell him. I thought about it and then said Leon. I just could not deal with more concrete through the rest of Sahagun and then Mansilla and then Leon, but I had to see Leon (how could I come all the way to Spain and not see Leon??).

The driver said he would drive along the Way as much as possible instead of the highway. I was too down to tell him i didnt care, so i just didnt say anything. As we were driving, I was looking at the stream of pilgrims on the senda and I told the driver they looked like cockroaches. He laughed so hard it made me laugh too, even though at first I was completely serious.

So I got here at noon and have been sleeping ever since (its 4pm). Maybe my body just needs a break. I might take a rest day tomorrow, I'll see how I feel in the morning. I know I will start walking again, I just don't know if it will be tomorrow or the next day.

Please don't worry about me, I know this sounds like I'm really down, but I know me- ill pick right up again, I just need a rest. I have been walking every single day for 2weeks and 5days!! That's alot and I'm sure my body is rebelling and telling my mind to take up the cause and rebel too so that I will take a rest day.

Now that I have slept for 4 hours, I am going to see the massive Leon cathedral, maybe find some feet pictures to take, have some famous Castilian pastries or maybe tapas(or both!) and then sleep some more.

I promise to email tomorrow and let you know if I will rest again or if the Way calls me back.

Love you!

Sent from my iPhone