Day XVIII: León -> San Martín del Camino; 15.8mi.

🛏:

Albergue Vieira, 8€. 🍴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ..

This albergue is by far the most hospitable and had the best (and prettiest) homemade food yet. After we all ate our full of bread, paella and salad, we realized the main seafood course was yet to come. They proceeded to bring out an elaborate seafood dish. And then dessert. (Bonus, they have a resident cat):

The first several miles today were spent walking through the suburbs of León. The rest were spent along a highway. Scenery wise, it was definitely one of the less glamorous days. And while we’re at it, throw in the residual aches and pains of day eighteen (my most recent ailment is a wiggly left baby-toe toenail) and yelling at each other so our voices would carry above the traffic. But we found the perfect spot to stay and just like previously in this trip, that makes all the difference.

🎒: Thanks to the internet I was lead to believe a sleeping bag wouldn’t be a necessity for this trip. I blindly embraced the advice because my available space in my pack was vanishing rapidly. Turns out the “you don’t need a sleeping bag sentiment” is probably more appropriate for people traveling in the summer months or seeking accommodations other than albergues. Since being here, I’ve spent two sleepless nights unable to stay warm, another cuddling with a friend and a fourth borrowing a sleeping bag. All that aside, most albergues do have a blanket of some sort to utilize for warmth and I’ve been a big fan of my Sea to Summit fabric liner. Its compact size, the tiny bit of warmth it provides and the division it provides between myself and bare mattresses are all qualities I’m extremely thankful for (I also held onto a disposable mesh bed sheet from one of the albergues to further supplement the latter reason).

🎧:

I saw Colbie live in my hometown with a good friend a year and a half ago. She performed this whole album start to finish. It was magical. I’m pretty sure she’s perfect. (Side note: someone once told me she was my doppelganger and it’s amongst the best compliments I’ve ever received).

“Is the pleasure worth the pain? Is the sunlight worth the rain? Is the silence worth the sound of our hearts screaming while they break? Is the surrender worth the fight, when the battle leaves you blind?And if you never see me will I still be on your mind?”