.. sorry.. i know it has been a while

We arrived to the Monastary in Leon with bread in hand froma a Panaderia on the corner as we were SO hungry and quickly sat down in line eager to get our shoes off. Once settled we went to see the cathedral in the afternoon which was simply breathtaking..huge and full of beautiful stainglass windows. Like in Burgos it was nice to be in a city for a night. Leaving Leon (July 15th) we walked to San Martin wher the 5 of us (we picked up a kiwi on the way) stayed in a new hostel with a small pool. Damian made a mean pasta dinner and we all spent the evening drinking wine in the small pool. It was perfection hahah.Day 20 took us to Astorga a beautiful town where we stayed in the attic of another very nice hostel.

Day 21-23 (Astorga - Manjarin - Ponferrada) were probably my top 2 days. Before arriving in Manjarin we stopped at a large cross, it´s base covered in rocks, pictures and other items left behind by pilgrims. The tradition here is to bring a rock (or item) from home and carry it along the Camino with you. When you arrive at the cross you are to leave the stone behind along with all your worries, fears, regrets etc. I sat at the top of the rock pile and looked at all the things left behind, wedding rings, baby shoes, car keys, pictures etc, and tried to imagine all of the hardship, pain, everything these people have overcome and the reasons that brought them to the Camino. I sat there very peacefully just thinking before someone from TV 1 came and interviewed me. They were simply currious how far i had come, how it was going and what I thought about the location where i sat. I found it to be a very peaceful location and hopefully my respect for it and the people that have walked the camino before me and for all those that will walk it after me was made clear. Shortly after I arrived in Manjarin, a villag3e of 3 houses of which one was also our hostel. This town had no running water (remind me to show you pictures as words simply can not describe it) - let just say they asked us not to use soap as the cows also drank from the water hole. Nevertheless it was my favorite place as of yet. The owners were so simple and very kind. they made us an amazing veggie soup and salid, demanded that we not get up before 7 and invited us for breaky if we cared to stay until 7:30. Rebecca (the kiwi) myself, and two others did just that and were so greatful for their hospitality. Leaving Manjarin we had another beautiful days walk to Ponferrada. Rebecca and I stopped and spent most of the day about 8km before this town at a nice cool river where we had a dip and took a nice siesta in the shade.

The last 3 days (Trabaldelo, Fonfria and today Sarria) Rebecca and I have gone a little further then the boys to avoid doing one large day of 45 which they did today to catch up. Rebecca and I have had a great time, have done a lot of singing, taken lots of pictures, left notes for our group behind, met a lot of new people and got to know eachother as well. She started in Leon about a week ago and we were lucky enought to run into her that very day, so she has been traveling with us for her entire trip. Many people thought that the two of us had been friends for a long time and it kind of feels that way though it has just been a week.

Anyways we are now on track to arrive in Santiago on the 26th of July and I will continue another 3 days to the coast. I will have done the Camino de Santiago in 30 + 3 days it will take me to get to the coast, and although 31 days was my goal I think that the people I have met along the way, the memmorries I have made, the things that I have learned by taking those extra moments to stop and talk to people are far more valuable to me then pushing it into 31 days. More storries will shortly come, and hopefully before I get to Santiago.

I hope this finds everyone well.

much love xox mila