Under the Milky Way 19: From Bercianos to Leon -- Ride a Bus (A)

It has been a few busy-walking days lately. My body has been showing some warning signs. I decided to take a break from the walk, and to figure out a solution from a local clinic or a medical facility. It was not rare for pilgrims to seek medical help – injured ankles, infection from blisters, hurt knees, etc, or for whatever reasons that people had to take a break from walking.  

As for me, I felt no pain, had a great appetite, could sleep and walk, but I’d been having some issues with my internal organs, I guess. When I saw the dark red color in my pee. Initially I thought I the color might be from the blood-sausage in the dinner I tried from my friend’s plate. I searched in Google, but found no helpful information. Odd… I had never had experiences quite like it. My thoughts went all directions when I first saw it. I got to take some time and digest this surprise all by myself. Well, what did this mean? “Am I sick?” I asked myself. “I haven’t felt that I was sick. If anything, I had never felt better, at least I hadn’t felt this well for a long time.” I pinched myself a bit, made sure that all these were taking place for real, and that I wasn’t dreaming. I knew that I hadn’t walked beyond what I could, hadn’t I? I didn’t understand what was going on.

If this was going to be the way I evaporate from this world, at least it was painless. Right?... Was my time in this world up, I wondered? Imagine: I had come to this world many years ago, after decades of adventures, I decided to walk on a Camino for the first time, and then my life would come to a stop on the Way? – like walking, walking, then gone!!  Just imagine that! If this would have really happened, how weird, but also how natural it would have been!! 

I certainly didn’t want to let my family know, so that they wouldn’t worry. 

While I walked along the Way, I did see tombstones twice on the trailside, on which words were carved, saying, xxx in this place, no longer moved on, or no longer woke up… I couldn’t help thinking of those words at times. Might something like that be my fate as well? Might something like that happen to me as well?! Well, it was not up to me, wasn’t it? Could I actually control my death like when, where, how…?  I wasn’t sure. If there was such a thing as fate, then let fate decide, I guess. As for the Way, I still must go on!  

I modified my plans. Thus the following few days itinerary was no longer by the book, nor follow the App.

June 16, Friday, Day 19. Today was the first rest day since I began the Way. I planned on taking the ALSA bus from Bercianos to Leon, about 42 kilometers.  

吃

After breakfast, I rode an ALSA bus to today’s destination -- Leon. Weird to see how fast and easy it was to get to a place by bus!! I took on a completely different mental gear for this – taking the bus was so convenient, getting to places was so fast, and the tickets were so inexpensive – about 10 euros. I walked so many days already, once on the bus, I felt that I was cheating, and felt a little guilty – you see, all my friends were all walking, how could I…? I had to stop thinking about it. The sceneries outside was pretty. I was able to see them from a different perspective, and I should enjoy it… 

Leon was a city with much history and modernity – modern gardens and buildings, historical arts, sculptures and churches. They city was about 39 square kilometers, population: around 200,000. 

Some sculptures and architectures in the city  

The grand majestic cathedral of Leon was a popular place for visitors in town. Its large-scale 13th century Gothic design and the intricate carvings and sculptures would take newbies like me a lifetime and more to learn. 

At Plaza Mayor of Leon – a Saturday morning market in the Plaza offered a variety of produce from the nearby farms, dried goods and more.

A sewage cover.

Lunch with a friend, L. The restaurant owner was feeding her son noodles while we walked in. The child looked like 5 years of age or so. I ordered wonton soup and duck noodle. L ordered a soup and a stir-fry dish. Mine tasted super heavy in sauce, rather salty and greasy. I had to leave early, so I packed mine up, and later, into the trash they went. 

I reserved a bed in a room for 7. I was the first occupant. The room seemed spacious and bright. I chose a bottom bunk in the corner, by a window, a premium location! A moment of contentment arose. I quickly set up my bed, and ready to move on. 

Keyword:
Calm