Walking the Camino de Santiago
This is a sign in so many ways of what was to come as we walked from Hospital de Órbigo towards Astorga. Standing water. Clay. And a certain lack of alacrity. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: between Hospital de Órbigo and Villares de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s map:
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Here we take our leave of Hospital de Órbigo and head out into farmland on our way to the small city of Astorga, some 15 km distant. Notice the red clay soil poking up through the Camino path? This will become very important in a few hours. But for right now, the air is cool and the Way is clear. […]
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We passed this lovely spot while walking through Hospital de Órbigo. The town is delightful, and I’d like to spend the night at some point. It would rather require that one walks from León, however. Someday, when I walk the entire Camino, I plan on staying here. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Hospital de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s […]
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The flag of the Knights of Malta hangs over an albergue in Hospital de Órbigo. Do they actually operate this hostal, as they did here seven hundred years ago? Or is it just hung in homage to the town’s history? And why are the sidewalks so narrow? Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Hospital de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s […]
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The Camino forms the spine of the medieval portion of the town of Hospital de Órbigo. As I mentioned yesterday, the town was named for a pilgrim hostal once maintained by the Knights Hospitaller If you look carefully, you can see flags of the Knights of Malta in front of the more modern albergue down the street. Date: 20 April […]
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We got off the bus in the town of Hospital de Órbigo, just as we had in 2013. The town, named for a pilgrim hostal once maintained by the Knights Hospitaller, exists primarily because of this strategic bridge. This bridge was the site of an amazing and romantic tale. For a month during the summer of 1434, the Leonese knight […]
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Today’s photo isn’t a photo – it’s a map. You’ll have to click through to see the full size. It occurs to me that I’ve not been particularly clear about the length of our “cheats” on our 2016 Camino. The map below shows the route we took in blue crayon. I have indicated where we took bus and train. The […]
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The city of León is not named, as is commonly supposed, for the lion that graces its flag and arms. That lion is applied to the city after the fact. No, León was originally a Roman town called Legio, after the Roman legion stationed there from AD 74 to the end of the 4th century: Legio VII Gemina. There are […]
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The rain continued into the next day, when we left the lovely city of León. We headed for the bus terminal rather than the Camino route, however, as we still had some kilometers to make up from battling flood and injury. I literally have no idea what this thing is. A Tardis perhaps? Date: 20 April 2016 Place: León (Castilla […]
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This is the plaza of the Basílica de San Isidoro in León. Unlike where I live, it’s the locals who have the umbrellas and the visitors who don’t. As I type this, almost two years later, I can hear the rain on my window. Date: 19 April 2016 Place: León (Castilla y León, Spain)
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