A reflective day in Leon.. From morgan

So lets go back.. After our 35km day and a trip to the doctor we had salad, pizza and ice cream in attempts to feel better.

The doctors assistant wrapped my ankle up in a fury and as we hobbled back to the hostel our several peregrino friends saw the damage and asked what was up. Everyone has given advice and lots of lovely well wishes. The people on this camino are what make it awesome.

Everything goes on the camino... For example, we meet a sweet lady from Washington, D.C. At the bus stop the next morning. And end up traveling to Leon with her and are now sharing our rooms and meals with her! I don't think I have ever made a friend so quickly! Or slept in a room with someone I met at a bus stop 6 hours prior.

Back to that.. Our original plan was for me to take the bus to the next stop for the day and mom would walk her usual route. However there weren't buses running between these tiny villages for the next 3 legs of the walk.. So new plan. We had to take a bus to palencia in order to get other transportation options. From there we got on a train to Leon. A beautiful place to rest for a few days.

Through good luck(these things happen on the camino.. I think it is what keeps you going) we managed to find some perfectly suitable pensions(hostel type accommodations) with kitchens and clean comfortable beds for cheap price. Kathleen.. Our Washington, D.C. bud and mom and I are sharing triple rooms. Working out quite nicely. Get this... Kathleen also has a daughter named morgan who is coming to walk the last 100km with her and her MOMs name is Audrey!!! We freaked. Her son also walked the first week with her.

We are missing some of our other good buds.. The Australian Suzy's may catch up with us and We have one fantastic invitation to visit their area some day
Our California teacher Michael.. He may catch up as well. His wife is meeting him in santiago and then he is going to teach for 2 years in turkey
Linda from Minnesota.. She started walking April 1st in France! She has been a real blessing
Indiana Janet.. Where are you!!
The two sweet Boston girls(my age) they are rockin and Rollin in order to finish by middle of June. One has similar injury to mine so we shared some advice and having company in your pain is comforting half way across the world
Wolfgang from Germany, a nauseatingly cute young couple from Germany as well(I miss you Derek!!!), a retired couple from the Netherlands transplanted to Calgary.. We had a friendly battle over whose province was better. They prefer Calgary to the island.. ?? Well okay then. I have never heard someone so strongly dislike the island.. Interesting perspective.

Our Spanish isn't getting better... Every place we stay when the lovely hosts say something I don't understand(every time) I just say gracias gracias gracias.. That is my single only response.. I think it works..? Even when you say "English" they keep talkin in Spanish a mile a minute.. I sure hope I don't actually need to know what they are saying. Gracias!! Ohhh your laundry flew off the line.. Gracias! Ha. I can order my vino tinto and cafe con leche that's about all I need.

This post is coming to you from my lovely spot on a sunny park bench while mom walks around town getting in a few kms.

I'm listening to my bridesmaids mix... Miss you sweet girls more and more everyday. I am feeling lucky to be able to take some time to explore and take in this beautiful country despite my inability to walk.

Thank you fabulous people for all comments emails and love! Sending you some sweet Spanish hugs. We love sharing our adventure.. It sure is exactly that. The biggest lesson I have is learned is not knowing where you are going to end up that day, where you are going to eat or sleep, who you are going to meet.. All the uncertainty can be exhilarating if you let it. It can also be stupidly scary. I can say the predictability and comfort of home sounds like bliss but for now I have adjusted to one day at a time. Taking it as just that.