Busing Into León

Yesterday, we woke a little later than usual (6:30 AM), had a slow breakfast, and eventually made our way to the bus station. We had decided to take the bus from Mansilla de las Mulas to León for many reasons. In our Brierley book, he takes a whole page to warn Pilgrims about how ugly the outskirts of the city are and how terribly marked the route is. On the Camino Forum, there are multiple threads where Pilgrims discuss the pros and cons of bussing on the Camino. There are also lists of places where Pilgrims say it is best to take a bus (and to not feel guilty about it). It was cloudy and rainy and cold yesterday, which only made the decision to bus into the city that much easier. The Twins had also decided to take the bus so we all waited together. 

I was feeling quite guilty as we traveled along the road and saw many Pilgrims walking. We kept reminding each other that we would be walking to Finisterre (which many people don't do) and we could easily make up the 18 KM that we skipped. 

After arriving, we had some extra breakfast and coffee before finding our hotel. 

After checking into our hotel, we went in search of new insoles for our shoes. We found an outdoor store where the most helpful Spanish man was working. 

New insoles were a must, as our old ones were almost worn through! 

I highly recommend changing the insoles in any hiking shoes before doing the Camino. The cheap, thin ones that the shoes come with will not help you after walking hundreds of miles.

After running all of our errands, and eating lunch at McDonalds (of all places), we enjoyed a nice nap and then found a Chinese restaurant to satisfy Abe's craving. Clearly, we were missing home yesterday (by looking at our food choices). 

Buen Camino!