The Meseta is complete! We finished the official “Meseta” portion of the Camino as we walked into the big city of Leon on Saturday. Although I knew we would make it, it almost felt like we would never get there. 

My Dad has been walking quicker and farther than we were anticipating, so today I actually struggled to catch up with him! I was hustling to catch up and it took me about 3.5 hours which is great for my Dad! On my way out of town to get to Leon I was using my phone to navigate back to the main route and when I looked down at my phone: bird poop. On my phone screen. It was hilarious but also disgusting. I have a silly video from just after, I’ll see if I can attach it to the post. Somehow I always find myself in these bizarre situations, but it makes for more interesting trips haha. 

Today I struggled a lot with sore and achy hips, which is not something I’ve ever had to deal with. It was definitely one of the most uncomfortable days I’ve had, but in suffering there is still joy, and I have really tried to take these days and pains as an opportunity to offer my suffering for all of your intentions, amongst many other things. I’m not perfect at it, but I think my Dad would agree that God is really softening our hearts through these sufferings and expanding our ability to suffer well, all for His glory. Welcome to the Camino, this is what it’s all about, some may say.

When we got to Leon I met with a couple friends for dinner and drinks. Leon is a very bustling city, with all the small streets packed with bachelorette party groups, families or friends out for the evening. I personally enjoyed ‘people watching’, and seeing how much life and excitement there was. The “night life” is so different here and I find it quite fascinating. 

For the first time I tried grilled octopus, which I must say, wasn’t my favourite. There’s a slimy exterior that I did not love. But the rest was great! Even though it wasn’t my favourite I enjoyed trying it, since it’s very popular in Spain. 

So far, León has been lovely and we are looking forward to a rest day on Sunday to attend Mass and explore the city a bit more. 

Thank you for all of your prayers! 

Hannah and Tony