Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 15

Apr 24

Written By Jessica Haley

Date: April 24, 2025 Thursday

Where did I begin today?

Burgos (Hotel Norte y Londres)

Where will I stay this evening?

León (Hostel Covent Garden)

How far have I come?

177km (109.99 miles) by train

Woke up around 7:30am which has become a normal time for me. Since I’m not walking today, I just relaxed in my hotel room. I booked tonight’s accommodation in León; part of the reason I chose it was the name: Hostel Covent Garden (where I lived in London). I didn’t book anything further ahead though; I wanted to be a bit more spontaneous with my plans now that I was used to the Camino. The hotel included breakfast so that was my next stop and I enjoyed not having to rush out the door.

After that I walked over to Podologo Sara León but it was closed. Returned to the hotel and used the bathtub again to do my Thai herbal foot soak I brought with me. I was careful not to disturb my blister but my feet felt amazing afterward. I researched the next stage (from León there are 2 possible routes) and started packing.

Pilgrim statue near where I wrote my postcards

I checked out at 12pm and stored my backpack at the front desk. I also asked the hotel staff which bus stop would take me to the train station. Then I went to say goodbye to Sue & Bill by river since today was a rest day for them. I wrote postcards to my family and friends sitting next to Cathedral, then ate lunch at La Favorita Burgos before walking to the post office to mail them.

Booked my seat a month before I left for Spain

After returning to the hotel for my backpack, I caught the 2:51pm bus to the Burgos train station. Luckily, my train was delayed from 3:35 to 4:05pm. I arrived at train station at 3:20pm and checked in to my train at 3:55pm. After walking for so many days (with the occasional taxi or bus) it felt weird to be riding a high-speed train. I admired changing landscape as it whizzed by. I can definitely see why this section is called the Meseta. Very occasionally, I thought I caught a glimpse of the Camino out the windows.

An unassuming entrance to my hostel (yellow)

The train arrived in León at 5:18pm and I walked 15 minutes to the self-check-in hostel. It was strangely empty, only 2 other people in the kitchen and I was the only one in a 4-person room. I dropped off my backpack and went straight to León Cathedral before it closed.

Full of incredible stained-glass windows

I got my ticket at 6:15pm, did the self-guided audio tour and stayed until close at 7pm. It was absolutely gorgeous but so different from the Burgos Cathedral! This one was Gothic architecture with beautiful stained-glass windows. I made sure to get a stamp in my new credential before I left. I wish I could have stayed longer.

Next, I walked to Basilica Church of St. Isidore of León and decided to get dinner at Boccalino across the square since it had such a nice view. I sat outside and ordered white wine while waiting for the kitchen to open at 8pm (I’m still not used to how late people eat dinner in Spain). I ordered green tortellini with gorgonzola sauce. The lady who ran the restaurant was super nice, she recommended her specialty tiramisu for dessert and I got some even though it’s not my favorite, but this one was delicious.

It was still light outside and the city was bustling so I continued to wander around, trying to see as many sights from the guidebook as I could before I resumed walking early tomorrow morning. My next stop was the Plaza del Grano and Church of Santa María del camino (closed) before going back to hostel which was just across from the town hall.

I was still the only person in my room, which was nice, but eerily quiet. After constant socializing and sleeping in dorms along the Camino, these past two nights felt completely at odds with what I considered “normal”. I’m excited to walk tomorrow, but feel slightly melancholy that I won’t run into anyone I know going forward. It’s like I’m starting back at square one and am completely alone again. It’s a strange feeling, I don’t normally get lonely, but I wasn’t anticipating missing the close bonds I formed with other pilgrims on the Camino. Hopefully I’ll make more connections on this section of the Camino.

Casa Botines (Gaudi) just outside my Albergue

There was a cool balcony but the narrow street below had lots of bars and was noisy until well past midnight. Even when I went to use the shared bathroom, I saw no else in the hostel and wondered if I was the only person here at all. I went to bed late (10:22pm) but heard other people going to different rooms after I was already in bed.

Late nights on Camino feel very different in a city

Camino de Santiago

Jessica Haley

Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 15

Thoughts from my Camino Frances Journey- Day 14

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