The Nordic guy in the short-shorts can't get past the old man ..... He's not happy.

Stage 21 to Leon population about 130,000. My walk today will be just 12 miles. I have packed and head down to breakfast. In this little Hostal, breakfast just does not happen. The choices are a packaged muffin or a packaged muffin. I do have orange juice and coffee but pass on today's fine selection of previously prepared , wrapped in plastic carb delivery systems. I will find something on the Camino.

I will leave today earlier than most other days. Today I step foot on the Camino at 8:20 more than an hour ahead of most departures. I would like to get to Leon and have some time to see the center of the city as well as The Cathedral. 

As I start out the weather is very nice. Probably around 65 with a little cloud cover and a hint of a breeze . The Camino today will about half trail and half a combination of paved track along side the road and paved walkways as I enter the city. It's a good day for walking. I have my water and I will find something to eat. The first cafe will be about 2 miles from the start.

There are only a few pilgrims on the Camino and my pace is already quick. The trails provide plenty of shade and today's walk will also be flat. As I am about a half mile into my day I can hear the loud crunching of someone's feet directly behind me. I will not turn to look but from the sound it must be a large person. I assume its a man.

He must be twenty feet behind me but he is not getting any closer or trying to go by me. I have a thing about having someone this close behind me. I would prefer that they go by. 

My pace is very quick and I can feel it in a positive way. No aches or pains I am just in a groove and I don't want to slow down and lose that. Speeding up would be the wrong thing to do and stopping to let him pass just disrupts my pace. I will just keep doing what I'm doing.

Suddenly the sound of his feet pounding the trail behind me is gone. I don't look back, he's taking a break. Good, now I can get back to just focusing on all of the thoughts that are bouncing around in my head. You have now been warned.

As I approach the cafe there are plastic chairs outside in the shade and I decide that I will get something to eat and sit there. As I am taking off my backpack I finally see him. He is as I suspected a large person.

 

Six foot five I would guess. Bald, in his late 30's early 40's. He is fit and he is wearing a black tank top, black knee brace on each knee and the shortest shorts I have ever seen on a man. These shorts would not get past Joe or Paul on the first tee. 

As he passes me he is looking directly at me with a serious look of anger. I say Buen Camino and he just keeps going. I think he's mad because he could not get past the old man. Get over it!

I hope he has a nice day. I doubt I will see him again. I hope I do though because I can't wait to see what other outfits he will be wearing on the Camino.

I continue. All is good  I go into this small cafe in who knows where. I just want something to eat. I go inside and order a coffee. As the young woman hands me my cafe-con-leche I ask her for a bocadillo from the menu thats on the counter. She then explains in sign language that I now understand, that as the only persn watching the store she cannot go in the back and make me a bocadillo. I get it. I will just drink my coffee and leave. No, wait. I see a free wifi sign on the wall. I will stay and I will buy one  of those dreadful muffins which are wrapped in plastic . If I am going to use their free wifi the least I can do is buy something and be a customer.

I go on line, check email and send a coupe of brief messages. It's the middle of the night in Capistrano. I send a message to Rainer that I will see him in Leon around 4:00 that afternoon.

The balance of the walk today is uneventful. I enter Leon and as is always the case entering the larger cities, finding your way is far more difficult. I am fast today. 

As I enter the outskirts of the city I am  focused on the route. I have made great time but I now need to pay attention to the map to get me to my hotel. I am farly certain that I am on the correct path but I just need to verify it. There is a Farmacia on the corner just at the point where I will need to make a critical decision about direction. I will go in and ask for directions.

As soon as I walk in with my poles and backpack she knows I am on the Camino. She being the lady in the white coat. She takes one look at me and in perfect English she says "can I help you". I want help but I will frist buy something. I ask if she has a cream for my sore feet (the passengers) and she quickly grabs a box off the shelf and says "this will help". 

I follow her to the counter and pay for the cream. I then show her the name of my Hotel and ask her for help in getting there. She leads me to the front door, steps outside and simply points and says " three lights make a right, next light turn right again you will see it". I like these people.

I arrive at my hotel in really great time. It's only 2:00 and that means a quick shower and out to take care of something I need to do. It's a very nice hotel, very clean, modern, big, comfortable. I check in.

When I get to my room the first thing I want to do is to unpack, plug in my iPad mini, check emails and shower. I need the password. Why can't they just give it to me when I check in?

I call the front desk. Yes, this hotel has a phone in the room and all of those other amenities. I am told that the password is to complex to give it to me over the phone and that it will be brought to me in writing shortly. Small delay in my plan. I can't get in the shower because I won't be able to answer the door so I wait.

Do you remember Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? "Four score and seven years ago, our Fathers ".......  That small opening comment is shorter than my sign in ID and password for access to the hotel's wifi, I kid you not.

 After wasting the first hour of my visit to Leon trying to get on line I give up. After takeing a shower I am soon back at the front desk. I ask about the wifi and for the first time since arriving in Spain I am facing someone who does not give a hoot about customer service. 

I just take a deep breath and walk away. This desk person is very fortunate that she is dealing with AC Jim and not BC Jim or Travel Jim. Perhaps in the next blog I will explain who those Jim's are. I can just see the smiles on the faces of Robin, Maggie, Debbie, Alyce, Charles and others. 

I just leave. I will not let this person poison my beliefs about all of the other people I have met. No, AC Jim will just let it go. I am disappointed because today is Amanda's 27th Birthday and I wanted to send a message. Here it is , Happy Birthday Amanda , I hope you have a great day! Love you, Dad.

That's it for now but one final comment before I hit publish. I am limping and have joined the ranks of the walking wounded. More later. Have a good day.