We woke up at the Benedictine nuns albergue without sleeping well during the night. Marybel was bitten by bedbugs on her back. I was lucky and did not experience the bugs like she did. We had to leave the albergue by 8am and if we wish to stay another night, we would need to return by 11am and reregister our names. A simple breakfast is provided of bread, jam, margarine and coffee. This place is run by volunteers and members of the clergy. All were extremely pleasant but Marybel will not spend another night here due to the bugs. We wanted to stay in Leon for another night to witness Palm Sunday celebrations and also to have a really good rest for the day.

The following is the best part, engineered by Marybel. There is a nice hospideria (hotel) next to the Albergue called Hospederia Pax. Like most hotels, you can only check in later in the afternoon. Marybel did her thing and got the reception to allow us to check in at 8am. That meant we leave the Albergue and go straight to the hotel without any waiting time. Cost for the night is $50 euros and we agreed to another $11 for breakfast buffet so that we may also obtain sandwiches for our lunches as well. That is two meals for only $11 for both of us. Great value!

We took advantage of the early check in and slept in the comfy beds with clean fresh smelling sheets until the late afternoon. We obviously needed this as both of us did not get much sleep in the Albergue.

I woke up and did not want to leave my bed as it was the most comfortable one I have been in since the start of the Camino. We just laid in beds until we got hungry and then went out to look for food.

Life in Leon only comes alive in the late evenings anyways. We can also take in the Palm Sunday procession which started at 9pm anyways and the procession route began at the Albergue , a bonus for us so we do not have to go anywhere else to view it.

Dinner was a combination of things. Churros from a churruteria, nuts from a street vendor, ice cream from a side street shop and finally Morcilla De Leon and some Calamares. Morcilla de Leon is a specialty here and is their version of blood pudding. They also serve a limonada, a sangria like drink for holy week. They do not make this special limonada at other times of the year. The drink is available at all bars until Easter only. Taste like sweet wine with fruit aroma. delicious.

After dinner, we returned to our hotel just in time to witness the procession. It is quite the serious affair as they prcession included carrying Jesus on a float that was very heavy. It required so many men carrying the float. I could not count how many but I will google this later to check. No engines or vehicles, just pure manpower swinging side steps as not to topple the precious statue on the float as per the tradition. Solemn music, trumpets and loud drums marked this procession. After Jesus, it was the Virgin Mary then it was the head clergy followed by rest of clergy members with people dressed in traditional spanish garbs holding crosses.

How lucky am I to be able to experience this Special Spanish Easter celebration? This sort of processions will go on until Easter with a different theme each night.

We returned to our room at around 10pm and the procession can still be heard with the loud drums and trumpets. Later, there was a choir singing hymms in Latin and spanish. I was still awake at 11 pm but did managed to have a peaceful rest despite the noise outside. It was quite a wonderful relaxing day. We took in the sights on the streets of Leon in the evening and even saw the Virgin Mary up close.

Tommorow we head out to Villar Del Mazarife and this is around 20 kms walk. I hope to make good time on this trek.

Hasta Manana!!