21st Day / Leon - Mazarife

ONLY 10 more days of walking and we will be in Santiago! Wooooo Hooooo! when leaving leon early this morning approx. 8 am a man in his 40´s on a bike was followed by his son. i have not seen a child do the camino this young. later, the boy and his father stopped so the boy could take a rest from climbing the hills. the father told me they had started 8 days ago in Dux (sp?), France - traveling to santiago and then back! this boy is 10 years old! i can not imagine this kind of journey for someone so young. the father spoke good english, his son did not. next year in school he will take one hour a day to study english. Buen Camino.
heather and david from reno, nevada suggested we come to villar de mazarife, good choice, great walk felt like we could be in africa. the landscape gave us this impression. large trees surrounded by wheat colored weeds, leaves were a rich dark green with dark brown bark. i´ve never seen this kind of tree. far, far into the horizon i could faintly see a mountain range. the sky was a vivid blue, a blue so rich it seemed to hold one down, an occassional chestnut brown plowed field, today´s walk was enjoyable. a very long stretch, it felt different like walking on a plateau, higher than surrounding lands although i could not see that far to know for sure. the dirt road was easy to walk on, very few rocks, easier on the feet. i am laying int the top bunk above nicole and am very tired. i have ear plugs in so i can hear and feel the places in my body pulsing. i feel pressure in temples, my toes are pulsing in the areas that are very tender, at times a slight burn in my hips as i sleep on my side. i chose not to get a new pair of orthodics, my arch in my left foot burns with pain as i walk and rest, my heels ache from worn padding in my boots. my neck aches from pillows too high, my neck and shoulders ache from an ill fitted pack. i´m only adding these last comments regarding body so you can actually understand what it´s like. i am weary but happy. soon we will have vegetable paella with peppe at the albergue.
we just finished dinner that peppe and his family made for us and it was ohhhh sooo fine! we had paella, crusted bread, ensalada mixta with oil and vinegar, and fruit-sliced apples, oranges and honeydew melon and wine or water. thank you heather and david for suggesting this intimate and most delightful albergue. we are now going to bed, good night or as in your case good morning! tomorrow we will walk to astorga. LIFE IS GOOD...AriZona