Day 22: Villarente to La Virgen Del Camino

Miles Day/Total/To Go: 13.3/309.2/203.6
Weather: Sunny & Cool

Walked right through the city if Leon today to the suburb on the western side called la Virgen del Camino. The town gets its name from the 1505 apparition of the virgin Mary that appeared here. The city still celebrates this with a large annual festival.

Today's walk was pretty urban into, through and out of the large city of Leon. I did stop to admire the large Cathedral,  do a little camino gear shopping and admire some of the sights. But I really was not in the mood for sleeping in Leon, being a Friday night, I am certain it was going to be very loud. I prefer small town Camino. 

I was happy to reach the Albergue.  It is part if a convent, super clean and the nuns are uber-nice. It should be a relaxing night.

Today I thought about and prayed for my big sister, Debbie. She has a different biological father than the rest if us Vinhage's and carries the dark hair and eyes of her half-Italian genetic makeup. (The rest of us are teutonic to the core,  blonde hair and blue eyes). She's born many burdens that the rest if us siblings have zero appreciation for. In particular, she bore a disproportionate share of my Dad's issues mentioned in Day 21 partly for being the eldest and partly for just having a more volatile chemistry with him. It still disturbs me greatly when I think of some of what I saw her go through as a kid.

The thing that I really admire about Debbie is that she's never just quit. The childhood stuff, the things she endured in 3 very difficult marriages and issues with our other siblings have never deterred her from getting up and starting again and doing a lot of hard things that I do not know if I would be capable of. She has a capacity to forgiveness and love that inspires me every day. Her selflessness at the end of our Mom's life is nothing short if remarkable.  She's made some mistakes and is not perfect,  none of us are. She sometimes does things I don't understand and that's OK we are all different (I suspect she does not understanding everything I do either), but in the end she is a hero to me.

The end of the Meseta is near, mountains again are in my near future. I developed a fairly big right heel blister today. Hoping to get it to heal quickly.....Santiago is about two weeks away. Please keep me in your prayers,  you all are in mine.