...León greets me with a surprisingly chilly morning and delightfully empty streets
...I stroll around and at the cathedral bump into a tourist group with a guide - eavesdropping, I find out the origin of the city's name: it's not from the animal (lion) but from a deformed Roman word "legio"
...I get back to the parking lot and pay for parking - the yellow vest parking wardens are already there and I narrowly avoid a ticket
...I notice parking fines are very moderate in Spain. In Ponferrada it is 7€ if you don't pay and in León it's 9.50€. In addition, if you pay within 30 minutes of getting a fine, it is reduced to 2€
...I called my airline to add an extra bag to my booking and after some talk in Spanish the girl asks me if my name is Polish. Then she says she's Polish too. We finish the talk in Polish. Very cool!
...I strolled around León and saw the crowds appear again. In the main square they seem to have a market where anything can be bought, from fresh produce to knockoff clothes to fake dvds. And apparently four impossibly sweet tangerines for the price of €1
...I pick up some local craft beers (including a chestnut one - well well well) and am on my way
...I drive toward Santiago de Compostela and stop at Lugo to visit the ancient Roman walls. The stroll on the walls is a very cute experience and the architecture and language of the place are very reminiscent of the adjacent Portugal
...I marvel at how lush and green the Galician hillside is - it doesn't look like Spain anymore, more like France or New Zealand. Must rain a lot. Hope it doesn't rain now
...I notice gas stations have filling attendants here, which is unheard of anymore even in most places in Poland, let alone Belgium
...I arrive in Santiago, check in and realize my hotel is located inside a shopping mall with my window opening onto a shopping gallery
...I stroll around the historic center, find it infested with pilgrims and very tourist, I stare at the enormous cathedral and after a quick dinner go to sleep