Leon to Villar de Mazarife (Camino de Santiago)

May 27th 2012 I am starting to be very tired of communal sleeping. I lost one of my earplugs during the night and the snoring and heat had me ready to gather my belongings and move outside to a bench in the square. The alberque gates were locked until  6am so we had abit of a late start. It took two hours of walking to leave Leon and its suburbs but we were able to find a small cafe for a quick coffee and a brioche which I needed desperately. Once at the edge of town our path split with one route following the highway and the other wandering off  into the countryside. We took the country route which alternated between dirt road, rocky path to pavement. One of the first villages was one of the prettiest places I had seen in days with its old stone building behind a row of cottonwood trees and a small brook. Beyond the town we hiked through a stand of small stunted trees and a field of wild lavender. Further along I watched a hawk fly low overhead as it circled a wheat field looking for prey. Suddenly it dropped to the ground catching its days meal. We completed the 14 mile hike and booked into a small private alberque. The rest of the day and evening followed the usual routine; check in, shower, laundry, large meal, nap, wine hour in the afternoon sun, light snack for dinner and to bed. Journal: “My mind wandered to my two dogs who both had died over the last year. I really miss both of them. Memories of Karma laying stretched out over my chest as I lay on the couch, nuzzling his head against my chin and Tara as she dashed down the hallway chasing a small ball I had just thrown.The two of them, one male and one female, were like an old married couple. It wasn’t long after Karma who lived to be over 14 years of age that Tara seems to have just given up dying peacefully in her sleep. Sad..