smile and wave, smile and wave - the pilgram zoo

we have made it to Leon - yesterday was a big day walking about 37km from El Burgo Ranero - we again left with drunken youths seeing us off... ´smile and wave´ we walked all of the day with Torsten our young friend from Germany. Yesterday was Sunday so lots more people about,we stopped at Mansilla de las Mulas for lunch in town square just as the local people were coming out of church.... I can only imagine what they were thinking with the pilgrims sitting there with socks and shoes off.... ´smile and wave´I got a few laughs as I heaved my back pack on.... adios 'smile & wave..... we had to walk alongside the N120 for quite a bit so everyone out for a sunday drive - we waved at Noel and Rae in their campervan, we waved at Mark and Hazel in their rental car... and we even waved at the young men who it seemed were trying to run us down... Torsten reckons they get extra points for running down the pilgrims.... it was a big day but such a wonderful thing to arrive at the albergue to find our friends Olivia and Michael - they heard our voices and ran out to give us a hug... sadly the speedy brazilian girls were already a day ahead but it was fun to catch up with some of the old crew for our evening meal- Johan, Luke, & Erika.... plus some new friends - we went to the evening blessing by the benedictian nuns.... and off to bed - first night without a pillow but it was ok.... I noticed a very handsome and very well dressed man who was being followed by a tv crew.... one of our new friends Sven from Denmark was able to tell they were from Denmark and doing a documentary so once again it was smile and wave.... we have decided to have a rest day in Leon and will walk on tomorrow maybe Jeremy will catch us up - the camino telegraph says he is not far behind.... as we were sitting having a cafe con leche a group of japanese tourists wanted to take a photograph of the pilgrims.... so once again `smile and wave´ The cathedral in Leon was beautiful - lots of stain glassed windows that reminded me of a kalaidescope - with such a rainbow of colours