Day 42 – Oct 17, 2022 – Astorga to Santa Catalina de Somoza (9,4 km / 5.84 miles)
Days 39-41 – Oct 14-16, 2022 – Astorga (Rest)
We went to the cool hiker store, ate, drank, toured the cathedral, and did our chores in Astorga during “rest” days. We are back to the trail tomorrow (thank goodness). We have a couple tough days ahead and the forecast calls for rain.
How do we stay secure while traveling the world?
Since we’ve had a few down days as we recover from some injuries, we thought we’d touch on a few security related topics and how we’re handling them as we travel.
Keeping valuable personal data secure while traveling…
Before we left on our adventure, we purchased a Virtual Private Network (VPN) package for our phones and computer so we can securely connect to the internet regardless of the WiFi network (pronounced “Wee-Fee” in Spain) we are connected to. We still need to manage our personal banking as well as our travel business, and this has allowed us to do both without the worry of our sensitive information being stolen over insecure networks. It’s also allowed us to watch TV shows and movies on our streaming apps just as we would from home since the VPN connection makes it seem like we are connecting from the US. That’s been a nice bonus on several occasions when we’ve had a lot of down time to fill after the chores were done.
What to do with all those receipts…
When at home, we always shred our credit card receipts once we no longer need them. Since Kara refused to carry the shredder in her pack, we’ve employed a different, but highly effective system. When we have a private hostel or hotel room, we fill the sink with water and soak all the accumulated receipts we no longer need for about an hour. Once thoroughly saturated, most of the ink will have bled out. We then take each receipt and basically make spit balls, squeezing as much water as possible out of each one. Then we place the cache of spit balls on the back of the sink or toilet to let them fully dry until it is time for us to check out. By this time, they have either dried into small rocks or would be so difficult to unroll, any would-be data thief would not be able to decipher the information within. Could a nation-state with unlimited resources be able to crack them? Maybe. But I’m pretty confident this is good enough for a couple of mild-manored world travelers to secure their latest purchases from prying eyes.
Being aware for emergency preparedness…
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service for U.S. citizens and nationals who are traveling or living abroad. STEP allows you to enter information about trips abroad so that the Department of State, via our embassies and consulates, can better assist you in an emergency. You can also subscribe to receive email updates with travel advisories and other information for a particular country.
What are your travel tips/hacks to stay secure while traveling? We’re always open to suggestions and would love to hear your ideas.
CDS Day 38 – Oct 13, 2022 – Leon to Astorga by bus
Flexibility is key…
Days 35-37 – Oct 10-12, 2022 – Leon Rest
We were told to take a few rest days by the ER doctor who attended to my infected toe. We chose to spend that time in León since it was a large city with lots of places we wanted to see. After arriving by train in León and finding our hotel, we had a lovely lunch with a Camino family member who just happened to be in León as well.
After lunch, we visited the Cathedral de León. What a gorgeous cathedral! It was built in the 13th century in gothic style. Miraculously, construction took only 50 years to complete. I found myself thinking how they were able to accomplish this back then, and imagining all the people who worshiped within these walls so many years ago.
The next day we needed to go to the post office. With our feet continuing to break down, it was time to unload more pack weight from items we were not getting enough benefit from. We each brought a blanket with us which we are finding we don’t need since all but one albergue has offered them. Each of these weighed about 2 pounds, so their absence will definitely provide some relief. The post office (Correos) experience was streamlined and efficient. For 56,50€ ($54.87) we shipped a total of 3 kilos (6.6 lbs) home. Our packs will definitely be lighter, which our feet should definitely appreciate. Thank goodness!
We are loving León! In our time here we have already found two favorite restaurants: Green Corner and La Trastienda del 13.
We visited the Casa Botines, which was a building designed by famed Spanish architect Antonio Gaudí and is now a museum dedicated to his work.
After having lunch for the second time in two days at Green Corner, the owner told us a few more places we had to see in León.
First on his list was the Plaza del Grano which is a cobbled medieval square, once a grain market, with a fountain & Santa María del Camino church. Today, it is filled with cafes and restaurants.
From there we walked to The Basílica de San Isidoro de León, a church located on the site of an ancient Roman temple. Its Christian roots can be traced back to the early 10th century when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the grounds.
Our final stop was the Parador Hotel which was featured in the movie The Way. This was originally a convent and eventually converted to the luxury hotel it is today. We toured the grounds and stopped for a glass of wine.
Our time in León is coming to an end. Believe it or not, we got a lot of rest while we were here. Tomorrow we continue on our way. My feet are better but not near pain free. I am hoping with a good rest tonight the boots will slip on with no problem, or at least the pain meds will do their job effectively.
But, somehow I doubt sleep is in our future. Today is a national holiday for Spain. This holiday pays tribute to Christopher Columbus discovering the Americas for Spain in October 12, 1492.
The festivities began last night with locals whooping it up until after 4a. Our room is along one of the busy old city streets with lots of bars and restaurants. We may need to wear two sets of earplugs tonight.
