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Day 1, onto Roncesvalles
Day 2, onto Larrasoana
Day 3, onto Cizur Menor
Day 4, onto Puente La Reina
Day 5, onto Estella
Day 6, onto Los Arcos
Day 7, onto Logrono
Day 8, onto Najera
Day 9, onto Santo Domigo
Day 10, onto Belorado
Day 11, onto St. Juan
Day 12, onto Burgos
Day 13, onto Hornillos
Day 14, onto Castrojeriz
Day 15, onto Fromista
Day 16, onto Carrion
Day 17, onto Terradillos
Day 18, onto El Burgo Ranero
Day 19, onto Mansilla
Day 20, onto Leon
Day 21, onto Mazarife
Day 22, onto Astorga
Day 23, onto Rabanal
Day 24, onto Molinaseca
Day 25, onto Villafranca
Day 26, onto O'Cebreiro
Day 27, onto Triacastela
Day 28, onto Sarria
Day 29, onto Portmarin
Day 30, onto Pala de Rei
Day 31, onto Ribadiso
Day 32, onto Arca
Day 33, onto Santiago
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Day 20 -
onto Leon
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Today, Bro. William travels another 19 kms or 11 miles. Apart from a brief respite along a dedicated pilgrim track around Arcahueja this stage is mostly roads that runs parallel to the busy N-601. Tourism and industrial activity, with their requirement for rapid transport, are decidedly number one priority.
We take care crossing the main road in Valdelafuente (alto del Portillo), a notoriously dangerous stretch with presently (2005) no option but to brave the fast moving traffic!
From this point on we stay very focused so as not to miss the waymarks amongst the busyness of the city centre and decide now where we intend heading.
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Villarmoros de Mansilla - we continue on the pilgrim track passing the down-at-heel fonda Casa Blanca to the medieval bridge where we have to compete with the road traffic to cross over the rio Porma on the giant bridge puente ingente.
The original pilgrim hospital still stands on the left just over the bridge (from here a pilgrim medieval 'ambulance' operated, taking the sick by donkey to Leon).
We continue through this modern satellite town of Leon past the Centro de Salud Consultario to Valdelafuente.
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Valdelafuente - with various bars and hotels spread along the busy main road which we have to cross in the next 0.3 km.
We proceed down the narrow margin at the side of the dual carriageway to cross a high level pedestrian bridge over the new bypass by Hospital Santa Isabel veering left off the main street in Puente Castro.
Its modern buildings disguising the fact that this was an influential Jewish district in the 12th century and site of a former Roman settlement.
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LEON CITY - at one time Leon was a Roman military garrison and base for its Vllth Legion, hence the name - Leon, derived from Legion.
Later it became the capital of the old kingdoms of Asturias and Leon. It was conquered and reconquered by Visigoth, Moor and finally Christian forces.
Ancient and modern now straddle the banks of the rio Barnesega and, like the river, flows naturally along its tributaries, absorbing all in its welcoming embrace - including Brother William.
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