Hola de Mansilla de los Mulas

Yes the town has something to do with mules at one time hence the name. Kinda funny.

Sept 9th

Stayed in Convent with Spanish nuns as municipal Albergue was full. Bad idea. Lety ended up going to hospital for rash. Had a great Spanish lunch in cafe. Learned today about meals in Spain. There are five desayuno, al muerzo, comida, merienda, and cena. The last starts at 10pm. I cannot eat that many times a day. Tony loves to eat all the meal times and enjoy the siesta. I finally had to stop going out today after merienda. I was too full for cena.

Sept 10th
Lety stayed in Carrion de los condes for another doctor diagnosis. I should have stayed with her. She said she was fine. I continued on. though about her all day. I started itching. Learned I had been bitten by bedbegs. Lots of Spanish names for these. I have bites everywhere including my face. Learned Rascar-to itch in spanish. Picadura-bug bites. My vocabulary increases by 20 words daily. We ended up in a nice Albergue waiting for Lety. She did not show up. worried we called all the albergues on the way. found her in the town before us. She also had reacttion to bedbugs and given injection. talked to her awhile and went to bed.

Sept 11th

went to an albergue that ate dinner and breakfast together. Cute young hospitaliero (guy that runs the albergue) flirted with me. Toiya and Tony in their 60´s consider my their daughter and were given him a bad time. went to watch a game of Patonca. Spanish game where a small red ball is thrown and two teams with bigger balls try to throw closest to red ball in sand. all the old guys in town were playing. when they saw us watching they asked use to join. I was the only girl. did alright for not knowing how to play and comprehension about 30 percent of conversation. titar -to hit in Spanish. watched the sunset in town with everybody. Kinda nice. town like south dakota desolate in the plains of Spain. Saw some news about US rememberence of 9-11 on the news here. Not to much about US comes through Spanish news other than Iraq war. Been invited anytime to visit Japan to see Toiya and his wife. I have met so many people here.

Sept. 12th

Have lost Lety, so sad she is on her way to Leon. At super nice alburgue today. decontaminating everything. I will be in Leon tommorrow and will have to take the autobus to get ahead after that. Will miss my other new friends and will have to start over. Hopefully will keep in touch I have met through email. Katya emailed me she is ahead past Leon. I will try to met her so I know someone from before in Santiago. I am in a bar on internet. Weird drunk Spanish guy just kissed the top of my head. I must now tell him to keep his distance. Running out of euros. See you tommorrow in Leon.