Heading into the city of Leon, Lainey, Chris, and I stopped in a big supermarket to pick up some food. We stocked up on fruit, each got a baguette, I got some instant coffee to maybe save some money the rest of the trip, and Lainey and I got pineapple-banana smoothie pouches which made up for the nasty smoothie we subpar yesterday.
We finally made it into the city center where are monastery albergue would be. We checked in, paid, and then were told that men and women slept separate. Poor Lainey and Chris had to be apart.
I did my routine (shower, launder, hang clothes) and then napped. For two hours. I haven't napped in over a week I don't think, so even though this was a shorter day, I was still exhausted. Maybe the heat? It was in the 90's today with nothing but sunshine.
When I awoke from my nap, Lainey offered for me to accompany them to mass in the Leon Cathedral. I headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth and shave my legs. I feel so masculine lately, I needed something on my body to feel gracious. Ha
As I was getting myself presentable in the bathroom I heard glass shatter on the floor. The lady in the shower had broken a brown glass bottle.
"What the heck is she doing with a beer in the shower with her?" judgement rushed through my brain. Thinking I worked there, since I was mopping up the wet floor, naked lady in the shower asked me for a broom.
"I don't work here, but I'll find you one."
When I came back she thanked me, "My shampoo bottle knocked over," she said regretful. I judged too soon. After I finished helping her clean up all the glass, I rushed out to meet Lainey and Chris.
As we strolled along the cobblestone streets to the cathedral, I started to feel through my cloth bag and realized I'd left my wallet at the albergue, so excused myself to go get it and told them I'd meet them there.
Grabbed my wallet, tended to my blistered pinky toes, and applied lavender oil as a perfume. Back on my way along the cobblestone road, I hear my name called. The whole gang, included Lainey and Chris, are sitting together on a patio of a bar. They changed their mind because mass was going to be in a smaller chapel rather than the main chapel of the cathedral. Instead we would go together to the church associated with our monastery and then microbrewery afterward.
I made use of the time to call my parents. Hearing their voices puts me at ease being so far.
Had to cut the call short since I was already 2min late for mass.
I ran down the road and entered this small, centuries old church through it's wooden door. I peeked in. There was silence. Was everyone praying? I looked around a pillar and a man in glasses smiled up at me from behind a desk.
"Is there mass?"
He chuckled to himself. "Where are you from?"
"The United States..." unsure of what my nationality had to do with mass times.
"You're all doing this," he shook his grin, "Mass is in the other chapel. Right next to the albergue."
"Okay, thank you."
I made my way back to the other chapel in a hurry, now seven minutes late. I reach the wooden door to the correct chapel and have to shove a little to open the door. Coming in eight minutes late, you would want the door to open to the back of the chapel. Nope. This one opened right to the middle. I sat down embarrassed as the 20-some-odd nuns sang monotone hymns in unison. Most of them were very elderly, sitting in the strange benches with the high arm rests. One completely hunched over from old age. It was precious, actually. To see years of pain and illness never took away her devotion. There were a few that sang off key. Maybe from being hard-of-hearing? It reminded me a lot of Sister Act before Whoopi comes in to spice things up.
After the Eurachrist, we lined up to receive a blessing from the priest.
After church, straight to the microbrewery. Ha!
I ordered a caña (small beer) of Coffee Stout, as well as tasted Dennis' APA. Amazing beer! And brewed right there in the building. I so wished for my Pa to be there with me. This was just his kinda thing. Our drinks came with a little slice of baguette with Spanish ham on it, called a tapa. David bought some appetizers for us all to share.
Dennis and I picked Father Stanley's brain about Catholicism. I could talk to this man for hours. Although we bear different religions, we share so many similar beliefs.
As we left, I stopped by to get chocolate (because my mom told me to on her behalf) and I shared it with the gang as we listened to a violinist play on the street. Perfect sensory moment.
Back to the albergue. What a day!
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