Leon

There were only four of us at the hostel in Arcahueja last night, so it's one of the out of the way places. Most everyone else hurries on to Leon. We didn't stir too early, but still I was on the way by 7:45. It only took a couple of hours of walking through the suburbs to get down to the city center. Of course none of the hostels were open yet, but it was a good time to try and orientate myself and find out where I was and where I wanted to get to. It is one of the largest old towns, with remains of the old Roman walls, and remains of the medieval walls. I already visited a couple of small churches and took a peek inside the cathedral. It is indeed beautiful! And it is indeed gothic! Gothic cathedrals were built tall, drawing our gaze upward toward heaven, and there having a vision of light! In the stained glass windows! This cathedral boasts of having over 1800 square meters of stained glass. The only problem with building walls of glass, is that there isn't much to support the weight of the vaulted ceilings. The flying buttresses are supposed to solve that and usually do. But someone, at one time went and added a central tower that the building wasn't designed to hold, and it thus began to weaken the entire building to the point of collapse. I tell you all this so as to say that in the repair work of the 18th century, they removed that central tower, and re-stabilized the whole building, and restored a lot of the original gothic simplicity. For instance they must have at some time installed a bling-bling rococo altarpiece which hid all the stained glass in the apse, that was removed and replaced with a simpler, more original altarpiece which allows the stained glass to be seen, which for a gothic cathedral is very important. Unfortunately they didn't go far enough and they left the choir stalls in the middle of the nave, which blocks, as it were, the aisle, though they did leave a doorway if needed. The choir should have been moved back up front in the apse, around the altar. But anyway, they are beautiful in themselves, all finely carved with apostle or saint or prophet on each stall. It is quite something.
So evidently Spain's first game of the World Cup, which has something to do with soccer, is tonight, so this place promises to be hopping.
I went to 6 o'clock Mass in the cathedral chapel, and afterward sat at one of the sidewalk cafés. All around they were hanging big-screen TVs, it's simply a beautiful evening, and then began covering the tables with tablecloths. I'm still not used to the custom of having supper after 8 or 9 pm, some restaurants don't even open till 8:30. By then the crowds of people were gathering, some of the plazas were indeed hopping, with young people draped in Spanish flags flowing out of every café, and sitting around watching the game.
I think Spain scored on a penalty kick. Well I had enough walking around, and so I'm back at the hostel, in bed resting my legs and ready for sleep.
I pray God will bless your night and give you blessed rest. You are in my thoughts and prayers.