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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I must admit that the walk from Leon to La
Virgen del Camino is a bit of a blurr (for me, May 13, 1999). I was
walking with a companion from Belgium that day, and he had the guide
book.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At La V del C, I know there was a decision
point (go this way or that way). Although I do not recall the details, I
can say that we ended the day at Villadangos del Paramo, indicating to me
that we followed the "traditional" route, which apparently goes along
the <EM>asfalto</EM>. We therefore bypassed Villar de Mazarife,
which seems to be more rural, and without all the
asphalt. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I do not have the CSJ book, but I do have <U>El
Camino de Santiago a Pie </U></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>(El Pais/Aguilar,
1998, 213 pages in 14cm x 23cm format, in Spanish), which promotes the V de
Mazarife option.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I also have Millan Bravo Lozano's <U>A Practical
Guide for Pilgrim</U> </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>(Everest,
1997, 264 pages in 17cm x 28cm format - DON'T EVEN THINK OF
HAULING THIS ONE WITH YOU ON THE CAMINO!); it promotes the Villadangos del
Paramo option without even mentioning V de Masarife. </FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2>For me, one of the continuing frustrations that I had, was
the lack of good maps and guide materials.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Paul Newfield</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#800000><snip..> Note that there are two
routes between Leon and Hospital del Orbigo. The traditional route follows
the highway and is somewhat shorter, but there is also a "walkers route"
slightly to the east that follows farm roads and trails through an agricultural
area. When the weather is good, the "walker's route" is much more
pleasant. The routes split at the hideous (in my eyes at least) basilica
at Virgen del Camino.</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>