Leon.....day Two

This  morning we were not rushing off to the trains but still woke at about 7:30 and made our way to the breakfast room. This is not in any way shape or form like a Best Western breakfast.  The tables are set with pristine white cloths and fine glassware and silver. Champagne and orange juice, heaping bowls of fruit .....pineapple, watermelon, kiwi, oranges, strawberries and grapes. An assortment of cakes, croissants, breads, pastries, and such. Another table with churros, roasted peppers, fried eggs, huge strips of bacon, Iberian ham, sausage, all kinds of cheeses. Truly a feast. Waitstaff were busy bringing pots of fresh coffee and hot milk, or if you preferred there were 4 Nespresso machines available. We languished over breakfast for an hour.
We were then of to enjoy the day, which was cool but going to warm up. I was surprised to see many pilgrims still walking through the square, stopping to take their photos of the building and the pilgrim monument.....for it was starting to get late in,the day for walking many km.  We found ourselves back in old town wandering about, people watching, popping into the occasional shop. When I was here with the pilgrim girls I had bought a pair of hot pink shoes, and as we walked I said...i,think the store I bought my shoes in is,just up there......well the shoe shop is no longer there, instead there is a kind of a dollar store, we went in as we were in need of a corkscrew.
Back at San Marcos square we went into the hotel bar for a beer and lunch. Then with a glass of wine in hand for Jeff we spent a good hour or so touring the hotel reading all the history information in the halls, and in the garden. The inner garden has many statues and a formal boxwood design. The hotel was originally built as a refuge for pilgrims, offering rest,food and a safe haven. We sat in the square and enjoyed the warm sun and more people watching.
After My short nap we were ready to head out again for some dinner. THis being Spain and their propensity to eat very late we were only able to find bars with tapas. Purely by accident we chanced upon a bar that I had been in with the Pilgrim girls back in 2013!!   I recognized it from all the art on the walls, which was mainly of different bullfighters, Bulls, cocks and such! I remember being there, Joanie had  got the 4 beers and soon we were offered gratis 4 little silver bowls of a tomato looking something....I now know was a regional soup. In Spain in the bars you are offered a choice of 3 items when you buy a beer....olives, chips or soup.  Then I was realizing that the fellow serving us today looked awfully familiar.....yes, he was the same fellow from 2013. I took a photo of the bar and him so pilgrims you will have to see if you agree with me and my memory.
We started talking to a few of the other patrons, two Spanish fellows who,were on their camino, doing about 50 km per day!!!! It was a fun night. We left the bar to walk back to the parador in a light rain.
And.....oh...the stew we had for dinner last night, which is a regional speciality was called Maragato, the first course was a selection of meats....sausage, pigs ear (!!), veal, Iberian ham, and lamb. Will not be having pigs ear again!
And ......tonight at the bar one of our tapas was a deep fried cheese, but I must say the lives are delicious!
Buenos Noches.