Not much of a headline, but what can you expect on a day off?

I slept in. Folded laundry. Answered old emails. Slept some more. Wandered around old Leon. Grabbed a croissant and coffee.

And in between school groups and tour groups, I ducked into the Leon Cathedral.

Well, you pay your 7 euros first. Eight if you are not a pilgrim or a senior. More if you want to also visit the church museum.

Paying to go to church seems a challenging concept when your pews are mostly empty on Sunday.

But I get it.

Keeping this edifice in shape is a huge undertaking. In fact, much of the accompanying audio tour is about the drastic measures taken over centuries to keep the cathedral from crumbling.

The construction seems more chaotic, more happenstance than many other churches. (I’m now an expert, having visited almost one a day since September 16.)

Symmetry and balance are big in most of these temples of worship. This one not so much.

I gather that major new construction techniques were appropriated during the design phase — resulting in a more-open interior, greater use of glass, slimmer buttress lines, soaring heights inside, etc.

The windows are really extraordinary and too numerous to count. It is incredible to think that during one architectural rescue project, all the stained glass was removed, piece-by-piece, cataloged, and boxed away.

Among the pictures here, you’ll notice a pregnant Virgin Mary. I’m told by readers, that’s unusual. I sure the patriarchy didn’t have a clue to all that is entailed in gestation, carrying to term, actual childbirth.

Notice there is not one word in the Bible on Mary suffering contractions, screaming out in agony, puffing like a steam engine.

I think the only line is, “And Joseph stepped out for a smoke and, lo, the Baby Jesus was born. Angels and shepherds rejoiced.“

Mary is all over the church — in statuary, carvings, paintings, even a crèche.

That was a couple of hours well-spent.

After a lunch with some friends, I went to my room and booked sleeping accommodations for the next five days. I also mapped out what it will take to finish in time to catch my Oct. 25 flight home.

There are some fairly long walking days ahead, but I think I’ve got this.

All pictures today are from inside the Leon Cathedral.