Author: RebWhite

Bustio to Llanes. 19.9 miles.

A wonderful day. Rick and I weren’t sure given that the hike was supposed to be 17ish miles, but it was fine. I was very done by the end, but the vast majority of the day was just an unfolding of beauty, mountain and ocean and villages. 

Since the apartment didn’t have breakfast and the cafeteria didn’t start until 8, we decided we’d just stock up on our food items and go when we woke up. Plus the apartment owner had left us home-made yoghurt that turned out to be incredible. No way to thank you, but wish we could have. 

We were on our way by 7:20 and walked in wonder for an hour. Even though the first hill was immediate and Rick said it was like being given a double black diamond when you just walked out on the slope for the first time. But really, over quickly and wonderful with the cow bells, church bells, green all over. 

We ran into a couple from Vermont after about 1.5 hours and they were just delightful. Both fascinating, Rick and I fell into conversation and that kept up for another hour. I’d already drunk my protein shake and started on my protein snack when we finally found an open cafe and stopped. Yay. And that was our only stop available all day, glad we stopped! 

Unexpected coves, beaches would appear around a corner

Great little towns with wonderful color

We finally walked town around 2:30 which wasn’t bad at all and a faster pace than normal.

Rick headed back to the hotel, but I’d gotten a burst of energy when we were walking to the restaurant and I saw what looked like a medieval town right near our hotel. So cool!

Yet again, I had no expectations for the town and have been absolutely delighted with what we found. Another port town, made it’s living from whaling, city walls from 1200’s, church from 1300’s, alongside the new and beautiful. There’s a beach right outside our hotel and the ancient walls are right across from it and the mountains ring behind the whole town.  Incredible. This has been so different from the Camino de Frances or Primitivo because the towns are all port towns, or mountain towns and have so much character. I loved those other caminos for sure, but wow the towns/villages are additive on this one. 

I started to walk, first saw the casino – a number of towns had this, all built late 1800’s or very early 1900’s.

Town hall, totally different next door

Walls across from our hotel

I took a few videos trying to capture the bells and the town and ocean. There’s a wall going up outside our hotel across the beach and you can walk all along this wide park-like walk for an extra 1.6 kilometers to the next town. We’re going to do that tomorrow morning. Amazing the attention given to the outdoors and public spaces. 

Our hike tomorrow is at least 19.5, but we’re thinking we’re going to shorten it. It’s so nice here, I really want to do that walk that adds the extra AND there are two monasteries I’d really like to see tomorrow AND another wonderful fishing village. Our last night. So rather than be totally wiped out, we’re opting for choices. We’ll start early again, maybe we’ll change our minds, but we’ve gotten the name of the taxi company and we may call!

St. Vincente de la Barquera, 9.9 miles

Today just flew by, such an easy gorgeous walk. We both were a bit startled when it was over so quickly. And it ended at an apartment, so that was a surprise too. But the lady who checked us in was great and I managed to get everything we needed from her very fast Spanish about being in the apartment. The great thing is that there’s a washer and she said we could turn on the radiators to dry things if the rack on the balcony didn’t do the trick. And we were definitely due, I was going to find a lavandería for our clothes and then realized, oops, Sunday. Ach. 

But the walk – it was through a national park, Parque Natural de Oyambre, with some houses/farms clearly grandfathered. It was founded in 1988 after a lot of work of preservationists. And it was just beautiful. We started out with misty rain and by the end it was warm enough and we were down to t-shirts. And the terrain was mostly dirt roads and back road tarmac so easy to walk and look and listen. And that’s what we did all the way. I never turned on music or a book because it was just a treat.

Outside a pretty alburgue – seemed like people left prayers here 

The place on the left below was the only place we found for coffee and a snack on the way since we’d left so early. The name was Taberna La Gloria and that’s the church right next to it. Sunday morning. We started counting who and how many were going to the two different places. Sadly, the Taberna edged it out. When we walked by the church, there were lay people leading the reading and we didn’t see a priest, so just the neighborhood gathering together, mostly older folks. But sweet. The doors were wide open so they heard the game and the people next door in the bar. Very communal and the little town seemed pretty active. Rick’s wearing his poncho that he called the blueberry. The blueberry did get some work time!

Leaving the town, so pretty, these walls everywhere are amazing. No cement, or rarely, just very carefully placed stone.

We got into the apartment, did a load, hung it out, started the next load and went to find lunch. We went to the first restaurant we found that was full of locals and had a great dinner. We’re finally learning to share the salad or first course – we usually want salad – and then have a second. They just have enormous portions! 

Our salad had lettuce and tomato, walnuts, sardines (a totally different thing here and delicious) and a new type of thing called gula. I finally called the wait person over to ask what is this yummy little thing we’re eating? Gula – from the river. We decided they were river worms. 

Here’s what I found: Gula’s live in freshwater and travel from rivers to the Caribbean Sea, where they lay their eggs. Each specimen lays between 500,000 and 4,000,000 eggs. Initially, they have a millimetre of length, they do a 11-month trip till they arrive to the European rivers, where they finally settle down. And we eat them. Rick wondered if it was worth it. To the worm or baby eel.

The things we are learning on this trip. Also, Rick and I have started a new Netflix special and are cracking up every night. Kylie told us about it and said she’s on the third season and still laughing with every episode. Clarkson’s Farm. Guy in the Cotswolds who decides to farm his farm himself after stopping his career. Truly funny. 

Comillas to St. Vincent de la Barquera, 8.7 miles

Today was an amazing day. First, the scheduled hike was only 7 miles which felt very doable (the different mileage reflects how much we walked in the town, getting to the hotel, lunch, etc.). Then, we were able to get an earliesh tea and coffee from our super nice front desk woman who also manned the bar (that’s where you get coffee) until the breakfast opened downstairs. 

We left at 9, so civilized and not at all motivated to leave earlier.
The weather was cloudy, cool, but t-shirt weather most of the time with a bit of breeze.
The scenery was so engaging, I never turned on any books or music, just watched the scenery go by. 
My back rallied and so did my energy!

So we had a great day, both of us marveling. We were on a beautiful avenue out of town and then made a right and were next to the ocean the rest of the time. Even when we couldn’t see it because of a hill between us and the water, we could hear it. Such a nice way to walk.

Ideal farm:

Rick and I watched curious to see what would unfold with these guys. It seemed like a lot of work and noise, but they must have been pleased once they got up. I realized when I rewatched it, that it does a nice job showing the ocean and the fishing village we’re walking to built into the hills. Gorgeous. Raining, misting, but raincoats were great and it stayed a perfect temperature.

Proud town sign, the bridge beyond is a stone bridge built in the 15th century on the site of another built of wood, then added to over the centuries. When it was built during the time of Carlos III, it was considered one of the largest bridges in the kingdom. 

The town itself is up and down hills, a fishing town, with a giant castle and a giant church, both built in the 1300’s and added onto till the 1500’s. Both of which you could only see on Monday. Really? We tried because we were told at our usual late lunch that a wedding was happening at the cathedral at 5 and if we walked up, we should be able to see it. We saw the florist walk in and Rick and I went behind, Rick got a few feet in and saw the beginning of splendor before the wedding planner yelled that we weren’t supposed to be in there. 

So, really, this giant Catholic Church has been turned into a wedding venue. Amazing. I tried to photograph both the castle and church, plus the town walls from the 1300’s, but hard to get a grasp. 

This is the door of the pilgrim. San Vicente de la Barquera was an important point of the Camino del Norte and had numerous hospitals and shelters for pilgrims, all within the city wall. Hikers on their way west, after leaving town would go through the wall by what is known as Door of the Pilgrim. 

Here are some of the city walls outside the church:

This photo is from our hotel window and kind of shows how the town is built up into the hills, with the marina below. We’re on the next hill over from the castle and church. I’m sitting here, listening to the church bells celebrating the wedding and to sheep baaing, though I can’t see them. Probably in the hills just behind us. 

Santillana Del Mar to Comillas. 12.1 miles

Hotel el Tejo Comillas, clean, nice rooms, seems to do a really good job with quiet between rooms – a first! Super nice front desk person who sent us to a great lunch. 

I got up early and explored the town while it was quiet. Just the streets alone are incredibly beautiful – and the walls – all of it. The whole town looks like this an it goes on much more than you’d expect. 

Wow, don’t know why but I hit such a wall today. Had a really hard time keeping going, ate all my strategy protein, energy, drinks, etc. Rick hit a wall yesterday, glad we didn’t have it the same day!

Today was a wonderful hike (aesthetically). We copied yesterday and took a taxi for the first 2-3 miles and the taxi drive again said, no, I should drop you here, it’s a better place. And he was right. We got off the main roadway onto a country lane and that was the main walking, plus some dirt roads, a bit of beach, a bit of trail above the beach. Just really pretty. Rick said it reminded him of the Camino Frances – with the variety of rural backroads. 

Different views:

Then, total surprise, we came into the town Comillas and it was full of life. A bunch of stalls set up in the main plaza, a lot of people walking and talking throughout, a small tight town up and down the hills, but so much more active and lived in than a lot of the other towns we’ve gone through. And the buildings! My goodness, one gorgeous building after another. Evidently this became quite a heyday in the late 1880’s and people brought their architects with them to build summer houses and palaces. Mountains to hike in, beach just below on the other side of town.

All I wanted to do was lie down, but I knew I wanted to explore a bit. I took a quick shower to try to revive and then we went out for a great lunch. I’m clearly becoming inured to the quantity of animals I’m eating over here. This fish didn’t even faze me. Rick and I both are aiming for pure veggies when we get back. 

We then walked up to and toured the Capricho de Gaudi (Gaudi’s whim)- one of his first buildings where he was given free reign and it showed a lot of what was to come from his designs.

We also walked by the main house of the Marquis. He was 14 when his father died and went to Cuba to build a life and started a shipping business with one ship. What it didn’t say and I was assuming after our Black history tour in Madrid, was that his main business to start was probably the slave trade. No signs anywhere said this around his property buildings, but our guidebook said the slave trade was the main source of his money. Later it was steam ships and banking. 

He did have style – both with enjoying Gaudi’s creativity for his summer house and then building the gorgeous Sobrellano palace and an accompanying chapel (looked like a full size church to us) for his family. He also wanted to build a seminary to train priests and to support the poor in getting an education, per the notes near his building. Wikipedia said he was pressured by a Jesuit and agreed to finance the building of the Seminario Pontificio. So interesting how history is written. He died before the official ground breaking, but his son completed the project. 

We couldn’t get over to these buildings, but they were spectacular from a distance. Again, our guide book said that the school was acclaimed for its seminary, focus on cannon law,  music school and choir. But the school was moved to Madrid in 1964 and it’s been empty since. Really? It’s so gorgeous, hard to believe. Nope – that was an old note. The updated history reflects what the woman at the front desk told us. But it was all in Spanish and I thought maybe I misunderstood. Happily, no, got almost all of it!. 

The academic activities of Comillas Foundation are an University Degree in Hispanic Studies and Master in Teaching Spanish as Foreign Language. Besides that, the foundation provides forums and seminars related with Spanish language and culture. Comillas Foundation headquarters is situated at the former Comillas Pontifical University building. Until now, the activities of the foundation were held at the Sobrellano Palace, a few hundred yards from the future location, until the restoration of the buildings are concluded. From May 2010, Comillas’ Foundation activities take place in an historical building entirely renovated.

In addition, there is a food bank and supports for the local people who are struggling. So – yay – happy buildings with a purpose again. 

We came back to the room and I went into cocoon mode. 

Santander to Santillana Del Mar, 7.5 miles

Today was so great. First, we had our morning and breakfast at our wonderful hotel in Santander. Then arrangements had already been made for us to take a car a good few miles into the Camino. We’d read in every app/book that if possible, don’t do the walk out of Santander. It was through miles and miles of city and industrial areas. There’s a train that a lot of people take or taxis. 

So we looked at the map and realized that we’d actually like to go further than the drop off point to avoid more city-like areas. Our driver suggested he drop us at the far side of the town we’d chosen to avoid continuing industry. So nice! 

We walked the road a bit, then turned off the main road and were back on country roads. The hills are more settled, but still with cow pastures and cows and fields of what looks like corn, but is probably animal feed crops. 

Then, we walked into a completely medieval town. Couldn’t believe it. We’d read that it was one of the most charming villages we’d see, but couldn’t really grasp it until we were in the midst. All the roads/paths/houses and buildings are consistently the same stone and it’s beautiful. 

I’m psyched to be spending a night here. There are a ton of school groups of all ages and adult tours as well. But the lucky thing about being here for the night is that I’ll get to walk around tonight and early tomorrow when no one is up to see what it was like. This was one of the two main destinations for trips out of Santander that I’d seen when trying to figure out what to do IN Santander. The other is the cave museum and that and the caves are on my to-see list if we come back. 

We wandered a bit, seeing a museum of a local sculptor, wonderful:

 and decided against seeing a museum about torture and the inquisition. 

Instead we went to the house-museum that covered the people living there since the 1500’s. Incredible.

Another was a Nazi soldier, high up in the ranks, whose father helped develop the Inigma code. This soldier tried to work with a few others to go behind Hitler’s back to Switzerland to negotiate a peace treaty. He ended up being the enemy of the Nazi’s and the Allies. He lived here as a carpenter. And there were many more including a woman who started a cottage industry hiring locals for sewing costumes and clothes. 

Fun note – the four poster bed began around this time to serve a few functions. Warmth when the curtains were drawn and privacy from all the servants who were always around. Who knew?

Cool museum.

Got lunch (overwhelmed again at the amount of food, changing it up going forward) and came back to the room for a shower and a bit of quiet. 

Went to the main church here, only one we see that’s still a church, but maybe mostly a museum. The Colegiata de Santillana del Mar. To walk in was to walk into an ancient building. All notes in Spanish, but tried to use translation to get some of the history. 

The church has its origins in a monastery dating from 870. Tradition has it that it was home to the relics of Santa Juliana. This is stated as certain when reading about the town. Over the course of the 11th century it was transformed into a collegiate church, although the building visible today dates from the 12th century. 

Yet again, it smelled so much like mold that Rick was out very quickly. So strange given that it’s all stone and wood. 

Really personal story written on the plaque next to her sarcophagus in the church: Towards the end of the third century during the cruel persecution of Roman emperor Maximillian against Christians, a young senator, named Eluzo, attempted to marry a maiden from Nicomedia, named Julianna, illustrious for her birth, personal merit and unique garments. Love that. 

Julianna’s father was a Gentile and one of the most ardent persecutors of Christians in Nicomedia. The daughter had been secretly educated in Christianity. But not content with this, she had resolved never to have any other husband but Jesus Christ, not to aspire to any other goods or honors than those of heaven. 

She was in this resolution when her parents promised her to Eluzo. She was strangely surprised when she heard from her own father that everything was already finished, and that the same day the one who was destined to visit her would come to visit her. 

Juliana received Eluzo with great courtesy, but with much more modesty, giving him to understand that she could not consent to that wedding until she saw as a judge and prefect of the city. Eluzo, through efforts and money, obtained the position he sought. He took possession of it and sent a message to Julianna, offering her the prefectura at her disposal. 

Juliana, unable to hide any longer, sent him to say that she was glad to see him placed in a position of honor, but that he still had to take another step. It was necessary to become a Christian like she was. 

Eluzo, without wasting any more time, set off in search of Julianna’s father and told him what his daughter had responded to him. He was overcome with anger and responded to the prefect: I swear to you that I myself have to be my daughters’ prosecutor and you have to be her judge. Saying this, he entered Juliana’s room full of fury and asked: What is this, daughter? Do you not know what an honor it is to be majesty of the prefect of Nicomedia?

I know well, sir, that Eluzo is a gentleman, but he is not a Christian. Her father exclaimed in anger: I myself will go and put him in the clutches of wild beasts, because I want to see him torn to pieces rather than converted into a Christian. And losing all feeling, he treated his daughter with barbaric cruelty. She was then handed over to the city prefect for trial. 

So – bad ending for Juliana, tortured and beheaded, but never wavered. 

Wikipedia noted that:  Eleusius was later eaten by a lion after a shipwreck on an island unknown.

Further note since everything I read had Juliana residing in Naples was this: Juliana is clearly a historical figure as Saint Gregory the Great requested relics of her from Bishop Fortunatus of Naples for an oratory that a wealthy Christian woman had built on her estate in Campania, Italy, to honor Saint Juliana and others. On the other hand, tradition in the north of Spain holds that Saint Juliana is buried there, in a town near the Cantabrian Sea that took its name from her, Santillana del Mar. Santillana is a contraction of Santa-Iuliana. The Church of St. Juliana in Santillana is a Romanesque abbey, well over a thousand years old.

And that’s my history for the day!

Cloister, looks much bigger than it actually is:

Hotel Museo Los Infantes, wonderful, 17th to 18th century palace became a hotel – moved stone by stone and rebuilt in 1974. The people running it are so nice. “The hotel is a real museum, it is entirely decorated by precious antiques.” Which is true, but means it’s not completely comfortable in the sitting areas. But looks cool!

Santander, 7 miles

Le Petit Boutique Hotel, wonderful. Clean. New. Nice section of the city, though not anywhere near the camino. A block from the water and walking areas.

Yay, a day in place! We had a nice breakfast at the hotel with Carol and Matthew and then waved them off in a cab to the airport. 

We then went back up to our room to investigate what to do. I’d done some exploring last night and discovered – there’s nothing to do! There is a 2 block area of the old city, per our hotel host, but when I used all kinds of words to see what there is to do in Santander, all the trips were leaving to go somewhere else. A monastery. Incredible caves (too late to get tickets) with prehistoric paintings. But in the city, finally found a maritime/aquarium museum. Rick and I were so relieved. We could just chill with no agenda.

The rock formations along the beaches are so cool, I guess further along the coast, they turn and are lined up like books. We’ll miss that because it needs an extra day to go that way. But even here where you can see the slabs, it’s great. And then beyond the beach shows where the high tide line is, but until then it’s just long, flat and perfectly sandy for ages. Such a good place to learn surfing or swimming. Way too cold for us, but a fair number of people are going in to swim or play. Surfers are all in wetsuits. 

We then went back to the same restaurant for lunch (there’s no way that would have happened with C&M here). Rick then worked in the room, I did laundry at a laundromat a few blocks away. 

We both had some time sitting down by the water, just watching. Such a great day – and the weather was beautiful again!

Galizano to Santander, 9.5 miles

Today was a total treat. First – because of the hotel mixup, we were 1+ mile already on our way. And, as a bonus, none of us bashed our heads on the rafters, so already starting off positive. Then – the day was gorgeous, a sea breeze, no clouds or rain and we walked on the edge of the bluffs above the water or on the beach all the way until we caught a ferry that took us across the bay and cut off 5 extra hours if we’d walked around. 

Incredible path:

Coming to the beach leading to Santander

Santander is big, so clean, pretty modern with a few old buildings mixed in, but not many. 

We went straight to our hotel, changed, unloading our hiking shoes and went to lunch that the hotel recommended. A neighborhood place, that per usual, when with Carol and Matthew, was great. Though, confession, we’re getting a bit codded out. There’s a lot of cod in the menus here. 

We then walked over to the Palace de Magdalena, a summer palace of the royals built in 1909, and is gorgeous. Of course. Then – just parked in our room letting our feet/legs recover. With the luxury of knowing that we’re not going anywhere tomorrow. A day off!

Noja to Galizano, 11.2 miles

Supposed to be staying in Hotel la Vijanera, beautiful stone work, wonderful restaurant, nice people. Guessing the rooms would have been great. But nope – we got there and they said that they had 65 middle schoolers coming with 4 teachers and a bus driver and expected chaos. We’d been moved 1.5 down the road 10 days ago, but had no idea. The new place is very sweet, right near the beach which is beautiful, and a bit further along on the i amino, but probably not a recommender. 

The front desk guy at the original place was so nice and drove 3 of us down to the new place after we ate – Rick was ready to walk the distance and said it was a beautiful walk. He’s amazing, first walk after getting back from Chicago and walked the whole way. 

I was very relieved today because Matthew crafted a different camino from what MacsAdventure had and was 5 miles shorter. Rick was up for anything and actually followed our path on All Trails marked as a camino. It was all tarmac which made for easy walking and a lot of it was country lanes or very low use 2 way roads. And I was still tired! Yep, it’s adding up. I’m expecting a second wind after a day off in Santander, day after tomorrow. 

We had a nice breakfast at our place and a bit of time to talk to the owner. It was all in Spanish, but I understood most of it. I was saying that the Norte was spectacular and the food great, but the signage on the Camino de Frances was much easier to follow. He said that it was because everyone on the Camino del Norte thinks their way is the best and puts up directions accordingly. He also said that May and September into October are definitely the best times to hike. From mid-July through August, Noja goes from a population of 30,000 to a population of 130,000. In general, it’s just tourists and no peregrinos, too hot, too crowded and too expensive. He said it could rain any time, but maybe a bit less in the fall. 

So pretty walk with really nice weather.

Tiny town, giant church. Wish I knew more about the social structure and how these things got built back in the day. 

Like I said, not great signage at times. Very nice of someone to put this up. Maybe the farmer who was nice enough to let people walk across his field?

View from a top of a hill, can just feast the eyes as we walk today. 

Walked by a lot of timber clear cutting here. Saw logs being loaded and also rolls of smaller bits and pieces that are then used for parchment or particle board (they’re near the bottom of the photo, tractor is collecting and rolling). And I mean it’s clear cut – there was nothing on these hills when done. Alternated with replanted trees, so never giant swaths of bare land, but enough. 

We had a great lunch at the original place as they said there wouldn’t be anything at or near the new place for lunch. The new place is sweet and they were excited to have visitors. Very low rafters, but second floor, fields outside and a cama matrimonia versus small twin beds. Might be a sleeping night. Just hoping for no head bashing before we leave tomorrow 🙂

We dropped our stuff then walked down to the beach. Gorgeous. Matthew and Carol walked back up and Rick and I stayed just for the marvel of having an incredible beach basically to ourselves with warm weather and the sound of the waves. 

Found a dinner place, the only place, very cool, brand new, mod – had a yoga group going behind it, all 6 people young adults, where did they come from? None of us were that hungry, but it was so pretty and it was something to do. And it was great, very fresh, veggies from their garden. And I’ve now eaten anchovies at multiple places. I had no idea they could be so tasty.

All our dishes are made fresh. All of this entails a philosophy, a  duration and surely understanding on the part of our clients. 

It’s so incredibly beautiful, breezy, sunny and it feels Iike we should be out and walking, but we’ve done enough, so we came back to the room. It’s 9:30, sun still up, bright skies. I can still hear kids playing, church bells, the breeze. Wonderful. 

Liendo to Noja, 17.5 miles.
Posada la Mies. Quiet, on the hill, code to get in, quirky, but friendly!

Did my usual super early wake up, decided I’d take one more day hiking alone and got up early, tiptoed around finishing packing, then did my best to silently lug down my suitcase without waking the house up. First place we’ve been in where I knew people would hear me if I wasn’t careful. I was out the door by 6:30, figured I had a few hours if it was going to rain, looked good last night. 

The directions didn’t align at all and I ended up walking next to a 2 lane highway for hours, on the shoulder. In the rain. But it was Sunday, very little traffic, only 3 cars passed me and the birds were singing. Happily, it wasn’t windy at all and it wasn’t cold. So I marched on. It was one of those days that reinforces the understanding that everything changes. 

A side street finally took me off the highway, then a rainbow came out, the sun peaked through and the rain starting lightning up. Then a camino sign! The first that actually seemed related to where I was going – to Laredo and ending in Noja. I followed the sign, turning down a stairway and suddenly, I was in old town Laredo at the chapel and hospital that served pilgrims in the 1600’s. So cool. Then the rain stopped. Yay. 

I went into the first cafe I found for a CoalaCao and a tortilla, this time the basic eggs, patatoes, cheese and sat down under an outside heater and started drying off a bit. 

Then I was back on the trail that aligned with my map, and walked the longest promenade I’ve ever seen. Miles. Long enough for it to start raining again. Curving around an enormous bay. After the old town, it was a bit odd, just 6 story buildings, one after another, most clearly empty, waiting for the summer season. But the sea was beautiful and there were people walking with their dogs and chatting. Finally came to the end where I knew I was supposed to get a ferry. That was great, wish the ride lasted longer.

Love this sign for the ferry. Not related to that long dock on the left. 

Then a great little town, home of the sardine. It had all the character that I’ve come to expect in these towns, Sunday morning people getting their pastries and bread, I stopped again for decaf, pastry and the bathroom. There’s no way here for outside option, too busy. 

Another statue of a woman, there are so many in this area. Her pail was full of water just as it would have been.

Then tried to take the right that the map indicated and ended up above a beach, almost crawling through these bushes on a really rocky hidden trail that climbed up a hill – finally gave up. Couldn’t believe it. I ran into someone else who’d give up and he was covered with mud and also couldn’t believe it was the trail. Back onto a highway, again, ON the highway, this one busier. Then found a side street that led down to the beach, next to an estuary, the sun fully came out and I put away my rain things. Final walked into a pretty beach town and to the hotel. Yay!!

Went to the restaurant Matthew had picked out and then Rick joined. We’re all back together, so nice. I found out that Carol had been so tired that she asked Matthew to read out the menu from the restaurant to motivate her to keep going. Love that, we are entirely differently motivated. But it worked!

After shower and organizing things, Rick and I walked around town and found the Santiago church. It was huge inside, but smelled so badly of mold that we couldn’t stay beyond a look. Weird since wooden floors, but unmistakable.

Tomorrow, definitely following Matthew’s directions, if I can keep up, because I’d like to stay off highways. Though it turned out they were on the highways most of the time too.

Castro Urdiales to Liendo, 17.5

Hotel La Torre de la Quintana, amazing 1500’s building, same owners since the 1700’s.

Today was a wonderful day. Started off getting to talk to Kylie for a long time, always a gift and talked to Kaziah last night! I had realized last night that waiting for the 8am breakfast was too late if I wanted to walk the whole thing and get to Liendo in time for lunch. Otherwise, it would be the perfect miss of getting in at 4, only snacks available if that, and then dinner at 8. When I want to go to bed…

When I read the description of the coast and mountain view’s, I decided I’d get up early and just start. When I decided, it was too late to text C&M, so would do it in the morning. I woke up at 4:22. Because. Sigh. Got up a bit after 5 and then connected with Kylie. We talked for a while, then I called her back as I left the hotel. So fun because I ended up sharing the start of my walk with her on FaceTime. Loved that! She got to see the bay at sunrise or just after and the castle and church and the next cove as I walked and we talked. Such a nice start to the day. 

Today was a classic day for me on Camino. Silence (after chatting) for a couple of hours, hour of dharma on Audible, then listened to a book on tape. Great hike.

I was very happy when I got to the top of the mountain, for some reason, everything a bit achy today. 

I stopped to get a photo and then realized the birds were singing like crazy and it was just wonderful, so back to silence, the sound of my feet, the birds and animal bells. 

It seems like the bigger the animal, the bigger the bell, so there are tonal differences. Don’t know if you can hear this, but the goats are high up on the rocky side of the hill, hard to see on the video, with the cows closer at hand. 

 The last couple of miles felt long, but cool village. Big gorgeous houses, a lot of them blending old walls, with newer building, and spread out on this flat valley. It felt really different from what we’ve been seeing. 

I arrived at our hotel and it’s exactly what I love most. Built in the 1500’s, updated, cool interesting rooms. I’m at the top (fun carrying my very heavy bag up, but worth it), probably in what might have been a servants room, cleverly crafted windows, rafters gleaming, wonderful. Rick would have whacked his head everywhere he turned, so perhaps better to miss just this one. 

The plaque for the hotel, 500 years later, it’s hosting pilgrims again 🙂

We crossed from the Basque region to the Cantabrian region yesterday and maybe we’re starting to see cultural differences in the housing styles and how the village is laid out. We went to a big lunch, of course, yummy – Carol found it. Then the afternoon letting the bones recover, they’re feeling it.