Monday 10 October 2016

Santona to Santa Cruz ... via Santander

Sitting at a seafront cafe after one of the most amazing hours of climbing and scrambling up a cliff in enough light to survive ... dropping onto a long beach, sand hardened by receding tide leaving perfect surface for forward walking towards the sunbathed town, backward walking to ease the muscles and enjoy the coming sun ... before that, early out of the albergue, route intuited in the dark ... sea on the right a major clue ...and a brief explanation of the pronounciation of the name of this beautiful town, since tablet skills not up to finding foreign accents ...Sant is as expected, the o is short, the na like nya ...

Last night at the albergue, two Nadias, an English James, cycling, and a Californian Jamie ... menu del dia with Jamie, retired firefighter, non-retired cabinet maker, his passion ... when walking solo, thinks about new ways to connect wood ... often walks in company ... how many ways are there to connect wood? Married at 20 ... 4 children, all in uniform ... nurse, police, firefighter and military ... 8 grandchildren ... enjoying life in general, Camino life in particular ... it's like a parallel universe, where to be be friendly, to share, to live simply is the norm ... of course it touches the mainstream from time to time ... and maybe drops returning pilgrims back there appreciating the benefits of such a life ...

Back to today and after Noja on the beach, a chance for 20 km along the hard shoulder to Somo and the ferry across the bay to Santander ... yellow arrows insist on a quieter route, arriving at San Miguel de  Meruelo and its much promoted albergue in the peaceful countryside ... open at 1 pm, and at 10.50 am a great spot with a bench for drying clothes, finishing the gallego bread from Castro, freshened with a little water, sweetened with honey, and a banana ... brunch after a meagre breakfast at the hostel ... and inspired to include a pilgrim offer in the Place to Be project ... back to the road with 12 km to Somo ...skipping the Guames alternative with possible overnight stop ... on to Santander ... before that a Spanish pilgrim resting ... Ramon, from Galicia. .. walking from Santiago to Irun and back ... he shares some possibilities ahead ... at the ferry two Germans and three Belgians ... and so to Santander ... a little tug on the heart as a bigger tug pulls the much bigger ferry out to sea ... a good lunch after a long walk and the rest and food revives ... reviews of the nearby albergue confirm personal experience, so it is onward to Santa Cruz ... a small donativo municipal hostel and a private one for 15 euros with breakfast are on offer ... the second is found first and turns out to be a wonderful change from overcosy bunk beds crammed into dormitories ... a converted flat ... only me there, shower with tap to adjust temperature and on off function, plus hose for all round spraying ... a luxury ... the dorms are simple and cheap ... enough after walking all day ... still, the change is much appreciated after nearly 12 hours out and maybe ten walking ... a double shift, leaving friends behind again ... carelessly ...  thinking of taking a rest day or two at San Vicente ... a day trip off route up into the mountains, maybe a day to rest the feet and legs ... and see who catches up ...

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