So I have some blogging to catch up on, but have tried to post pictures daily so folks know I am alive!
I was the last To leave Santander this morning, granted there were only three of us. A German gentleman. In his late fifities came in later, his name is Tom, little English and my. German is pretty nil but we managed to communicate enough to have light conversation. He has a certain style to him that looks carefree...walking in Jeans which is almost unheard of but with some neat flair to him.My guide books give a nice paragraph of what to expect daily, I love the way it speaks to me....
I feel like I am sitting across from someone as it says, " enjoy today because..." , or " this just might be yiur most scenic day because...", I don't know....it's just nice reading a blurb to tell yiu what to expect and it has been spot on ....
Today it says, " "this is one of the drearier legs of the Camino Norte....flat/paved....Santillana's perfect medieval center make the trek worthwhile". stupid me thought that Santillana del Mar meant it was on the ocean....and thiught to the final seconds I would have waves crashing on me at the end of the day.
TodayI saw my first roadkill....a cat and a hedgehog!!!
I had a chance to cut off some kilometers that ere along asphalt today IF I would make the illegal decision to walk on traintracks...which I did!!!!
I came to the town of Boo where I would stop at the auberge to ask exactly how to pull this off. Inside would be Petra, my German friend ( think socks), she was checking in and still highly bothered by her feet. I think she traveled here by some source....but I knew I was going on as much as I would love her company.
The gal working at the auberge gave me instructions in Spanish, that with my guide book were certain to get me in the right place. My guidebook says to cross a bridge then get on the tracks. well it ends up there was coincidentally a bridge near by and of course tracks which is what I assumed it was referencing. I was about to crossthus bridge and hop on the tracks there at the station BUT must admit felt really odd doing it. to not do this would add about two hours of asphalt to my already asphalty day....
A woman speaking no English came running after me to get me to consider going another way, where a sign literally pointed you to Arce. I was so certain that I did not want to go that route and kept saying , " no!!!! Train tracks".... She was so certain....and I was so certain....and. I felt like a dog on a collar being pulled somewhere I didn't want to go. She would not take no for an answer and not really feeling comfortable getting on the train tracks right there at the station, and not really seeing how to do it anyway I VERY relucantly agreed to go with her and her yellow lab and her labish puppy to the sign that said, " Arca" , like a dog with its tail between its legs I knew I was adding two hours to my walk not knowing how to take a strong stand for myself. she was very nice and just so determined that I started to wonder...can she be right?
Sure enough instantly we passed under a bridge curved around to train tracks and I started down a path beside the track....again she said, "no"...and showed me on tge tracks!!!!!
It might have been my nervousness but have to say that quick juant seemed over before it started and I was in the next town appearing out of nowhere at their small train station. no regrets and just so thrilled to have done that successfully as I could not have made two kore hours on asphalt today.
It is thought Saint Francis walked the Camino 400 years ago this year! My guidebook mentions rumor is he stopped in the town if Barreda, out of all towns I have passed it least called out to me, though I know I have some Saint Francis in me. Today I woukdmive atleast 100 snails out of the way, killer abdominal workout when you consider the bending down getting back up with a good 15 plus pounds on your back.
I stopped in Barreda for a beer and swear I was served by a 14 year old boy....nice kiddo...
So I thought I was beach bound.....I was not but lucky girl I was to be heading to what some consider the prettiest town in all of Spain....Santillana del Mar!!!!! It is a "wonderfully preserved medieval village". This was NOT a reproduction!!!! A gem of a spot, a small little oasis....where a more discreet vactioner might chose to stay at a very nice establishment and eat from several of the la de dah restaurants that lined the cobblestone streets. I was hollered to by Miquel, my French buddy who showed me the humble auberge that was pilgrim perfect. Beside it was a nice small museum with sculptures from stone thru out the garden. Tom, my German contact from the nught before was there....and just appeared so defeated. I would meet several new faces tonight, just quickly , no great connections (yet).... They would be a young French Canadian couple, boy and girl who are just friends and Sabastian, a 30 year old German fella who when he smiled lit up the room!!!!!
No one appeared to want to go out and eat and I assumed because this was a pricey town, a tourist town where a pilgrim sure did stand out.
I was starving and would do anything for a wonderful salad!
Tom joined me and I ached for him. he honestly appeared defeated as if asking himself what on Earth was he thinking. he shared he bussed some of the way here and kept asking me, " is this normal I have no energy". He just started I should add...infact I am not certain I have anyone else who started in Irun thru the Basque country. I do know out of the pilgrims I have met only two have even done the Frances which facinated me....
I told Tom to give it four days, the fifth day is always when you get your groove!
He shared he had no children and just lost his companion of forty years, she died but I was not able to determine how....
We would end up at a restaurant, not on main street but the one parallel to the right that would serve me THE best salad I have ever had in my life! The Spanish menu gave me achoice of about five and I clearly was at its mercy but one said, "fois" ( I thought pate, though odd in a salad), " frutus" some kind odf a fruit, " jambon" some cured ham....I gambeled and for 13 euros hit the jackpot!!!!!!
Before me was placed mixed greens, slight amount of argula, walnuts, rasons, pate literaaly wrapped like packages in cured ham drizzled with thick balsamic vinegar and olive oil!!!! I almost licked the plate.
Behind me sat a couple from London....not pilgrims, clearly a woman who could be my best friend at home YET sitting at the table we could have been more divided as I had wet hair from a recent shower and plastic crocs on :)....
They had their two children who they were begging to eat their food and desperatly trying to convince them of how fortunate they were to be on tjis vacation with their parents.
When the mom said to her elevenish year okd son, see that keg ( pointing to a cured ham leg with hoof), thats what they do to little boys who don't behave I let out the largest snort and found myself hitting her slightly on the arm with affirmation. We were two moms connected....we understood eachother and chatted a good hour non stop about life, kids etc.....
She and her hubby would head to Bordeaux for some fancy vacation....I was off to sleep with about 15 people where earplugs and eye mask would be my main comfort....
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