Stage 13: Santillana Del Mar - Comillas (with variants), 27 kms, Very Windy & Sunny, 22

What A Gaudi Day! 

Up and away early and we missed our breakfast that came with our room. I can’t believe we missed a nice breakfast, but we did manage to eat breakfast food that we purchased last night. So all was fine except no tea or coffee to kick on with. Annemarie had told me that there were 10 climbs today as presented on the stage profile. I hadn’t looked preferring ignorance over knowledge about the hills. 

It had looked pretty dire last night, but we woke this morning to birds chirping and sunny skies. It was a lovely climb out of town, the air crisp and fresh. You might be seeing the higher mountains coming closer daily. It’s this same range that one sees to the north while crossing the Camino Frances, and I posted some photos last November from the Meseta with the first heavy snows covering their summits.

We had a very nice, and unexpected experience today as we climbed up to this church. We’d been “discussing” why we hadn’t gone in search of a bar for coffee at the last village. Sign said, “Bar, 50 metres”. I’ve usually found the 50 turns into 250 and I wasn’t really feeling like a long search. So we sort of discussed this position...extremely quietly. Lol. Back to the story...

First of all, the church was actually open. Most are closed on the Norte which is a real disappointment. I think it’s pretty odd to have a Camino passing the door of each church, but the doors closed and locked. Please save us some unnecessary climbs and diversions if you’re going to keep the doors locked! Just saying. We went in and no one else joined us, which was particularly unusual. The other peregrinos just walked on.

Annemarie has captured what occurred in one of her poems posted below, the first of this journey. I can tell that she’s ‘feeling’ this Camino now, though it took a while. The only poem I’ve managed was called Mud and it started with mud, mud, mud, mud, mud and pretty much continued on with the same theme plus a few choice words tossed in! I think I wrote it on Stage 3? Unsuitable for posting!

We did shortly afterwards find a place for our coffee break in this town. So crisis of coffee fortunately averted!

The first unique weather vane on this Camino. I’d seen the others before, and thought this one was pretty unique. It was very active as the winds had now climbed to around 45 as we neared the coast.

While the stage was mostly road walking, it was country roads taking us here and there and of course up and down through some beautiful countryside. 

Also across a beach or two as well. Along the coast the winds were blowing at around 70-80 just as they’d been a couple of days ago on our way out of Santander. The waves were pretty big and the result dramatic.

Kathy, found you a new pal today! I told him not to get up as we passed.

Like I said, them mountains grow closer.



We came across a couple of very cool doors today. I’m posting them for Caitlin who also loves doors as I do.

We caught up late in the day with a Bram, a young Dutch fellow we met in the muddy crossing. He told us that our herd was one stage ahead as they had pushed on without a break in Santander. So we will message Paul and company today to pass on our regards. Bram left them so that he could slow his pace as he has loads of time. This is the usual rhythm of a Camino. 

We finally arrived into town, located our beds and after a shower and a meal we wandered around for a couple of hours.

Hard to believe that after walking for much of the day that we’d walk for a couple more hours sight seeing. But we did. Turns out Gaudi built ‘something’ here, so decided to have a look. It’s actually his El Capricho if you wish to Google it.

Yup, strangely odd and very cool at the same time. That about sums it up.

Of course it’s usually about the outside, but the inside presented a few twists and turns as well. A bee playing a guitar and a bird the piano! We liked it a lot, but they weren’t taking any offers to purchase so we left.

Annemarie then dragged me up to a rectangular building call the Palace of Sobrellano by Mortorell. All the way up and she decided not to go in. I really enjoyed the climb in the hot sun.

Then on to the foreshore.

So now having walked well beyond our daily quota I sit on my bed writing with the soothing assistance of a cold beer and chips. Off to find dinner shortly and then home to bed. A longish stage tomorrow. 

Our (unexpected) Recommitment Ceremony

We weren’t in the best of moods when we arrived
But by the time we left we felt quite revived

We saw the church on the hill, and complained about the climb to get there
Expecting that, like all the rest, it’s doors would be closed, unwilling to share

We heard music coming from the building, decided to check it out
We were greeted by a lovely man offering tea and to show us about

Were we married, and how long, he wanted to know
At our reply he was surprised, saying wow, wow, wow!

He picked up a shell made of two parts
And said it represented the joining of our two hearts 

He had us choose colours of ribbons, each with special meaning
Representative of St. Peter in whose church we were convening

He then asked us each to cut the ribbon for the other
Using the sacred candles to burn through, and splice the ends, it was no bother

He then asked us to thread the cord...he for me and me for him
And place our shells around the other’s neck, in the background played the hymn

The whole time we were there, no other pilgrim entered
Although a number passed by, inside none of them ventured

It felt very ceremonial, and we appreciated the honour
We left feeling so much better than we had before

Annemarie and Gaudi discussing many things. Apparently Gaudi told a joke.