Santander-Santa Cruz de Bezana-Miengo-Torrelavega-Santillana del Mar    Walk Day 12

24 miles, 475′ elevation

Yesterday, I rested in Santander; perhaps my favorite town yet; history, culture, food/wine, bays and bays of beaches. I checked out the Palace, which was turned into a university high atop a beautiful peninsula. It houses three basic ships that sailed at the turn of the century to Australia and then Mexico. It took them nine months just to reach Australia. Then I ran(and it actually felt good)- walked to the Lighthouse on a distant peninsula five bay, beaches away. It had a most impressive golf course that proudly boasted; “Always the Home Course of Seve Ballesteros!” They had his bust and course record of 63!!! Seve was born and raised in a nearby suburb and is still remembered godlike.

Read and swam the rest of the afternoon. Did tapas dinner on the water and found out about midnight being the Festival de San Juan, highlighted with a massive mountain of dried hay on one beach burned and then fireworks. The two beaches nearby the fireworks were filled as midnight neared, moreso than even during the day. Drinking, partying Spanish of all ages gathered to celebrate. I watched them from my hotel window.

Today my walk was made possible by a cast of characters that joined me at points along the way. First two Spanish woman, Carolin and Josephena, who walked incredibly slow but wished to talk. They were carrying everything they owned on their backs. Very pious and delightfull people. 

Then, I must have walked with Jean the farthest; a retired Frenchman that had walked from his hometown in France above Irunn. His English was very good. A very sad and sentimental story his. He lost his son 5 years ago in a car accident driving home from university for Christmas break. His Son, Paola, desired to walk to Santiago de Compostela when he graduated in May. He never made it, so Jean has walked a “way” in his honor every one of the last 5 summers. He did not pass his story on with a heavy heart. He claimed Paola walked with him and he never felt more peace then when walking. I almost cried at his explanation.  He asked if I had seen the film, “The Way”?  I said I had, and he said; “It’s true! Art does mirror Life!”

I caught up with  a group of 4 piligrenos in Torrelavega. Nicky and Steve, a young couple, both elementary teachers from Dallas. I asked them if “book burning” were mandated by the Texas School Districts. Neither thought my comment funny. The other duo were two woman from a German town outside of Munich. Lesbians.“not that there’s anything wrong with that,” mind you. They also spoke English well and thought my book burning comment hilarious.