22/4 Friday Comillas to San Vicente de La Barquera 12.5km
I spent yesterday evening wandering around Comillas and the Gaudí Caprice building - interesting. Nearby was a palace but it was closed so I decided to visit in the morning, on the way out of town.
The Albergue recommended Restaurant Filipinas so I ended up there and joined Alberto, from Sardinia, and Marco. Food was the main topic of conversation, mostly in Spanish so I chipped in occasionally but mostly listened.
This morning was the usual breakfast disappointment but I did sit with 5 young Spanish girls doing a 4 day Camino. They complimented me on my Spanish but perhaps they were being polite or perhaps they were comparing me with other English peregrinos they had met?
It was dull today which was a pity at the palacio I decided to visit before leaving Comillas. I think with some sunlight the photos might do it justice. The history was a case of local boy makes good. Don Antonio Lopez Lopez left for Cuba as a boy, made his fortune in shipping and came home in 1880 to build his Summer residence and family church.
I could only visit the outside at 10am as, despite the signs, there were no inside tours until well after 11am. I did find some interesting sculptures in the garden before hitting the road.
Today the coastal option followed the highway mostly but the views were worth it. I crossed a couple of estuary bridges and then climbed over a hill where I had a quick coffee stop before dropping down to the beginning of the beach leading to San Vincente. Here I found a bench and made lunch from the morning’s supermarket shop, including my first find of cheese partly cured in olive oil. This process improves Spanish cheese considerably!
The Spanish girls catch me here and I take a group photo for them before getting shoes and socks off and setting off down the km of beach ahead. Walking at the water’s edge is good for my tender Achilles. The weather stays grey with a mist of spray off the sea.
Towards the port entrance there is some impressive surf and surfing. I have to head inland slightly to find and cross the long estuary bridge into San Vincente. Jill and I had a few days here years ago and I recognise the geography of the place but not the detail.
My hostel is central, just behind the seafront. There’s even a balcony but only a view of the street. Had a wander around, found a restaurant that is popular with the Spanish so looks a good option for tonight. I also bumped into the Spanish girls again and wished them well for their journeys home tonight.
Progress to date:
22 days in. 352km done plus some wiggles. 16km a day including rest days. About 500km to Santiago. Roughly 30 days, then another 100km for Finisterre -possibly another 7 days.