Santander (Spain) | New Friends and Old Friends - Day 97

Another fantastic sunrise on the Camino, this one is in Güemes.  

Day 12 takes me from Güemes to the port town of Santander. The stage is 20 km (12.5 mi) and heads immediately for the coast. There is an inland variant 3 km shorter, but I am here to walk to the coast and opt for the longer route this morning. The maximum elevation of 95 m (311 ft) is reached shortly after leaving Güemes.

Many Peregrinos are outside the Albergue this morning, photographing the sunrise. Lap (yellow shirt) takes advantage of it and takes a picture of Eeyore with the sunrise as a backdrop. I am waiting for Eliza. At breakfast, she informed me that Luca got frustrated and mad at his group. So he left on his own this morning. I invited her to join Celine and me for the walk to Santander.

Eliza arrives with Gonzalo and decides to leave and not wait for Céline. Once Céline arrives, I inform her of Eliza's decision and head out. I begin to climb immediately, and I am separating myself from the other Peregerinos when I hear footsteps behind me. I look right, and it's a woman I have not met yet, so I introduce myself, and we begin walking together.

Isabelle is from Antwerp, Belgium, has two daughters, and is walking the Camino alone. Our pace is good. It has been a few days since I have had long conversations with anyone in English. Most Peregrinos speak English well enough to get by, but having a long discussion with them is challenging. Isabelle is different, and I enjoy our talk this morning. The Spanish countryside is lovely and different from the Basque part of Spain (below).

After some time, Isabelle turns to me and says, "It is very easy to talk to you. It feels really nice." Thank you. I agree. You are easy to talk to as well, and nothing feels forced. Isabelle lives simply in Antwerp. She doesn't own a car, and she rides her bike everywhere. I recall how much I loved my black Toyota Tundra truck when I was in Colorado, United States. I sold the truck before leaving on this adventure. After 3+ months in Europe, I am amazed at how large it was. Strangely, I don't miss it at all. I also notice that there is part of me that doesn't want to own a car or truck in the future. In Galizano, Isabelle and I turn right at this restaurant and head for the coast. 

The coastline is fantastic this morning.

The kilometers are falling away quickly this morning with Isabelle. The coastal trail passes several corn fields, which I find odd but enjoy. The refreshing breeze feels terrific. Below are Isabelle and Katie (UK) behind her.

"After arriving in Bilboa, I walked for 3 days with only my socks because my feet hurt so bad," she says. Holy crap! I have mad respect for you. I would never know Isabelle had trouble with her feet. Yet, at 48 years old, she walks like a 20-year-old this morning.

The trail passes a large field of pampas grass. I enjoy watching the feathers sway in the morning breeze. Katie, Henry, and another Peregrino are just ahead of Isabell and me.

The walk is a refreshing change today. Gone is the pavement, and I am enjoying the single dirt track. The trail finally drops to the beach. I tell Isabelle I'm taking my boots and socks off to walk barefoot on the beach. She looks at the rocks, I think it's too early, and I will meet you on the other side. Of course, I already have my boots off, so I am pot-committed. A few minutes later, I am climbing through the rocks barefoot.

When I reach the other side, Céline, who I haven't seen all morning, and Isabelle take their shoes off. Let's go for a swim! As I am shedding my pack and shirt, Ivo and Lap arrive. With a little convincing, they join us in the water. Then I start to laugh. Every group of Peregrinos that arrives after us drops their packs and does the same. We hit critical mass! The magic number is 5 people. In situations with fewer than 5 participants, people will stop and think (e.g., Ivo and Lap). But once there are more than 5 participants, people want to join the crowd. This is what we experienced today!

After the swim, I introduce Isabelle to my friends, and we all walk the beach barefoot to the ferry. I enjoy connecting good peeps with other good peeps that I enjoy spending time with. 

The ferry to Santander runs every 30 minutes. A small group of Peregrinos, including myself, await its arrival.

We pass a kite surfer on the way to Santander. After the Camino, I will learn how to do this. Not sure in which country, but it looks like a fabulous time.

Santander is a large city with a stunning bay surrounded by mountains. We finally make shore in Santander around noon and decide to grab lunch together (Ivo, Lap, Isabelle, Céline, and me). We each order a dish and then share it family style. Everyone is having a great time. We plan reunite for dinner later tonight. Most of us staying at the Albergue, except Isabelle. Her oldest daughter booked her a room in a hotel.

I spend the afternoon looking for new sandals. The ones I got for 0.90 pounds in Belfast work well as shower shoes. However, they are incredibly uncomfortable walking in for long distances. I wander to and fro and can't locate a suitable alternative in my size. So I head back to get ready for dinner.

It feels great to have a little group of friends on the Camino. Isabelle plans to take the train tomorrow, saving her 17 km (10.5 mi). She wants to skip the boring parts. The rest of us will attempt the 37 km (23 mi) day to Santillana del Mar, so we all head to the Albergue before it closes at 10 pm.