After a peaceful night’s rest at Father Ernesto’s, Mikey enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of coffee, local fruit from the estate, and fresh-baked bread with homemade jams (also from fruit grown on the property.) We reluctantly bid adiós to the British couple and headed off for an easy day of coastal hiking.
Yep, this was the pathway leaving the albergue. It was simply an amazing way to start the day!
Following a bit of highway walking – wherein we hiked on the shoulder of a highway for 5km, we entered the village of Galizano wherein the beautiful “Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” remains. It was a pretty church, but Mikey was ready for some coastal views. Suddenly, the path turned and he saw:
Hello, Atlantic Ocean! (OK, can you even imagine living in that house?!)
If nothing else, the coastal route was dramatic with its cliffs dropping right into the sea. (Oh, and can you spot the selfie shadow of Mikey snapping this photo?)
Honestly, Mikey took so many pictures, but below are just a few examples of how majestic it really was.
Well, we finally reached the town of Somo from which we would take a ferry to the city of Santander. Yeah, you guessed it – having walked 4km along the beach, Mikey finally stopped to have a quick bite at a beachfront cafe.
That’s a Spanish Tortilla, but it has a shrimp & baby eel salad stuffed inside – delicious!!! If your stomach is a bit turned by this, try walking 17km and this being your first real meal 😉 Just so you know, Mikey does seek out some interesting (aka weird) dishes, but it’s not his fault – the Spanish are serving them!
Oh, and here’s a cool find: they have a minor Walk of Stars in Somo. This guy is a well-known Spanish author.
After reaching the end of town, we were met with a curious, albeit natural, decision in regards to how we should proceed. Option 1: take the 20 minute ferry to Santander. Option 2: walk the 7+ hour land route to Santander.
So, what’s a pilgrim gonna do?
Well, Mikey is a strong believer in the “Third Way” philosophy. In this situation, the third way was a glass of wine and this amazing dish of mussels that he enjoyed across the street from the ferry dock.
You see, it was just after 11am when Mikey arrived in Somo. Alas, his hotel in Santander didn’t start checkin until 2pm. So, he found this great little cafe with a view of the ocean and ferry dock. Why not just relax for a couple of hours?
After which, we boarded the ferry…
Sorry, that was a joke. It was actually this little 70ft tourist boat that had a small upper area for viewing. Gotcha!
Well, the views were great and Mikey coasted into Santander just fine. Tomorrow is yet another rest day, so we’ll do some sights around the city and such. Until then, for anyone who knows of the Santander Bank (or Banco Santander) – here’s where it all began:
More about Santander to come. Until then, g’nite, y’all!
Mikey on The Way 