Stage 15: Camino Norte - Santillana del Mar to Llanes

I write this in Llanes, on the top floor, a huge window looking out on the sea. I get to sleep with the ocean sounds and night sky.

Woke at 7am and lingered with coffee and toast at the albergue. More conversation with my Hungarian roommate, I should have asked to take his portrait, I would like to remember him.

A beautiful ride, perfect really. The hills outside Semillana d’Mer, the great bar everyone stops at for a coffee (Restaurante las Sopeñas) then a climb to the first cliff on the sea. And dropping into Comillas, put air in the rear tire there at s cycle shop.

I like St Vincente, though the cathedral is corrupt. But I didn’t stop, eager for the ride, today thinking hard about Cantabria and my loss of gumption yesterday, and a lot about what has formed as the question of my Camino this time.

And I routed myself north out of St Vincente, the Camino way to Unquera has been some of my worst walking experiences trudging roads with cars and hard people, and this other way was fantastic, the opposite, and anyone walking the Norte should take this route.

I loved Unquera. There is a family from Mexico City who opened an excelente restaurant and bar right on the strip (do not miss this, just look for the Tacos sign) and it is the best food on the Camino. I had the mole tacos and they were art, and super healthy too, perfect hiking/biking food. They have opened another in Santander, and plan a third in Madrid. I begged him to get one in Cadiz or Vejer. Spain should be handing out passports to any Mexicans that will come here if they will make food. Spicy and complex.

A coffee stop over the bridge in the plaza in Colombres and off to the coast and cliffs of Asturias. I stopped at Penduelas (at Aves de Paso) for a smoothie and the good company… then the run into the cliffs and on to Llanes.

I love Llanes. Beautiful, super people.

65km, hilly ride, battery has 37% left in it.

Oh, I dropped the bike. I was navigating the stone walled little labyrinth of Penduelas when someone yelled and waved, pointing ‘no, go that way’ and I was on a steep cobblestone turn and automatically waved back and boom, wheel caught a stone and the bike went down. Zero damage but embarrassment.

A night in Llanes will be perfect. The air is cool. Asturias stew sounds about right.

I will arrive in León at midnight on July 3. And then I train Vallidolid -> Madrid -> Plasencia -> Caceras -> etc to Sevilla.

Lost: left my bath kit behind.

Note. The eBike works really well for this kind of travel.