Guemes, and Santander

Two days of walking, and I am now in Santander, after walking to Guemes yesterday. Both days were about 15km, so decent days without being overwhelming. Saying that, I am still going to go through my backpack very carefully, as I am sure it's too heavy. The Spaniards seem able to travel with ridiculously light and small backpacks, so I must be able to shed some stuff. 

The weather has picked up beautifully, bright and sunny, and as I've been on the coast the wind has kept it comfortable for walking. 

The Spanish love their graffiti, so below one of the well-graffiti'd underpasses I walked through, with the all-important yellow arrow. It's amazing when I think about it, a network of yellow arrows guiding peregrinos on their paths, from around Spain and France, to Santiago de Compostela. In most places, the yellow arrows guide you completely, I've only had to refer to my guidebook in earnest a few times, or ask a friendly local for directions. 

This graffiti block was just after the underpass, it made me smile :-)

 The dog at the albergue in Guemes, one of the biggest dogs I have ever met, but very willing to have his ears and neck scratched. I got the big tummy scratch going ! I'll put more into another entry about the albergue at Guemes, as it's quite unlike anywhere else I've stayed, I'm still thinking about the philosophy they embrace ( secular although a non-denominational Christian background)

The lovely Italian couple with whom I walked this morning. She spoke no English, and he some English but not much but fair Spanish, so I had the opportunity to practise my Spanish again. This was typical walking today, coastal paths and an amazing rugged coast it was. 

So far, I've only been walking solo for two days, and this Camino is in no way as populated or social as the Camino Frances, but there has been someone around most if the time, in sight if not actually walking together. Yesterday was a Russian guy with whom I chatted a couple of times on the path, then we ended up having lunch together as the first arrivals at the albergue. 

The ferry leaving Somo to take us to Santander, a 20 minute ferry ride and a lovely break to take off the backpack

The beautiful, peaceful cloisters at Santander Cathedral

The harbour in the evening sun