Day 11: Santander

Day 11: Santander 

DateJuly 25 ( Thursday )
WeatherHigh '70s, high humidity, cloudy skies
Today's Distance:

Total This Camino: 76 miles.
Total 2024 Caminos: 179 miles
Total All Caminos: 2179 miles
Lodging: Mi Campus Santander@ $ 48
Total Lodging: $ 507
Planes: $ 1500 (round trip)
Total Planes /
Travel Insurance: 		$ 2100 / $ 246
Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 10 Santander bus
$ 59 Rebadeo to Bilbao Alsa
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 180
Food: $ 20
Total Food: $ 262

Visiting Santander

In an unintentional twist of fate, we are in Santander on the feast day of St. James, who is the reason pilgrims walk to Santiago. So this has the potential to be a memorable day what why a festival and party and activities and things to do.

9:00 a.m. Headed out for a coffee. While I'm in the coffee shop, using the Rome2Rio app to figure out directions to some sights to see today like the cathedral of Santander and the public market, which apparently offers all kinds of local delicacies.

11:30 a.m. Asked some people for help at the bus stop successfully. Caught the number 1 bus to Plaza Ascunción, and the Cathedral of Santander. 
Got my Pilgrim pass stamped.
Sitting in a cafeteria, waiting for Deb and Mary to join me.

1:00 p.m. In Plaza Alfonso the 13th. Lots of food kiosks, and people milling about.

3:10 p.m. Back at Mi Campus. Time to start thinking about tomorrow's hike.

5:00 p.m. Chores and napping.

7:00 p.m. Feast of St. James Day festival. Music and ice cream and a rowing competition on the bay and lots of people watching. 

9:30 p.m. Back at  Mi Campus after successfully navigating the Santander bus system one more time. Calling it quits.

Random Thought of the Day

Successfully navigated three different bus lines today in Santander: the one line, the two line and the seven line. Feeling proud of myself by being able to ask directions of the local folks.

Meaningful Moment / Notable Memories

Received the following email from the American pilgrims on the Camino society today in celebration of St. James's birthday. 

*****

Dear Lawrence,

More than 1,200 years ago, according to popular legend, the hermit Pelayo reported seeing bright lights every night in the forest where he lived in modern-day Galicia. The site of this miracle was certified by the nearby bishop as the resting place of St. James and two of his disciples.

StJames.png

The journey of King Alfonso II from Oviedo to pay homage to the Apostle marked the first steps of a pilgrimage spanning centuries and calling to millions. Even as I write, record numbers of pilgrims are traversing Spain and the surrounding countries to hug St. James and kneel before his crypt.

We might not see mysterious lights in the sky anymore, aside from the Milky Way, but many of us find other forms of illumination on the Camino, as we approach Santiago de Compostela from disparate points on the compass. We learn about ourselves and our fellow pilgrims, and we engage with questions of personal perseverance, spiritual development, and faith.

In a world that seems to be spinning apart, it is refreshing to see pilgrims joining together from around the globe, walking in the same direction over common ground.

Today, Santiago de Compostela will be alive with celebrations, fireworks, and large-scale video projections telling the story of Camino and cathedral, of sacred steps and the sacrifice of a saint. Whether we are on the Plaza del Obradoiro or at home mapping out our next Camino, this is a wonderful time to pause and reflect on the great gift that is the Camino de Santiago.

If you are planning a pilgrimage, we invite you to allow us to be part of your journey. You will find a wealth of resources on our website and many insights from fellow pilgrims in the digital “pages” of La Concha and our popular Facebook group. We also want to thank the many volunteers, members, and supporters who serve the pilgrim community day in and day out and make it possible for us to provide credentials, hospitalero training, and significant financial support to non-profit organizations along the Camino and to gather pilgrims together through our local chapters and annual gatherings.

On behalf of the board at American Pilgrims on the Camino, I want to wish you a very happy St. James’ Day.

¡Buen Camino!

Joe Curro, Chair


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