Mi Santander

Wednesday night, okay, Thursday morning, I left the house about 1 a.m. to stay the night at Barajas airport. I found a place next to the security and Ryan Air check in to crash, using my duffel bag as a pillow. I slept about twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off. When I saw Ryan Air was open to check in, I got my cutre ticket stamped, went through security, and slept some more on a bench until I could board the stupid plane. I slept all the way until Santander, just seeing a little of los Picos de Europa. The plane went in to land...and suddenly took off again. The captain came on to inform us that the airport was closed until 7.32, and it was 7.30. ONLY IN SPAIN, I TELL YOU.

So I deboarded the plane, caught the bus to the centro and found an expensive tostada and café con leche. The first hostal was really nice...own room, own bathroom...I took advantage of it after I finally could check in at 12.30.

I walked around, saw the touristy stuff like a cathedral that was actually DIFFERENT. 99 percent of cathedrals in Spain are indistinguishable, but this one was free and had a unique look and ruins and stuff. The bay was quite beautiful. But the conservative feel of the city hung over everyone and everything. It was quite hard to take.

I ate a plato combinado and walked to the beach, which was really nice, and then up to the Palacio de Magdalena...amazing views similar to New England. I went back and started to get bored. I walked around town a ton...saw the famous Raquero statutes...and enjoyed not being many tourists. I tried finding a place for pinchos, but I found nothing, so I ate a crappy fast food dinner. I then took advantage of the hostal t.v....but found FREAKING SUSAN MAYER IN SPANISH. Ewwwwww!

Friday I got up, had a café con leche...checked out of the hostal and then caught the bus to Santillana del Mar, a medieval pueblo. Of course, drinking the water I was, I really had to pee...and luckily there was a cafeteria with good café con leche next to the bus stop! Really intresting café...I walked around, had an amazing plato combinado...and that was about it. I feel it was overrated. Having lived in Toledo (Spain, not Ohio...though my pueblo *is* close to that Toledo...it's not Toledo, it's To-leeeeeeee-do, stupid Americans saying things wrong) sorta spoils me for these things. Then I went to Comillas, which is a beautiful beach pueblo. The sun came out, I got more sunburnt...and missed the bus back to Santander as the bus stop was in the wrong place. It gave me time to see the actual village, have an ice cream, etc. I got back to Santander about 7, went to check into my new hostal on the beach, walked along the beach for a while, tried to find pinchos again but couldn't find a place AGAIN. I'd find the restaurant part of town Saturday, of course.

Saturday I thought about going to Bilbao, or a pueblo in Asturias, or los Picos...but I just didn't feel like doing anything. So I went walking along the playa, found a free zoo next to the Palacio de Magdalena and watched penguins and sea lions play for a while. I chilled on the beach despite the cool (20C) air and cloudy sky. I decided not to go out due to the conservatism of the city...and the fact I do live in Madrid and can go out in a liberal place any time I deign. I went for pinchos at an Argentine place...yummy...although burritos and tortilla española are quite Argentine ;) I managed to spill the La Rioja glass and cut my hand. Go me? I then spent some time gazing at the water and thinking...feeling confident that Valencia is the future and stuff. I had an early flight again, so I just slept some and got cheated by a taxi driver...and security wasn't even open at the airport!

Santander is quite beautiful, but it's no San Sebastián. I really am more of a Northern Spain type of boy than Andalucía type of boy, although Granada and Málaga provincia are also amazing I do have to say.