Camino del Norte Day 13: Comillas to Colombres

Indianos. When I first heard the name used to refer to those Spaniards who emigrated to the Americas in search of fortune during the 1800’s I found it somewhat odd and even offensive. And then it clicked. Back when Christopher Columbus first “discovered” America he was in search of the Indies. Hence the moniker. And then it clicked even further.

The Indiano story

The village where the Camino del Norte took me to today may as well be a small village in Zacatecas, Mexico. What do I mean by that? Kind of like Comillas yesterday, Colombres back in the day was a tiny village that relied on agriculture to survive. During the late 1800’s a large percentage of its male population emigrated to the Americas in search of jobs and fortune. Most ended up in Cuba and Mexico. Not all were successful but many were. Beyond their wildest imagination. These are the Indianos. The wealthy ones who returned and then invested in their hometowns, transforming them from poor villages into modern ones. They invested in services, and building not just homes but distinctive mansions that still stand today. 

That story of mass emigration from Spain’s Northern Coastline to the Americas is told at one such home which has been turned into a museum. Unfortunately today is a Monday and so it is closed. But I did visit the grounds and to do a walking tour of the other Indiano homes here. All of which have their owners’ stories engraved outside. As it turns out, the richest of them all (who used to own what is now the museum) was BFF’s with Mexico’s former dictator Porfirio Diaz in the early 1900’s. He even offered his home as a refuge after Diaz had to leave Mexico in exile. 

I know I’ve become very history heavy in these diaries over the last couple of days. But not only do I find these places fascinating, the walking part has become a bit of a blur these past few days

Today was an exception. It was a long day, but a very beautiful one. It was framed both by the sea and the Picos de Europa, which came into full view today. Mercifully, I was able—at least for a short while— to get off the pavement that has been killing my feet the last couple of days. Ironically, my forays off the dreaded road were off the “official” Camino del Norte path.

The Camino del Norte: Going off the beaten path

It started last night when I learned that my hotel does not serve breakfast. This is a problem because the hotel is on the way out of town. There is literally nowhere else to go except back in. The woman at the reception told me not to worry. She specifically told me where I could find breakfast. The place, she said, was about two miles away, right on arrival at a beach area. I’m not going to lie. I was a bit nervous. What if the place wasn’t open? I certainly couldn’t walk 17 miles on an empty stomach.

Anyway, my nerves were unfounded and I made it to the beachfront cafe at 8:30am. After a quick breakfast I was getting ready to leave when the owner stared chit-chatting. She very specifically indicated that when I got to the second beach I should get OFF the road and walk along the beach itself. Not only is it much more beautiful, she said. It’s more direct, safe and flat, with none of the road’s continuous up and downs. I don’t need to be told to get on the beach twice so off I went. 

A few miles later a second choice arose. Unlike the Camino Frances, where I never used any of the Camino apps, I’ve been relying on them heavily for the Camino del Norte. Between all the alternative paths and the erratic signposting they’re definitely necessary here. 

Shorter, and prettier! Finding a better Way

Last night I was going over the route on Gronze. It is a Spanish-language website which is the holy grail of the Camino. I came across a notation indicating a very specific point where a shortcut would be offered. It would cut a mile from the total distance. This tip was not offered in Wise Pilgrim, the English-language app commonly used by non-Spanish speaking pilgrims. 

Today, as I came across the exact place where this shortcut was indicated, I realized from the sign that it was not just a mile shorter. it would also take me along a beautiful rural pathway that was very much off the road. Sign me up

Incredibly while I was on these two alternate paths, I only saw two pilgrims on the beach and none at all on the rural path. Everyone complains about the pavement heavy nature of the Camino del Norte. And yet, when given a choice, most always just blindly follow the yellow arrows. The Camino teaches you to not be judgmental. Everyone has their own Way. But I do feel there is a lesson about life in there that maybe some are missing. 

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Today’s Stats

Distance: 16.4 miles (26.4K)

Elevation Gain: 1,647 (502m)

Duration: 6:19 hrs

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Food and Accommodation

Alojamientos Valbanera: This is neither a hotel, nor a pension, nor an apartment. With no front desk or staff on site, arriving guests check in virtually. The front door opens with a code. Rooms are modern and comfortable. Besides an albergue at the entrance of town I believe this is the only other option to stay in. Most pilgrims stay in the town before this one right before the bridge crossing. That was not my choice because of the history detailed above.

Restaurante Capri: Mondays in Spain mean a lot of things are closed. Capri was one of the few restaurants that were open. It was close to my room and honestly it was good, a lot better than expected. I had a burger and got in right before the infamous 3:30pm kitchen closing hour. It also has a nice terrace.