Friday, August 13, 2021

Santillana del Mar

Bike Route: Cos to Santillana del Mar, 20 miles, 1400 feet

The sun was shining when we woke up, and there was a fresh breeze. It was easy to pack up after a good night's sleep. On the bikes, we had distant views of the ocean several times when we reached the tops of climbs. The route was on small local roads through farmland and parkland.

We reached our hotel in Santillana del Mar at noon, checked our bags, and ate a picnic lunch on the patio in front of the hotel. We rode the bikes without packs (what a treat!) back along the same route to the Altamira Cave and Museum. The cave was discovered around 1868. In 1924, a house was built near the entrance to keep and display the objects found by archaeologists as well as to accommodate a guard. In 1970, a larger, modern exhibit space was built. The current museum and research facility opened in 2001. The cave has been designated a UNESCO site, recognizing the importance of its numerous paintings, including hands, bison, deer, and salmon. It is believed the cave and surrounding area were occupied by semi-nomadic people starting around 36,0000 years ago and lasting until the front of the cave collapsed about 13,000 years ago.

The cave is no longer open to the public, but the grounds and the new museum are. It is a great facility, with just the right amount of description in both Spanish and English, and informative exhibits. It is clean and light and spacious. Crowds are kept to low levels with timed entries, and everyone is required to wear a mask. We had a good visit.   

Back in Santillana, we wandered around the Old Town for a couple of hours. We finally figured out how to get pintxos (tapas)! We found a bar that was open and had small plates of food sitting out on the bar, just as described in Rick Steves' guidebook. We each bought a pintxo and a bottle of coke, and took them outside to eat. That was so much fun, we wandered down the street and bought more at another bar. Then we found a bakery with empanadas and sweet rolls. We bought a couple of each.

We looked through a few artisan shops--pottery, jewelry, screen-printed silk. There were lovely pieces, but nothing we could not live without.

This is our earliest evening of the trip so far. We are lying on our bed with the window open listening to old American songs playing at the tavern behind our room. It is not too loud; we think we will be able to sleep with ear plugs tonight. For now, we are enjoying a little music. And the view of farmland outside our window.

View from the parking lot in front of the Altamira Museum, looking down on Santillana del Mar.

I don't know what this sculpture near the cave means, but I like it.

As always on these trips, we have laundry drying in the window.

Santillana has a busy Old Town.

The buildings are a combination of stone and timber, simple in design, and typical of villages in the area. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern with stones on end. Sidewalks with large, flat stones edge the buildings and are easier to walk on.

Pintxos at last!