Monday, 21 May Santander

I got up just after 7 am, had my budget breakfast and planned the essentials. About 8:45 I asked Señora for my passport, as I would need it as security to change my travellers cheques. No problems, I got a good rate for my pounds, but the charge was 1000 pts. I returned to the hotel and paid the Señora.

At the Correos I approached the banking cashier and mentioned Western Union. He gave me a form, but it was a request for a transfer. I got him to change it for a receipt form and filled it in. After about 15 minutes he returned with the completed form and I got my money - 53,409 pts! What a relief it was! You really don’t appreciate how important that bit of plastic is until you loose it!

I immediately walked to the ferry terminal and booked my passage and cabin for the following day’s ferry. This cost 33,600 pts (May 2001). I returned to the hotel and counted my cash - about £195 including my English money. This should be enough to buy food on board and a train ticket from Plymouth to Reading. I then telephoned VISA International to confirm that I had received my money. I tried phoning Jenny reversing the charges, but the operator got the call minder.

I walked on the front to pass the time until lunch. I had lunch at a cafe-bar opposite the station. I chose from the menú de día. The fish was very good. The weather was fine and sunny and the afternoon was hot in the town. I took a siesta until 4 pm.

I went up into the modern part of the town, a long street with shops on each side and trees in the centre. It had a through traffic system in the middle and service roads either side. I found a Champion supermarket and looked at their brandies. They had Carlos III, but not the label I know. They also had a 5 year old Torres on offer. I decided to think about it first.

I visited the cathedral. It was very unusual, compared with others I have seen. The vaulting is very low and from the outside it looks more like a fortress! It looks old and there is a glassed in area in the floor, which shows older foundations.

Later I decided on the Torres and bought that at 1099 pts. I was still counting my cash carefully! I returned to the pensión and packed it in my right hand pannier and threw out some rubbish. I had a beer and wrote up my log then phoned Jenny. I gave her the good news and thanked her for setting it up. I said, “I had visions of finishing up in a Spanish jail, at one point!” I also described what had actually happened between Ribadeo and Santander.

I went back into the new town for dinner and had a Plato Combinado. I ordered a glass of red wine with it, as a small celebration.

Site created by Shane Badham