And still they gazed and still their wonder grew.
The moon was setting as I left the albergue. I walked up the hill, past the church, and out onto a little rural road. Then the sun rose, and lit up the path ahead of me.
I had to walk 11 kilometres for breakfast this morning. At 9:15, I arrived at a little restaurant attached to a "camping", but it opened at 9:30. Then I arrived in the next village at 9:30, at a bar that opened at 10:00. Finally, I arrived in Comillas, and found a bar in the plaza.
Comilla has everything: a beautiful beach, a historic centre, a grand plaza, and of course, the Capriccio de Gaudi. One of Gaudi's patrons was very partial to this seaside town and commissioned a magnificent house which is now a museum. This is one of the few Gaudi "towns" outside Catalonia.
You cannot remain indifferent to a Gaudi building, but burst out laughing in amazement at his wild imagination. As the guidebook puts it, this particular summerhouse for the Marquis de Comillas is "a stunning combination of iron, brick and pottery, displaying both Spanish and Arabic influences".
Apparently, Gaudi failed his architecture exam twice. He succeeded on the third try, with the comment that he was either a madman or a genius.
Everywhere inside the house, his imagination is evident, as in the bird playing the piano in this stained glass window.
I could have lingered much longer in this beautiful place, but after a quick lunch in the plaza, I set out along a footpath beside the highway and walked a further eleven kilometres into San Vincente de la Barquera. This is another seaside town situated around an estuary, with a pleasant promenade around its harbour. I am staying at a roomy albergue near the church.
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