Comillas, on the Cantabrian coast, was for centuries a small fishing port of no great importance — whaling was the main industry — until in the mid nineteenth century, Antonio López y López, born into an upper class family fallen on hard times, decided to reverse the family fortunes and become a millionaire. Like so many before him, he set off to the Americas — in his case to Cuba — and returned a very rich man, while still relatively young. He made important friends, among them the king of Spain, Alfonso XII, who bestowed on him the title of Marquis of Comillas, and he built a palace on the hill in his home town. Because of his many shady dealings, he wanted his trusted lawyer near to hand, so on a vacant plot near to his palace, he installed Máximo Díaz de Quijano; and the young Antoni Gaudí — whom the Marquis had met through his Catalan connections (he was married to a Catalan) was commissioned to design the house. Máximo’s passions were nature and music, and these twin themes formed the basis for Gaudí’s architectural plan. As such, the house contains fastidious detail with regard to these two interests, including musical weights attached to the sash windows and representations of flora and fauna throughout the building — from sunflower tiles to butterflies and birds on the stained glass. Unfortunately the house was never completed. Máximo died a week after moving in, from cirrhosis — contracted, no doubt, by a love of rum acquired over long tropical nights in Cuba.
We visited the house, known as El Capricho de Gaudí — or Gaudí’s Folly — on a sunny afternoon, and were shown around by our excellent guide, Andrea, whose explanations of the social and political background, as well as the exquisite detail of Gaudí’s design, were filled with insight and humour.
The next morning we set off into Asturias, along a winding mountain road. In search of a picnic spot midway, we happened upon a medieval bridge called Puente La Vidre, which spans the diaphanous waters of the Río Cares. There was no one around and I took an icy swim. Next stop: the Picos de Europa and Covadonga.
