PigTailz

Trento, Italy

Trento was such an interesting place to visit! This was done in two days. If you are interested in seeing the route I meandered through Trento on day one, you can see it on Strava. It won’t tell you much besides I just kept walking. There was a storm brewing and I wanted to see as much as I could before the rain. I planned to explore the city first then tour Castello del Buonconsiglio indoors during the storm.

I didn’t know anything of the city or what I might want to visit, so I just kept walking. I found courtyards and gardens and beautiful buildings. In once space there was a clothing exchange and people had dressed the trees!

I found this really beautiful church so I wandered inside. I lit a candle and made a prayer. I’m not religious, but postive thoughts and adjustments to your locus of control are helpful to everyone.

I found this really strange park that was filled with all types of art. The trees were wearing clothes again. It started raining a bit while I was in the park.

The storm was growing, so I went to the Castello del Buonconsiglio.

Unfortunately… it was closed. I hid from the lightening under this garden terrace. Miraculously, I found an open door! I was thrilled. I waited out the storm in the dungeons. I had a pretty good laugh about that.

I was worried someone would come and lock the door or that I would get in trouble because it was supposed to be closed. I did not get arrested for wandering around the dungeons and it did not take long at all for the storm to pass.

There was a nice view of the castello on my way out.

I did some more wandering. This time I made my way to the historic district.

I made my way back to the hotel because I had some work to complete. And I called it a day. I went on adventures to Venice and Verona in the following days. And returned to Trento for the Torre Aquila on a day when Castello del Buonconsiglio was open to the public. I had much better luck this time.

Entering the castello the original roman architecture was visible and frescoes adorned the walls of the entry way.

This may sound harsh, but I think the most amazing part of the castle tour was the view from this terraza.

Photos were restricted through the Torre Aquila. So I will link you here if you are interested in seeing the Cycle of the Months. Absolutely amazing. A little piece of the likely straight washed LGBTQ art appears in the month of June. There is a man dressed as a woman on the arm of one of the clergy. Of course this is to keep the clergyman safe from sin… or something like that.

I was especially impressed with the art of Giovanni Battista Lampi from the late 1700s.

And the ornate ceilings as well.

Outside the castello is a little cafe. They have a sign in English with varying prices for the same cup of coffee depending on how you ask for it using the appropriate italian phrases. The coffee gets cheaper the more polite you are. I had a good laugh.

Next up was the Museo Diocesano Tridentino. I was allowed all the photos I wanted in here. But it is all religious art.

I thought these panels were beautiful. One reflects the story of Mary’s ancestry.

The last exhibit in the museum was depicting the damage to Trento that occurred during the second world war. Quite a lot had been rebuilt.

Outside the museum, I was back into the historic district. The pigeons and the street vendors are both more aggressive here than I am accustomed to. The waiter gave me a spray bottle for the pigeons but I was not brave enough to use it on the woman demanding I give her 5 euros.

In conclusion, here are some gratuitous selfies of me wandering in Trento.

Illa de Arousa, Galicia, Spain

This was a paddle boarding trip where the afternoon was me vs. the rolling fog. Not a lot of photos from the water. This was one of the first kayak rentals I have seen in Spain, and it is the perfect spot for it. The water is calm with a mix of depths, boulders, and other interesting features.

The shore was a mix of granite and sand. Huge boulders separate smaller beaches of white sand. Some of those little beaches were better accessed by water than by land. I was able to find quite a lot of beach glass.

It is important note that they farm mejillones near of here. So it is an absolute must to stop for the best mejillones for you life at any of the beach side restaurants. Many of them will still be chewing their own dinner and you will have to remove their salad before eating.

El Eucaliptón, Asturias, Spain

This impressive eucalyptus tree has certainly earned its name. El Eucaliptón is believed to be the largest eucalyptus in all of Asturias. It was pretty neat to realize I share a journey with the people who owned the land where the tree was planted!

In 1870, Ocatavio Cancio y Cuervo planted El Eucaliptón on his family´s farm. His grandfather was Gonzalo Méndez de Cancio y Donlebún. In 1596 he was appointed governor and captain general of Florida. He was living in the capitol of the colony, San Agustín (now Saint Augustine). He brought and planted the first corn seeds from Florida to Spain.

I was born in Daytona Beach, but grew up in DeLeon Springs. Rumored to be the body of water that Juan Ponce de León believed to have been the fountain of youth on his travels up the St. John´s river in 1513.

I thought this was a bit crazy, so I made this little map.

The tree is so big!

I actually took a picture with me for reference.

Padron, Galicia, Spain

Padron is a fun place to go. On sundays, the entire city turns into a flea market called the Feria de Padron. It is like the rastro in Madrid. But smaller and more rural. Some weekends there are antique dealers. You can buy fruits, clothes, shoes, housewares, tools, plants, cheese, vegetables… There is a restaurant for pulpos y churrasco.

The cathedral here overlooks the city and the feria.

roses, tapas, and beer. — This sums up my shopping trip! I carried this rosebush everywhere.

San Andres de Teixido, Galicia, Spain

After visiting the Pozo do Inferno, I ended the day in Teixido. Apparently there is a saying that if you do not visit this place in life, you will visit in death. It was so beautiful I hope to do both.

There is a big parking, and you can walk into the town or go to the restaurant. If you walk into the downtown, there are two women selling traditional galician cookies. The second woman tells you everyone stops at the first only. The first woman says her cookies are best. I recommend buying a few from both women for good luck.

Once you make it past the cookies, you enter a strange looking town. The buildings are white and stone. There are shops

The entire town is on a tall cliff overlooking the sea, but this stone church is the centerpiece.

Inside the church is a strange alter where the people of the town place what they have. Small gifts, odds and ends, and little toys.

Just past the market and vendors are a few homes. I’m not sure how much is the rent here, but this guy isn’t having any issues getting his own place. He was so cute, but he tried eating my jacket and left a little hole.