Cabo Vilán is one of the most (or many) beautiful paths along the Ruta dos Faros on the coast of Galicia. The small segment of the path I took on this trip is a genuinely easy trail. It is mostly flat until you make the climb to the lighthouse itself.
I made this trip the first day of March, so the air is still cool. It was very windy, especially along the cliffs. And… Galicia being true to herself, absolutely covered in toxos. I highly recommend a windproof jacket, good boots, and thick pants for this trip.
Walking here, you will see quickly how the Costa da Morte got its name. The way to the faro is just one stunning beach after another. The beaches are rocky and covered in debris from the fishing boats. The high winds and strong tides do not make for safe swimming.
It is more of a place to sit and listen to the sounds of the crashing waves. A place to meditate, make art, or maybe search among the rocks for treasures and driftwood. The force of the waves breaking against the boulders is just incredible.
The faro de Cabo Vilan has a special history. It is the oldest electric light house in Spain. And it was also kept by Cristina Fernández. She was the second farera (female light house keeper) and also the last woman to work as a farera in Spain.
Once you make the climb to the lighthouse, it is even windier! This is my second trip here, and both times I was nervous to make the end of the path because of the wind.
If it is not too busy, and you are lucky enough to have the lighthouse to yourself, there is a nice place to sit and take lunch that overlooks the next beach. A small ledge blocks the wind and it is mostly enclosed by boulders.
I continued the path down the coast a little ways until it circled back through the forest.
And the view from the forest.
The path circled back down to the main road, and I decided to go all the way down for the path nearest the sea to try to catch the sunset.
There was significant cloud cover, so the sunset came above the horizon line, but beautiful all the same.
All in all it was a little over 10km from the parking to the sea, to the lighthouse, to the mountaintop, to the sea, and back to the parking.
It is impossible to run out of beautiful things to see in Galicia. I have been to so many places around the world, and I have never seen any so incredible in all of my life. It is not one part of one city, it is not one place. It is Galicia. Here she is lush, and dense, and green. So. Green. There is a surreal sensation being in this place that you cannot know until you have lived it. A sense of timelessness. Hundreds and hundreds of years of people loving this same place.
For over 1200 years, Pilgrims have been making the Camino to Santiago de Compostela. In summer, the Praza de Obradoiro is filled with the awed faces of travelers seeing the cathedral for the first time.
This is a land where the fairy tales are real, where the magic never left, and where las meigas still walk barefoot in the streams and waterfalls. This is the place you imagined as a child. The moon smiles down on your nights like the Chesire Cat in Wonderland. Mornings you awake with clouds as your pillow, the fog settled around sleepy mountain pueblos keeping them safe and unseen through the darkest hours of the night. The oldest, tallest trees in the forest are covered in soft mosses. They guard the clouds until mid morning. and let them go slowly in rivulets of steam. A morning prayer to the sun like little dancing forest spirits. By afternoon, the mica sparkles like diamonds in the stones and the sand. Leaving the beach at the end of a long afternoon your body shimmers like fairy fire in the late afternoon sun. Springheads in the mountains become waterfalls as rivers flow to the ocean.
Living here comes at a price.
Build what you wish, but Galicia retakes what is hers and makes it green again in time. Galicia does not belong to men. She cannot.
It rains for months. From October to March, there is rain. This is how she stays so green, so mossy, so strong. Those magical mountaintop springs must come from somewhere. Sunny days are so rare that they are always accompanied by the sound of laundry rustling in the breeze. Yes really, it rains so much we have synchronized laundry days, meigas, mothers, and Pilgrims alike. Maybe where you live you have wet and dry, but here we have wet, dry, and “it has been wet so long it won’t dry.”
To stake your claim in any place that belongs to her, you must fight. The ground is covered in thorned, creeping, tentacles reaching further and further each day. The plants here sting and bite. Toxos grow anywhere the ortigas do not and the moras grow in between. The meaning of the galician name for rascacú is where it scratches you while walking in the forest. There are plants with burning fibers, plants that look like the ones that burn, scratching plants, plants with big needles, plants with little needles, plants with thorns, plants with big thorns, plants with small thorns, and plants with big hidden thorns. I have probably missed a few. Today I asked my friend the name of a plant in a garden that we passed. He told me if it doesn’t have thorns he does not know.
On the left there is a plant that is covered in spines, I dont know what it is called. Above and below are spiders trying to escape the rain on toxo thorns.
Yes, this is actually a thorny toxo bush with its branches stretching into stinging nettles and blackberry brambles. Galicia is not messing around. Wear shoes.
Parks even have to close during storms because no one wants to experience falling castañas. These will pop your bike tires, and do not cease to be sharp after 6 months on the ground in the rain. But they are the life blood of Galicia. There are festivals in every city here to celebrate the harvest. Magosto is a deepy rooted Galician celebration of the chestnut harvest, with some saying it is rooted in Roman or Celtric traditions such as Samhain. Castañas have been a staple here since before anyone thought to write it down. They are hardy trees, the nuts are packed with nutrients, and their harvest comes after the heavy rains. It is easy to imagine how cherished this annually occuring natural windfall would be, especially in years where drought or rain might impact other crops. The festival coincides with All Saints Day making it a celebration of harvest, death, honoring ancesters, and celebrating the coming winter months all at once.
Spiky death needle nuts on a tree.
Naked death needle nuts roasting over the fire.
And this week marked the beginning of my adventures for the year! There was sun. Beautiful, glorious, soul replenishing sun. The flowers are emerging. Galicia is green and yellow and beautiful.
I have been absent from writing about my adventures for a while. I took up a contract that would allow me to save enough money to spend the next two or three years traveling, writing, and working on a secret project I am very excited about. It was too many hours each week in front of a computer, but I went on many adventures to share with you. I just need to post them. I plan to back fill those adventures from here as well as add new ones this season.
Praia Pedra do Sal is a beautiful beach in Carballo near Coruña on the northern coast of Galicia. This is a great spot for an afternoon with the family. There is ample parking, showers, and even public transport. On one side, there is a long, flat, open, white sand beach. There were a lot of people there enjoying with young children, building castles, and playing in the sand. On the other side, there are rocks and crevices forming little pools to explore the wildlife living within.
Overall, a great spot for a relaxed afternoon dozing in the sand.
Mafra was not an intentional stop, more of a whim. We saw the sign for the UNESCO World Heritage Site from the highway and decided to have a walk around. We found a parking spot not far from the highway ramp and walked toward the palace. There were some interesting mosaics and street art on the way.
The palace was, unfortunately, just closing when we arrived. One day I will have to make it back there.
The palace gardens were open so we took a walk around.
It just so happened that we stopped for the Festival do Pao. The park was absolutely packed with people! On the main stage, young girls danced with bread. People walked around in costumes. There was a giant bicycle somewhere, food trucks, an artesinal fair, and music. It was really good energy.
There were vendors selling some kind of bread roll with meats baked in. I have absolutely no idea what they are called, but they were freshly baked in a wood fire oven, so I had to give it a try.
Opposite the food trucks, there was an artisanal fair. As I walked around the booths looking at art I was stopped dead in my tracks, literally, by the smell of strawberries. This is not like strawberries in the grocery store. If you have never picked strawberries on the farm in the heat of summer you do not know this smell. This is the smell of summer roadstand fruits, ripe, ready, warm in the July heat. And wafting through this park. I had to hunt for a while before I found the booth. But there it was. We bought a whole kilo of the strawberries and ate them as we walked around.
I bought two candles from a booth with some crazy designs I had never seen before. You can find them at @velasencantadas on Instagram. The candles are 3D printed in wax.
We managed to finish the whole kilo of strawberries before leaving the park. Really, they were that good. So we went back and bought another kilo. There were about 6 left in the morning. These strawberries were actually so good I got a tattoo. Not even joking. I went and got a strawberry tattoo. If you are near Lisboa in summer, you absolutely have to find Frescos da Vila
Edit: I would like to say, that I was not aware of how incredibly problematic is J.K. Rowling as a human being at the time of planning this trip. I have come to learn about her political beliefs and I would not repeat this trip or support her knowing what I know now. I thought about not sharing the post in order to not promote her, or encourage others to visit. But I the employees and staff that helped us that day were kind and knowledgeable. The hundreds of artists that contributed to this studio and the films themselves are highly talented individuals and not representative of the author. So please take this post as a sharing of the incredible work of so many artists and staff members. And please dont buy anything that supports her in the future.
I promised my daughter a trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London for her birthday. Unfortunately, I purchased my plane tickets before purchasing tickets to the Studio Tour. When I went to the website to purchase the studio tickets, they were sold out. I was heartbroken. I contacted the company through the website and they were so helpful! They sent me to an affiliate site (Golden Tours) that carries tickets paired with transportation to and from the studio. This was a much better situation than trying to arrange my own transport as the studio is about 2 hours away from where we were staying.
The bus picked us up from the designated location within 5 or 10 minutes of the scheduled time. The accomadations were quite comfortable. We had plenty of space, the driver was nice. The tour comes with a time window and you are directed to return to the bus on time for the return trip. They said it is okay if we are late, that they will do their best to fit us on a later bus, but that there were no guarantees and we should be prepared to find alternative transportation. We were given a 4 hour block to make the tour.
At first I was dismayed by how crowded the studio seemed. We queued in a long line and were gathered together into a large theater for a short film. The film ended and we shuffled in a large group into the great hall. We were there for a special event that included some of the animatronics that went into the creation of Hagrid as well as the hanging clandles in the dining hall.
After this point, we were able to spread out through the exhibits and it quickly became possible to take pictures.
Time in this room was more than sufficient, but limited. I thought we would be ushered through the entire tour in with the large group, so I hurried my daughter a little through the next space thinking we would have to rush to see everything before being told to move along. There was so much to see.
After leaving the dining hall, the door opened onto statues and ceilings and video screens and … I quickly realized the timing of the movie theater and the dining hall were only to allow people to spread out through the studio. Access was available from this point to the end meaning we could spread out and meet back and revisit for the rest of the trip.
The potions classroom, Dumbledor´s chambers, boys dormitory, and the moving stairway were among the first things we saw.
As you walk through the exhibits, you can see how detailed are the furniture and artwork. They show parts of the development of the various costumes and sets so you can see the effort and technology that went into them. There are places to touch and intereact with the sets. Honestly, I preffered this to any of the museums we visited. This is art. This is so many forms of art coming together to create a fully immersive experience for visitors.
There were some greenscreen photos and videos that were pretty fun. My daughter wanted to do the broomstick ride of course. It was 40£ ($51) to order all the videos and photos in a digital format with one printed photo. Pretty standard themepark package.
I really enjoyed the spiders in the Forbidden Forest.
I´m going to be honest here. I usually try to only say nice things, but… Lunch in the studio was not my favorite. I tried the vegetarian option for an entree. It was so flavorless that I couldn´t eat it. We ordered vegetarian chili fries to share and that was enough to hold me over, but still not great. The staff was incredibly friendly though. The cups for the butterbeer are meant to be taken as souveneirs. Since many people don´t realize this, the staff rinses the cups and leaves them out for other visitors who cannot afford them or want more.
Outside the cafeteria were a number of larger features. The covered bridge, the triple decker bus, the greenhouse, and 4 Privet Drive were all together in the plaza.
After leaving the outdoor plaza, we entered into the next segment of the studio tour. There was quite a lot regarding the technical aspects of the engineering and videography. The goblin hands were so realistic that it genuinely looked like old hands and skin even close enough to touch it. And then there was Gringotts. I couldn´t get a clear photo, but the marble arches and floors were stunning. Diagon Alley was also pretty amazing.
The grand finale was the Hogwarts castle. This miniature used for the overhead shots and zoom scenes was so impressive. Each tiny detail was made by hand and affixed to the castle. And by this I mean each of the roof tiles was individually placed. It took 86 artists working together to construct the model. It was the equivalent of 74 years worth of work for a single artist.
This made for a fantastic adventure. It was a bit expensive, but not any different from other tourist attractions. It took between 3 and 3.5 hours to walk through. Fortunately we saved plenty of time for the shop. There were so many things to look at. And in the end, we made it to the bus exactly on time.
Kinga Haudek Artista Joyera is one of my favorite stores in Santiago de Compostela. This small jewelry shop on rua San Pedro is located in the historic old town. The stone walls and dark wood window frames lend perfect contrast to her organic designs. You can imagine yourself in the same place, making the same purchase 200 years in the past.
When you walk in, you may find Kinga hard at work crafting something new. Everything is crafted by her hand in the store. Her name is the brand, and the moment you meet her you will understand why. Lost in focus, she always looks a little surprised and delighted to see visitors. Her smile will be warm and welcoming when she invites you into the store.
Kinga is Hungarian by birth and Galician by spirit. A brilliant academic, avid adventurer, and an artist by nature. She studied sociology in Hungary, silversmithing at the Mestre Mateo School of Art and Design, and obtained the official Galician Craftsman Certification. Her curious and intelligent nature shines through each piece and gives a brief glimpse of something she saw or felt on one of her many adventures. Kinga is a highly talented artist with designs inspired by elements of the city and the sea.
For photos of her work, I suggest visiting the website. I could not do justice to her creations. Instead, I will document the jewelry making class I attended with my daughter!
Kinga offers classes in her workshop to make some of the more simple pieces. The price of the course includes all of the supplies needed and a half day of instruction. Instruction is limited to groups of 3 people to insure a quality experience for everyone.
Our course began at 10:00 in the morning. She walked us through the process in both Spanish and English. I am not sure how many languages Kinga speaks, but the course is available in English, Spanish, Galician, and Hungarian for sure.
I was admittedly a bit converned when she handed me this little pieces of silver and told me I was expected to turn them into something beautiful on the first try. But hey… I´ll give it a try.
She told us how to properly hammer each piece. We all set to work at our own station. We had a variety of tools at our disposal and a varying weights of hammer.
We would hammer a bit and then heat them before returning to more hammering. I was a little nerrvous to use a torch for the first time, but it was much easier than I anticipated.
I was a bit too timid and struggled to properly align my strikes. Kinga came and lent a hand to put me in the right direction. She helped me to correct the curvature for a more symmetrical pair.
My daughter, on the other hand, was quite adept at this process and managed to complete hammering more quickly than anyone else. This is her gloating.
After a bit of hammering and heat and I was pretty excited to have these to show for my effort!
Once the earrings were shaped, we oxidized them with an acidic sulfur compound and took a short break while they soaked. Next, we learned to craft and solder the earring posts, trim and file the excess, and finally to polish them on her rotary buffer.
The end result was exciting. Each pair was unique even though we all started with identical pieces of silver, similar tools, and used the same methods.
We completed our earrings around 14:00. With a sense of accomplishment and pride in our artistic eneavors, we all posed together for a final class photo and had a little lunch at a restaurant down the street on Rua San Pedro.
I think my favorite part of this was the sense of pride my daughter took away from the activity. She came home and called our family back in the US to tell them what a great job she had done. It was funny listening when she did not know that I could hear her. ¨I was so good at hammering. I finished before everyone else. I was much better at it than Mom.¨
Would highly recommend this activity when visiting Santiago de Compostela. You would need to contact Kinga before planning the adventure to see which classes might be available and which weekends. But definitely something worth doing in Santiago.
Fervenza de Toxa is only a short drive from Santiago de Compostela. It was not a long hike day, but a couple of short scenic trails. It looked like there was more to see if I wanted to follow the river further out, but I did not go too far this day.
I started my adventure with the trail to the bottom of the falls. It had rained so much recently that the main falls were difficult to approach from the bottom. The rivers were full and the water was coming with such great force that it created a strong wind. The air was saturated with a mist that left visibility low. I could barely keep my eyes open in the wind and my phone was instantly soaked in my brief effort to take this photo. A great finale to the long summer drought that hit Spain the last year.
Following the path down the river, there was another smaller fall to see. I could get a lot closer here.
With the rains, the views along this path were pretty incredible. Everything felt so alive. It was fresh and green. Walking here feels a lot like stepping into the fairytales my grandmother used to read. I joke a lot about being careful to enter the abandoned houses because we don´t want to anger the brujas o hadas.
After this, I took the trail up the hill to see the views of the waterfalls from the top. I was amazed to find the views to be equally spectacular from this angle. I think the photos are better from the top, but my curiosity is better saatiated exploring the setas and fungi and helechos up close. If you visit, I think you really have to take both trails in this place.
This is the fervenza de Toxa from a distance. I hope to revisit this place in the summer when the water is lower so I can get the view from the bottom as well.
The Mosteiro de Carboeiro is maybe one of the strangest places I have ever been. This twice abandoned monastery has strong Lovecraftian horror vibes. Located in the municipality of the Concello de Silleda, this is next level creepy.
Mosteiro de Carboeiro was founded around the year 936 by counts of Deza, Tareixa Eiriz and Gonzalo Betótez. The monastic house was reformed in 1171 and construction of the new Romanesque church began. Carboeiro was abandoned and the surrounding lands were put up for auction in 1836. There is more info on the website here.
The engravings around the door in the photo are influenced by the Pórtico da Gloria of the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. The images represent the the Elder Musicians of the Apocalypse.
Before entering the mosteiro, I went to buy the entrada. There was a woman working alone in a dark room. The room was very large, but everything was brought to a small triangle of light from the doorway. The light fixtures hanging behind the small desk were not in use. Around the corner everything was completely dark.
She explained that the renovations of the buildings had been made with the thought that the concello would run electricity to the buildings. In 1931, Carboiero was deemed a historic site, and in the 1990s the Xunta de Galicia began renovations to preserve the mosteiro. Lights had been installed during the 20 year renovation, but the project was abandoned before completion. She did not explain why. My best guess is that this is a cursed shrine to Dagon. But who knows.
After paying, I explored the courtyard. Remanants of the old stone fountains were strewn about and covered in moss.
Inside the church were exquisite roman arches. I had a laugh at how many lights were installed but not in use. But it was absolutely stunning.
And this is where things start to get weird. Paint from early frescoes appears to depict the outlines of giant, man-eating sea creatures and demonic eyes.
Oh… and the terrifying demonic symbolism? There´s more. On either side of the church is a door. Above each door, there is a symbol combining christian symbols with nautical or pagan symbols that are representative of the local culture.
A closer look at the doorways reveal this is actually a passage way to the shrine of Cthulu below.
If you are brave enough to pass through the archway, a narrow spiral stairway winds its way to the catacombs(?) below.
After returning up the stairway, I found the remains of Francisco sin Cara. I do not actually remember who the tomb belongs too, but the headless casket made me laugh a little in my belief this place is maybe a bit cursed.
My final piece of evidence that this is a cursed ritual site is a ponte do Demo… I mean seriously this is how they name the bridge near the mosteiro.
This is another layover city that I wish I could enjoy a little longer. I arrived late at night. It was dinner and then bed. The restaurant was nextdoor to the cathedral, so I snapped a quick night time photo on the way back to my hotel.
I began the next morning exactly where I left off.
After breakfast, I wandered for a bit of shopping. There was a bit of a feria or rastro in the morning. I enjoyed the colorful buildings. The architecture/street/design.
There were a couple of really fun stores selling ceramics and art from local artists. My favorite shop of the trip was El Escribano. There were a number of historical replications, if you will. It was a mixed media art shop containing recreation of various historic imagery in every imaginable form. That is a lot of sentence in one sentence.
These are some of the various sculptures around the city. There is not so much consistency to the style which makes things more interesting.
I have been dreaming of coming here since before Covid and decided this year I was coming for my birthday if it killed me. The cautionary tale comes first on this post. When arranging my travel, I was not aware that this beach is only visible a few hours each day at low tide. I was fortunate to meet someone willing to give me a ride home if I wanted to miss my train to see the stone cathedrals.
Happy birthday to me, I made it to see Praia das Catedrales!
I arrived late the evening before. There is a train from Santiago de Compostela to Ferrol and Ferrol to Catedrales. This is an unacceptably long train ride, but only about 4 hours by car.
In the morning I went down to the cliffs to go and see the beach… but there was only water! I was quite concerned that I had traveled to the wrong place. There was a big cafe next to the camper parking and I sat down to Google my next steps.
Google reassured me I was not mistaken. I learned from some other visitors about the tide. My train was leaving about 30 minutes after the low tide, so it would not give me much time to see anything. They offered to let me come back with them later in the afternoon. And I said yes. Of course I said yes. I did not even care if they murdered me in the back of the van if I finally got to visit!
Once low tide rolled around, I climbed down the stairs to the sandy beach below. The weather was wet and gray and cold. Which is great for photos without so many people in the way. My dad always comments about the lack of people in my photos. He says it must be lonely to always adventure alone. I don´t think he realizes how long I wait for people to get out of the way!
OMG The photos are real!
The beach is named for these alcoves and hollows in the rocks that resemble cathedrals. The stone features have been carved out by the strong tides in the Cantabrian Sea.
You can see how high the water rises with high tide by how high the barnacles are forming. The beach is inaccessible except for a brief window around low tide. And staying out can be dangerous as the tide rises quite quickly once it comes back. Apparently many tourists have been stranded in the smaller caves further along the beach.
There is a place where you actually have to climb over the wet rocks to see the landmarks you find in the online photos. This adventure might not be accessible with mobility issues. If you time it just right, and are okay being a little soggy, this is a fantastic trip. Just be sure to get out when the tide starts coming back up.
Just as I was leaving the beach, I saw a large tour bus arriving just in time to not see the beach. I felt really bad for anyone that paid for the trip only to miss seeing the beach by 45 minutes. I hope they got to enjoy some of the natural beauty of the place, even if they missed the main attraction.
This was a long walk near of the river Ulla. I think it was between 18 and 20 km in a straight line along the river. This route passed by the Areal de Barres on the opposite bank of the river. After more than a month of gray skies and rain almost every day, warm sun and blue skies begged for an adventure.
I dropped into the path near of some country homes, and went straight to this abandoned mill near the river. The water was very high and fast in the rainy season.
Okay but really, how beautiful is this tree. It looks like an old troll looking underneath. I love it so much.
I found a cache today too! I guess someone else thought this space was just as beautiful and perfect that they could hide a reward
There were streams coming from the river that you could cross on these small wooden fairytale bridges.
And I made a friend.
Today´s special adventure was visiting with all of the mushrooms and fungi of galicia. I hear a lot of people here go foraging for various mushrooms in the fall, so I purchased a book for identifying the Setas. Unfortunately, they were all in only two categories of seta. One type was ¨do not eat¨ and the other was ¨You can maybe eat, but it looks like one you cannot eat, and you cannot tell by this photograph which one, so do not eat.¨
Cautionary tale …
These guys are poisonous and contain some sort of black powder that I assume is also poisonous. The powder is fine, and if you are curiously poking it with a stick, you may send those spores flying. So don´t do that.
These guys are also poisonous. Instead of fancy spore pouches, these smell like rotting corpses. The smell is not so strong unless… you step on it… and it gets worse if you get curious and decide to get close and poke it with a stick.. So don´t do that.
Charming aldea in the countryside of Galicia. Even with a population of around 130 people, there was still a wait to take a photo of this ancient Roman bridge!
It seemed to be a popular spot for pilgrims and cyclists. Situated along the Camino Frances, there is a bar for weary travelers to grab a bite.
Situated between Galicia and Asturias, this was just a quick stop on my way a hiking adventure elsewhere, but I thought the old brick ovens were lovely. The ovens are remnants of an iron mining operation. There is a lot more information available online. Maybe I will return to make this route one day.
This beach was a short hike and climb away from the main road. I had the whole beach to myself. I´m not even sharing the exact location because I want to have it to myself the next time too. So… just enjoy the view.
And this beach was right on the main road.
I just want to note that not one of these photos has been color corrected or edited.
Lugo is so beautiful! I went on a warm and sunny day. The skies were so blue. The history of Lugo dates back to 13 BC when the city was a Roman military camp. The walls of Lugo made the Unesco World Heritage Site list in 2000.
According to wikipedia, this is the only city in the world that is still surrounded by fully intact Roman walls. So I came to have a nice walk.
The cathedral was the first stop, but it was closed when I arrived.
It did not take long to walk from the cathedral to the walls of the city. I had seen this mural so many times on television and social media… I had no idea I would get to see it today!
And I found an unexpected surprise when descending the wall. There is a secret gem, I assume by the same artist. You cannot tell me these are not the cutest grafiti you have ever seen. I want to know what are they and whether they have names.
The views from the top were stunning, but it is possible I wasted most my time in Lugo trying to take photos of cats in the yards below.
I had my first summer to trip to Madrid. The weather was absolutely perfect. This is a novelty post.
First stop was lunch at a restaurant next to the AirBnB. The food was mediocre but the ceiling was absolutely amazing.
Next up was El Parque de Retiro. Absolutely beautiful day for wandering.
There is a rubber duck store. Like an actual store with nothing but tiny rubber ducks right in the Plaza Mayor.
I walked past some interesting store fronts. I love the ice cream cat so much. And who goes to a museum for ham??
The monuments and buildings were beautiful in the sun
What I remember most about this trip were the colors. Everything was so vibrant. I stopped at Mercado de la Cebada to look around and maybe grab a snack. I bought these cherries that were so ripe and sweet and red. So very dark red. My fingers were stained with juice. And the bright red fruit, the blue sky, the white monuments.
Then there was a cafe with this little drink garden! It was nearly impossible to sit and not wobble the coffee off the table, but it was so cute I did not even care.
Since moving to Spain, I have been on a quest for decent Mexcian or even Tex-Mex food. You would think there would be more food representing the various colonies. And there is a HUGE population of Central and South American immigrants. I found this really amazing looking restaurant in Malasaña.
Absolutely adorable, but the food was a big NOPE by traditional standards. If you are looking for 20 flavors of Margarita and some hipster taco with mayo based dressings this is your place.
I did at least find one place that serves a traditional US meal.
Then there were the creepies…
The summer trip to Madrid concluded with a trip to the Rastro. This was absolutely crazy. The entire city becomes a huge flea market. What is being sold is divided by district. I think my favorite was the antiques district.
Seemingly unconnected story time… I had been helping create a garden and installing a stone path. I planted too many lettuces and the stone path, jokingly, became known as ¨calle de las lechugas¨. I was walking along and discovered that Calle de la Lechuga is a real street! The vendors in Madrid have tiny versions of the street signs for sale, so I spent the rest of my trip hunting for a miniature version of this street sign. It was not available anywhere! Not even online!
And the cautionary tale… I am accustomed to travel in the bigger cities, but it was my first time being pickpocketed. The Rastro was so packed. I could feel someone attempting to open a zipper in my bag while I paid for a key chain. They didn´t have time to access anything besides the outermost pocket. And of course, I did not put anything there. Actually I don´t put anything valuable in the backpack when I am going. So … I was fine, but be careful.
Also… my daughter grabbed the rosemary. If you have not been to the big cities, do not touch anything people try to give you. It is not free. Within 2 seconds, the women with the rosemary separated my daughter and I. I basically ended up paying to get back to my daughter. It was more than I could afford. Be careful with that.
After living in this beautiful city for more than 2 years, I have decided it is time to start sharing my favorite things in Santiago.
The city has 1000 years of folklore and hidden secrets to uncover. One piece of lore to visit is El Árbol de la Ciencia. Young students come to find their academic fate.
One of my favorite parts of Spain is that they have maintained spaces where small businesses thrive. Santiago de Compostela was largely destroyed in the 10th century and reconstructed over the next 1,000 years. The ancient buildings were never meant to offer space to large warehouse companies and big box stores. Those are sequestered on the far edges of the city.
Instead, the old town in Santiago de Compostela houses smaller privately owned businesses and restaurants. Constant renovations restore the old stone buildings and give them new life while maintaining the most beautiful stone and dark wood features. Most shops have only a few meters space inside and are smaller than the average american garage.
Each shop specializes in only a limited number of items, and often what you find is what you get. When I say that stores specialize, I think it is important to note that there is a store only for slippers. The contents of stores will change from one day to the next, products are discontinued and you will never see them again. And no, you can´t just order online. Some things are available online of course. But do not expect a quick trip to amazon with 2 day delivery. You go to the store, you take what you can find, you go home. The big chain stores are about an hour from my home and I keep a list of things to buy when I go with friends in cars.
I was a bit shocked to discover it is nearly impossible to use Amazon here. And do not expect to use your american card online. Many online stores bill through tax havens like Luxemburg and there is not a way to know which country will present the charge… so you can certainly plan on having your card flagged for fraud every time you attempt an online purchase. Fun times.
If you leave the downtown, through El Parque Alameda or Praza de Galicia, you will walk through Ensanche where there are more of the chain style stores. There is a place called Corte Ingles about 40 minuutes walking from the old town. It is the Spanish equivalent of a Super Walmart or Meijer… but with designer clothes at many times the price. It is a great last resort for things you cannot find in town and it makes a nice stroll on hot or rainy days.
There are a number of beautiful parks and various adventures to have in town. So I am going to begin including these smaller adventures here as well!
After the harrowing tale of a bicycle adventure ending in disaster and bovine romance… My rescue team brought me to my final destination of Oporto.
We arrived at night, and my first view of this city left me speechless. I was frozen in place. I cannot describe how perfect was the lighting, the acousitics, and the architecture all coming together in that moment.
This little girl started dancing while he played. I thought about all the nights dancing while my father played guitar. I just could not bring myself to end this moment. I stood there for probably 10 minutes listening to this man and his guitar, looking at the reflection of the bridge on the water before I could bring myself to leave this spot.
And yes, the rest of this city is just as beautiful by night.
When I was finally ready to tear myself away from the old town, we went back to the camper for the night. We awoke in the morning to this view. And I cannot complain about a free place to spend the night with a better view than any hotel I have ever stayed at.
The morning was humorous and humbling. A man came around selling stickers or some such, just trying to make a dime. I pretended I don´t speak portugese. He comes back with options to sell me stickers in at least 7 different languages. In the US, we often look down on the homeless or consider them to be uneducated. Let me tell you this man was smarter than me. We had a good laugh and shared our food with him.
Next was wandering around the city. While I think Oporto is most impressive at night, the intricate blue tile murals are defintely impressive. I started the journey with the sound of a peacock that I simply could not find. I was looking everywhere. I was able to find other interesting things, however.
There are a lot of people in Oporto. I guess that happens in summer, but good photos of the popular tourist attractions and monuments were out of the question. It was a funny trip for me. I´ve mentioned before that my dad is always asking where all the people are in my photos.
I´ve mentioned before that my dad is always asking where all the people are in my photos. So this trip was a little funny for me because I could send him photos with so many people. The only place where it was too packed for comfort was the line for the library that supposedly inspired the Harry Potter movies. That was just too much for me. I did not make the line.
I did get to walk across the bridge that was so beautiful in the night. The daytime view was spectacular.
At the base of the bridge was a wine tasting tour. Port wines are a little sweet for my tastes, but it was a relaxing way to escape the afternoon heat. I learned about the microclimate caused by the mountains and valleys along the river here. It was more interesting than I anticipated. I even met a couple from near of where I was living in the US. We chatted a bit. It was nice to chat in English with strangers.
I loved this city and would absolutely visit again. The shopping was fun. The people all spoke 3 to 10 languages. There was a lot of diversity and a lot of art. My dopamine fix is in finding unique places and creative art. Oporto definitely hit the sweet spot on that for me.
On the way home from Porto, I stopped by this magical spot. Known to all the locals, but free of advertisements, hotels, or other touristic conveniences, it made for a quiet night. Sipped a beer in the hot bath under a full moon. It was exquisite. I didn’t ruin my evening with photos of the moon that wouldn’t turn out anyway. I waited until morning to take a few quick pictures that absolutely cannot do this place justice… and I was just in time to watch workers for the Xunta drain the pools for cleaning.
These are the ruins of an ancient roman bath. If you follow the nearby hiking trails, you can explore other ruins and old buildings in the area. I only went for the baths. You can find more information about this historic site and see the structures under less water here.
On the way back home, there was this amazing tree fountain near the side of the road. I’m not sure exactly where it is. I really could not tell you even given a map. But it is so lovely I have to share.
Best worst bike trip ever! I hopped the train south to a route that my friends suggested. A nice flat ride for beginners. I had a sort of hybrid/crosstrainer type bike that was ALMOST up for the ride. But only almost. The majority of the ride was really smooth with a beautiful start.
The bike route took me directly through the town of Ponte de Lima with it’s historic old town and tiled murals. If you are interested in what I was able to record, you can see it on Strava.
Leaving Ponte de Lima, took me through lovely stretches of river, mountain, beaches, and farm land. It was like nothing I have ever seen. Each part of the trail was more beautiful than the last.
I stopped on this beach for a little snack in the shade.
More beaches and mountains followed, it was not possible to photograph everything. The path circled back around the other side of Ponte de Lima and further into the hills. At one point, a helicoptor flew overhead to put out a nearby forest fire. I watched from a cornfield as the bombeiros dipped the bucket in the river and circled back to the fire.
I survived a minor injury to my foot when I stopped to fast to look at something lovely, but the adventure met an unfortunate end with a flat tire. I was ill prepared for the castañas. I had exactly the right bicycle for a Michigan adventure, but Portugal had other plans. The sun was getting low and I decided to set up camp on a nearby picnic table.
The water was so warm. I splashed around a little as the sun was setting. There were so many little frogs among the rocks in the river. There were egrets and herons fishing. It was pretty cold during the night after taking so much sun, so I bundled up tight in my sleeping bag. But I had a lovely evening watching the stars.
And when I awoke, I had made a new friend! I had a nice time watching her graze while I made a quick breakfast and set out on my next adventure.
I have returned to Catoira for the Viking Festival! I took the train to the tiny station. It was easy to find as everyone dressed like a viking had the same stop.
Things in town were decorated a bit for the festival so it made the walk fun.
I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but this was feeling very different from this type of event in the US. Unlike the US, entry to this type of event is free, but the events are not well marked and I found things a bit confusing. I think this would have been much better with a friend, but even wandering alone there were a lot of nice things to see.
Getting a good photo of the vikings landing on shore was difficult, with all the people. Everyone was pressed so close together up to the shore it was amazing. That is my own fault though. Not knowing what was going on, I left a great spot to see what was happening elsewhere. Oops!
The vikings landed and there was an epic battle for Santiago de Compostela!
After defeating the vikings… there were mejillones in a trough. And everyone rejoiced.
A cautionary tale… This may be a skipped trip for anyone with major mobility or sensory issues. It’s a doable trip for most if you don’t mind a crowd, but the lines to enter and exit are formed on a stone pathway through a wet marshy area. With so many people coming and going, it is restricted to almost single file in either direction and thus relatively long.
La Feria Medieval de Noia has returned after Covid and I had a chance to go! There are a few differences from the Ren’Faires I have been to in the US. Beginning with… free entrance. The city center was over taken by costumed locals, actors, merchants, and visitors.
There were merchants of every kind. There were unique wood carvings, ceramics, jewelry, leather crafting, and black smiths.
There were musicians playing in the streets as I browsed the various shops and bars that filled the streets.
The history of the city begins between 4000 and 2000 BC and the Romans began living in the area around 200 BC. The city makes a lovely backdrop to the festival. I stepped into la Iglesia de Santa María a Nova, which began construction in 1327. The alter, shown below, was constructed in 1760. Some of the more original stonework was also on disply.
As I was leaving, there was a short parade of actors. Some were dressed as the trees. I thought these were absolutely divine and had to share.
Catoira is a very small town located along río Ulla in Galicia, Spain. Despite a population of only 3,500 people it is dubbed an international tourist interest. In August, there is a viking festival. I will come again to Catoira to see it and share the photos here. But this day, I visit only the ruins and beautiful parks.
These are the ruins of Torres do Oeste, built to protect Santiago de Compostela from invading vikings.
This is where the ships will descend upon Catoira in a few weeks time and actors will recreate the scene. For now, there are no vikingas, but preparations are underway. And the jellyfish have come to explore.
The city is so small. There is a train station with no attendant, an old church, and a few homes of course.
There is also a walking path that follows the river and leads to the beach near of Torres do Oeste.
Found a little gem not far from my new home. There is a little park near of the river Ulla. It was started by a man who wanted a little place to have barbecues near the beach so he cleared a little land and built a stone grill. The neighbors stepped in and started helping. After some time, the Xunta took over and provided funding to keep it going.
There is quite a lot to explore. Everything is lush and green like the rest of Galicia. It feels a bit like a fairy tail, complete with a “hidden” stepping stone trail through this tunnel.
The water is cool and clear and nice for swimming. I am still getting used to living somewhere without so many venemous things. I counted 0 alligators, 0 venemous snakes, 0 venemous spiders, 0 large predatory mammals.
It is also a fun art exploration tour. The neighbors and the Xunta have brought out so much for guests to enjoy. There are carvings, sculptures, fountains, photographs, and tiles hidden throughout the park. I am sure I did not find them all, but here are a few of my favorites.
While Venice was absolutely stunning, this is one city I will probably not want to revisit. It was more overwhelming than beautiful. I don’t think I have ever seen so many tourists in all my life. It was difficult to walk even in large open spaces. I think even the Rastro in Madrid had fewer people than Venice. And the food was insanely expensive. Amazing quality, I have to be honest. This is some of the best fish of my life. But the prices in Galicia have me a little biased at this point.
I took a path along the outskirts to see what sorts of adventures I might find with fewer people. If you want to see my route, you can look at the Strava, but I was running out of battery and had to cut my walk short.
I started out on the main path where everyone steps into Venice. The prices here are so high. Do not buy anything when you first come in. If you wander only a little bit you will see everyone is selling identical “hand made” “original” products that rapidly drop in price as you walk further.
I made a left turn and it took about 35 seconds to be off the main path and into the residential areas.
With fewer people I was able to appreciate the beauty of the streets and canals a bit more. The colors here are really vibrant. I can only imagine how nice it would be to live in a flat over looking the canals. But this must be reserved for the very wealthy or the very poor.
I did eventually rejoin the tourists to go and explore the more major land marks. If you are into brand name shopping, this is a place you must go. I think it is the Italian custom to dress so well. I know I certainly did not fit in so well with my black combat boots that I wear for unknown distance adventures. But it was nice to look around.
I did finally cave and buy masks from a store where you could see they were in process being hand made. I think it was the loveliest mask store in all of Venice. The name was Papier Mache and they do have a website that ships internationally.
Verona made for a very nice day trip. The walk from the train station into the old town was long, but some very large landmarks made the trip more interesting. You can see the route on Strava if you are interested.
Coming into the downtown was much more interesting. The streets are just beautiful. The buildings are of similar color but there is so much variety in shape and texture that it is very visually stimulating in a happy and soothing way.
The colors of this city are so warm and relaxing. Everything seems alive and inviting. One of the plazas had a small market… and just look at this. The fruits are so perfect they’re cartoon colored.
Of course I had to visit Juliet’s House since I was in fair Verona. The lines were a bit much in the courtyard, but it was not too expensive to visit the museum and go up to the balcony.
Obligatory selfie on the stone balcony from Romeo and Juliet. (we’re not talking about the hair)
The museum was pretty neat, I am glad I took the time to stop in for the novelty alone. The waits were not so bad even though it looked like it in the courtyard.
This unique building in the middle of the street caught my eye. I went near to see what it was and learned that I could go inside. I made a tour through Il Chiostro di San Fermo. The architecture brings Roman and Gothic styles together. I would visit this again if I had a second trip to Verona.
A bit more wandering…
And I stumbled on the Basilica di Santa Anastasia.
After that, it was time to head back to the train station. I tried taking a slightly different route this time.
And that was that! I walked through Parco Delle Mura on the way back. There were so many cicadas singing that the trees never stopped their buzzing. You could see this overlook of the walls to the city.
I think Verona is my favorite so far in Italy. It was just a lot more relaxed than Trento or Venezia and the whole vibe was just breezy summer cafe. I would definitely make a return visit for a romantic getaway.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This sums up my shopping trip! I carried this rosebush everywhere.
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.
Past the village, is some farmable land. You can walk all the way to the edge along the cliff to enjoy the view. It’s pretty muddy though.
This is a short and easy hike with nice views. Not a lot to say about it. I was only out for two to three hours round trip. But it was a pleasant visit if you’re in the area. If you are interested in the route, you can see it on Strava.
This was a fun hike. You can choose your difficulty level and end up at Monasterio de Caaveiro. If you are interested in my route, you can see it on Strava.
On one side of the river, there is a paved road running near to the monastery. You can drive most of the way, or walk here on even terrain. On the other there is a hiking trail that follows the rivers with small waterfalls all along the route.
The río Eume is a striking shade of blue. If I understood correctly, there are some restrictions to swimming here due to a unique ecosystem. It is not a warm day for swimming, so it isn’t hard to resist the temptation.
So many little waterfalls everywhere.
There are ruins to explore along the way as well. This roman bridge appears at the Ruínas do Muíño de Sesín.
Castellón de la Plana is a large-ish city near the Balearic Sea on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. It has a nice downtown shopping district and its proximity to the coast and things to do is lovely. It has an bike path from Castellón de la Plana to Benicàssim that remains well lit at night. The rental bikes and flat landscape make it a desirable form of travel.
Sculptures from Juan García Ripollés decorate many of the the public spaces here. You can also find his paintings for sale in various shops around town.
Cuenca was a quick stop on the drive between Santiago de Compostela and Valencia. This city is absolutely stunning. I would love to return here for a longer visit.
After parking, I climbed some stairs to the historic old town. The views are stunning here. The first stop was the Catedral de Cuenca. The architecture is Gothic, but was built during a time when Romanesque was still popular. As per usual, the art inside was a mix of strange pagan and christian symbolism.
The cathedrals of Spain always have the best position in the mountains for amazing overlooks.
There was a gallery of broken pieces, unfinished carvings, and miscellanea. I absolutely fell in love with these guys.
The geometric patterning of the ceiling of the Capilla Honda is absolutely stunning.
I left the cathedral to walk around the historic district and learned about the hanging houses of Cuenca. The buildings are built that the walls abut the exact edge of the cliff. If you walk out onto the bridge, you can see the balconies of these homes overlooking the moutains. I can only imagine the view waking up each morning.
Last up was a little shopping in the old town. I found a ceramic shop from artist Rubén Navarro. You can visit the shop here. These guys came home with me. I am not sure how to explain my new found obsession with Spanish chickens.
After living here more than 6 months, we decided to make the rooftop tour of the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. The tour was in galician, so I understood nothing. I did not think to ask for English. But it was a lovely time and only 12 euros per person.
This is a nice light hike through the countryside in Galicia. You will pass by Igrexa parroquial de Santa María de Augasantas. You can see the route I followed on Strava.
This is a short hike with many small waterfalls and pools for swimming. It seems to be popular for the locals to bring their kids to play in the shallow water. It is far enough out of the way and requires a long enough hike in that it remains free of tourists.
There is a lot to see if you are in the mood for hiking. There is a forest, ruins of old mills, and you can just keep hiking up the waterfall until you run out of waterfalls.
To get to Corcovado National Park, you must travel with a guide. Costa Rica keeps their wildlife safe and their parks absolutely pristine by not allowing tourists to come unsupervised.
They picked us up early in the morning, and we traveled by boat into the park. Hundreds of tourists were unloading at the same time and I absolutely feared the worst. I am very much into private camping and long solo hikes through nowhere. The guides were well versed in preserving this semi-private experience of nature. The tour guides gave each other a little space and kept everyone very quiet. They ensured we saw as much wildlife as possible, without molesting the animals. Again any plastic containers and processed foods were confiscated. And the park was kept absolutely pristine.
The guides offered opportunities for photos when it was safe and would not bother the animals. Of course we did not have professional equipment or time to wait out the perfect photo, but I will share anyway.
These are potoo birds. Maybe my favorite of the animals we were able to see. They don’t really nest so much as camoflauge really well on the top of a tree stump. They hold incredibly still and just appear to be a part of the tree. I highly recommend a google search on these guys for a good laugh. They look a bit like muppets from the front.
I saw frogs, lizards, and ants.
I saw my very first tapir. He was so cute. It’s funny they are muddy and dirty, but still so adorable you just want to give them a cuddle.
Here is a hawk. I believe this is a mangrove black hawk. He’s regal.
Here is a white nosed coati.
And a toucan butt! He absolutely refused to turn around for the camera.
The next adventure was glamping in Sirena National Park. We had to park somewhere north and nervously await one of only a few boats to transport us into the park. The wide rivers were full of life and we could see fish, and birds, and crocodiles as we made our way to the “hotel.”
The rivers gave way to open ocean and the views of Costa Rica’s rocky shores were breath taking.
The boat let us off on a beach of rocks and sand. As I write this, I am realizing I will have to find a thesaurus because I am running out of words to describe this country.
We had to make a short climb to the top of the hill to find our glamping check in. The vegetation was lush and green. The ocean was an incredible, rich blue. And everything was pristine. Absolutely no tourist trash anywhere to be seen.
After checking in, we made our way down to the beach and played in the little pools that formed in the stones.
I learned the ocean here has a very fast tide. Everyone left the beach rather suddenly. It was just before sunset. I was curious why, but I really wanted to splash in the water. As an experienced swimmer, I am embarassed to say that I did not notice the undertow until it was a bit too late. Or maybe it came on suddenly. A large wave came, I went under, and was dragged down and tumbled across the sand as the water pulled me a short distance out to sea. Fortunately, I knew better than to fight and saved my energy. The salt water left me bouyant and it was easy to tell the moment I was ejected from the riptide. I had been pulled past the wave break but not to worry. The waves were coming in slow but high. So I floated over the next few, caught my breath, and swam in between the waves.
That was enough adrenaline for me. I watched the sunset from the shore instead.
In the evening though, once the sun was down, the beaches were overrun with hermit crabs! I had thought it was strange I have never seen anything like this in my life. They were even climbing the trees. I thought it was so strange there were no shells on the beach. Now I know it´s because they all had occupants.
After a delicious traditional breakfast of blackbeans, eggs, fruits, and toasts we set off for Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. The rocky beaches, blue water, and interactive wildlife made for a fantastic adventure.
Entering the park, all forms of food are confiscated. Apparently the monkeys like snacks a little too much and will chase the tourists through the park in hope of finding chips and sweets. They do, in fact, chase you for snacks and have no problem cornering you on the walks. I was grateful for the opportunity to get so close to the wildlife, but also to have nothing worth stealing. I had a good laugh at some tourists who were sneaky and brought treats anyway.
I have to admit, I was not in charge of planning this trip and I do not remember the names of anything… so uhhh… here goes!
Arrived in Costa Rica pretty early in the day but had quite a lot of driving to do before the hotel. We stopped at the first roadside restaurant (and fruit stand) that met the resident cat requirement for tropical dining.
As expected, the food was amazing. The first taste of Costa Rican coffee was a little piece of heaven. And the fruit stand had something called mocos! Amazing and awful at once.
It was a long drive to the hotel, but I saw crocodiles in Jaco and chickens in some little restaurant along the side of the road.
It was still a long drive through the night. The hotel was located in the jungle, more or less, just north of Quepos. My first view of the place was this private swimming pool at night. And I woke to the sound of Toucans in the morning.
After the endless rain in Santiago, we were happy to see blue skies. Unfortunately, strong winds bore down on the city for our entire stay. That also meant, we were able to enjoy the stunning views without too many other tourists. We arrived in Salamanca in the late afternoon, so there was not much time for site seeing. This bull with a wheelchair was the only notable part of the adventure occurring before dark.
We stopped for tapas and cortados, at a bakery/bar in the touristy old-town. After the food in Santiago, we were all a touch disappointed in the fare. The highlight of the snack was reemerging from the cafe after sunset.
The sky was dark and the the entire city had been illuminated by streetlights and ground lamps placed to create dramatic angles and contrast. Coupled with the early modern stone architecture, the yellow lighting was reminiscent of a movie set. If only I could remember my lines!
Stepping into the Plaza Mayor for the first time was surreal. I half expected women in corsets with heavy skirts to walk the balconies arm in arm with men in skirted coats.
We visited a number of beautiful buildings constructed in the middle ages and early modern periods. Modern shops and neon lights stood in stark contrast to craftsmanship and enduring beauty.
The streets were narrow and lined with stunning, high walled cathedrals, offices, convents, churches, and… Each of the historic buildings was covered by intricate patterns or sculptures.
I had been told about the church of shells, but I had imagined something entirely different. Growing up in a tourist town where shells were glued to everything. I thought it was going to be some hideous conglomerate of dead sea creatures and mortar. Needless to say, I was quite pleased to discover it was actually scallops carved in stone to honor Santiago.
In order to take in the magnitude of any of these monuments, I was forced to stand against the equally beautiful building facing opposite.
These are buildings from the University of Salamanca. One of the oldest Universities. Apparently local folk lore is that first year students must find the frog skull, the astronaut, and the ___________ in order to pass their examns.
We made our way down to the roman bridge, possibly constructed as early as 27 bc-14 ad.
One part of the city reminded me of the set for an old pirate movie.
We unfortunately stumbled on the modern art museum only moments before it closed. It does look like a pretty cool vampire mansion though.
Spent the day at this beautiful natural park. It was a bit of a hike to get to the beaches. But late December, 70 degrees, and sunny on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea… Yeah definitely hiking to the beach weather. This was the first pebble beach I have ever visited.
We stopped here for a bit and enjoyed the sun. We found bits of beach glass here and there. A few birds. An adorable dog that followed us for way too long.
The drive here from Toledo was a little intense. We left too late and drove through the night. We passed some weird curly horned goat cows. I still don’t know what they’re called! The night sky was incredible, because there was no light pollution in the remote region. We, finally, arrived several hours behind schedule. The concierge was much displeased.
We stayed at the Hotel Albarracín. We didn’t have time to visit, but apparently they have an underground basement pool. I would love to swim there on my next trip to Spain.
I woke up to this view from our hotel window.
The remote, walled city was absolutely stunning as we watched the sun rise over the mountains. This city had an over abundance of stray cats.
This was one of my favorite spots in the whole city. We sat here to enjoy the view while making the pesky “we’ll be late turning in the rental car” phone calls.
It’s possible I maybe got a little obsessed with the sandworm door knockers.
Apparently the sand worms from Beetlejuice are from Albarracín.No seriously though.
We didn’t do much besides walk around the city, but one store was open. All beautiful hand made ceramics.
We made it to the west coast just in time for record breaking stormy weather. It rained for three solid days. I have never been so damp in my entire life. We caught something of a break in the rain to visit Castro de Baroña.
The view was nice and tourist free. The winds were so strong they tore through our ponchos, but it was a fun mini adventure none the less. It was fun to hop around in the foundations of the houses that once stood here.
And then… wild horses… TGU was super excited to meet the horse. The horse was mostly just hungry. It tried to eat our sleeves, fingers, ponchos, and everything else. I’m guessing it normally managed to beg snacks off the passing tourists.
After Madrid, we flew into the airport at Santiago de Compostela. A friend met us at the airport and took us to his place, where we stayed.
We walked from his place through the Plaza de Galicia to rent a car. We, of course, stopped for cortados and hot chocolate at Café Bar Bendaña on our way to rent the car for our roadtrip. Apparently everything in Santiago is within walking distance, and the car remained parked for everything except a day trip to Castro de Baroña.
We were on our way to meet our friends for lunch. It was raining just a little, and I held us up taking pictures every ten seconds. Much of the city was built around the fifteenth century, and the architecture was like nothing I have ever encountered outside the movies.
We finally met our friends, only a fifteen minutes late despite my best efforts to photograph the entire city. We met at Casa de Xantar O Dezaseis, named after its street number. I ate my first Galician seafood, and it was every bit as good as I was told to expect. Probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
After lunch, we walked around a little more through the old town. We found an art exhibition at Igrexa da Universidade.
Someone was pretty excited to come back home.
Three consecutive storms brought record downpours to the city, and we came just in time for the second. Catedral de Santiago de Compostela is quite impressive even in the rain, even if the photos didn’t turn out. Apparently construction began on the site in the early 800s and the small celtic chapel still stands today. In the year 1075, construction began on the cathedral as it stands today.
I visited the cathedral and the ancient Celtic chapel, during the rainiest rain to ever hit Santiago.
By the end of the day we were soaked and maybe a little miserable as the temperature dropped. We had to stop to purchase new shoes for the Tiny Grown Up. I think we succumbed to the weather and napped by 7:30 but woke around 10 for drinks and tapas. We went to my favorite place in Santiago. They had toasted goat cheese and peppers to die for.
The next day was still raining, and we took our wet selves shopping and adventuring. We started the day with brunch at San Jaime named for Santiago which, I have learned is the translation for Saint James. I’m not the sort of person to take photos of food, that is my daughter’s job… BUT…
There was a rainy road trip after brunch, to Castro de Baroña, and we returned to Santiago for more shopping and walking. We found this awesome gift shop called Mononoke that was filled with some very cool local art as well as interesting commercial products. We bought a few prints of the city of Santiago, and a hand made miniature Galician Carnival mask. [You find some information about the celtic origins of the mask here.] Apparently a person who creates the large masks for the traditional celebrations also made miniatures for tourists, and we couldn’t resist.
We had tapas, beer and wine at my favorite place in Santiago, O Filandon. They had a large selection of cheese and carapaccio. They brought free tapas with every round of drinks, but we ordered a vegetarian dish of roasted peppers and goat cheese on a loaf of hard crust bread. It literally melted in your mouth. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder with students, and decorated with the napkin art of visitors from all around the world.
I’m not sure what’s up with them, but these cats are everywhere in Spain.Mononoke
For our last night in Santiago, we listened to some live music by a cuban band, Alejandro Vargas Trio with Mauricio Caruso at the guitar , at a bar called Borriquita de Belén.
After leaving the band, we toured the city by night. The streets were well lit, and safer than any place I have been in the U.S. Women were walking alone here. The streets were still alive with locals and students out for an evening adventure.
We ended the night at Almeda park which offers a stunning view of the entire city of Santiago and the cathedral.
So this time, the destination was “Spain.” No, not just a city in Spain, but “Spain.” We drove to Chicago, flew from Chicago to Madrid, Madrid to Santiago, and took a week long road trip from Santiago de Compostela to Castellon. We arrived in Madrid around 9AM local time, which was about 3AM Michigan time. We were a little tired, but ready to start the adventure. Our first stop was, of course, coffee and Spanish hot chocolate at La Lonja del Mar. My first cortado was divine, and my Tiny Grown Up was thrilled by what appears to be a hot cup of chocolate pudding with our first ever churros. We also shared a goat cheese salad. Everything was delicious, and even being right in the midst of the tourist district, the prices were very reasonable by American standards. We sat on the patio and watched the magpies and parrots in the Plaza de Oriente.
Our next stop was across the plaza. So we bothered the birds a little as we made our way to the palace. Many rooms were preserved with the period furniture, art, and sculpture. Other rooms were made into a museum hosting reliquaries, intricate tapestries, and religious art. My favorite was the armory. It featured weapons and armor preserved from many generations of kings. The horses had their own, very elaborate, armor, which was displayed on statues throughout the room. Photos weren’t allowed inside, but we did manage to snap a few when it was acceptable.
Next stop was the Parroquia de Santa Maria. Beautiful place, but we didn’t snap too many pictures inside. It always seems strange to take photos while people are actively engaged in worship.
Of course we needed more coffee and hot chocolate to continue on our journey.
We ended the first day with a shopping and dinner at a large market. We avoided most of the tourist shops, and spent our money on local foods and experiences instead. I did come home with a clay bull of course.
We woke up early to avoid the lines at the Museo Nacional del Prado. Again, no photos allowed inside, but I enjoyed not having my camera in front of me for the whole trip. The food inside the museum was a touch pricey, but actually very good. We managed to catch an exhibition of Goya’s sketches while we were there. It was all pretty amazing. I think it would take a couple of days to make it all the way through everything, so I won’t bother listing everything we saw. If you’re interested, details of the collection can be found here.
Immediately behind the Prado was a wonderful park and I cannot wait to visit again in summer. Even in amidst the bare trees of fall, Real Jardin Botanico had some beautiful blooms, citrus trees, begonias, and camellias. There was a rock garden, a wishing path, and some lovely indoor greenhouses filled with water plants, hanging plants, and cacti.
And… more hot chocolate.
We spent our last night adventuring in Malasaña. We went shopping at PopLand and Chopper Monster. And I was somehow inspired to purchase had made one of a kind heels from ioli.
Although I’m mostly a vegetarian, I’m not typically inclined toward vegan foods, and definitely not avocados as anything more than a garnish, but I was genuinely impressed with Avocado Love. The seating was a little cramped where they sat us, but the lighting more than made up for it.
A little more wandering, drinks, and desserts at La Dominga.
I was in Los Angeles for work, but I still made some time to go exploring. I just set out on foot one afternoon until I was completely and utterly lost with about 10% phone battery to get home. It was a lovely tour of the local street art.
I don’t have a lot to say about the trip, so here’s a gallery of all the beautiful street art I came across.
And I have absolutely no idea what this is, but I found it. it’s lovely.
I ended up at the AERA conference in Toronto this April. I didn’t do a whole lot this trip, but I did find a few cool things.
The start to my trip was discovering that I had no phone service in Canada. Yeah… first trip across country lines with my cell phone. I was driving… So fortunately, I found a gas station with wifi and downloaded a map to my airbnb. But the keys were at another hotel with a 24 hour security desk, a guard who wasn’t there, and I really needed to pee. Apparently my credit card had a pin number on it, which I didn’t realize. So no cell phone, no money, and no map. I was getting a little nervous. After about 5 hours trying to get checked in to my airbnb, it was smooth sailing. I got a good laugh out of it once I was done crying.
The conference center was next door from Ripley’s Aquarium, so I headed over there for lunch. It was a little overcrowded for my taste, but I can understand why. The many Aquariums housed a variety of fish and aquatic life. And there was a tunnel through one where sharks and sea-life swim around you.
My favorite piece of Toronto was the Distillery District. Did some shopping and grabbed a few snacks. It reminded me a little of Saint Augustine. The prices were a little higher than they are back home, but nothing too bad.
The remaining highlights of an otherwise uninteresting trip:
I spent most of my time in the water here. There were small waves entertaining the local surfers and tourists. I was happy to find the beach was sandy and I didn’t need shoes to avoid sea urchins. I snorkeled around a little bit and found some life. I saw a few octopuses, puffer fish, and even a sea turtle.
Every day after swimming, I would stop up to Uma’s for a drink and too much to eat. The food here was seriously so good, I visited the place three times in an effort to try everything on the menu. The boasted an amazing vegetarian menu, the best mojitos, and bartender that picked fresh fruits for drink creations on their way into work. I don’t even like food.
Found a beautiful place called Cueva del Indio. It appears in Pirates of the Caribbean and Goonies. It’s not that easy to find actually. You start in a privately owned parking lot, that looks like any other gated coastal property. You have to buy a ticket for the day and pay to park. The ticket vendors are set up between a couple of booths where you can find jewelry and touristy delights.
I think I spent half the day chasing the wildlife trying to catch a photo. There were birds, giant hermit crabs, and many types of lizards. The lizards were not really into modeling I guess. And I had to keep my shoes on because of the sea urchins.
Even found some petroglyphs among the rocks.
The views were absolutely breathtaking and I can see why movies are filmed here. The beaches are a bit too rocky for casual swimming, but it’s an amazing place to climb around and explore.
Even a place deemed safe by cliff divers. It’s jump at your own risk, but it was pretty neat to watch.
The last stop was Flagler Beach. We received a historical tour of the John Anderson Highway and Tomoka State Park area. And had a wonderful chance to check out the local wild life. My aunt and uncle live right next to a state park and encounter tons of wild life right in their own back yard.
Armadillo (aka dinosaur bunny)
I would love this to be my view every morning.
Apparently my uncle gets pretty excited about the wild life and the remains he finds lying about. He was very proud to show me the wild boar skull he found.
I was not so excited by the enormous banana spiders.
The town of Flagler Beach has grown quite a lot since I was young, but it has maintained the small beach town feel. The shops are all still thriving, everyone still congregates at the pier.
Most importantly, the beach is still beautiful. My uncle gave us some surfing lessons in the afternoon.
After the beach we went and got cleaned up and went to dinner at the Flagler Fish Company. Every bite was absolutely divine. We tried the Steamed Muscles, the Shrimp Cocktail, Blackened Grouper, Tuna Salad, Seared Tuna Steak, and Crab legs. We had the Asiago Potatoes and Green beans, the and the sauteed spinach as our sides.
After dinner it was time for a midnight swim under the full moon. My uncle took us back to the beach for a short excursion. The water was still warm and the weather perfect for a little dip to end an awesome adventure.
A few months after we left, my uncle sent this picture of the highway near the beach. The hurricane wasn’t feeling too friendly after I left.
I spent two days at Wiggins Pass State Park. I was very impressed. The beaches there were very well maintained, there was ample parking, and the vendors were kept off the beach and in the large parking areas. The bathrooms were clean and easily accessible. The water was clear and smooth as glass. It was not secluded but neither was it too busy. Of course there was perfect white sand and plenty of shells for the kids to play with. There were sea grapes, and other vegetation along the dune line instead of hotels and concrete. I would definitely visit this park again.
On day 2 I rented paddle boards and spent several hours paddling around. I sat on my board watching the storms surrounding me on every side. The rain was coming down in every direction but I was in a perfectly sunny spot. I eventually realized the current was pulling me out quickly enough to leave a wake behind the board. I had paddled out too far, gotten swept into the current, and was moving out toward sea much faster than intended. It took nearly an hour to paddle back to shore… I did not end up getting rained on, but my friends on shore did!
By the time I made it back in, my friends had already left due to the storm. So I played in the sand and found dozens of starfish.
All returned safely to the water. I feel bad for having played with them, but I was so amazed, I have never seen anything like it before or since.
We tried Bonita Springs but the water was strange and green from the draining of Lake Okeechobee. On the plus side the sand and water were teeming with life. A handful of sand could yield several dozen living mussels. Sand dollars coated the gulf floor.
Unfortunately our trip was cut short by a storm. We really didn’t want to go, so we hung on til the absolute last minute.
It rolled in pretty quickly with high winds, and heavy rain. It was absolutely beautiful to watch.
The ride South was spent in good company. Crocheted and listened to some fun music. We of course had to keep occupied with terrible humor and fun conversation.
My thunderbird:This guy has been following me since Arizona This totally made me think of the people in the movie Wall-E. Took my Tiny Grown Up to her first waffle house experience. The food was delicious and service was amazing.
Sometimes I just need some rest in the quiet. There is a nice walking trail just outside the city of Lansing where you can escape the noise and cars. The colors never disappoint, and the park rarely has too many people.
Managed to catch Architects of Air at the Riverfront Park in Lansing, MI on a bike ride. Pretty neat. The Luminarium was built by one guy, who now employs a staff. They tour around the world and inflate this strange bounce house style artwork.
“What motivates me to design is the fact that I continue to be struck by the beauty of light and colour found in the luminaria. These structures nurture an awareness of a pure phenomenon that gently cuts through everyday conditioned perceptions and awakens a sense of wonder in people”
Summers in Michigan are amazing enough that the 9 months of bad weather is worth it… almost. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has both drive in and remote camping sites if you are up for about a mile hike into the woods. I have done this trip both ways, but this particular visit is the hike-in camping.
We came for the Perseid Meteor Shower. We had some business to attend during the day and arrived pretty late at night. We were able to make the hike in and set up camp just before the sun set. We had a bite to eat before it was too dark.
As we made our way from the tent down to the lake to watch the meteors, we were stalked by a mountain lion! It gave a little growl, but we kept going. There are not so many options for dealing with cats that outweigh you, on a trail, in the dark. We decided the best bet was to keep walking, slowly, to open space rather than turn around and go back through the woods. Cats tend to prefer to stay hidden and you can’t run and you can’t bend down to grab a stick or open a tent… So we kept on to the beach with the occasional hint of his continued presence. Wow oh wow are lions silent hunters. We made it onto the beach and went near the water line, as far from the trees as was reasonable. After a bit, we could see the cat leave the safety of the trees to come a little closer. But a flash of his eyes and he was gone.
We sat in the sand and watched the stars. We had a clear sky just above us for a while despite so many clouds. When it was too overcast to see anything, we made our way back to camp. If our friend was still with us, we did not hear him.
AND NO ONE BELIEVED US. It was another year or more before the first trail camera caught a mountain lion in the area.
The next day was lion free. The weather was perfect. And we hiked around the back trails near Lake Michigan.
We made our way down to the beach as the clouds rolled in.
There was a little nautical museum to visit that tells the story of the area.
There was no storm, only a bit of wind, so we continued our adventure.
This history of this place is interesting. Michigan has a bit of its own fairytale and folk lore. If you visit, you can get a sense of why. The weather is so harsh and extreme for much of the year, that tranquil days seem to be days of waiting for the storm. The story that gives Sleeping Bear dunes its name can be found here. It originates with the indigenous people that inhabited this area. Read at your own risk though. It is pretty sad.
What happened here is one of those stories you don’t tell because people won’t believe it anyway. I will save this memory for myself.
I will say it is hands down the most magical place I have been in the US. I’m not sure how to explain it, there is something in this place that tells your soul to smile and be still. The old gods of the Pueblo and Hopi people must still be living here to watch over their people.
While no one really knows why this place was suddenly abandoned, even the petroglyphs seem to be telling a story of happiness.
And I found a later park brochure that descbribes the meaning of the image above! Some Hopi men provided their thoughts in 1942. It appears to be a tribal origin story if you will.
An unplanned stop on the roadtrip turned out to be one of my favorite finds. We saw a sign that read “cliff dwellers” and we had to go.
Cautionary camping tales…
I let my daughter wander a bit while I took some photos. Ummm… don’t do that. I found her chasing this bright orange fuzzy ant thing. Fortunately she did not touch it before I got there. Bright colors are a bad sign in nature, so I told her to stay clear. I Googled later. This GIANT insect of doom and destruction is called a “Cow Killer” ant. It is not an ant at all. It is a wingless wasp which is named after its powerful sting. So yeah. Pretty guy. Big nope.
Only made a short stop to the Grand Canyon. I think it would have been a more interesting visit if we had gone hiking in the Canyon, but we did not have a lot of time. We stopped for a scenic overlook just to say we did.
We arrived early enough to set up camp and aventure a little. You have to drive through a mountain tunnel to get into the park and it is so amazing. Checking in took a little longer and the drive into the park was a bit slow with traffic. But that is to be expected this time of year.
This is maybe the most beautiful place I have been in the United States.
The park is walled around, by steep cliffs and makes an oasis in the middle of the desert. I think my favorite spot was the Weeping Rock. I spent so much time sitting there in the cool, calm, alcove listening to the water dripping overhear.
For another cautionary camping tale…
When camping in the desert in summer, stay hydrated, be careful, and watch your friends for signs of strange behavior. I think my friend nearly had heat stroke during this trip. The temperature was up to 45C (113F) in the early morning. This was the direct temperature, and not the heat index. During breakfast, he started behaving a little strangely. I watched him take the rain fly off the tent and walk across it while mumbling. Ever the boyscout, always so careful with his tools, I knew this was incredibly out of character for him. Although a subtle sign to anyone unfamiliar with the person, I can say that after 20 years of friendship, this was enough of an indicator of confusion for me that I knew he needed to cool down ASAP. My Tiny Grown Up was red in the face already and acting tired. So I packed them up some bottles of water and marched them immediately down to the river.
I sat them in the shade, told them to put their feet in the water and drink the water. I returned to camp for towels and snacks and whatever else we might need to spend the day in the stream. When I returned, there were two completely different people waiting for me. Both were energized and refreshed. I told them to stay in the water anyway. We played in the water until the midday heat had passed.
Still on a road trip… So… here are more car photos for you. You’re welcome.
This is highway 70 leaving Moab and Arches National Park headed toward Zion.
And from there we made our way onto highway 12. I attempted driving highway 12, but absolute noped. Beautiful twisting winding road… with less than a meter space between your tires and instant death.
While the natural sandstone arches are absolutely stunning… the word of the day is HOT. I don’t mind the heat so much, but my traveling companions were possibly dying a little. I would take precautions making this trip with children in the middle of summer. And definitely take extra water with you.
Since this is a road trip post, you get a whole post that is just the view from the car heading from Kremling, CO into Moab, UT. No joke. Just a gallery of the road. There is nothing here.
We arrived pretty late and took the last room at the hotel. The place was actually pretty nice and had special cleaning supplies and storage spaces for bicycles.
We took a cross-country roadtrip from Michigan to the great “out west.” I had never been further west than Illinois or Louisianna, so I was pretty excited.
The first stop was to visit some old friends from high school that had moved out to Kremling. The first impression I had of colorado was a waterfall visible from the highway. I was absolutely thrilled.
We went hiking around a bit for some spectacular moutain views. This place was absolutely unreal. I have never seen columbines growing wild before.
And it turns out there is a place to feed the chipmunks without problem. No one camps or hikes there so it’s just a roadstop with chipmunks that eat from your hands. I guess they won’t destroy everything.
People stop here for the overlook and feeed these guys. The cuteness is overwhelming. But the view is pretty nice as well.
By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Dark behind it rose the forest, Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees, Rose the firs with cones upon them; Bright before it beat the water, Beat the clear and sunny water, Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.
H. W. Longfellow, Song of Hiawatha
This trip had a special significance for me. Growing up 1,483 miles from this place, my grandmother would read an excerpt of Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha at bed time. She had never been here and I never knew it was a real place. I thought Gitchee Gumee [Gichigami] was a made up land filled with magic and fairies. But this little bit of verse stuck with me. And I have to say, this is the most fitting description imaginable. This is a place where the darkest, tallest forests meet the open water. Memories of sipping tea with my grandma while she read this as a bedtime story kept me smiling the whole weekend.
It was a long drive, but worth the trip. We left early and made it in time for a little walk on the beach before watching the sunset.
The campsite was, humorously, plagued by chipmunks. They woke us up scratching the walls and running under the loose edges of the tent. Firmly against the active feeding of wildlife, but these little guys are persistent. While we did not give them food, any dropped crumbs were swept away quickly.
A quick walk around the campground before the main adventure in this beautiful forest.
And next up was the shipwreck boat tour across Lake Superior. The extreme weather conditions of Northern Michigan are largely responsible for the vast number of shipwrecks in this area. And because the water is so cold, bacterial growth is inhibited and the wrecks are well preserved. Add to this relatively shallow water in this area and you have an entire underwater shipwreck museum. The views from the boat tour were spectacular.
And time for a little more hiking! Here is the obligatory photo of Miner’s Castle! The must see location of every visit to Munising, Michigan!
Miner’s Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore, Munising, Michigan.
Miner’s Falls
Miiner’s Falls
The next day was a short hike through Mosquito Falls. Waterfalls are not so common in Michigan despite the fresh water and rain. There just isn’t a lot of elevation change. So I was pretty excited to see so many falls in one place!
Northern Michigan, a cautionary tale...
We came back a little later in the evening after the boat tour and hike. The next morning, before hiking Mosquito Falls, some fellow adventurers walked into our camp asking if we could share some mosquito repellent. They said they were being harassed endlessly by bugs. This is simply something that has never happened in all of my years camping, so of course I obliged. Clearly they must be in need to ask a stranger and we had plenty. We left to hike the falls and did not find so many mosquitos. We even had a little laugh about them being tasty enough to lure the mosquitos away from us.
We returned in the late afternoon this time and discovered what had plagued the other campers was Michigan Black Fly. We were camping just in time for a major hatch. It was like something straight out of a horror movie. These things bite, constantly and hard. The flies followed us on the beach. We tried swimming in the cold water, but they would wait on the top of the water while we were under and would be on us the moment we emerged. We gave up and discovered they were also waiting on the clothes that smelled of us. The mosquito repellent was of no use.
Shooing them away as best we could, we dressed, and swatted and swatted some more. Returning to camp meant a walk past the trash cans and bathrooms. The sky was black with these biting monsters. I mean a literal black cloud. I told my daughter to wait for me to run through and then to follow just behind. I was hoping to distract them and break the cloud so she could pass safely. It didn’t really work. We ran as quickly as we could back to the car and locked ourselves in. Fortunately the flies did as flies do. They abandoned their quest for blood and attempted to escape through the closed windows. They did not bite us while trapped, so we waited there in the sound of their buzzing against the glass until it was dark enough that the flies were dormant.
We absolutely did not attempt to stay another night. We set our alarms so we could have breakfast and pack at the sunrise and hopefully beat the flies out.
PigTailz 