Tag: España

Galicia, How I Love You

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.

A moonlight view of the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela from the lighted fountain in el Parque Aladmeda

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.

Church of San Andres de Teixido overlooking the cliffs.

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.

Palomera covered in vines.
Old paper factory reclaimed by moss and trees.
Old stairwell covered in moss and vines.

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.”

Escaped umbrella on a windy day.
Three broken umbrellas in a trash can because galicia is cold and wet and windy and wet and windy.
Two broken umbrellas and a suitcase because Galicia is traveling and rain.

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.

Another biting pokey plant of galicia but I dont know what it is called.
Spider webs on toxo death spines.

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.

A whole field of spiders and pokey doom spikes.
Toxos, Ortigas, and Moras growing together in a stinging pile of doom. Really dont walk bearfoot in Galicia.
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.

Green castañas on the tree.
Spiky death needle nuts on a tree.
castañas without the needle covered shell roasting on a flame.
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.

Short Stops, Galicia (ES)

This was a very rainy winter day in Galicia. The wind was a bit crazy so we made a bunch of short stops without a lot of walking.

Fervenza da Noveria

Fervenza de A Noveira is in the Comarca do Xallas, Mazaricos. This is a very short walk to an incredible view of the falls.

Ezaro

Ezaro is a beautiful pueblo in Galicia. In summer it is home to a swimming competition at the end of summer. The swimmers start in the sea and swim to the pueblo near the waterfall. There was so much wind this day, we struggled to make the boardwalk for this photo. It felt like such an accomplishment that we took a cake and a coffee in a nearby cafe to celebrate.

Hidroelectrico de Rio Tambre

This path was more enclosed and the hills to either side blocked the wind so we took a little hike at this stop.

The Hidroelectrico de Rio Tambre was built by architect Antonio Palacios and finished in 1926. Outside there are sculptures and examples of the antique machinery that were once employed here.

There is a 7-8km hiking trail that runs along the river. The first half was a pretty easy trail, but we did not finish so I don’t know for the rest. Wikiloc has the route here marked as moderate.

Are any of these edible? If you know please comment below. I do not know much about mushrooms, but Galicia has a lot. We always joke about whether it is food or deadly, but I have never been certain enough to try. The books I have bought always show a very perfect example or different stage and I can never place them with enough certainty to try.

Praia Pedra do Sal

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.

Kinga Haudek Artista Joyera, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

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.

O Hio, Galicia (ES)

Another stunning day hike along the cliffs of Galicia.

We started the day with a bonus stop at the Igrexa de Santo André do Hío.

This rural church seems small, but inside it is exceptionally lovely. The pale stone with white and silver accents gives the church an eerie, haunted feeling. Maybe “magical” is a better word.

We hopped back in the car and headed to the Playa de Nerga and made our route following the cliffs along the small peninsula.

We walked along the beach a ways. It was covered in large vieira shells. I have never seen so many in one place! It was really hard not to stuff our pockets full of shells and weigh ourselves down at the beginning of the hike.

And then of course… the UP. There was a lot of UP this trip. Strava recorded about 425m elevation gain, but it felt like more. It is funny to me that since moving to Galicia, half of my photos are at an angle, but it is a little difficult to figure out which way is level sometimes.

Once we reached the top, the path smoothed out a little. There were some ruins to explore as well as some incredible views.

We were able to shed the long sleeves and hoodies. We had anticipated a gray day, maybe a little rain as to be expected in Galicia in early spring, but the sun burned off the cloud cover around midday. We ended up getting a bit warm as there is a lot less wind here than the northern Costa de Morta.

We made our way down to the next beach.

And back up again… to the Faro de Punta Robaleira

At some point, we stopped for lunch on a rocky ledge that overlooked the whole coast in every direction.

And we found O Facho de Donón. It is an old roman sanctuary that is part of an ongoing excavation of a large castro.

This is where we turned our path to circle back. We repeated the same path back through Donón, then turned inward, away from the coast, to skip the peninsula and head back to the car. If you follow me on Strava, be sure you dont repeat my path unless you have thick pants and solid hiking boots. This inland path was a trail for jabali. My friend suffered a bit and said we were going “como cabritas” which has been an ongoing joke since.

I am not sure how it is possible that we somehow had to go up so much to go down. The path back down the mountain was at least a third uphill. My legs were a bit dead by then.

Round trip was a little over 17km, and took almost 5 hours with exploring the castro and taking lunch. We made it back to Playa Nerga with little time to spare. We watched the sunset before heading back to the car.

Fervenza de Toxa, Galicia, Spain

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.

Mosteiro de Carboeiro, Galicia, Spain

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.

Here is me a ponte do Demo…

León, Spain

New Years Eve in León!

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.

Praia das Catedrais, Asturias, Spain

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.

Ponte de Sarandon, Galicia, Spain

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.

Furelos, Galicia, Spain

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.

A Pontenova, Galicia Spain

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.

Praia de Lires, Galicia, Spain

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, Galicia, Spain

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.

Madrid, Spain

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.

Living in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

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!

Baños de Bande, Ourense, Spain

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.

Ponte de Lima, Portugal

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.

Romaría Vikinga, Catoira, Spain

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.

Noia, Galicia, Spain

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, Spain

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.

Areal de Berres, Galicia, Spain

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.

A bridge over a stream in the forest.

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.

Clearing with a stone wall overlooking the river Ulla.

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.

Illa de Arousa, Galicia, Spain

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

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

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

El Eucaliptón, Asturias, Spain

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

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

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

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

The tree is so big!

I actually took a picture with me for reference.

Padron, Galicia, Spain

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

The cathedral here overlooks the city and the feria.

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

San Andres de Teixido, Galicia, Spain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Fragas do Eume, Galicia, Spain

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.

View from the monestary.

Castellón, Spain

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, Castile-La Mancha, Spain

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.

Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain

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.

Río Pedras

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.

Salamanca, Spain

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.

Serra d’Irta Natural Park, Spain

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.

Albarracín, Spain

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.

Castro de Baroña, Spain

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.

Totally magical experience.

Santiago de Compostela, Spain

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.

Farewell Santiago de Compostela.

Madrid, Spain

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.

And we bid farewell to Madrid.