Galicia


When Carol, Stuart, and I traveled around Spain 17 years ago we spent some time in almost every part of the country except Galicia, which is like the Washington State of Spain! 😎. In the very northwest corner of the country and the northern border of Portugal it is green and rugged and in a way a mixture of Spain and Portugal.  Even the local dialect of Gallejo is somewhat a combination of the two.
    With only four days before we start our journey through Portugal we jumped in our rental car to see as much as we could fit in.
    First stop: Santiago de Compostela the terminus of the Camino de Santiago, the famous trek from all points of Europe but most famous for the route from France across northern Spain.  “Pilgrims “ from all over the world come to walk these time worn paths, staying at small alberges and supposedly making the journey in a meditative pose, though there is often a whole lot of partying going on!


“We can consider that King Alfonso II, King of Asturias to 842, was the first pilgrim. He went from Oviedo to Santiago to verify the finding of St James’ mortal remains and also to worship them. This was the beginning of the first official Way known as the Primitive Way.”
-  https://www.pilgrim.es/en/plan-your-way/the-way/history/



The old city is beautiful with the Cathdral and many imposing edifices as well as narrow winding streets with small cafes and shops along the way.  In the morning the large square in front of the Cathedral was filled with throngs of pilgrims, cyclists, and tourists.  After hours of wandering the streets we found a more quiet street for a nice lunch.


We’ve had some long driving days to see as much as we could, including north to A Coruña and then west and south along the Costa da Morte -  “the Coast of Death”, named for the rugged coast which has claimed many ships throughout history.  Our end point that day was Fisterra which is the most western point in Spain or “the end of the earth” in days gone by.

                        Town of Coian

   Lunch in Coian: Cazuela de Mariscos             and Pescado a la Plancha
       These old granarys are everywhere
                  in the countryside
      Roman Bridge outside of Santiago

Another day we headed inland to Lugo, the only city still completely surrounded by a
completely intact Roman wall completed in 276 a.d.   It is over 2 kilometers in length and is over 10 feet wide so you can walk completely around the city.
https://www.pilgrim.es/en/plan-your-way/the-way/history/




Tomorrow we begin our slow journey through Portugal until we cross back into Spain around October 10 when we will explore and enjoy one of our favorite areas: Andalucia!

Stay Tuned!

Don and Carol

p.s. We have had some great meals out for lunch but for dinner this is a typical meal we have in our apartment when we get back from a long day of exploring 😊


Comments

  1. Patty LewisSeptember 19, 2018 at 3:15 PM

    Don, I think I'm only getting your posts when you link them in an email.

    ReplyDelete

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