In 2002 we ventured to Galicia, Spain, which is located in the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. Our photos are incredibly bad (scanned slides) and I didn't keep a log, but, as we are not going anyplace soon, I would like to try to tell the story of this magical place.
A rocky setting with the Atlantic Ocean on two sides and Portugal on a third, this isolated place had a higher percentage of people speaking Galician than that of Basque. It is home to the only rainforest in Europe and a surprising number of significant places and things to see. At times seeming populated by old women dressed in black with a hoe or spade over their shoulder walking along the roadway.
When the Celts migrated across Europe to Galicia, at the end of the Iron Age (600 B.C.E) they found thousands of megaliths or dolman that were erected during the early Neolithic period. Then the Celts erected walled communities of round dwellings called Castros. The village, not the building. We found our first at Santa Tegra overlooking the Atlantic and the Minho/Miño River, which separates Spain/Galicia and Portugal. (I encourage you to find these locations on a map.)
Santa Tegra
From here we headed up the coast. In O Rosal there were grape vines supported by stone columns as this area is called Rías Baixas. Renowned for its' white wines.
Then to Oya, our base for driving up the mountainside - through Eucalyptus forest - to the Rapa das Bestas which means Shave of the Beasts.
The smell of the Eucalyptus was overpowering, as we made our way up through a dense fog, which did not dissipate. At the top we found horses, riders, and no tourists. The Rapas involves cutting the manes of the wild horses who live free in the mountains. There are more than a dozen rapas in Galicia. Since we were "shoulder season" travelers, this was the first of the year in late May. We sat on sagging planks and drank from unlabeled bottles of wine while watching the cooks prepare the pulpo (octopus) - cutting tentacles with scissors into great copper pans. Meanwhile, the horsemen showed off their skills by darting around the boulder-strewn area. Because of the fog, it was difficult to see much. But the wine and pulpo were delicious.
On March 1, 1493, the Pinta arrived in Baiona, our next stop, with the first news of Columbus' success in the New World.Baiona has a replica which Marie was delighted to visit.
This brought us to a series of estuaries. First was the Ria de Vigo and the port city of Vigo - Spain's largest. Even this industrial place had a couple of sculptures to offer.
I could not resist driving out to the tips of many of the peninsulas jutting out into the Atlantic, like Donon.
There were also side trips to see petroglyphs at Mogor, from the late Neolithic to Bronze Age.
Eventually, we got to Pontevedra, a university town. I do not remember much of what we saw at the Museo de Pontevedra, but I know we were introduced to artist and rabble-rouser Alfonso Daniel Rodríguez Castelao.
Commonly known by his last name, Castelao's story was fascinating. CLICK HERE, if interested.
We also witnessed a student demonstration of unknown purpose.
At the end of the next peninsula is an isthmus which leads to O Grove, where we enjoyed the rocks and sand before crossing a bridge to Illa da Toxa.
On the way north to Santiago de Compostela, we came upon the Towers of the West at Catoira.
A national monument, there are two structures and are from the 9th century, but the site was previously used by Romans as well as pre-Romans.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Santiago de Compostela is the famous pilgrimage destination with trails leading to it throughout Europe. The way is identified by the scallop symbol. So many people came here, that in in 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella founded the world's first hotel. Now operated as a 5-star parador.
Here are a few scenes we saw on our way up the coast:
An hórreo is a typical granary found in region, built of wood or stone, and raised up on pillars to keep rodents out. The oldest still standing is from the 15th century, but there is an illustration of an hórreo from 1280. And while there are many smaller examples, the Hórreo at Carnota is the longest at 35 meters. As I understood the story, villages would add to their hórreo to make it bigger than the next town's. Then that town's structure would be enlarged to become the longest.
More west coast Galicia:
Malpica is a fishing place ans there we ate mariscos, which
are shellfish, and there are some interesting examples in Galicia.
While there was a great variety from gambas (shrimp), cigalas (lobster), and zamburiñas (scallops), there were also nécoras (velvet crabs), centollos (spider crabs), berebechos (cockles), and navajas (razor clams). The most dangerous of them all, however, are Percebes or goose barnacles.
(not mine)
Not dangerous to eat, but to harvest.
The fishermen who collect them (percebeiros) must constantly brave
frigid waters and winds. Over the years, lives have been lost. The
delicacy is, accordingly, quite expensive.
(not mine)
This brings us to A Coruña. Once a Celtic settlement, it became an important port for the Romans (Julius Caesar slept here in 62 B.C.E.). Later it became home base for the famed Spanish Armada.
Considered the oldest existing lighthouse, Tower of Hercules, built by the Romans, has been in continuous use since the 2nd century, though renovated in 1791.
Beginning in the 18th century, they began adding glazed galleries to the port houses because of the rainy weather. It soon became quite fashionable all along the coast.
Then we started heading south, which took us to Viviero. We had not planned to stop there, but on the way through I spied a small group of costumed people parading down the sidewalk. I immediately did a U-turn and parked the car. As we were getting out of our vehicle, we were approached by two of the colorfully-dressed women, who gestured to Marie to join them. They proceeded to put a hat on her head, a shawl over her shoulders, and a basket of flowers to carry, as they joined the dance taking place. It was some kind of Springtime ritual, with the young bride and the Greenman. At the end of the episode, the ladies retrieved their belongings and said "adios." I think.
Continuing along the coast we found Castro de Fazouro.
Then straight south to see another castro in Viladonga.
Further south, we visited Lugo, the only city in the world to be surrounded by completely intact Roman walls. The 3rd century walls are thirty-three to forty-nine feet high and the circuit is 6,946 feet with seventy-one towers and ten gates. Another UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sundial museum
We visited the sundial museum, walked along the top of the wall for a while, and continued on our way.
We also stopped in Ourence to see the Catedral do San Martiño, founded in 550. It is the oldest in Spain. And then said goodbye to Galicia.
We were flying out of Madrid, so made a few more stops along the way. First was Segovia.
Another UNESCO World Heritage site.
Segovia seems to rise from the earth as in is situated on a rocky crag above the confluence of two rivers. It is most famous for two structures. The Aqueducto Romano. One of the best preserved:
And the Alcázar. While originally from early 12h century, there have been a few renovations over the years. A spectacular residence/fortress, it served as Lancelot's castle in the film version of Camelot.
But perhaps our favorite attraction there was the unusual carousel operating at the base of the Aqueduct. A real work of Art.
Next stop was Avila, famous for its intact Medieval walls. Much of them are also walkable, but we took a picture of its equally famous cathedral and headed out of town because we went to that area to see Les Toros de Guisando.
Steeped in legend, they may have been sculpted during the 2nd century B.C.E., though most likely re-positioned. They are mentioned several times in Don Quixote.
This is the only shot I have of Toledo because we didn't stay. While it might have been charming another time, we found the narrow streets packed with tourists rather claustrophobic and chose to leave.
Our next stop was even worse. Madrid was something else entirely. Big and loud, as our apartment was situated above a saloon. Something we now arduously reject when looking for a place to stay. But we visited the Prado and saw Guernica and a preponderance of Velasquez and Goya. We enjoyed, perhaps more, the nearby Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. I do not remember if we went to the Reina Sofia gallery or not. Founded in 1992 by German art collector Heinrich Thyssen, heir to the Thyssen Steel Works. The art was an interesting mixture of Classical and Modern, but as I recall, photos were not allowed, as they were not at the Prado. Or maybe there wasn't anything I wanted to shoot. We saw as much as we could before paying extra to leave a couple of days early. Never get an apartment above a bar!
No comments:
Post a Comment