A Fonsagrada: The Highest Town in Galicia

Driving on a cloud, near Fonsagrada

December is underway with a ¨typical Spanish¨ long weekend. Well, it's always a long weekend for me, but this time everyone else was also off on Friday. So my traditional dance class buddy and I took advantage to check out Galicia's highest and most expansive region: A Fonsagrada. The name means ¨holy fountain.¨ It's a curvy one hour drive from Lugo, right on the border with Asturies. The proximity with Asturies is evident in the architecture and accent. While in the rest of Galicia, the suffix -iño/a is used to make something small (or cute), in A Fonsagrada and Asturies, they use -ín/-ina. (FYI: in Spanish -ito/a is normally used for the same purpose). The region also has Asturian-style hórreos. In the rest of Galicia these typical granaries are rectangular; the longer they are, the wealthier the family was. In A Fonsagrada and Asturies, however, they are a lot bigger and square.

A giant mouth harp!

The main reason we went to A Fonsagrada this weekend was the fifth-annual foliada taking place there. A foliada is an evening of traditional Galician music and dancing--and we were ready to practice! But first, I signed up for a mouth harp class. There are tons of variants of the mouth harp throughout the world. In Galicia, it's made of iron and steel. A Fonsagrada is well-known for them, probably because the region was always known for blacksmithing. Back in the day, a set of bagpipes could cost as much as a cow. So obviously, many families couldn't afford such a musical luxury. A cheaper alternative was the mouth harp. It doesn't have as many notes, but it's still entertaining for kids and adults. The introductory course only lasted a few hours, and after what seemed like forever I was finally able to make some noise with the mouth harp! Woohoo! The sound reminds me of Australian didgeridoos.

After the class, in the center of town bars were packed with musicians and dancers. After swaying to the music a bit, we went to the tent where the main concerts were taking place. There, people were listening to the music as well as dancing in small groups. Finally, time to practice! There was a group of older women who were also beginners so we danced with them. In Galician dance, you line up in two rows facing each other. Then one person picks a dance move, performs it, and the group copies. That's what's most difficult about dancing for me. Having to see it once and be able to make my legs do the same (specifically, mirroring my partner's movements). Of course there are a lot of people who have been dancing most of their life and it's impossible for a clumsy newbie to keep up. So it was great to practice with others who aren't such pros!

We gave it our all Friday night. But apparently, Friday was just a warm-up. Now we know for next year to save some our enthusiasm and stay for the whole weekend.

Back to Belgium

My first weekend trip alone was to Belgium five years ago. This year for Carnival, I went back to Belgium (and also the North of France) to visit the ¨in-laws. ¨One great thing about the region of Belgium/Netherlands/Northern France is that it's so small and flat, the train connects it quickly and efficiently. So from the airport we took a train to

Tournai / Doornik

Two names since in Belgium they speak French and Flemish. The highlight of this city bordering France was its huge plaza. It would be even bigger if they didn't use a fraction of it as a parking lot. Tournai also has a large cathedral and separate bell tower. We didn't go into either, but stopped to appreciate them from the outside. We found a second, smaller church with the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Such a far ways from Galicia! Since there weren't many more sights to see, we stepped into a cozy pub. At first it was just us and what seemed to be a Brazilian resident with his parents visiting him in his new home across the ocean. I can relate to that! Then our Belgian Beer Tour began. By the time we ordered the second round, the place had filled. The other bartender/owner appeared from a door behind the bar (not from the main entrance) so I got the feeling the owners lived upstairs. She then proceeded to walk around to all of the tables to say good evening. She stopped and sat down at a few to chat with the regulars. I absolutely loved that! If I ever had a bar, I would strive to be that chummy with the regulars.

Reunited and it feels so good! 

We were killing time in Tournai, waiting for my cuñada to pick us up on her way home from work. Then surprise-- the whole family came to get us! Hooray! Apparently they go quite often to Tournai on Friday nights to hang out with other family friends. So on we went to meet the gang at another bar. The Belgian Beer Tour continued.

Lille
This big city has a few brick buildings mixed into its general fancy French architecture. We spent a good amount of our time there watching a live band play in a square. Our sobriño is future musical mastermind and never gets tired of seeing artists perform.

Ghent
Last time in Belgium, I went to the city famed for its fairy-tale appearance: Brugge. Obviously, it was pretty touristy, but I still enjoyed it. Truly though, Ghent knocked it out of the water! The architecture is just beautiful. I adore the dark brick style in Belgium and Holland. And despite there being plenty of fellow travelers (we heard a lot of Spanish speakers), it still seemed genuine. Our hostess had lived there for several years, so maybe that helped our experience.

Walking around Ghent was a treat. There was a cathedral and a few churches, not to mention bridges and canal walkways. We only went in one cathedral. No museums though. Which is why one day trip wasn't enough. I'll be eager to go back when we're in that region again.

The other highlight of Ghent was dining at Amadeus. I had been hearing about this restaurant for years. I'm not a huge carnivore, and also the fact that here in Galicia the famed ribs have NO BARBECUE SAUCE WHATSOEVER makes me even less interested. But at Amadeus they know how to do ribs right. They were covered in a delicious sauce. And don't even get me started on the baked potato! First of all, baked potatoes aren't a thing in Galicia. They love their potatoes in many ways, but boiled is king. The baked potato at Amadeus was doused in a finger-lickin' good sauce. Did I mention it was all-you-can-eat? It was like a little taste of home.

Dunkerque
Like in Galicia, Carnival is one big party in this harbor town in French Flanders (again, right by the border). Dunkerque has carnival traditions of its own: namely, long umbrellas. For the week of festivities, people dress in bright colors carrying small, colorful umbrellas on long poles. The day we went, the crowning moment was the throwing of herring. For whatever reason, the tradition here is to wait in the town square for them to throw salted fish (now in plastic wrapping). In the minutes before the clock chimes, excitement mounts. The crowd chants ¨LIBEREZ L'HARENG¨ (Free the fish! I could not help but crack up at this). It was then that I figured out why the long umbrellas. To catch some fish! (This isn't the real reason, but seems legit.) This year they threw 500 kilos of herring. And B-man caught one of them! Others slipped through everyone's hands and ended up on the ground. What, nobody wants a stepped-on fish?

Family Time
The reason for our visit was to visit our favorite emigrated galega, my sister-in-law, her husband, and our sobriño. He's two and a whole lot of action. I wouldn't say terrible twos. Well, actually, maybe. On Saturday morning I got to go to open swim with him and his mom. And then it hit me: this is why he doesn't care for the ocean when they come to Galicia in the summer. The pool water was so warm! Perfect for a chilly March morning. Again, I can relate to that!

One day we spent the afternoon babysitting. What could go wrong? Nothing went wrong, don't worry. In fact we even got out of the house and went for a walk. Inside we also enjoyed parading in circles with instruments for hours. That night though, we both fell asleep by 9:30 (probably around the same time our sobriño did).

White, White Wine ♪

Albariño may get all the fame and glory, but there's more than one Galician white wine with a certificate of origin. Ribeiro is often a cheaper option, perhaps due to its lack of celebrity on the wine circuit. Albariño is sweeter, but Ribeiro has nothing to be ashamed of! In fact, I often order it when I'm out partly because it's less expensive.

I mention all this because recently in Ribadavia I attended my third wine festival (after Chantada's  fair and Cambados' Albariño fest). Over 35 wineries proudly offered their fermented grape juice. The blind tasting was the fastest (and cheapest!) way to try some Ribeiro. It was held in an old stone church converted into a social center. For 5€ you could try 11 or 13 white wines, from small family wineries or larger companies respectively. We didn't really think things through, and got a different ticket each. So 10€ to try 24 white wines. The servings were quite generous, too. Not that we finished them all. Only the top 10 (or 15). Needless to say, I won't be ordering Ribeiro any time soon.

After the wine tasting, we didn't last long. There was a weird dj playing in the fairgrounds. I guess I just hadn't had enough wine to fully enjoy/understand it. We had brought our tent to go camping afterwards, but in the tourist office they said there were no campgrounds within walking distance. They told us for one night to just camp in a park on the outskirts of town. And that we did, right next to a short rushing waterfall.

We packed up and moved out early the next morning. Early for Galicia on a Sunday, at least. On the way home we stopped at the Pozas of Melón. Galicia is full of rivers that have pools sectioned-off naturally by boulders, called pozas. We explored this one on our own, as no one else was around before noon. A shady trail accompanied the river and its waterfalls, while some boulders within the river provided the perfect place to sun ourselves and get some more sleep.

All of that Ribeiro wine, however, didn't make me forget what had originally brought us to the region. On Friday we had gone to O Carballiño, the biggest town within the origin-certified Ribeiro wine region. Despite the fact that less than 15,000 people live there, it has a huge, modern cathedral. Unexpected! The town also has a great riverside walk and park. There was a rock atop a hill dedicated to lovers. Unfortunately, it would seem that for years people have been professing their undying love on it via graffiti. Nearby there was a mill museum that looked promising, but it was closed.

Here O Carballiño is synonymous with octopus. Octopus...so far from the coast? Apparently 50 years ago when the town's annual octopus fair started, octopus was a dish for poor people. It was seen as a nuisance caught in the fishers' nets. How times change! Now this dish represents not only O Carballiño, but Galicia as a whole. Therefore, prices have gone up. But Carballiño is so well-known for its octopus that one must wonder: If you visited Carballiño without having octopus, did you even visit there at all? I guess we'll just have to go back.

Pazo de Lourizán: Manor Gardens near Pontevedra

The traditional housing for the wealthy in Galicia were called pazos, which are literally translated as palaces. However, they're not quite as opulent as the Palace of Versailles or any other grand palace that might come to mind. A better translation would be manors or estate houses. The Rías Baixas, on the southwest coast, is dotted with them. Some are wineries, some are open to the public, and some are private property. On the outskirts of the city of Pontevedra lies Pazo de Lourizán.

 The manor house itself is now dilapidated, and you can't go in to visit. But its grandiose staircase and facade remind us of prosperous times gone by. It was built in the 19th century as the summer home for the noteworthy Galician politician, Montero Ríos. It boasts being the place where the Treaty of Paris was hashed out after the Spanish-American War.

With the pazo off limits, the real star of the show is the gardens. It's currently used as an investigation center for forestry, which means it hosts hundreds of different shrubs, trees, and flowers. When we went on a weekday, there was hardly anyone around and we could enjoy a peaceful stroll by ourselves. Well, actually, with our 2-year-old nephew in tow, peaceful probably isn't the best description. But the expansive gardens were lovely and he got to run around freely. The pazo is also on the Camellia Route because it has several varieties of camellia tree (very popular in this region). In the investigation center they are studying what uses camellia oil can have.

The gardens are more than just trees, though. There's a grotto, a fountain, and a long hórreo. The property goes continually upward, so the views of the ría from behind the manor are lovely. They must have been before ENCE was built, at least. ENCE is the controversial paper mill that has been stinking up the city of Pontevedra and its surroundings for decades. Technically their permit is up, but only time (and politics) will tell if they actually close shop. Fingers crossed!

Around and About Allariz

Speaking of lovely Galician towns...Allariz! This Medieval town of 6,000 is a favorite for many. It only took me four years to visit, and it did not disappoint. The buildings and narrow streets are delightful, as well as the riverside walk. And Allariz doesn't feel too small. The night we went out for dinner there was plenty of ambiance. There must be at least two dozen café/bars and in the center the terraces were nearly full. Our visit also happened to coincide with the Ox Meat Tapa Contest (ox meat being the specialty in that region). So we jumped at the chance to have ox without paying an arm and a leg.

Apart from its Medieval charm, Allariz is also known for its annual international garden festival. The festival lasts spring through autumn. We went later in the season, so the props weren't in the best condition. Last year's theme was eroticism, and the 12 gardens were designed by people from Europe, South America, and Japan. Some were strange. But in general, all were a nice place to take a quiet walk.

Hollow tree near the church
and fountains

We also took a short hike nearby called Santa Mariña de Augas Santas. It started at a church with three sacred fountains. The legend says that a woman from the area resisted a Roman leader's sexual advances. So, ¨the usual¨: he ordered her execution. (Huh, sounds a lot like the present day machista attitude of ¨if I can't have you, nobody can¨...) She was in the oven, awaiting being burned to death when St. Peter appeared and rescued her through the tiny chimney. Later, however, she was decapitated and where her head bounced sprung up the fountains that nowadays are said to be sacred. From the church, a stone path leads down through the forest. The next stop is an unfinished basilica. It's hard to imagine them building a basilica back in the day, in what is now the middle of nowhere. A hole in the ground is supposedly the chimney through which the damsel escaped. You can go down into the crypt too, which is quite cool. There you can see the oven where the damsel was to be burnt. There's also a small pool.

Castro Armea

Continuing the hike, there's an `everlasting fountain´ under an old oak tree. Later, you run into a post-Roman castro: Castro Armea. You can tell it's from after the Romans because the buildings are square instead of round. This stop offers a nice view of the surroundings. Further along the trail, close to the beginning is what's left of an old Roman house. What's left is the floor. What might normally appear to be just a big, odd boulder is clearly carved into flooring. It has several levels (plus the ones underground) with stairs uniting the different terraces. This must have been quite the palace for the middle of Gallaecia!

Valadouro and Monte da Frouxeira

Valadouro

I am enamored! There's a new village on my list of favorites. Galicia is full of countryside and villages, so it's hard not to find something you like. We spent this Easter weekend on the northern coast of Lugo (A Mariña Lucense) and explored a new area: Valadouro. You could tell me this gorgeous valley was in the Pyrenees and I would believe you. Sure, the mountains are a little lower. But I daresay the wide, green valley is just as beautiful.

Part of Monte da Frouxeira

We went to Valadouro's capital, Ferreira. Walking around, it seemed like an ideal village. Not miniscule, but still just shy of being a ¨town.¨ It had around 8 bars/cafés, and they all had people in them (One of the great mysteries of this country is how there can be so many bars/cafés and yet there are people in each one!). Later we were informed that all that ambiance was mostly due to people being on vacation for Holy Week. But having the options of that many places to get a drink is enough for me. Ferreira also has a bakery and hotel! Gadzooks! In regards to the bakery, I had gotten used to the bread van driving by the country house every morning. So a real bakery with treats to choose from seems like a city advantage. When I looked up Ferreira's population online, however, I was shocked to see that only 800 people live there!

 

Giant camellia tree

The reason for our trip to this undiscovered (to me) valley was to visit a friend. His house/yard itself is awesome, right at the edge of the valley. So in his backyard starts the hill. There's also a century-old camellia tree which had left tons of petals on the ground. I suggested he get into the event business, because with that tree, in that valley, with those fields-- who wouldn't want to get married there? In his eyes, city slickers from Madrid would probably be the only customers, since ¨everyone has their own fields.¨ I must have been really showing my (sub)urban side with my amazement.

Some Galicians pointing to the encroaching Spanish troops

The peak (pun intended) of our visit was going up Frouxeira mountain. Apparently this is a very important place for Galicians. It all goes back to when Galicia was its own kingdom, centuries ago. This mountain held a key castle (Castelo da Frouxeira) which resisted Spain's army under the Catholic Kings. Perched upon the mountain it was invincible. Until a betrayal brought its downfall. Hmph! Nowadays, there are only a few bricks left from the castle, as well as steps carved into the rocks. The best part though, is the view of the entire valley of Valadouro. On the other side you can see the sea and some coastal towns. We just happened to go at sunset which made it even more magnificent. I know I'll be back to see this epic sunset again.

Domingueiros, Dominguieras (Sunday Drivers)

Sundays without plans are a perfect opportunity for a drive south of the border; and northern Portugal still has many gems to explore. We usually take the ¨long way,¨ opting for quiet country roads instead of paying for the speed of the turnpike.

Arcos de Valdevez
Our first stop, and the ¨biggest city¨ on the agenda (population: around 20,000), Arcos de Valdevez was a quiet town on a river. Quiet, perhaps, because it was Sunday morning and people were at mass. It has twin churches at different ends of one plaza. A third church can be seen in the same line, but it's an odd shape for a church: a rounded square. In this town we tested out two different cafés and noticed some differences between Galicia and Portugal. The grocery stores were open, which on a Sunday in Spain is unfathomable.

Soajo

Espigueiros in Soajo

A short drive away, this tiny town is famous for its group of hórreos. Well, what Galicians call hórreos, the Portuguese call espigueiros. They are one in the same though: elevated stone or wooden granaries to store and dry grains above ground where mice couldn't get into them. In Galicia they are a common site in many yards in the countryside, with designs often depending on the region. In Portugal it would seem that the tradition was to have all the espigueiros gathered together, since the only ones I've seen in Portugal were in conglomerations. In Soajo, there are more than 20 grouped together on a huge slab of rock. They aren't used any more, but sure make for a pretty picture amongst the green and mountains.

Part of our adventure in Soajo included listening to google maps, which actually doesn't always know best. It sent us towards the village's fastest exit, which included hills, difficult turns, and not to mention incredibly narrow streets. We saw villagers' cars parked in their driveways, so we persevered, knowing it was possible to get through with a car. At one point the car scraped between two buildings. Glad it wasn't me driving! We ended up turning around anyways, because we were being led down a steep hill with a difficult turn at the end. Luckily a villager was passing by and helped direct the car towards the main road.

Lindoso

Lindoso Castle in background

Further into the Peneda Gerês National Park, which straddles the eastern part of the Galician-Portuguese border, is the hamlet of Lindoso. Here there were even fewer houses, but just as many espigueiros. Except rather than being on top of a rock, they were in the backyard of a castle. Delightful! The inside of the castle was closed, but we were able to walk along its outer wall and look out at the espigueiros. It was easy to imagine them full of corn to keep my castle and kingdom fed for the winter.

View from the castle

Between stops we came across some cows with HUGE horns, just chilling.

Sistelo
After lunch we headed to Sistelo, a hamlet surrounded by lush green hills. They took advantage of the hills by leveling off the land so that they could have gardens and place for animals to graze. To take in all the views, we went on a super quick hike to the church, down a steep set of stone stairs, over a river, and back up the stairs again. Not much to say here, the photos speak for themselves. Although they don't even do the green hillside justice.

Sistelo from the other side of the hill

Mondariz's Medicinal Fountains

Gándara Fountain

Mondariz-Balneario is the smallest town in Galicia. Well to begin with, they organize land a little differently here so let's review. Galicia itself is a comunidad autónoma (Autonomous Community) of Spain, divided into 4 provincias (provinces). Within these 4 provinces are 53 comarcas (regions). These regions are made up of 313 concellos, or town halls. These ¨town halls¨ are usually made up of one city/town, plus a little aldeas (hamlets, villages) and even lugares (sets of 2-5 houses). Mondariz-Balneario is only 2 square kilometers, next to the original town of Mondariz. Why bother separating? Because this part of the town has multiple springs of medicinal waters which when rediscovered in the 19th century, drew a lot of attention. It became a sort of theme park for the wealthy. The name of the town literally means Mondariz-Spa. Not to be confused with boring old Mondariz.

Troncoso fountain has seen better days.
You can still glimpse its fancier days though.

A charming riverside stroll takes you to the furthest fountain, Troncoso. The fountain is surrounded by an elaborate fence, and two sets of staircases lead down to it from the promenade. Nowadays, it's shabby. Yet it is easy to imagine that a century ago it was a fabulous place to meet your neighbors (or wealthy visitors). 

The other main fountain, Gándara, is right next to the Mondariz spa. This one is grandiose; reminiscent of an ancient temple or observatory. According to the sign, the water treats gastroenteritis, liver issues, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues, among other things. With that in mind, I gave it a try. Hint: it tasted sour and awful.
After scoping out the grounds, we headed into the Mondariz spa for some R and R. The spa was opened in 1873, and has since been visited by illustrious Galicians and Spaniards including authors, politicians, and royalty. At the turn of the 20th century, the Grand Hotel was opened to host these visitors in opulence. Due to a fire later on, it went to the wayside. But in the past decades it has been restored to its grandeur of the good old days. The ¨Water Palace¨ as they call it, is quite nice with plenty of different pools, jacuzzis, saunas, and showers. There's even a small thermal bath outside which was a wonderful contrast on a winter afternoon.

Nearby Mondariz is a castle and a castro (Celtic settlement) which we also checked out. Sobroso Castle is a medieval fortress that gets its name from the forests of cork trees which surround it. During the Irmandiña revolts, it was mostly destroyed, but was later reconstructed. Nowadays you can get in for just a euro, although there isn't much to see. We did, however, enjoy its exhibition on underwear throughout the ages. Most of Galicia's Medieval castles aren't the endless collection of rooms and secret passageways you might imagine. Or maybe that's what they want us visitors to think!

Sobroso Castle, view of tower from second floor guard path

About 20 minutes on horseback (I'm guessing; we used modern transportation) from the castle are the ruins of a Celtic castro. Over 1000 years ago, Troña Castro was a Celtic settlement with at least 30 homes. Its residents dug a ravine, which along with a wall, kept out enemy clans. And wouldn't ya know it, centuries later the Catholics decided it would be a fine place to build a chapel. Nowadays you can walk around the bases of the Celts' circular stone houses. You can also observe a mill carved into a rock. The castro is famous for its snake petroglyph, but we weren't able to spot it. 

Troña Castro

Ancestral dances and Galicia's Enchanted Forest

In Spain, every city, town, village, and hamlet has a saint. This is especially true in Galicia, since if you look at a map of place names including ¨Saint,¨ Galicia is covered in them. And for every saint, there must be a celebration! This past weekend was St. Sebastian's day. After living in Donostia-San Sebastián for a year, this feast day now holds a special place in my heart.

The tiny fishing village of Aldán in Galicia also celebrates San Sebastián day, but in a very different way. Compared to the 24-hour drumming of Donostia-San Sebastián, they have a low-key performance of what was called ¨ancestral dances.¨ After Sunday mass, the dancers prance and hop around the church to the beat of a bagpipe and a drum. This traditional dance is over 300 years old. Apparently it started as an offering to the saint to protect the villagers against the plague. 

Due to imperfect public transportation schedules, I missed the original dance around the church. But luckily for me, they repeated the dance later in the afternoon, near the church and again on the village promenade. The dance itself was made up of five female dancers, 10 male dancers, and one guide. The young women wore giant hats of flowers, and the men (most a lot older than the women) wore suits with a sash and played castanets. The dance itself was a simple swaying with some hops and swirls in between. The most impressive was that in the swirling, the women's massive hats never fell off.

Medieval Aqueduct

To take full advantage of the two bus rides to get there, I also explored the Enchanted Forest of Aldán. Before you even get into the forest, on the side of the road there's a cute mini-bridge and typical clothes washing station. The forest is like any other Galician forest-- they all seem magical. But this has the bonus of a huge Medieval aqueduct and the façade of a small castle. From what I gather, it was part of the land belonging to a small palace (pazo) nearby. The little castle was going to be ¨just for fun¨ for the owners. But it was never finished, and when the road was built right between the pazo and their yard, the forest became a charming park.

Little Unfinished Castle

All in all, it was a nice way to spend a Sunday (when there is often little to do but stay home). Some alone time in nature followed by a bit of Galician traditions to remind me that Entroido (carnival) is right around the corner!

Tourism & Christmas Spirit in BCN

For Spain's long weekend in early December, I felt like going somewhere to get me in the Christmas spirit. At home, it is always snowing by December. I miss the snow! Originally I thought of going to the famed Christmas markets of Germany or Strasbourg. But when I saw the price tag, I knew a cheap, short plane ride to Barcelona would suffice. 😁 I was surprised to find the Catalan capital on a list of best European Christmas markets. I had already been to Barcelona a few times when I was studying abroad, but since I had gone to meet up with a penpal, I didn't necessarily see all the tourist destinations. This time around my guiri (tourist) needs were fulfilled, as well as my desire for Christmas joy.

La Sagrada Familia

In the blue-green forest

On my last visit to BCN, I just observed it from outside and went into a small chapel that's free. My memories of that chapel (meh) have nothing to do with the real deal. The outside of the basilica is just as elaborate as the inside, so it was worth spending the time checking it out. Once inside, the most outstanding characteristic is the stained glass. Not the artwork itself, but the light that pours in, dying the walls reds, yellows, greens, and blues. The pillars succeed at looking like a forest. And the ceiling was such a draw that there was a mirror in the center facing upwards so visitors could get a good look without straining. The basilica is beautiful and unique, for sure. But with all they hype, I wasn't blown away. Maybe I should have splurged and paid the full 22€ for an audio guide. I'm sure there are a lot of details I didn't pick up on that would've made the experience even better.


Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
Continuing the Gaudí architecture tour of Barcelona was a private home he designed. In contrast to the Sagrada Familia, having the audio guide made it my favorite tour. It wasn't just a run-of-the-mill guide. Its sensors could tell where you were, and it would talk to you accordingly. It even had background music! For example, going up in the elevator to the rooftop it played intense music to get you pumped. And thanks to the audio guide, I focused on details I might not have picked up on. The repeated theme was nature, which could be found in the waves of design; the attic that was seemingly held up by a whale's backbone; the door patterned like a monarch butterfly; and the forest-like patio.

La Pedrera's Rooftop

The tour lets you see the first-floor patio, rooftop, attic, and the floor where the original homeowners lived, as it was. The building used to belong to the Milà family at the beginning of the 20th century. They rented out the other floors. Apparently there was drama because the wealthy neighbors of Passeig de Gràcia thought Gaudì had created a modern monstrosity. Now all the naysayers of yore have been proven wrong since La Pedrera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Christmas Market-Fira de Santa Lucía

Christmas market--mistletoe in hand!

Barcelona's major Christmas market is the Fira de Santa Lucía, in the plaza of the Cathedral of Barcelona. The stands can be divided into 3 categories: plants, Nativity scenes, and miscellaneous gifts. The plant stands all sold holly, mistletoe, pines, and Caga Tiós. (Caga Tió, by the way, is one of two ¨crappy¨ Catalan Christmas traditions. It's a log with a face that children hit while singing a song so that it will crap them a present. At the market there was a giant Caga Tió and the kids took turns hitting it. ¨Shit me a gift!¨ Now there's a tradition that could go global!) The tiny Caga Tió's were cute, but I opted for a bunch of mistletoe. My first real mistletoe! I asked the vendor if they had the tradition of kissing underneath it. He said no, the Romans used it to bring luck to anyone who entered the house. Any other traditions were an invention. (I enforced our mistletoe kissing tradition at home regardless.)

Shit us a gift, Tió!

The Nativity scene stands had what you might expect...holy families, shepherds, wise men...as well as caganers. The caganer is the second ¨crappy¨ Catalan Christmas tradition. It's a little figurine hidden in all nativity scenes of a man taking a crap. Normally he was dressed in Catalan traditional garb. But nowadays, they have entire stands dedicated to curious caganers: every celebrity under the sun (athletes, politicians, musicians) plus tv show/videogame characters (Spongebob, Spiderman). You name it, there's probably a figurine of it crapping. I picked a few up as gifts, just for laughs.

Santa María del Mar
Known as the Catedral del Mar, this basilica was built by the people, for the people in the 14th century. The novel revolving around it -- La Catedral del Mar, recommended reading-- is what drew me to visit. I wouldn't say I liked it more than the Sagrada Familia. But visiting it at night with the candles lit (and getting in for free!) gave it a very different vibe. Grandiose.

Flying solo
It's unanimous: travelling alone is an experience everyone should have. Luckily I'm still at an age where I can stay at a hostel and feel comfortable socializing with my peers (when I'm in my 40s, maybe not so much). I really enjoy being able to do what I want, when I want. Also having no pressure if I get lost (and no one to blame but myself if I do). Of course the benefit of staying at a hostel is that you can easily make plans with other travellers in the same boat. Cultural visits alone are no problem for me, despite my inability to take a decent selfie. But eating a sit-down meal alone doesn't feel right. To take care of that, one night I had dinner in the hostel with fellow travellers, and another night I went out with my roommates. I didn't mind, however, having lunch by myself in a cheap, cramped bar that seemed authentic enough. It gave me time to journal.

A Visit from the Apalpador

Nowadays, it seems every country has it's own version of Santa Claus. I always appreciated Spain for being different in that regard, since they traditionally receive gifts on 3 Kings Day rather than on Christmas. Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar show up on a camel on the night of January 5th. That evening, in most cities people line the streets to welcome them with a parade. Each king has a float, complete with pages throwing candy to their adoring fans.

But the times they are a-changing, and not purely because of globalization. More and more Spanish families are celebrating with Papá Noel, Santa's Spanish counterpart. Their reasoning is that by giving kids gifts on December 25th, they have weeks of vacation to play with their new toys, compared to the single vacation day for toys received from the Kings. Fair enough.

In Galicia, however, there has been a surge in popularity of a specifically Galician Christmas character: the Apalpador. Apalpador translates to the guy who pats. He's a burly coal maker from the Ancares (or O Caurel), mountains in the eastern part of Lugo province. Once a year, he comes down from the mountains to visit the children of Galicia. He pats their bellies to see if they've been well-fed, and gives them some magic chestnuts to be well-fed and strong all year round. Now, when I first heard the story, it was rather alarming. A strange man rubbing kids' tummies...Call the cops! But now that I've seen the Apalpador in action, it's cute and not creepy.


This year, the Apalpador was spotted in several Galician cities, and even more towns and villages. In Lugo, where he has been going for years, he was greeted by a horde of delighted children. In Pontevedra where he is a relative newcomer, I met him and participated in his walk around town. More and more children must learn about him in school, because quite a few recognized him in the street. Others (like myself originally) were skeptical about this big, bearded man approaching them. But they quickly relaxed when a girl their own age (the Apalpador's unofficial helper) gave them chestnuts.

If in Spain they're going to lose the tradition of the 3 Kings, I hope at least it gets replaced by an original, traditional character like the Apalpador.