Along the Streets of Ferrol

As I mentioned before, early December this year came with an incredibly long 5-day-weekend. So as not to go stir crazy at home, we took a quick trip to Ferrol. 

Out of Galicia's seven cities, it's fair to say that Ferrol is the most underappreciated. A Coruña and Vigo are the biggest cities and on the seaside to boot. That combination alone makes them quite cosmopolitan. Santiago de Compostela, in addition to being the capital, is a hub of pilgrims trekking the Camiño de Santiago. Lugo has its free tapas and UNESCO-recognized Roman Wall. Ourense attracts visitors with its abundant thermal springs. Pontevedra may not have much compared to Vigo less than 20 miles away, but it does boast a charming (and pedestrian only!) old town. 

So that leaves us with Ferrol. It's a port town, but unlike Vigo or A Coruña, it has such a low population that it doesn't enjoy as many useful amenities. Add that to the fact that the city is Franco's hometown and holds a naval arsenal, and Ferrol looks less appealing by the minute.

Casa Pereira I

One thing that Ferrol does have going on for it, however, are streets lined with glass-enclosed balconies. Art Noveau architecture with its intricate details and lines is also characteristic of Ferrol's Old Town. There is even a street tour organized around the architect Rodolfo Ucha's modernismo work around town. Unfortunately, it was not available during low season. So we explored on our own. It doesn't take an art/architecture degree to appreciate some pretty buildings! Plus when we went, we were expecting rain the entire time, but actually lucked out and barely needed the umbrella. According to the plaque, Casa Pereira I was commissioned by a sailor. Perhaps that's why the architect made the lower balcony windows on the second floor look like fish tails. How fun!

Pretty building from 1914

Flower Menina

Another more recent addition to Ferrol's art/architecture scene are the Meninas de Canido. ¨Las Meninas¨ is a famous painting by Velázquez portraying a princess and her ladies in waiting, all wearing hoop skirts typical at the time. The connection between the painting and Ferrol is lost on me. But in 2008, an artist began making street art of the Meninas in the shabby neighborhood of Canido. It caught on and now there are hundreds of Meninas painted all along the (abandoned) houses. Each year they have a festival where more and more artists come to leave their Menina mark. The idea was to liven up this dilapidated area. The art is nice, but the buildings are still mostly falling apart. Aside from being a tourist attraction to Ferrol, I don't really see the project injecting change into the neighborhood's economy. But we walked around this outdoor art museum in the morning-- maybe there are new cafés/bars open in the afternoon.

To round out our visit, we stopped by the Castle of San Felipe just outside of Ferrol (although certainly not walking distance). More than a castle, I would call it a fortress. This large naval complex is centuries old, and went through several changes and additions over the years. From the castle to a smaller fort across the river, there was a chain used to stop enemies from getting into the harbor, a little further inland. The Castle was also crucial in protecting Ferrol from an attempted English invasion in 1800. The citizens of Brión nearby were also key at defeating the Brits, who apparently didn't expect a fight. That story is told very well with interesting infographics in the Castle's museum. By the way, the castle was free to get in; had a small museum recounting the English attack of 1800; included a map; and had bathrooms stocked with toilet paper and soap. In my book, a homerun! I couldn't help but compare it to our experience in Athens, visiting the outstanding Acropolis for an entrance fee and not even getting a little map. I understand that the two tourist attractions are lightyears apart in terms of size, importance, and popularity. It just stuck out to me. 

Family Foliada

This week in the teaching sector of Galicia, everyone's looking forward to that mega-long weekend. Since December 6th and 8th are public holidays in Spain, this year Galicia took the 7th as its yearly bonus day off, to create a superpuente. Two day work week! 

This time of year, I am reminded of the long December weekend right before the pandemic when I went to the Foliada da Fonsagrada. A foliada is any gathering to play and dance to Galician folk music. In the village of Fonsagrada, their annual dayslong celebration attracts tons of people from all around Galicia. Won't be going back this year, but this past weekend we went to a little family foliada. It was a surprise birthday party hosted in a stone structure, now used as a cellar, but 100 years ago was likely the house. The five-person band strode in playing, dressed in their Galician garb. The group included bagpipers, drummers, and an accordionist. For hours, they sang and played melodies for the musical guests to sing songs that the band didn't even recognize. In addition to lots of enthusiastic clapping, there was also dancing: with partners or in circles. The whole time I kept thinking how enxebre the evening was. Enxebre is a Galician way of saying typical, authentic, something pure (Galician).

Adding to my delight, I found out that one of the guests went to high school where I was first assigned as an auxiliar de conversación. Obviously, because she was around my age, I knew we hadn't been there at the same time. But it turns out, her brother had been in one of my first classes! I couldn't get over it. It's a small world after all! Then suddenly it dawned on her-- she had heard of me way back when, either from her brother or one of their neighbors. I felt proud. Almost famous.

Nafplio, Greece

For a complete change of pace, we swapped quiet Galaxidi for bustling Nafplio, a town perfectly suited for a ¨Mediterranean Getaway.¨ Although they are both on the coast, it's impossible to compare these two Greek towns since their size and popularity are just so different. In Nafplio, tourism was certainly booming, as evidenced by the sheer number of bars and restaurants. And every terraza had a section with couches, something I had never seen before but definitely approve of for all vacation destinations. And whereas in Galaxidi we didn't hear much English, in Nafplio I caught tons of American accents. I wonder if it's thanks to Rick Steves promoting the town on his show.

Bourtzi Castle in background

Nafplio really has style, I think encapsulating an American's typical idea of Europe. You can see the clear Venetian influences in the architecture. And with the Old Town being almost exclusively pedestrian only, it was great to walk around the maze-like cobblestone streets in the evening. In late morning or early afternoon not so much, as it was just too hot! There is also a promenade along the coastline that was delightful to walk along when the sun was low. (Well, we couldn't walk along all of it, as part was closed due to potential rockslides.) From there you can see a Venetian castle on a tiny island just a stone's throw from Nafplio's harbor.

We also were big on watching the sunsets in Nafplio. Our first evening there, we watched the sun dip beyond the hills curled up on a couch on a bar's patio. Another night we drove to a long beach to get a good view. It was funny to me, right before sunset, not everyone was packing up. In fact, some people were just getting there! The water was still warm enough to go in, something out of the question in Galicia.

Speaking of beaches, one morning we walked to the local beach right up and over a hill next to the Old Town. Paradise Found! There, the snack bar was playing the same 1950s beachy and relaxing music we had heard at the Yacht Club in Galaxidi. Maybe it's a beachcomber radio station! The dreamy music paired with crystalline waters and being surrounded by cliffs: amazing. The only downside was the beach was made of rocks which is not so comfortable to set your towel on. We only stayed for part of the morning anyways. So much to do, so much to see! 

Arvanitia Beach

Galixidi, Greece: A Serene Seaside Escape

Balcony view of Galaxidi

After visiting Athens' must-see sites, we rented a car and headed north to experience two very different Greek vacation destinations: Galaxidi and Nafplio. Our first overnight stop was sleepy Galaxidi. We arrived around lunchtime, when the heat was just about unbearable. We stayed at a charmingly-decorated hotel slightly elevated and on the outskirts, with a small balcony which provided a delightful view overlooking the orange rooftops of the old town. That little balcony would make for a lovely place for dinner or a nightcap, but in the afternoon it was just too hot. As we wandered around looking for sustenance, most places were literally shuttered. It reminded me of some Galician villages with decrepit buildings that are now all but deserted. We ended up settling on one restaurant on the corner of the harbor, thinking it was our only hope. Afterwards, we realized that was just the beginning, and that there were plenty of other dining options following it along towards the open seas. (Well, not quite open, as Galaxidi looks on to a bay.)

Clearly the Galixidi-ans respect the siesta time just as their Mediterranean counterparts do in Spain. And for good reason! But once it began to cool off (as in, down to 80ºF), the place livened up a bit. Not much, but a bit. As we were out getting a feel for the town, we came across a sort of yacht club (to call it something). It was a bar/restaurant that had umbrellas and deck chairs available for rent right on its own little pier. And turns out that after 6 PM they were free! Coincidentally, we asked at about 6:15. With this in mind, we returned other days around that time, and certainly weren't the only ones showing up for free deck chair time. It felt like one more little luxury on our trip. Isto si que é lúa de mel! I myself didn't partake, but from the deck chair zone you could hop right off into the sea. Our first Greek Mediterranean Sea experience.

Luxury!

 

As a whole, I enjoyed Galaxidi for the ultra relaxed vibes. Zero crowds, and it seemed like most people there were Greek (along with quite a few French). Added to the narrow streets and retro signs, it really felt like a place from times gone by, like we were walking around on a movie set in Greece in the 1950s. On a nighttime stroll, we saw groups of teenagers hanging out, which reminded me of Miño and other Galician seaside towns. I bet the same families come back year after year and the kids end up making groups of friends. If not for the fashion, that group may have contained its own Danny & Sandy with their old-timey summer lovin'.  Greece's own Grease, if you will. ;)

When it came time for us to head to our next destination, there was a slight hiccup. As we trudged to the car loaded with baggage, lo and behold the formerly empty street where we had parked was now a bustling market street. Unbeknownst to us, the little lines painted perpendicularly on the left side of the road in fact designated market stalls. Now it all makes sense. And of course market day fell on the morning of our departure! So between hand gestures and basic English, we asked the nearest fruit-seller what time they packed it up. Luckily, we only had an hour to wait, so we spent it at a nearby snack bar we had been to the night before. In no time we were able to get into our car and on the road. Profuse Ευχαριστώ (one of the most important words we picked up: thank you!) That was one of our more memorable travel interactions with the locals.

Beware the Santa Compaña!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled recap of Greece to bring you some spooky Galician lore for Halloween. If you ever find yourself wandering the Galician countryside after midnight, beware of the Santa Compaña. This procession of dead just might be roaming right alongside you. They are supposedly dressed Grim Reaper-style with hooded robes. These lost souls also each carry a lit candle. You may not see them, but if dogs are howling uncontrollably, there's a mysterious breeze picking up, and a faint smell of wax in the air, the Santa Compaña is probably near.

Santa Compaña depiction from vivecamino.com

What's even more haunting is that instead of being led by the Grim Reaper himself or similar, the Santa Compaña is actually led by a living person. According to legend, it is a man or woman depending on if the parish has a male or female patron saint.* Rather than a candle, they carry a cross and/or pail of holy water. Once you become the leader of the haunted parade, you must continue your role every night until you either die of exhaustion or find a replacement. If the living leader is lucky enough to come across another person during their nightly trudge, the baton is passed and the old Santa Compaña head is free at last.

Is there no escape from the doom of leading the Santa Compaña? It would appear that you have a few options aside from running away screaming. Apparently you can also lie face down or make a circle on the ground and stand in it. You can also stand on a cruceiro (stone crosses found all over Galicia) as if it were a base in tag. Keep that in mind the next time you spot some spooks in rural Galicia. Happy Halloween/Samhain!

*Note: Parish is a land division commonly used in Galicia, but not so much in other parts of Spain. It obviously comes from Catholic parishes, meaning the houses that geographically should go to one specific church. Nowadays it's no longer 100% religious. Each town council is divided into numerous parishes (parroquías), and those are then subdivided into ¨places¨ (lugares) or ¨neighborhoods¨(barrios). For reference, in Galicia there are a little over 300 town councils and over 3,000 parishes.

The Birthplace of Western Civilization

Changing of the Guard

One of this summer's main events was spending two weeks in Greece. Making my grade-school Greek mythology geek's dreams come true! First stop was a few days in the capital, Athens. The red eye flight from Porto was useful in that we could take advantage of a full day. Not to mention the gorgeous blood-red sunrise as seen from the sky. 

After getting our bearings, the first step was to caffeinate. I'm not a coffee drinker, but when in Rome Greece, you gotta try the Greek coffee at least. We stopped in a shady plaza near a church. Despite it not even being 10 o'clock, the heat was already setting in. It was going to be a sweltering two weeks. My first experience with Greek coffee was grainy and bitter; certainly not enticing enough for a second experience. And this is where someone else's addiction to Frappes began. But with the heat, it was a no-brainer. Frappes seemed a more vacation-y beverage than just coffee over ice.

On Day 1 our big plan was to visit the Acropolis Museum. I really had high expectations, since from the little research I did, people raved about the museum, especially the upper floor, meant to resemble the Parthenon. The thing about high expectations, though...For me, it was disappointing. There was no audio guide to help you get into the experience. The displays to me seemed chaotic, although I'm sure there was a method to the madness that I just didn't understand. And as far as the top floor Parthenon, it was cool that they had so many copies of the detailed imagery, but since I was expecting to be blown away, I simply wasn't. 

Erechtheion (Temple to Athena), Acropolis

The Parthenon, Acropolis

Similarly, our morning at the Acropolis wasn't the best either. Although we had tickets, we still had to wait in line for ages just to get in. The heat was hard to bear. In fact, around the time we went, they ended up closing the Acropolis and other major sites during the hottest hours of the day, because a tourist had passed out standing in line. Yikes! And we went at 8:30 in the morning, but still it was toasty. And packed. I would recommend going in the evening when I bet it is less crowded albeit potentially no cooler.  Also, they had said that a fountain would be available once inside: a necessity under that pounding sun. But there was no fountain. At least there was a vending machine with cold water, which in Europe is limited to affordable prices (50 cents).

But I don't mean to be such a downer. It was really cool seeing those ancient stones, imagining going thousands of years ago to ask a favor of the gods, and being absolutely awed. So much history! Once again, the lack of map and audio guide was a bummer. However, you can count on Rick Steves to guide you and put you in the historical mood! In fact, one of my favorite historical sites in Athens was the Agora, and it's probably thanks to Rick Steves' audio guide (as well as a break from the heat--we went around 7pm). It was expansive, including a myriad of ruins and buildings, with a museum in the reconstructed Stoa. 

Stoa in the Ancient Agora

Another one of my favorite Athens moments was a special treat: cocktails on a rooftop bar. There are tons of options when it comes to rooftop bars and restaurants, more so than in any other place I've visited, assumedly for the Acropolis views. We went a little too early for sunset, but enjoyed our fancy selves just the same. Afterwards we had a good dinner for the same price as those two cocktails, but hey, once-in-a-lifetime trips deserve a splurge or two!

Booze with a View

The Return!

What better time to return to blogging than my favorite season, fall? (Or as all the English students here are taught, autumn.) While according to the calendar it's been fall for over three weeks, thanks to global warming, Galicia didn't get the memo until this past weekend. It had been sunny and in the 80s F (that's nearly 30ºC for all you Celsius fans) all throughout the first two weeks of October. Not normal. But now the temperatures have dropped and rain is the only symbol on the weather forecast. Time to light a fire and cozy up inside!

Seeing as the last time I wrote was almost a year ago, a lot has happened since then. It's been a big year! Including but not limited to family visits, international travel, moving, and the list goes on. The end of September also marked my 10 year Spainiversary! It's been a whole decade since I came to Galicia. Hard to believe. 

Anyways, this post was just to give fair warning: this blog is once again preparing for take off! So fasten your seatbelts and please make sure your tray is stowed and your seat is in the upright position. Or not.