Atlantic Lands
I would be able to land on these lands green walking Shines ground without obstacles, armed with patience and faith, but no, I have come here for reasons far more trivial and inaccurate, happy to return to see this hidden corner in the land of Spain.
Spanair flight Barcelona-A Coruna: open the doors of the ridiculous airport coruñese at the sudden and I invaded and dazed by the fresh Atlantic breeze that opens my knowledge and restarts in me feelings that I had forgotten.
Galicia beautiful, rich in history, a history far that takes us back to the origins of Celtic migration to the north of Spain, with its rituals, its traditions and its mysteries. After the Romans came and laid the foundations for the creation of modern states, and after the Arabs, the missionaries, the faithful, the Vikings, pirates and little by little everything was annexed to the Catholic kingdom of Spain.
Here it comes "gallego", for me annoying mix of Spanish and Portuguese, which produces strange sounds that confuse the lusofono and spazientisce l `ispanisti. But to tell the whole truth, its scope is very sweet, sweet as the soul of this people kindly and perhaps a bit closed at the beginning but very hospitable.
A Coruña is the prototype of Atlantic City: its odd shape makes it somehow a little bit difficult to go, with ups and downs, ramps and stairs with a carinissimo marina, a well-preserved old town, full of the related Middle Age , a kitchen full of fish and good wine (try the ol `Ribeiro Albariño!) and a Roman lighthouse still in operation, total and absolute symbol of the city.
La Torre de Hercules is like parsley: icon of this kind ocean city, is the only lighthouse in the world of Roman building that exists is on the northern-most tip of the city in a green esplanade where you can admire the natural beauty of Ria, l `inlet (as a Norwegian fjord) of glacial origin that characterizes the entire Galician coast.
Besides the tower, A Coruña presents another interesting and essential icon: Maria Pita. Mythical character, which was dedicated immesa `a bronze statue of the homonymous square, was the Jeanne d` Arc de A Coruña: the advanced fighting hordes of pirates el `Napoleonic siege becoming the main heroine of this city, long subjugated by siege.
Center of pilgrimage and wonder example of architecture, Santiago de Compostela had already appeared on these screens: this time a day on the streets, confused with tourists and pilgrims admiring always blow the shiny Praza Obradoiro and the cathedral, the Boutafumeiro, the climate of faith that permeates this mythical small-town, second in number only to the pilgrims of the Italian capital, Rome.
I can not fail to make a stop in one of the bars of the Rua do Franco: here devouring the famous tapas gallegas, a pimiento de Padrón (grilled green peppers ..), a tapa de "bonito" (red pepper tuna inbottito ), and "pulpo a la Gallega (octopus Galician style !!).... fantastic ... ahh forget how those flavors and this wine makes me crazy, the Ribeiro, a white wine of valuable and aromatic and lit.
Through Galicia from top to bottom, the high green hills, red houses, the showy woods remind me of that here it rains and it rains a lot, leaving it to the water element as the original heart of the universe Galician. People who live of the Ocean such as Portugal, the people who look to the Atlantic for answers about his uncertain future and finding the answers so often expect.
Last stop: The Vigo less attractive cities of Galicia, Vigo is part of the province of Pontevedra, beautiful little town halfway between Santiago and the same Vigo More Portuguese Spanish, after all the border with the `high Minho is a few steps , Vigo is a port of fundamental importance for Spain and for Europe.
It is the economic center of Galicia, here are all the most important, there is a richness and a greater predisposition to trade very strongly.
Vigo is just terrible for the poor legs of visitor: the Gran Via (the main street) is a terrible escalation which then confers soon to another valley, the center of town stands the Castro, an old ruined castle on a hill fraught , wrapped in thick vegetation, where you can get an idea of the breathtaking beauty of the port and city of this strange vehicle on thousands and thousands of green hills.
The new port is the pinnacle of fun and relaxation, a bar and club repetitions, while the sun decides to go to sleep, a reddish sunset tells me that you're not really that bad around here, people smiling, youthful city and sure, a constant go and come to very large cruise tourists that spring, towards Santiago, ahhii error .... .. stop right here in Vigo, because this quiet and friendly town Galician worth a visit.
I leave to return to Galicia soon, but this time that I will walk ... "como Dios manda" ... to the Spanish, hombre! " :-)
A hug from Barcelona
Andrea