Vigo, Spain

Vigo, Spain Tuesday, April 26th (I think)

We’ve enjoyed beautiful weather on our trip. No need for jackets or scarves, although that will probably happen.

Our ship docked at Vigo, the third largest city in the Spanish province of Gallicia. Well known for its dairy, cheeses, wines, calvados, vegetables and maritime trade. With a population of 300,000 it looks much like any other european port city growing towards modern high rise buildings, but not yet there. The country side is lovely, lush green rolling hills whose hill tops are dotted with windmills as the country moves toward more and more renewable energy, one windmill at a time.

We are on our way to Santiago de Compostela with a guide, unfortunately, who is a devout Catholic and who chooses to spend the 90 minute drive with stories about Saint James, the patron saint of Sanitago whose remains, according to legend and the church, were found 900 years after his death and carried to Compostela where there is a large church, our destination, that bears his name. It is expected that once in one’s Catholic lifetime, you will do a pilgrimage to one of the great Catholic sites, this is the third most visited. Pilgrims are to walk 100 kilometers to the Church, or drive 200 kilometers to receive their certificate of having coming to Saint James Church. The sign of the pilgrim is the backpack and the walking stick with a scallop shell afixed to the top of the staff. We saw plenty of backpackers throughout the city.

Santiago de Compostela is known for the university, (35,000 students at USC) and the church and related shrines. Within the church itself, there are alcoves that have alcoves, seemingly going on forever. Confessional boxes line one wall. The altar, and its very large, ornate angels, are all gilted in gold. The oppulance of the church is splendid, and tragic. There is little of charm for Stu and I and we leave the tour 15 minutes after the guide enters the church.

Once on our own, Stu and I did what we prefer to do when we travel, explore on our own and get surprised. And we did. There were narrow winding streets, cobblestone walkways, tiny shops with quiet shop keepers. It is not the way here to shout about your wares nor to push you to buy. We were free to wander this small city. And what do we find in abundance? Besides the religious souvenirs, the city has multiple small cafes featuring fruits de mer. Large lobsters show off their pincers in cafe aquariums. Nearly every cafe features an octopus ready to serve, mussels in abundance (20% of the world’s muscles come from Vigo area).

These cities last forever because they are built of stone, and more stone. Santiago de Compastelo doesn’t have the charm of Obidas, with its flowered pots and walkways, but it could. This city is split between the university and the historic church buildings and neither has taken over. The center square facing the church is unrelieved by any greenery and the stone is drab. But there is music in Santiago de Compestelo. Our guide hadn’t told us but we learned that the musical instrument of the area is the bagpipe. That explained why there were two bagpipers, young men, one in costume, one not, playing their Spanish bagpipes as an enticement to tourists to drop their change. Had we only known before we left Santiago we would have purchased some of their tunes.

Stu and Adrienne