I have visited Northern Spain once before, when I was a small boy in the late sixties. Franco was still in power then and Spain felt like a very different country from the one we find now. I suppose like a lot of British people I had preconceptions about what Spain would be like, the costas and cheap holidays in the sun are the abiding vision. To an extent Tennerife didn't disappoint in this respect. We were very aware that we were in a different part of Spain during the time we spent in Basque Country. I think we probably assumed that the rest of Spain would be different but largely similar. We were wrong.
Since we began our voyage along the north coast we have moved through three different areas, the Basque Country, Asturias and now Gallicia. Three areas, in fact two of them are autonomous regions, that are fiercely independent and rightly proud of their unique culture. This extends to differences in launguage, food, culture and lifestyle. Although this can and does sometimes prove confusing, particularly if like us you struggle in Spanish, we now know three different spellings if not different words for almost everything, for example when we go to the beach in Asturias we go to the Playa, however here in Gallicia we go to the Praia. Asturias saw the welcome return of waiter service in the cafes and bars. Here in Gallicia we see the appearance of free tapas. It certainly keeps you on your toes ! These differences are just as fundamental as say Wales and Scotland and all the more surprising for being unexpected.
There are things about this country that I am beginning to love, the siesta is brilliant, it isn't the clichéd lazy afternoon at all, it's the way to make the most of the day. While the office workers are working the shopkeepers and retail staff go to the beach or have long lunches and prepare to open in the evenings when everyone's home, brilliant! Still can't quite get my head around the eating at ten at night yet though. It also seems strange to our eyes when kids are running around in bars at midnight on a Saturday night, something that I am sure would cause moral outrage in Britain and indeed in a typical northern boozer those children would be in mortal peril, however here they are not just tolerated they are looked after and are totally safe. Public drunkeness is rare, drinking is a social occasion and it's not unusual to see people drinking a glass of wine at ten in the morning reading the paper or chatting with friends.
Speaking of safe, I am now in the habit of striding out onto the many pedestrian crossings certain that all traffic will stop to allow me to cross. Lynne got told off in Lugo by an old gentleman for not noticing the red light on the crossing ( a rare occurrence ) and merrily crossing over, the cars all stopped anyway and no one papped his horn.
Being of a certain age we find it refreshing to always have somewhere to sit, benches and parks are literally everywhere, water fountains are common as are public toilets. Beaches, even out in the wilder parts of the coast have showers and lifeguards. They are also cleaned regularly. The town councils seem to provide services and amenities for everyone to enjoy and benefit from. This can be anything from public exercise machines to water fountains, public art, cycle hire, information boards, shady areas, also entertainment and events at no cost. Unbelievable! They even manage to clean the streets.
In short life can be very pleasant indeed.
Of course there is always a serpent in paradise and certain things are difficult to find, tea and curry for example. I still can't understand why sweet shops sell pickles and tuna pastries are still not one of my favourite things.
Possibly the biggest problem I find is graffiti, it's everywhere. I know some people consider it art but it's mostly just plain vandalism. I understand that in a country that was for many years a dictatorship freedom of expression is to be valued. However there are better forums to express your political opinion than a church wall or historical monument. Other than the small gripes this does seem to be a country that gets a lot of things right.
Did I mention chocolate and churros?
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