Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Vigo, Galicia, Espana

I just came back from a three day weekend with two friends and already I'm writing out a list of things I need for my hiking excursion this upcoming weekend.

Vigo is quite the whole-in-the-wall. We saw very few tourists and a lot of the city. Not only did we see the city, hiked up to its castro (hilltop fortress), and find the bar with the best overall experience I've ever had at that hour, we made our way to Las Islas Cies (SEE-es). (Wow, I sound like a Las Vegas tour book).

We took the earliest ferry there and returned on the latest one possible. We started the morning off with a solid hike to an observation area, which wasn't as stunning and secluded as the hike up. That took us part way down the mountain over some golden-moss covered boulders where we dined on our lunch. Overlooking nearby archipelago and rolling waves, we ate our picnic of cheese and tomato on a baguette with peaches for dessert. It was the best combination of bread, cheese, and tomato I've had.

After lunch hours took us to a beach, la Playa Rodas (rated number one beach in the world...). It was quite stunning, but too cold for me to rate as the number one anywhere. That's right, in mid October, we swam in the northern Atlantic. (My friends are Canadian by the way).

It was a gorgeous view from the water. I even ended up picking up a particularly large shell straight from underneath me, which I'm sending home to my mum. But even that didn't compare to the Bulgarian side of the Black Sea in June. Sorry, Spain.

The clouds moved in toward the end of our stay. We sat inside and wrote postcards home.

After getting back to our hostel near the Marina, we took a two hour nap and went out for our last seafood dinner. There was only one thing that interested me on the menu: Risotto alla Fruta del Mari. Risotto with seafood. Of course, I couldn't help but to think of my dear Lugano or that I can't find a box of risotto in any grocery store in Spain...

What I miss most about Vigo was not the food or its surrounding island. I miss "El Rincon, de las artistas". We (the bartender from Uruguay, the owner from Argentina, and me) are still in contact (a whole two days later!). I showed up the first night after Caroline and Alycia went to bed. There was a three person troupe playing some kind of retro Flamenco. I tried three types of Orujo (a type of grape made into licor): tostado, blanco, y crema. I've learned; always order crema de orujo. It's sweeter than the kind I bought in Salamanca and has a spike. Not a kick, but a spike. The other two are just too strong for me. I want to enjoy my alcohol, not gulp it down. (Also, don't go for the licor de cafe. No caffeine, but it's just not very Spanish). After I finished my three shots, the Argentinian owner poured me a glass of Crema de Orujo, on the house. The Spaniards had just finished playing, the Argentian owner started playing tango guitar, and I had my favorite Spanish drink. It was lively and I was talking to people (no one asked where I was from!!). I don't think I could have been happier. Live, local music makes it or breaks it.

Three days later, I posted a total of 569 photos within five albums. Facebook.com.

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