18 Jan 2015. <ES> A Coruña, & Santiago de Compostela, Galicia —
Another day, this time on the coast.
A Coruña has a great history, but the main city had nothing we really wanted to visit — and wasn't exactly easy to get into with our van. The most interesting thing about the city, for people of English heritage, is that the Spanish Armada sailed from here in 1588. Drake attacked the city in reprisal a year later, but was ultimately repelled.
We left to drive around the little peninsula we were on — very pretty, and a mecca for the sunseekers in the summer. Round the corner and around Monte San Pedro we came upon a funicular — El Ascensor panoramico del Monte de San Pedro. Opposite it is a strange tiled octopus, much in the style of Gaudí. We walked down the hill, passing numerous joggers coming upwards, and dog-walkers, fishermen on the rocks. Near the bottom is a tall triangular spire, across the bay from which is an interesting lighthouse, El Torre de Hércules. And when we rounded the bend, we realised why it is so popular as a tourist destination — a long sandy beach, and lots of high quality accommodation behind it.
We wandered for a while, then left to drive for
Santiago de Compostela. We got there in ample time to find a very welcoming commercial aire run by the local council. Not exactly high tourist season at the moment, so we had the aire virtually to ourselves. The very pleasant woman (with a little English) in the entry booth set us up with a map of the city, and information as to buses (although, with only a kilometre or so to walk in to the Cathedral, Suzie was going to get her walking time by hook or by crook).
We settled in, ready to stay cosy during what promised to be a fairly cool night outside.
Distance driven — today, 61 miles ( 98 km ); to date, 11,417 miles ( 18,374 km )
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