Life in Galicia

Last night we suddenly heard a growling sound. Seconds later the house shock just once and the growling passed on into the night. We thought either it was a tremor or a rather large lorry has tried to pass through one of our lanes and brought a wall or house down. So I checked one of the monitoring sites – and yes – there it was. A minor tremor 2.7 just about 15Km from where we live in the middle of the Belezar lake which is along the river Mino fault line.

As we sit on sheer granite it is probably more noticeable here than in other areas. Nothing serious has happened but it is a weired experience.

Details of this are here – Also world wide is here

Spain experiences about 3600 tremors a year! Of which maybe one a day is noticeable, they are mainly in the Levante and Andalusia area. Here we are on a minor fault line, thus there are so many hot springs along parts of the river Mino. Ourense alone has about 24 known hot springs of which quite a few are used to feed public bath along the river. The water comes up at about 62C! which is very nice on cold days.

Here at Zapatero and the Casa de las Flores, harvest is in full swing. The deep freeze is full of rasberries, the rhubarb is growing well and producing nice juicy shoots. Finding the beans in the leaves can be a challenge, specifically when you turn round and see more – I just picked these…..

As it also a great time to pick lavender, parsley and mint (do I love chocolate mint! – smelling after eight without the calories!)

I build some simple wooden frames and nailed “mosquitera” or wire mesh onto them. The top one is just black plastic, so the sun can’t bleach it and heats  it up nicely.

Tomorrow, 20th of July, Ikea opens near Coruna. Great, because Portugal has decided to start charging (1st of August?) for the A28 and A27, the new motorways to Porto,  Porto airport and Ikea. The quirk is, there are no toll both. You can only pay electronically by having a “chip” in your car window. These you can buy prepaid at all service stations. The systems Via Verde or PayG are common enough in Portugal, but don’t work in Spain, neither does the Spanish system work in Portugal – welcome to Europe!

Expat

Yesterday we’ve been at a tourism meeting in Os Chancis. This is where the Catamaran used to start / stop. Iberdrola has lowered the water table of the St Estevo lake by 30 meters, thus the “embarcadoiro” is more of a dry dock.

BUT there are new activities planned / available.

A company from A Coruna together with LugoTerra will offer 4×4 trails from beginner to advanced. Rock climbing and abseiling, including an abseiling beside a water fall (that the one for me). As well as GPS led trails for walking, cycling etc.

More info should be available shortly on http://lugoterra.com/

failing this look into http://www.eoloactividades.com/

Another company I have been in contact with organises cameoing, kayaking and white water rafting http://www.turnauga.es/modules/news/

The best news is that the Tourist Train Ribeira Sacra will run!

From 19th of July till 12th of September a special train, drawn by two old electric locos will run on the weekends (Saturday / Sunday) twice daily from to Monforte to Ourense along the Sil and Mino.

Again as usual here, full details are not yet available , except that there will be a bar coach and on the way back it will stop in Os Peares for about half an hour.

I this is a must do, as this stretch on railway track is outstanding.

I’ve been told that more information will shortly be available in the train station of Monforte and Ourense.

The meeting was sort of interesting, as for the first time in 3 years I saw the visitor center at Os Chancis open. Power was provided by a generator and the toilets had no water, probably due to the fact that Iberdrola has lowered the St Estevo lake by 30 meters and the supply pipe dangles somewhere in fresh air.

Nevertheless some of the above mentioned activities will be based there. In case you wonder – Where is Os Chancis? -.

From Sober follow the signs to the Catamaran St Estevo and Arxemil. At the end is Os chancis. On the way are the water mils of Arxemil, where presently some are being rebuild!

Not to forget you could try your hand at weaving or basket making over at Christosende Anna y Lluis at the textile and basketry studio Galicia, will welcome you. Neraby is the pottery of Gundivos where Elias has a small museum and of course a pottery work shop with the famous black Ribeira Sacra pottery.

A trip to the wine museum and bar in Monforte more or less guarantees that you’ll start ordering “tinto etiketa” or “Albarinio” on your next visit to any bar here in this tranquil but entertaining part of paradise in deep rural Galicia.

So, this summer in between fiestas, lazing on the sweet water beach and just sleeping in, there will be lot of activities to keep us all entertained.

Expat

Last Sunday saw the first ever original English boot fair or Rastrillo in Goian, Ferreira de Panton Galicia. If you missed it, the next is 8th of August 11:00m- 1pm – Proximo oportunidad 8 de Augusto 11 manana – 1 de la tarde.

 Boot fair / Rastrillo – Un explicacion:

No es una senal de pobreza, sino lo contrario!
La riqueza trae el cambio, el cambio genera un exceso, por lo que es más una forma de reciclaje de un consumismo exagerado.
Todos tenemos cosas en exceso o cosas que ya no usamos o similares.
Estas pueden ser justo lo que alguien busca.
Muebles, libros, hogar .. algunos son de segunda mano tal vez alguna marca nueva … y es una ocasión social para hacer amigos, tomar una copa en Antonios …
No, no es legal vender la suegra…..

Above is my take on boot fair. It’s a great form of recycling of things we no longer need, love or care for (No you can’t legally sell your mother in law – not even on a boot fair, sorry).

Here in Galicia selling parts of your household in front of your house could be seen as a sign of poverty – same goes for 2nd hand (segunda mano). I think we all have picked up a great bargain on a boot fair. The two wine glasses for the special evening, the spare part for a long broken unit, the list is probably endless.

It is simply a way of making space for not necessarily new but other things we enjoy without demands on skips etc.

It’s also a great social event. One meets friends, neighbors, new people, ideas and experiences get exchanged and so on and on.

John, Mike, Camillo and Janet are to be congratulated on organising this event. The mayor of Ferreira had no objections and after this event is happy to see even more of this.

Antonio from the casa Antonio was happy, as it did not rain and more beer, food and wine flowed.  It was a great success and because lots of people asked for the next event they have now set a date 8th of August 11-1 same place  in Goian / Panton opposite Antonios.

Why not participate? If you’re interested contact this site so we can let the organisers know. There is NO charge, just fun to be had.

Deep rural Galicia may sometimes convey the feeling of being in the middle ages, this can be very misleading. Traditions are kept, which is not a bad thing, as there is also an openness to new things, albeit with a bit of scepticism and carefulness, but…… a good example is often better than a long talk.

See you on the next rastrillo – Boot fair.

Expat

PS Tourist info – Ferreira is well worth a visit. The convent sells pastries (4-6pm) which are great. Plenty of places to eat and have a drink. In Ferreira is a road towards Goian. Here you find Casa Antonio where an excellent “churasco” is served on Saturdays and Sundays. As an after one can go on to A Coba the sweet water river beach and / or go to St Estebo (directon Fronton and further on) before crossing the bridge there is an opportunity to walk along the river Cabe. Cross the bridge towards   Parada do Sil after some miles you find a sign “Embarcadoiro / Catamaran” follow this and you find a nice cafee / bar. – There is so much to see -