After the Mass we went off and got a coffee and sandwich before heading to the railway station to catch the train to A Corunna, our return tickets costing about 16€. Eventualy a state of the art high speed train came into the station, it was packed but everyone found a seat. The seats were like high class airline seats with tray tables, foot rests, and they reclined, also between each pair of seats were plug sockets to charge your mobile or laptop. Above on a screen were details of the stations and a readout of the trains speed (max 160kph, or 100 mph). As we approached each station, an anouncement was made in Spanish and English with the details.
Eventually we arived at A Corunna, we left the station and looked for some signs for the town centre, there weren't any, we went back into the station and asked at an information desk, the woman behind looked a bit puzzled but pointed in a vague direction. We decided to give it a go and reasoned that as A Corunna was a port, the town would be near the port as it was in Santader two years ago. I stopped a passing man and asked directions and we continued on our way, eventually hitting the port but no town, as we could see a luxuary cruise liner and a mariner over to our left we headed for them. Eventualy we found a street map that indicated there was a tourist information, we carried on but there wasn't, but we then saw signs for the historic town centre. At last we spotted a tourist office, run by the regional government, it was shut despite it's advertised opening hours. It also showed on a map another tourist office in the main square near the town hall. We plodded on got to the town square and that tourist office was also shut. In fact most of the shops we passed were shut. I began to get a bit suspicious, could it be a public holiday? But then again no, because it certainly wasn't a feast at Santiago or we would have had the Botofumori, although the Gospel was about the announciation.
In front of the townhall was a large floral display obviously very new. The town square looked like a good place to eat later. On the map we had seen it looked like there was a beach the other side of the town hall, and so we headed of in what we thought was the right direction, although we differed to what it was.
I was getting grumpy and following my sense of direction, brought us back to the town hall, in all this time we hadn't seen a single, hotel, pension or Hostal, we then followed Lesley's lead we headed off at a diffrent angle a few streets later at the end of the road I spotted the blue H sign that indicated a Hostal,
the only one we had seen, we went in and got a room for 40€ with breakfast and Wi-fi.
We checked in were given a bottle of water each and went up to our room. After some laundry we headed out, and found a beach of rocky sea defences, we needed a beer, so headed back past the town hall to in front of the marina where there were a number of cafes. We selected one ordered a beer each and discused our options, we would try tourist information in the morning, this evening we would walk around the marina and see the world go by, as we sat we saw s number of people in identical evening dress go by, clutching folders, obviously members of a choral society, we speculated as to what piece they would be playing.
As we stood up to leave, a police car appeared and shut off the road. O dear I thought what's going down? Next we heard trumpets and drums coming from the side road near the police car. We went to investigate, some sort of religious festival was taking place, behind the band were Bout fifty women with their hair covered with black mantillas held over their heads by tortoise shell combs. Behind them were a number of people in White carrying staffs with silver medallions on the end of them. They were followed by Mary on a big platform on wheels, bedecked with flowers and illuminated with electric lights. Behind Mary were about six priests, twenty odd policemen and women, and then a full brass band.
As we approached the procession stopped while the members of the choral society we had seen earlier sang a hymn in praise of Mary. Soon they were off again and Mary came abreast of us,
we speculated what it was all about and a lady told us that Mary of Fatima - Our Lady of the Rosery was the towns patron saint. We followed the procession for about half an hour as part of a crowd of hundreds. We speculated that in England the only place you might see such an event would be Walsingham.
The next excitement was the departure of the Cruise liner, Inderpendance of the Sea, with much hooting of it horn and waving from the decks, it left in reverse at quite a lick, it then backed down an inlet, streightened up and sailed off, later I looked up the port records, which showed she had docked that morning.
We strolled down the harbour front and looked at the boats before going of to the main square to look for some food. The majority were selling seafood from mixed platters, to lobster and octopus. Not rearly our cup of tea or price bracket, so we plumped for an Italian restaurant and had. Pizza and pasta.
We then returned to our accomodation for coffees and a night cap for me.
Eventually we arived at A Corunna, we left the station and looked for some signs for the town centre, there weren't any, we went back into the station and asked at an information desk, the woman behind looked a bit puzzled but pointed in a vague direction. We decided to give it a go and reasoned that as A Corunna was a port, the town would be near the port as it was in Santader two years ago. I stopped a passing man and asked directions and we continued on our way, eventually hitting the port but no town, as we could see a luxuary cruise liner and a mariner over to our left we headed for them. Eventualy we found a street map that indicated there was a tourist information, we carried on but there wasn't, but we then saw signs for the historic town centre. At last we spotted a tourist office, run by the regional government, it was shut despite it's advertised opening hours. It also showed on a map another tourist office in the main square near the town hall. We plodded on got to the town square and that tourist office was also shut. In fact most of the shops we passed were shut. I began to get a bit suspicious, could it be a public holiday? But then again no, because it certainly wasn't a feast at Santiago or we would have had the Botofumori, although the Gospel was about the announciation.
In front of the townhall was a large floral display obviously very new. The town square looked like a good place to eat later. On the map we had seen it looked like there was a beach the other side of the town hall, and so we headed of in what we thought was the right direction, although we differed to what it was.
I was getting grumpy and following my sense of direction, brought us back to the town hall, in all this time we hadn't seen a single, hotel, pension or Hostal, we then followed Lesley's lead we headed off at a diffrent angle a few streets later at the end of the road I spotted the blue H sign that indicated a Hostal,
the only one we had seen, we went in and got a room for 40€ with breakfast and Wi-fi.
We checked in were given a bottle of water each and went up to our room. After some laundry we headed out, and found a beach of rocky sea defences, we needed a beer, so headed back past the town hall to in front of the marina where there were a number of cafes. We selected one ordered a beer each and discused our options, we would try tourist information in the morning, this evening we would walk around the marina and see the world go by, as we sat we saw s number of people in identical evening dress go by, clutching folders, obviously members of a choral society, we speculated as to what piece they would be playing.
As we stood up to leave, a police car appeared and shut off the road. O dear I thought what's going down? Next we heard trumpets and drums coming from the side road near the police car. We went to investigate, some sort of religious festival was taking place, behind the band were Bout fifty women with their hair covered with black mantillas held over their heads by tortoise shell combs. Behind them were a number of people in White carrying staffs with silver medallions on the end of them. They were followed by Mary on a big platform on wheels, bedecked with flowers and illuminated with electric lights. Behind Mary were about six priests, twenty odd policemen and women, and then a full brass band.
As we approached the procession stopped while the members of the choral society we had seen earlier sang a hymn in praise of Mary. Soon they were off again and Mary came abreast of us,
The next excitement was the departure of the Cruise liner, Inderpendance of the Sea, with much hooting of it horn and waving from the decks, it left in reverse at quite a lick, it then backed down an inlet, streightened up and sailed off, later I looked up the port records, which showed she had docked that morning.
We strolled down the harbour front and looked at the boats before going of to the main square to look for some food. The majority were selling seafood from mixed platters, to lobster and octopus. Not rearly our cup of tea or price bracket, so we plumped for an Italian restaurant and had. Pizza and pasta.
We then returned to our accomodation for coffees and a night cap for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment