Pontevedra & a dumping, 😱

"I'm glad Rap3 is tucked in safely and sheltered by those trees". I said as I set out donned in full wet weather gear for my 20 minute walk down to the 'end of the world'.

If you travel westerly facing European coasts you have to resign yourself to inclement weather. Scotland, Ireland, Wales, all stunning and wild coastal scenic masterpieces as long as you keep regularly visiting them in order you experience them, at least some of the time, at their benign best. The majority of visiting time is, just by the west coasts very nature, stunning in different ways. Cloudscapes, storms and squalls crossing the ocean toward you. Within a space of 10 minutes you are invariably subject to mist, fog, horizontal rain and buffeting, verging on hurricane force winds eddying up from dizzying cliffs and spectacular surf shows far far below.

'Fisterra' (Finistere) is no different. 

"I enjoyed my visit to the end of the world'. 

Reads the plaque commemorating Stephen Hawkins 2017 visit. The wind and rain certainly battered and buffeted me as I walked down to the lighthouse and past the tatty souvenir shop. Right out to the point I went along with two bedraggled pilgrims who determinedly had completed the whole of the 'Santiago de Compostella' pilgrimage. The tradition is that at 'Fisterra' you burn the clothes you walked the pilgrimage in as they can take you no further. Evidence of this tradition in one or two well used and blackened rock faces was there to see. Not today though and my two bedraggled pilgrims having completed their arduous task were a little later seen climbing into a taxi presumably to their hotel and, I hope, some TLC. 

So there we are then. I was standing among the jumble of rocks at Finisterre, the most Westerly point of the whole European continent. The wind moderated, the rain stopped and rays of sunshine skipped across the ocean between misty masses of dark ocean squalls in the distance. Not magical but always inspiring, thought provoking and for January excellent weather as it was very warm. Something you don't get on equally impressive lumps of headland rock in Scotland, Wales or Ireland in January!

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I like 'Pontevedra' sitting as it does in a bend of the 'Rio' estuary, here in SW Galicia. A lively, tourist and Moho friendly town, even in January. There are lovely river walks plus a charming Old Town where this afternoon I located the 'Office d' tourisme' and courtesy of their Wi Fi downloaded two more books to my Kindle.

I was intending moving on further South but weather this morning was gorgeous so instead set out for a long walk up the river. People out running, walking, rowing, kayaking and numerous doggy walkers. The sports and fitness facilities here are very prominent as they are all over France and Spain. Anyway I didn't get quite as far as I wanted to as I had what is known as an 'Oesophagal dumping' (bit like a diabetics hypo) incident which left me light headed, dizzy and fatigued. I knew what was happening and just had to rest a bit till the worst passed and then slowly walk back to Rap3, my sanctuary. By the time I did get back I was over the worst but tired out and needing a bit of a lie down... read hour & a half's sleep! Hence my shorter walk this afternoon in the warm sunshine to Old Town. No further 'dumping' but its early to bed for me tonight as I still feel a degree or two under what I would consider to be normal.

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Up and about today and feeling normal. In fact it has been a good day, good weather with a lovely beach sunset at 'Camposancos' which is the southernmost point of Galicia where I look across the 'Rio Minhos' to Portugal. If they let me in I'll be there tomorrow.

The drive from 'Pontevedra' was beautiful, apart from the busy port and shipbuilding centre of 'Vigo'. Bit austere and very busy. Hug the coast and continue South though; and I guarantee a very pleasant and quiet drive. In fact a very genteel ramble through numerous rather attractive beach resorts. Stopped off at 'Baiona' and took the bike for a trip round the island based Fort guarding the entrance to 'Vigo's' magnificent and natural deep water harbour. Yup; a good day with even a little time to start my latest book by Professor Dean Radin on Quantum Entanglement, the new cutting edge of science which is literally forcing a re write of much established, traditional and classic science. But I'll tell you more about that in my next blog. Bet you can't wait eh!