May 1

Perched in the corner of Northwest Spain, A Coruna is the second largest city in Galicia. There are 250,000 people in the city; 500,000 in the greater metropolitan area. The Romans visited in the 2nd century BCE, followed by the Vikings in the 4th century. There wasn’t much there for the Vikings, as the residents moved inland. When the Muslims came, they, too, had little interest in what is now A Coruna. In the early 13th century, a trade in salt and fish developed and textiles and spice were added in the Middle Ages. Today’s economy benefits greatly from both fresh and processed fish. The financial sector is strong and tourism is a huge contributor. Tourists not only visit A Coruna, but use the city as an access point for Santiago de Compostela. The locals are proud that the textile brand Zara is based here. I wasn’t expecting much. When we lived in Spain, it wasn’t on our screen.

Our city excursion wasn’t until two hours after our arrival, so we decided to wander around the Old Town, which was near the port. It was May 1, which happened to be a Labor Day so our expectations were low. The Old Town was really attractive, with lots of old buildings, narrow streets, several nice squares and old churches. Our excursion exposed us to more of the Old Town as well as lots of oceanside development and monuments. The weather was nice and it was really attractive. We got out 6-7 miles on a beachside promenade and Karla dismounted in order to walk back. I explained to people around me that it was for disciplinary reasons. 

Upon Karla’s return, we decided to visit a small cafe/tavern off the beaten track. We chose one and ordered the local beer and wine to go with our octopus and squid…as well as a local cheese. They were all good. If we were to do another world cruise…which we don’t plan to do…we would do lots more small cafe eating. Our tendency to eat on the ship (where everything is paid for), has kept us from sampling local food and culture. 

A Coruna surprised us. It’s definitely a place we would come back to. Karla speaks of doing the Portuguese Camino route, which would end very near here. I could see waiting for her here and getting more modest exercise…and not having to deal with all those pilgrims.