Lucky me, this year round, when I thought I’d be celebrating a Christmas as an orphan in London, I was invited to spend it in David’s hometown…Yes 3 months on and I was about to meet the in-laws! Nervous, excited and being as intrepid as ever- I was all ready to bring on the festive season in a new country

The airport itself in La Coruña is one of the smallest I’ve seen with one gate for entry. The EU passengers swam past whilst I was asked a few questions as to my intentions here. That cleared quickly and I was heading towards the arrival place, where I was greeted with a warm smile by a “Meryl Streep” look a like. She was youthful and pretty and said “Hello, nice to meet you!” This was David’s mum…:) We had some tea in the airport, conversed awkwardly in Spanish (have to admit I was rusty) and then made our way towards their home. The city at night was pretty, by the coast, lit up with Christmas decoration and still a lively sensation in the centre. I knew I was going to like this!

Over the next few days we spent a lot of time meeting new family members, trying to remember new names and having a growing feeling of the need to study spanish further. The irony was that everyone in his family were so kind and welcoming that I didn’t feel that different. One of their ways of showing love was through food and this was something I thoroughly enjoyed here. The daily injection of caffeine, fresh seafood of all sorts, spanish tortillas, empanadas, chorizo and of course churros were just some of the delicacies I enjoyed here.

                                    A couple of places worth mentioning to eat: 

Los Angeles @CafeBarLosAngeles:                                              Las Patatas Bravas: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sights and wonders:

1. Torre de Hercules– This tower is a Roman lighthouse which, since its origins up to the present, has been conducting the simple task of being the beacon of navigation for ships crossing the Atlantic corridor. You’re able to pay less than €10 to go up the tower and have a walk around.
2. Playa Riazor– This beautiful beach is the most famous strip pictured in many postcards with the lighthouse in the distance. A great thing to do at any time of day is to walk along here, have some food or go for a swim (if warm).
3. Calle Estrella- At night time this is La Coruña’s charisma, with a tapestry of little tapa bars and bistro, you will surely find something that will delight the taste buds. You do not need to have a lot to enjoy the tastes down the wee alleyways.
4. Plaza de Maria Pita– This prominent square is the most iconic in La Coruña as it’s based on a heroine of the region, her statue stands majestically in the middle of it. You cannot miss this sqaure which like many squares is very “european” in nature
5. Plaza de Lugo- And to think I would forget shopping. For all the ladies and actually gentleman, you’ll be delighted to spend hours here in this outdoor mall. It has all the leading designer wear and every day wear. The pride of this city are the shops by Inditex (Zara for example) which head office is just minutes away from the city centre. You can shop your heart out while grabbing coffees or sangrias to break up the day.
6. Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela– This deserves a post of it’s own, but I was fortunate enough to do a day trip here from La Coruña (1 hour by car). This majestic cathedral is well known for the pit stop of the the “St James’ pilgrimage”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So yes, seeing all the sites and eating all the different and delicious food, left me somewhat pleased and comforted after my Navidad in Spain. Did I mention how warm and loving David’s family were? I guess that’s another charm of the Spanish and especially Galicians, reserved at first but “whole heartedly” welcoming and giving after. Like anything, it deserves time. 😉