tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77030424823418857122024-03-06T01:31:43.757+01:0028 Days in GaliciaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-75676586225776347162012-07-28T11:12:00.003+02:002012-07-28T11:12:48.633+02:00Day 28 - The EndTechnically I was not in Galicia for 28 days. That was the original plan. I was going to leave this morning to come to Madrid and meet Shawn. But there wasn't a train that would get me here on time, so I left last night at 10pm. So really it's only 27 Days in Galicia... but that just doesn't have the same ring to it!<br />
<br />
As I have mentioned before and as you have probably gathered from my posts, I had a wonderful time in Galicia and would love to go back again. The goodbyes weren't easy, but we all know that we have to move forward and sometimes that means leaving things behind, sometimes even new friends. Luckily with 21st century technology it's easier to stay in touch.<br />
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A few more thank you's before I end this. Thanks to Jose del Valle who suggested that I apply for this program and who wrote me a wonderful recommendation letter that helped earn me a grant to attend. And thanks to Cheche who suggested that I could stay in one of the studio apartments that his family owns in Santiago. And thanks to his parents for being such wonderful hosts, I couldn't have asked for a better home away from home situation. And of course thanks to all of you who humored me and read this blog at least once in awhile! I know it wasn't always posted on time, but I did my best given my internet situation. It was nice knowing that people might be reading and it gave me an incentive to keep writing. <br />
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Hopefully you all learned something about Galicia and Galego culture, I know I certainly did!<br />
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Thanks! Gracias! Grazas!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-41605771231419701612012-07-27T15:16:00.001+02:002012-07-27T15:16:56.258+02:00Day 27 - "Graduation"Today was the last day of my Galician language and culture class. We had a small ceremony at 12:00 for all of the 88 participants. The members of the Real Academia Galega were in attendance and each gave a speech regarding the pride that the program brings to the Galego community. After that they presented each student with a certificate of aptitude and a diploma of attendance. I have officially "passed" Galego I. If I wanted to attend the program a second time they would put me in the next level. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcPDLQY6qwujFbikJmAVSv1C_qT0EWm8Jx0b2apU6Z-zrY3_H1pU6nOvLrM18wDHsLx2XEYs8bOx88GC0tJgQ6deUayYeIyvBnubGnLovYP2FwZRsVoMDxz5g1IYJX1gbRLJZSpFBSZg/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcPDLQY6qwujFbikJmAVSv1C_qT0EWm8Jx0b2apU6Z-zrY3_H1pU6nOvLrM18wDHsLx2XEYs8bOx88GC0tJgQ6deUayYeIyvBnubGnLovYP2FwZRsVoMDxz5g1IYJX1gbRLJZSpFBSZg/s320/IMG_0760.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We signed Galego flags for our instructors<br />
as a Thank You for all they did</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To be honest I am pleased and impressed with the amount that I learned over the past four weeks and would especially like to that my instructors Eduard and Rosa. While Eduard had the job of teaching us the more academic and perhaps a little drier subject of theory, we wouldn't have been able to survive Rosa's class without knowing what he taught us. And Rosa's class just reinforced what we had learned with Eduard and showed us that we could, albeit with various errors, speak Galego.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLiN1FWaMdBoBtCPMkUYR6dAiYP1VAKqyxhIt8K_2H7ML61EdLjXbsmBsypBnLx9REwvY15lLeTbHV8PgBz_EYn-Tj7nlOokmpmXnwNEWgapJgw904b-G4eOJC6QNZHljqGgvlsKXo3k/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLiN1FWaMdBoBtCPMkUYR6dAiYP1VAKqyxhIt8K_2H7ML61EdLjXbsmBsypBnLx9REwvY15lLeTbHV8PgBz_EYn-Tj7nlOokmpmXnwNEWgapJgw904b-G4eOJC6QNZHljqGgvlsKXo3k/s320/IMG_0756.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating our accomplishments</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a really great experience and I had the opportunity to meet many people from many different countries. Many of us had in common the fact that we spoke Spanish/Castellano before we came, but not all of us, and so it was Galego that kept us talking to each other. It may have been a sort of "Castelego" or mix of the two languages, but it was a great way to practice. Alina and Marina and I would keep each other in check making occasional corrections so we could improve. I would say that one of the things that got us often when we were speaking was using "y" for "and" instead of "e" in Galego. <br />
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My Galego certainly isn't perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than it was a month ago and my experience in this country is something I could get nowhere else. I wouldn't trade it for anything. And a final thanks to Shawn for supporting me throughout this trip. It was strange to be without him for a month and I can't wait to see him tomorrow!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0m7V7nvR03BNMwSg9O7_4tR4-weRmNrF4C4_GKIwIwWlXqKjIzHOaUN8p7Hfev1I7n2-ZgqKQGQE2cWt5xzwQ8T9rqHQ7D_QOMhWVzBvEFKA1pwabAWsF2bp9XKnCtQ0k2_TN57IdiE/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0m7V7nvR03BNMwSg9O7_4tR4-weRmNrF4C4_GKIwIwWlXqKjIzHOaUN8p7Hfev1I7n2-ZgqKQGQE2cWt5xzwQ8T9rqHQ7D_QOMhWVzBvEFKA1pwabAWsF2bp9XKnCtQ0k2_TN57IdiE/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEtXcavCnKBnsa37s_F_RCxpDm_g9R9V3-X1-fvSUrK2IALjYzzm-TNDTlJZmz88VoK28MbV7E7rIk-kzs_vg7gHzXKYTruYC7TVUIcVHCrzErE4vvzWMFPTzZEI4eOUa8okSM6M4LCE/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEtXcavCnKBnsa37s_F_RCxpDm_g9R9V3-X1-fvSUrK2IALjYzzm-TNDTlJZmz88VoK28MbV7E7rIk-kzs_vg7gHzXKYTruYC7TVUIcVHCrzErE4vvzWMFPTzZEI4eOUa8okSM6M4LCE/s320/IMG_0770.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-78388988981377211592012-07-27T14:30:00.001+02:002012-07-27T14:30:54.034+02:00Day 26 - Food<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGk1BUud7BxaZoAeBzI-rmcp2ENPTZH9Ezeli8atysGTr5VdL9I9oWJaCkCeup7Ea1gk5iatrYxTXnMfn9HBAwexTGUndBpLVIZEvJOcPyTY8XbarzUe48Zf5T9ITFycU8UhvrgJTZCDw/s1600/IMG_0742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGk1BUud7BxaZoAeBzI-rmcp2ENPTZH9Ezeli8atysGTr5VdL9I9oWJaCkCeup7Ea1gk5iatrYxTXnMfn9HBAwexTGUndBpLVIZEvJOcPyTY8XbarzUe48Zf5T9ITFycU8UhvrgJTZCDw/s320/IMG_0742.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have always enjoyed Spanish food. Or at least that's how I remember it. When I was in Granada I thought I remembered liking most things. Now maybe the food in Granada is quite different from the food in Galicia and in Santiago, but it turns out, maybe it's not my favorite! Not that it's bad, don't get me wrong, and there are some specialties which are extra delicious (See Day 4 - Tarta de Santiago), but overall I like a little more variety and a few more vegetables in my diet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uAfSPs55v-OgwXJGctI5XF7ZifApyYF2bJQoHDQULUhruqMxcATSZ__ok6Wn_52xqaP478G4fg4zki479nofu2Ar-iotqNL42AdATeVfq23e8MGHqSAo5QkOUPVshGJSQ5K6PdEpQiM/s1600/tarta+de+santiago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uAfSPs55v-OgwXJGctI5XF7ZifApyYF2bJQoHDQULUhruqMxcATSZ__ok6Wn_52xqaP478G4fg4zki479nofu2Ar-iotqNL42AdATeVfq23e8MGHqSAo5QkOUPVshGJSQ5K6PdEpQiM/s320/tarta+de+santiago.jpg" width="240" /></a>For instance, take today's lunch. It is about as veggie heavy as any dish I could order in Santiago. I have a wedge of tortilla espa<span lang="ES" style="mso-ansi-language: ES;">ñ</span>ola with an "ensalada mixta." Ensalada mixta, or mixed salad, has lettuce, onions and two large wedges of tomato. There is another option which also includes pickled white asparagus and tuna, but that's about it.<br />
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I still do love a good Tortilla Espa<span lang="ES" style="mso-ansi-language: ES;">ñ</span>ola and order it quite frequently. If I choose something else, it usually involves pork, because most things involve pork. There is xamón serano, a kind of Prociutto-like ham; pork chops; zorza, which is the pork meat used to make sausage before it is ground up. They season it to make sure it's right for the sausage but then serve the pieces as well. It's tasty but a lot of meat if you don't have some veggies with it, which they don't. They usually serve it with just fries. I can think of a couple people I know who would love the food here!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93EqXXEXssjUI2G3fYws1zGIucneeiSEHNnCKI-kilhCKuGU29eNtwwRq9c1UV1K6HKCQq_MSqX3wx_wUtZtcHzbZglLbHclnEsX6WNGZslmLrK9Q7byJpZUNfdV3pDWChQsPypHcx8I/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93EqXXEXssjUI2G3fYws1zGIucneeiSEHNnCKI-kilhCKuGU29eNtwwRq9c1UV1K6HKCQq_MSqX3wx_wUtZtcHzbZglLbHclnEsX6WNGZslmLrK9Q7byJpZUNfdV3pDWChQsPypHcx8I/s320/IMG_0306.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUo8J5GcOUuUxmlfnKweH7i1C8rH-OgPIn-mI8hX-5VGRuwmxajwVumi5sgihLQvkbUlDeY-rlQiFDFqMHOCyAtylfnHZHNGjKiIHwjPVXhjFswa-uSO4s09GHsEsE0SJBIil__Aqjqo/s1600/IMG_0309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUo8J5GcOUuUxmlfnKweH7i1C8rH-OgPIn-mI8hX-5VGRuwmxajwVumi5sgihLQvkbUlDeY-rlQiFDFqMHOCyAtylfnHZHNGjKiIHwjPVXhjFswa-uSO4s09GHsEsE0SJBIil__Aqjqo/s320/IMG_0309.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Drinks are pretty tasty. You have your standard Sangria, your Licor 43 (best served with fresh squeezed oj or even with Fanta Naranja), as well as a Fanta by itself. This is better than Fanta in the US since it actually contains a bit of juice! They do have beer here, but generally just one type and it's pretty light. I found one place that served a dark beer in a bottle that was pretty good. And there is a Café Licor which is also pretty tasty. It's more of a sipping shot than anything, but yummy. Other than that it's water water water. And rarely for free, it's certainly not something that just comes with your meal anyway. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgzT7X3nxldlIXQPJuj2heu8S58RhOfFur6Hs_fFH1xrYG5f9uQHjCRmVwrOAgVqSioxHHu-jHaFvKLkzfZFlKTPUz-1SxgGl9ES0Ub5gQJfjY0TnZKXhi1mGqIx13qXvVP6EsXt2I0E/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgzT7X3nxldlIXQPJuj2heu8S58RhOfFur6Hs_fFH1xrYG5f9uQHjCRmVwrOAgVqSioxHHu-jHaFvKLkzfZFlKTPUz-1SxgGl9ES0Ub5gQJfjY0TnZKXhi1mGqIx13qXvVP6EsXt2I0E/s320/IMG_0654.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmC5zCzurc5irsr77RqOtrTaY_iEroLgtDe_Fqw1ezZeKPSYvH20UmhM1wMwZoyXU6X4HPchMOOln8Z6klC4tFARBfI_sVlJhhqDJqLCiD6IehUFZIoDDvZj-NFujcX8jxi9dOuQW5Co/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmC5zCzurc5irsr77RqOtrTaY_iEroLgtDe_Fqw1ezZeKPSYvH20UmhM1wMwZoyXU6X4HPchMOOln8Z6klC4tFARBfI_sVlJhhqDJqLCiD6IehUFZIoDDvZj-NFujcX8jxi9dOuQW5Co/s320/IMG_0737.JPG" width="240" /></a>I certainly wouldn't say the food here is terrible, and some of it is still downright delicious, but it's a tough place for a vegetarian that's for sure. Good thing I'm not one. Although I do not like to eat most fish or seafood, and Galicia is definitely known for that. One thing that I do enjoy from that selection of foods is octopus. This is not to be confused with calamari like we have in the US. It is pieces of tentacles cooked in oil and served in the sizzling pan with a bit of paprika or chili powder on top (I'm not sure which, and I've heard both). <br />
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Other things that I have enjoyed while here come from the local panadaría, or bakery. They make amazing bread and delicious desserts. It's difficult to say no sometimes!<br />
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It's definitely worth trying some new things while you are here, and if you're a meat and potatos kind of person it's definitely the place for you. If you love seafood and fish you will also find many things to enjoy here. And if you love things cooked in lots of olive oil, then you will be in heaven. And there are fruits and vegetables to be found at the local markets so you can enjoy some of that at home if you live here.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-82999720109502922432012-07-25T21:52:00.001+02:002012-07-25T21:52:52.022+02:00Day 25 - St. James Day<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR7L4_bnYIIq66Fqb7kH8GWQawnPvw8hW89fVcuDNLa-ZT_Z9JgmZSXfCxlHi6dZCBwNyoEtQ5jrBo7HxEzxLFmn-umeeJmPJ0fBo8mMU-zy2eCYyMNMZqfn0dKhXzwfEfVRY_1moZo0/s1600/IMG_0703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR7L4_bnYIIq66Fqb7kH8GWQawnPvw8hW89fVcuDNLa-ZT_Z9JgmZSXfCxlHi6dZCBwNyoEtQ5jrBo7HxEzxLFmn-umeeJmPJ0fBo8mMU-zy2eCYyMNMZqfn0dKhXzwfEfVRY_1moZo0/s320/IMG_0703.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowds at the Praza do Obradoiro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The festivities began last night. A few friends and I
decided to meet at 11:00pm since the “show” would start around 11:30 or so. Boy
was that a mistake. We should have met up at 9:00pm to even think about getting
a spot in the Praza do Obradoiro! We barely made it to the edge of the plaza
but it wasn’t going to do us any good to be there since we would not be able to
see the show. So we decided to walk up to the Alameda which offers an
incredible view of the Cathedral from a higher elevation. We were of course not
the only ones with this idea, and although the view was slightly obstructed it
was better than what we had when we were down by the plaza and we were able to
catch the show. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2KMoWoIX8CY2dt_Ozo8MgdZKaFEluXuNuUZHk0pjy5hMlfR_5eKuT-8L1ZcqyYLRJ5Q-bYgoOD0hpqcZxPrJmb8-BPnUxSKHak8oFulfyZ-pUx4kIhoZUx_Zc7PQTEuCoVZ0a_vAfo0/s1600/IMG_0711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2KMoWoIX8CY2dt_Ozo8MgdZKaFEluXuNuUZHk0pjy5hMlfR_5eKuT-8L1ZcqyYLRJ5Q-bYgoOD0hpqcZxPrJmb8-BPnUxSKHak8oFulfyZ-pUx4kIhoZUx_Zc7PQTEuCoVZ0a_vAfo0/s320/IMG_0711.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obstructed view!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
What exactly was the show? It consisted of a series of
projections against the facade of the Cathedral. I believe that it was showing
the history of the construction of the Cathedral throughout the centuries. There
was even one very dramatic scene in which the Cathedral was burned down as a
representation of what happened in 977 when the Muslim army raided and
destroyed the building. This impressive projection show was followed by an
elaborate fireworks display in which the fireworks were shot directly from the
Cathedral itself, as well as the nearby Hostal Dos Reis Catolicos (More like a
five star hotel!). </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQY47u0dec5SpVCQyxJ9si6sR7jLCM1ALEnxj0ohRP1J8HT4EXLYnBMeruGfP4Nv_HJxZUG4xMFewc3UeZGt-WhRiujkxqz9uR7M5NVlf9sijjKjyQVLVV45roH1mB2O1w1KMyylQ8Do/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQY47u0dec5SpVCQyxJ9si6sR7jLCM1ALEnxj0ohRP1J8HT4EXLYnBMeruGfP4Nv_HJxZUG4xMFewc3UeZGt-WhRiujkxqz9uR7M5NVlf9sijjKjyQVLVV45roH1mB2O1w1KMyylQ8Do/s320/IMG_0716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More crowds!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It was quite an elaborate show and it appeared as though the
whole of Santiago came out to enjoy it. After the fireworks there was a concert
near the Cathedral which we went over and checked out. A couple of the ladies
stayed to hear the music but I and one other decided to head home since it was
already after 1:00am. I am glad that I don’t live near the Cathedral as I’m
sure not even my “tapones” or earplugs would have blocked out all of that noise!
But I’m glad that I went so that I could see what it was all about.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM1QCSoXZ0UFR1fUhFj457Ib-3OgOkNlPCOlNk7dmCbzZtiNPOZanKtf-bKH6by-OQrnFeYOsgwIuCzHog8dSVhsE54SwZXdbYEBNpCD-e1k7Upkh_q1iHFy0ARu2-qyhsEFgxEedWRU/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM1QCSoXZ0UFR1fUhFj457Ib-3OgOkNlPCOlNk7dmCbzZtiNPOZanKtf-bKH6by-OQrnFeYOsgwIuCzHog8dSVhsE54SwZXdbYEBNpCD-e1k7Upkh_q1iHFy0ARu2-qyhsEFgxEedWRU/s320/IMG_0721.JPG" width="320" /></a>This morning I took my time getting up and then headed to
the Cathedral to see what there was to see. Apparently the king of Spain was
attending mass and there were barriers preventing the passage of pedestrians
from one side of the plaza to the other (well… not completely, there was a
small section to pass through). I waited there with my camera ready but by noon
mass had not ended and I was supposed to meet the ladies to see what there was
to see. I had to leave the plaza.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbo3ajA5zwEYKQRX6OvMcOAfFCp7qP0hc6S3L5xz8jpQr55SDFgjMJNmLqCsAUoaNR38bF0V8kOqybQdAJubt9Ory2tyxKrY6i8hMuzRwPDieCJGidxv7XDdoYAzhvz87dmR8QmVSH-_M/s1600/IMG_0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbo3ajA5zwEYKQRX6OvMcOAfFCp7qP0hc6S3L5xz8jpQr55SDFgjMJNmLqCsAUoaNR38bF0V8kOqybQdAJubt9Ory2tyxKrY6i8hMuzRwPDieCJGidxv7XDdoYAzhvz87dmR8QmVSH-_M/s320/IMG_0735.JPG" width="320" /></a>When we returned they would not let me into the plaza with
my backpack (the small orange one that serves as my purse), so I brought it
home and switched to a smaller bag, but by the time I got back I had missed him.
So there it is, my almost seeing a king story. Pretty lame, sorry.</div>
<br />
As for what else there was to see, there was a carnival in
the Alameda which had rides and games for people of all ages as well as lots of
food and other things to buy. There was also a protest going on and lots of
people out and about. Since it was a holiday the only people working were the
people in the restaurants and the tourist shops around the Cathedral, but many
people were in the different parks just enjoying the incredibly hot (but no
complaints!) day – something we took advantage of as well. All in all it seemed
like a pretty relaxing day to me, but who knows maybe there’s more to it that I
missed. I would be interested to know, but wouldn’t necessarily trade my
experience for it. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo1mnWqqk_LFRBpnWvBEFFFrgJ4iWunojME3Eg5AEVyx4cY1SWVMs-Hlq-9dQEJXMD2Q0JxfpSSUHPwFAeS9NONe1TKgRk9Tm81R1PkSBAjNOZHvfz8jPNaHbVmG5a29wm-Y9XV_Mx3Q/s320/IMG_0738.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlblc7bdFHjZIuN9pexDTDQbuRBpyboUbZegq1X5YIQSDZVErT3mjkBT93pqDenlsMXC8ERipRb8nJnkEXDkV3qUASGPUaHaudbbiAB2dLNX5easPpOZZRlflbNE44xZqRFaeLStzvAQ/s320/IMG_0740.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairly alarming... a sort of mechanical bull ride for children.<br />
There were only young girls riding and they were trying to <br />
get them to ride one handed...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-90777684791538376132012-07-24T22:16:00.001+02:002012-07-24T22:16:29.411+02:00Day 24 - Galego Music<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOMUxlA_RHL_8sZmAWlCfyHAxwe21u1yVeZUs6fRY8F19FnMxTB4m_5eRoEErPcs_WvLHVf1EZng_nXERbJHPvftt_UOOtTAaWIybG9Wtg60yWIT5z0E-OXDtn19bXwHT7FMN8xglcJI/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOMUxlA_RHL_8sZmAWlCfyHAxwe21u1yVeZUs6fRY8F19FnMxTB4m_5eRoEErPcs_WvLHVf1EZng_nXERbJHPvftt_UOOtTAaWIybG9Wtg60yWIT5z0E-OXDtn19bXwHT7FMN8xglcJI/s320/IMG_0646.JPG" width="320" /></a>As anyone who knows me realizes, I am not the musical one in my marriage. And that is an understatement! But Galego music can be pretty interesting. I have already talked a bit about the Gaita, and although it's not my personal favorite, it is quite unique as an instrument on the Peninsula. What makes it so unique, in my opinion is that it is an instrument generally associated with Scotland and the northern Celtic regions. But as I have mentioned before there is a large Celtic influence in Galicia and that of course includes the music of the region as well. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeN7DGmh_XAx77ZYdo4yBszsn4tTRDSsxImb9P_gVbqt1mC23dttQH8SJsL1t2fO2ugRMhyEiCJnkaLVVN3reMRBZMF_HOm9leyJPpR4ug4S5L5phPXPg3WqHj1A3ZAU3NyT-h6LIiLc/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeN7DGmh_XAx77ZYdo4yBszsn4tTRDSsxImb9P_gVbqt1mC23dttQH8SJsL1t2fO2ugRMhyEiCJnkaLVVN3reMRBZMF_HOm9leyJPpR4ug4S5L5phPXPg3WqHj1A3ZAU3NyT-h6LIiLc/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pandeireta and Ferreña</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This past Sunday, I visited the Museo do Pobo Galego and took a few pictures of some other typical Galego instruments including the Pandeireta and the Ferreñas, two instruments that I would generically categorize as tambourines but are perhaps a bit more unique than just that... I don't know, but I'm sure Shawn would. He even mentioned one of them by name when I told him that I had seen these particular instruments but did not remember the name of them at the time we were talking.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Fr1oGBkcEptMTqh7OouigfIQ92xT8wUNimvYmG89p6P7Mg8apXiKs7Rc5THk7Sw8GnjrCPaWZrmg6nOAnNL1lbmztHjxgWZTvDkef4kUHMdM7sQXlH-Qfbr99iz1lfhPITxjhxrg7rg/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Fr1oGBkcEptMTqh7OouigfIQ92xT8wUNimvYmG89p6P7Mg8apXiKs7Rc5THk7Sw8GnjrCPaWZrmg6nOAnNL1lbmztHjxgWZTvDkef4kUHMdM7sQXlH-Qfbr99iz1lfhPITxjhxrg7rg/s320/IMG_0649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaita</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
On Monday, our mid-day conference was on Galego music. It was a discussion lead by the Galician Folk artist, Uxía (you may recognize her name from the Duas Marias post) and her fellow musician Xoan. Not only did they discuss some of the history of the music as well as certain themes in the lyrics (cultural and language pride among others), but they also performed for us. And I really, really wanted to post a video for you to listen to, but I have been sitting here for a good half hour and it is not uploading... so I'll just have to leave you with a picture of the event... which is a real shame since it is difficult to appreciate the music without hearing it. If you go to youtube and look for Uxía, you will definitely find something. Try the following links to start: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZjkW1aETos" target="_blank">Tua nai é meiga</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2ex5peppOY" target="_blank">Alalá das mariñas</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3VYI1uuQVxd2s8lnzh8nHJiHKse4jA0w8-YSBFJiVMVx9T7467T4U6gKl3g9y5na0ta21z4l19vrZ39cPp79TvsZCbliI8Y08anFX8wdyFtu-PLizOEeWlsf111z6hXnFX_7YjzQ-TY/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3VYI1uuQVxd2s8lnzh8nHJiHKse4jA0w8-YSBFJiVMVx9T7467T4U6gKl3g9y5na0ta21z4l19vrZ39cPp79TvsZCbliI8Y08anFX8wdyFtu-PLizOEeWlsf111z6hXnFX_7YjzQ-TY/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uxía and Xoan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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If you are interested in music, I would highly recommend looking into more information than I could possibly give you on Galician music. From my few experiences I get the impression that it is a music that people are quite passionate about. It doesn't take much to get a song started and a dance going. This was proven today when we had our end of course picnic in Teo. People from different countries sang songs from their countries and the professors also decided to sing a song for the group. Their song resulted in a dance which you can see in the picture below. Once the music started it did not stop until we got on the bus. It was probably a good three hours of music all told. Maybe a bit much for me, but all of the Galegos, and many of the other students really seemed to enjoy it.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BFO2ZpQeoyLUi0Y5e7vaU397p2p_vE_mY-bojxTITeqqU4TOYfHTE_teBqq2SH-sf3RuAA1DtEgTULBmk2rJMqsHT1TbRG_SxsMYF3_6l7lRIW6I5heCwCXsqi123TRYByE6oFc5fEU/s1600/IMG_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BFO2ZpQeoyLUi0Y5e7vaU397p2p_vE_mY-bojxTITeqqU4TOYfHTE_teBqq2SH-sf3RuAA1DtEgTULBmk2rJMqsHT1TbRG_SxsMYF3_6l7lRIW6I5heCwCXsqi123TRYByE6oFc5fEU/s320/IMG_0695.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galgeo Professors: singing and dancing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-68820489557285112652012-07-24T11:00:00.002+02:002012-07-24T11:00:10.199+02:00Day 23 - Why NOT Galego?I started learning to speak Galego three weeks ago. There is
a lot that I don’t know. But there is a lot I have learned so far.
Grammatically speaking it is similar enough to Spanish that I am able to take
educated guesses at some of the things I don’t know. I have the endings for my
present tense, past tense(s), and future tenses. There is a lot of vocabulary
that is the same as Spanish, but there is a lot that is different as well. For
example, there are a lot more contractions in Galego than in Spanish (eg. de un
– dun, en una – nunha), but once I figured out some of the rules, I realized
that I could at least identify them when I read them!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Anyway, I’ve started to try and get brave. It was time to
take my Spanish outside of the classroom and my small group of Galego learning
friends. So I’ve started to try to speak Galego in restaurants and stores. It’s
a curious Galego that is certainly not perfect, but a heck of a lot better than
it was three weeks ago.</div>
<br />
What are interesting to me are the reactions of the people
in these restaurants and stores when I do speak Galego instead of Spanish. In
many they seem to take it in stride, accepting that I am speaking their
language and simply speaking it back to me. What else would I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In others there is a distinct reaction to my
choice of Galego over Spanish. These individuals clearly recognize that I am
not from around here but rather that I am a visitor. And they get excited! <br />
<br />The two women in the fruit and veggie shop that I have been
frequenting were clearly enthusiastic that I wanted to learn their language and
asked how my experiences had been so far. It was nice to see such a positive
reaction. <br />
<br />Yesterday in one of the souvenir shops, the guy who was
helping me sort of raised his eyebrow as though he was not 100% sure that I had
just spoken Galego (who knows… I wasn’t 100% sure if I had!). I saw his look
and said that yes I was speaking Galego and that I was part of the summer
program where we were learning the language. His reaction was a little bit
different, although he did continue to speak to me in Galego. He wanted to know
why. Why would I choose to study a language that was not considered a global
language but rather a regional one. My answer was, Why not?<br />
<br />If languages are going to continue to thrive or at least
survive, it certainly doesn’t hurt that outsiders want to learn them. I want to
learn the language for cultural reasons. No, I don’t see myself speaking a lot
of Galego in the United States, but who knows. I do however see myself reading
more of the incredible literature that comes out of this region and is not
always translated. I see myself researching the history of emigration from
Galicia to Cuba and perhaps encountering documents in Galego. It is a useful
language on many levels and hey, it’s cool to say that I can speak a language
that some people don’t even know exists!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-39418315692617421132012-07-24T10:59:00.001+02:002012-07-24T10:59:32.481+02:00Day 22 - Where did all the Galegos go?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLr98HyNBn3-eA6-w5QxJgKD54FSs7SjTl-2-tkfamOobEJvKB8Dxr3BH70Xo4sqmZfiACy8_drXuJf3CjQtNsUnsB9B8N6QdnLDoAdxZoY4HlWhyhKT9RIiMaXbP0w6nOO04pEFd_khI/s1600/Day+22+-+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLr98HyNBn3-eA6-w5QxJgKD54FSs7SjTl-2-tkfamOobEJvKB8Dxr3BH70Xo4sqmZfiACy8_drXuJf3CjQtNsUnsB9B8N6QdnLDoAdxZoY4HlWhyhKT9RIiMaXbP0w6nOO04pEFd_khI/s320/Day+22+-+1.JPG" width="320" /></a>One thing I am frequently struck by is the number of
abandoned houses in Galicia. They seem to be everywhere. Some of them seem to
be recently empty, while others have been empty so long that they no longer
have roofs or even interiors in some cases. Many of them have “For Sale” signs
on them, but many of them just seem to fade into the background.
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
There are many reasons why people moved away from these
homes. Emigration has been a part of Galego history for many, many years. They
have left for economic and political reasons, and they have gone to places like
Argentina, Cuba, France, Germany, and even just other parts of Spain. In fact,
there are so many Galician immigrants in Buenos Aires that it is considered the
“largest city in Galicia.” </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_mc-bshrvEV0fs5wu_ZdLhXR1g87UQIENcpp9Sj5f5q1vZBRXseBZBYu_asLl1WRCJX9RGDytwcsvnAmuiQGcrQSq6DaU3iKaKLXLtJ1zzoocD7LJQRK8fhZRtq-MSKxgZZqy4Fas4E/s1600/Day+22+-+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_mc-bshrvEV0fs5wu_ZdLhXR1g87UQIENcpp9Sj5f5q1vZBRXseBZBYu_asLl1WRCJX9RGDytwcsvnAmuiQGcrQSq6DaU3iKaKLXLtJ1zzoocD7LJQRK8fhZRtq-MSKxgZZqy4Fas4E/s320/Day+22+-+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Some of them left with the intention of returning and were
never able to; some left family here that later had to move on or passed away.
Some may even still come and go depending on the season, or at least that is
their intention. Some of them may have even tried to sell the houses (and in
some cases are still trying) and were unsuccessful. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
It is a terrible shame; this is probably one of the most
beautiful areas of Spain that I have seen. I of course have a special place in
my heart for Granada, and Barcelona is artistically unmatchable, but when it
comes to the weather and the natural surroundings, I think Galicia has to take
the prize. If I won the lottery I would definitely consider buying one of these
houses! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbHVYkH2LhvscgXDXLuu5mE3oBYCb4SWLpZQf9sjY0Riaqs3tNSZE8_AjMKymXXuLXImPGH3wYPEp2WHIhLeTBloOk2_Znr_TaoExgtlSNi-8fRRQ4gCqMZQhN68S3_g9s0UCjyW5tew/s1600/Day+22+-+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbHVYkH2LhvscgXDXLuu5mE3oBYCb4SWLpZQf9sjY0Riaqs3tNSZE8_AjMKymXXuLXImPGH3wYPEp2WHIhLeTBloOk2_Znr_TaoExgtlSNi-8fRRQ4gCqMZQhN68S3_g9s0UCjyW5tew/s320/Day+22+-+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Unfortunately, when the economy hits hard, it hits extra
hard here, and as a result many people feel the strain and need to move to
where there are more opportunities. There may be a handful of individuals who
are able to move here and create a new life, but there are very few who
immigrate from the exterior to live in Galicia for good. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is no easy fix for this problem. I only hope that people are able to create opportunities to stay here. It would be a shame to leave this if it were my home. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-38881332369036383782012-07-24T10:26:00.001+02:002012-07-24T10:26:42.777+02:00Day 21 - A Costa da Morte<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezefq1QhiegNNqxrb7DkFUEDilxl_3kQYbxVW9UlFC53xCf13dtjHqlZ4tOP_7RZHmeu4h_L5w9T3Aye5CVgB8XaMXdhzp_Dj-sazE7QkIEpKA9BgkmcYUD-5vlfPZW-DtRTBFyG4tvQ/s1600/Day+21+-+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezefq1QhiegNNqxrb7DkFUEDilxl_3kQYbxVW9UlFC53xCf13dtjHqlZ4tOP_7RZHmeu4h_L5w9T3Aye5CVgB8XaMXdhzp_Dj-sazE7QkIEpKA9BgkmcYUD-5vlfPZW-DtRTBFyG4tvQ/s320/Day+21+-+1.JPG" width="240" /></a>Galego words: Costa – coast, Morte - death
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Saturday was another day long excursion by bus. We left
around 8:30 in the morning and headed toward the Costa da Morte (see map!). Our
destinations included Muros, Carnota, Fisterra, Muxía, and Dombate, but we
definitely made more than five stops! </div>
<br />
In Muros, we stopped in and checked out one of the churches.
And maybe it’s just me, but I feel that most of the churches around here pretty
much look the same. There are some cool architectural features and lots of
eerie statues and things, but each church is pretty much shaped the same way
and those statues look an awful lot alike to me. <br />
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Our second destination was Carnota and here we saw a
Galician cemetery. This may sound like a strange destination but I found it
interesting because it cleared up some of the things that I didn’t understand
about the abandoned cemetery turned into a park in Santiago. We also saw what
is called a “hórreo,” or a Galego storage house for grain. These storage houses
are built of granite and are elevated from the ground on legs which have a sort
of circular plate on top of them. This is to prevent mice from entering the
granary. The one that we stopped to visit in Carnota is apparently tied for the
longest structure of its kind in Galicia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWkBSMRXyR2r4GqwGGLcaOEAaKKogdNVfMRB2KmRkB555MkBUMiPNxjrcsd5L9IzuSEGKmj3lpWOieMpfQUw9LDKNVG9HpLEpicJycPS6LADbkijKWTFK9K1ElpUeN6lhYWzPtpzIVZg/s1600/Day+21+-+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWkBSMRXyR2r4GqwGGLcaOEAaKKogdNVfMRB2KmRkB555MkBUMiPNxjrcsd5L9IzuSEGKmj3lpWOieMpfQUw9LDKNVG9HpLEpicJycPS6LADbkijKWTFK9K1ElpUeN6lhYWzPtpzIVZg/s320/Day+21+-+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />After this we headed to Fisterra which was known
historically as the furthest point west in the known world before the European
discovery of the Americas. It was interesting to imagine how it would have felt
to be standing there and thinking that there was no land further west of this
point. Looking around all you can see is ocean, but it must be quite different
since now we know that there is something on the other side of that ocean.<br />
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<br />In Muxía, we stopped and had lunch and even had a few
minutes to dip our feet into the Atlantic Ocean. Now I can say that I have been
in both sides of the Atlantic! We also went to the lighthouse and church that
are located nearby. We were told to be extremely careful here since swimming in
this section of the Costa da Morte is somewhat connected with how it got its
name. Here we were able to take some nice group shots of the majority of the
students in this year’s Curso de Veran, or summer course here in Galicia. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAgYybm-nmR8egYiBsvi9t-7XIdadEAwGDdxLSWYrSVVumG6wEUh6tM4Fwi504F7493w4KI5g-W90N7zNssFl57NTr25AE9isderLg8ROnstvnwtnYPn_K1SEtbxjtBW3Q9zotzK9Oaw/s1600/Day+21+-+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAgYybm-nmR8egYiBsvi9t-7XIdadEAwGDdxLSWYrSVVumG6wEUh6tM4Fwi504F7493w4KI5g-W90N7zNssFl57NTr25AE9isderLg8ROnstvnwtnYPn_K1SEtbxjtBW3Q9zotzK9Oaw/s320/Day+21+-+6.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />The last official stop on our tour was Dombate. It is here
that there is an actual “dolmen” or burial chamber from the inhabitants of the
area from over 6,000 years ago. There are actually two chambers at this
location that are on display. One is a recreation, but the other is the actual
burial chamber. It is covered by a modern building in order to protect it from
further erosion, but it is still quite impressive. <br />
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We did make one last stop after Dombate, and it was the stop
I was most looking forward to. In Borneiro, only a couple of miles away, if
that, we stopped to see the Castro de Borneiro. A castro is where pre-roman
Galegos lived thousands of years ago. What remains are the bases of these homes
and communities in the form of stone circles. The deepest structure at this
location was maybe four feet tall, but you can still get the idea of the form
of the house as well as the close proximity in which the community lived. It is
unknown what the different uses of the buildings were, but it is believed that
while they lived in some of them, they also housed their animals in others. It
was fascinating to think about what it would have been like to live in Galicia
at that time, but it is even more fascinating to see the remains of that
society as you stand in the middle of it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoWRytyP4LYFzX3zE8peXKpiG-a_cZCiUJ2bHpgptp10KM8tBB15VKtWq0_WT0JF1IqOh6eCCkZ2v6_qjoX1wPp76cice-DpEDKeTzT-4uDvG0ibJKMB56YESAofa66Ekcf3QlS3c3Qw/s1600/Day+21+-+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoWRytyP4LYFzX3zE8peXKpiG-a_cZCiUJ2bHpgptp10KM8tBB15VKtWq0_WT0JF1IqOh6eCCkZ2v6_qjoX1wPp76cice-DpEDKeTzT-4uDvG0ibJKMB56YESAofa66Ekcf3QlS3c3Qw/s320/Day+21+-+4.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbuPehEynhhciaJAdriOKWFNUESyJ4MmIQ1bu3be3OUnWrS23UwhyphenhyphenCMIYUkFcaxqbIqTxkXk73oElCYmXjtSqjmiju25xGEKN0MADddhCo6TS47aEK59VJuICl0OJmVTd7gZnUO3cB4Y/s1600/Day+21+-+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbuPehEynhhciaJAdriOKWFNUESyJ4MmIQ1bu3be3OUnWrS23UwhyphenhyphenCMIYUkFcaxqbIqTxkXk73oElCYmXjtSqjmiju25xGEKN0MADddhCo6TS47aEK59VJuICl0OJmVTd7gZnUO3cB4Y/s320/Day+21+-+9.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gmhuYWDm_eggGssqgBGIHxcVoGPXSnc2FRwVtFfP-coGfy0a-UTGSuUAdphfeFk_3CO_ugk23Q9pdf4crzjQ6KXvHD9sqol08W9ImgGtCyy5lw45VWHwd_xzmpscPElISA97THYy2HE/s1600/Day+21+-+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gmhuYWDm_eggGssqgBGIHxcVoGPXSnc2FRwVtFfP-coGfy0a-UTGSuUAdphfeFk_3CO_ugk23Q9pdf4crzjQ6KXvHD9sqol08W9ImgGtCyy5lw45VWHwd_xzmpscPElISA97THYy2HE/s320/Day+21+-+8.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3i4DT0-d6FVYctvh_gKogF9vKMAZZG9yjnTKxNrcSIrG25errdxRnc7A6U6Af2pruk3TQi0la33Pc-rr9ruXkaeNhcggcPB-bXsMkjxYo4JjSJC8y0NM32DtXLGT5bcyvF0Rr8y0lPY/s1600/Day+21+-+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3i4DT0-d6FVYctvh_gKogF9vKMAZZG9yjnTKxNrcSIrG25errdxRnc7A6U6Af2pruk3TQi0la33Pc-rr9ruXkaeNhcggcPB-bXsMkjxYo4JjSJC8y0NM32DtXLGT5bcyvF0Rr8y0lPY/s320/Day+21+-+7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-88906996930417290342012-07-20T15:08:00.001+02:002012-07-20T15:12:14.890+02:00Day 20 - The Tourist Train<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzoXB0i7CAvU4avhV3qUyObC5DIaGrwrppcQZtufIWqALnlD9KOrTuuKwdlg-0Yd-FpzM8f_1-TwxjNt-S2TXQQEUp9hUK6Sy7tfGpQshJnlVV__SeoQw8rgSmPAmbXG_bJhnCx6q9j0/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzoXB0i7CAvU4avhV3qUyObC5DIaGrwrppcQZtufIWqALnlD9KOrTuuKwdlg-0Yd-FpzM8f_1-TwxjNt-S2TXQQEUp9hUK6Sy7tfGpQshJnlVV__SeoQw8rgSmPAmbXG_bJhnCx6q9j0/s320/IMG_0456.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 6 Euro Tourist Train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The other day I planned to go to the library only to find out that they had recently changed their hours and were now closed for the day at 2pm. As I left I was trying to decide what to do with the extra time I now had on my hands. Sure, I could have gone back to my apartment and studied, or even worked on the editing of a paper I plan on submitting for presentation in the fall... but it was a beautiful and warm day for once and I didn't want to miss out.<br />
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As I was walking through the Praza do Obradoiro, thinking about where I would go, I saw my answer. That silly little tourist train that I kept seeing throughout the city was parked right in front of the Cathedral. It was preparing to set off on another one of its hourly tours and I thought, "What the heck?" and bought a ticket.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpge7zIukzc69PErqzKcvn4lpoRxyz68BZ8uN7oINlQcx7UTn3GxQ06nv0PIx5pMTjexUa2krp4Gdjl7f4Yxjwl7utxLM-Jnt2nL1mzMPo4WW7VHpGUeRHkt3yYRaRvrujzMJdqJX_Q0/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpge7zIukzc69PErqzKcvn4lpoRxyz68BZ8uN7oINlQcx7UTn3GxQ06nv0PIx5pMTjexUa2krp4Gdjl7f4Yxjwl7utxLM-Jnt2nL1mzMPo4WW7VHpGUeRHkt3yYRaRvrujzMJdqJX_Q0/s320/IMG_0455.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
For 6 euros the train will take you on a narrated tour of Santiago in both Spanish and English. It points out many interesting sites along the way and even gives a bit of history and background these places. It's a pretty relaxing way to see different parts of the city. <br />
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However, if I were writing a travel guide and decided to mention this particular attraction, I wouldn't recommend it for most people. If you have trouble walking around but would still like a little insight to certain parts of Santiago, then this is for you. But if you are able to walk even a modest distance or you are particularly interested in the older part of the city, I would skip it.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF9i9nfHstbprMkcTzXC82NuR91Znj6ABeq7EPuTDK4ceA_xIS-U5pVwfoLkK3SEt9Y0VnVXMTbOI7ENRKBxagDuyGomWSNvUYxFP41UmjRClXmtVwBFpEooFOyQjSS8pYRnDu8jEOM4/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAF9i9nfHstbprMkcTzXC82NuR91Znj6ABeq7EPuTDK4ceA_xIS-U5pVwfoLkK3SEt9Y0VnVXMTbOI7ENRKBxagDuyGomWSNvUYxFP41UmjRClXmtVwBFpEooFOyQjSS8pYRnDu8jEOM4/s320/IMG_0461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A so-so shot of the Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH_QEeXbsqxCsgnm_hfVyF9J_JJ6TBBnjEqUI2zZT5c_yYUPfmH-wYDVlZOqsnHudftO1w74g61s-QqxoggICKHo1041c3clgIelj4jaaZqaupb8jT3yCUqFdaVLzOjPZeO4v4xisRkI/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH_QEeXbsqxCsgnm_hfVyF9J_JJ6TBBnjEqUI2zZT5c_yYUPfmH-wYDVlZOqsnHudftO1w74g61s-QqxoggICKHo1041c3clgIelj4jaaZqaupb8jT3yCUqFdaVLzOjPZeO4v4xisRkI/s320/IMG_0464.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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The train itself is long and I am assuming that is why it does not travel to the inner area where the older structures are. Or perhaps the tour believes that people will have walked through there already and just want to see the outer edges of the city. And it's not that the information here isn't interesting, it is; or that you don't see things you normally wouldn't see, you do. It's just that it's really hard to get a good view of these things as the train moves along. Also, if you only understand English, you may struggle a bit to understand the guide or receive an abridged version of the Spanish information. And you may even have missed the site that is being described since it can be difficult for the guide to repeat the information in time. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEw9Hu4-OsJMpUa9qB1gwfxejHu6J8uCpOtGDeYECABw8zRmIBKqqgM98M9GsWfU82Um-fSDkYCr39E4nRSUsVu2rckw37wlJHP8r68qoVdVwccOsxYDqKzzI38mUgLYHVM8xCq_ShBQ/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEw9Hu4-OsJMpUa9qB1gwfxejHu6J8uCpOtGDeYECABw8zRmIBKqqgM98M9GsWfU82Um-fSDkYCr39E4nRSUsVu2rckw37wlJHP8r68qoVdVwccOsxYDqKzzI38mUgLYHVM8xCq_ShBQ/s320/IMG_0469.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
I have included some of the "pictures" that I took during the tour. As you can probably tell, taking pictures of the sites is not always easy either. All in all, I'd probably give the tourist train 2 stars out of 5. One for taking you to places you might not see and the other for providing an attraction to those who do not wish to or are not able to walk around much.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-15828360979497081912012-07-19T15:39:00.003+02:002012-07-19T15:39:30.694+02:00Day 19 - La Catedral (part 2)Galego word of the day: As cubertas - the covers<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay2hi1nCDtmP1a2I9eoK2Q7WlGnV8t-QUyV9QZISdY4Kjz6tmvMRsSlJazo7bsj6lAr-HRhipEN6K1wrNtfh4ub_V8vTFAPZuz7mWpMw4I4w2dSHb5RosrrF_sDa-uD054u_nUkuB7Ys/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay2hi1nCDtmP1a2I9eoK2Q7WlGnV8t-QUyV9QZISdY4Kjz6tmvMRsSlJazo7bsj6lAr-HRhipEN6K1wrNtfh4ub_V8vTFAPZuz7mWpMw4I4w2dSHb5RosrrF_sDa-uD054u_nUkuB7Ys/s320/IMG_0491.JPG" width="240" /></a>So, I've been in the Cathedral, I've seen the musuem, and I have been up on the roof of the Cathedral as well. The only thing on my checklist that I have not done is go behind the High Altar and see St. James himself. I have already written about going inside the Cathedral and I even talked about some of the things inside the museum, but yesterday was the first time I was able to go on the roof of the Cathedral.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3ysz2YZfadV5Id7HnCZ7qFN0Aj5pGzhk77GwqwGAI1J1QsT0RX5Od5Gu4RoOAwa1u9i05Vidofz13sGRhcCn9GbdpQ_w9fYRwfutTkShL0qfVbzKY-Stk5plhlGMTNPBRVA1srL3TcQ/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3ysz2YZfadV5Id7HnCZ7qFN0Aj5pGzhk77GwqwGAI1J1QsT0RX5Od5Gu4RoOAwa1u9i05Vidofz13sGRhcCn9GbdpQ_w9fYRwfutTkShL0qfVbzKY-Stk5plhlGMTNPBRVA1srL3TcQ/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" width="240" /></a>That's right. The roof. Known as "As cubertas" or the covers, the roof of the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is made completely of granite and as such, it is possible to take a tour of this area of the Cathedral (10 Euros, or 8 in a large group). Even if you have a little bit of a fear of heights, I would recommend this tour. It's pretty informative and gives amazing views as you can see from the pictures. <br />
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So why is the roof made of granite? Apparently it was made to protect the Cathedral from further attacks which it had suffered earlier on in history. A stone roof would not burn the way a wooden or straw roof would and it also allowed access to the roof to watch for potential attacks. This was a brilliant defense plan that has helped increase income from tourism to the Cathedral in recent times. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczR-Xe-lfTK8teUeN5cAwCK1N60hl4XehXU5ENgbdUGiMAsAi-d3SicvxVuyt1py6BEziLeH7t_hpemBSvA8MD1IBk9nlWcbS0d-rRh8Ml5MAc7ibJhsg9cIA09nHWdV6KgwrktmBQtE/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczR-Xe-lfTK8teUeN5cAwCK1N60hl4XehXU5ENgbdUGiMAsAi-d3SicvxVuyt1py6BEziLeH7t_hpemBSvA8MD1IBk9nlWcbS0d-rRh8Ml5MAc7ibJhsg9cIA09nHWdV6KgwrktmBQtE/s320/IMG_0494.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SVa7GUF4GyyUATek5e_rFhKKy31DONW1gij5iDLig3LFTK1cRG4B8jimGG08tfKHE8ccbdQeKhAY_-NKpjJkzbiqS39ZQVw3_74ddfegiANwiCaV1T0nw2eGugzM71qpSNh7D6H_Its/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SVa7GUF4GyyUATek5e_rFhKKy31DONW1gij5iDLig3LFTK1cRG4B8jimGG08tfKHE8ccbdQeKhAY_-NKpjJkzbiqS39ZQVw3_74ddfegiANwiCaV1T0nw2eGugzM71qpSNh7D6H_Its/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJjo6RsBle6xutUBmPbluosXZxd0mAaqfyR6gbytyMxWFdp1LRgXurFKyOTeBplHGEqyZRK7Zy1xFJra439P-2lQm0bMqU5brUVgB-KkpyMQRA6cG9isUFhU3QBT1ByaJAyEI3wwLpFA/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJjo6RsBle6xutUBmPbluosXZxd0mAaqfyR6gbytyMxWFdp1LRgXurFKyOTeBplHGEqyZRK7Zy1xFJra439P-2lQm0bMqU5brUVgB-KkpyMQRA6cG9isUFhU3QBT1ByaJAyEI3wwLpFA/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-42960552879556340532012-07-18T22:58:00.000+02:002012-07-18T22:58:06.484+02:00Day 18 - "As duas en punto" or The Two Marias<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeovaKNRgoc0wsH_2PaCQLN2eDO1h0yqd0Vi1bdcG46xJB7S4rc3nqFhfNxNR2BzR73oaFx4Cq_pILhYAkHmhR3_1PYgxj5zmgCjyUYBA1R09JoDcmhvniPZnqjM92Zmo0GmHt-KW9v8/s1600/11EAA57E-93A2-4F6C-8CE7-8D228CC2BADA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeovaKNRgoc0wsH_2PaCQLN2eDO1h0yqd0Vi1bdcG46xJB7S4rc3nqFhfNxNR2BzR73oaFx4Cq_pILhYAkHmhR3_1PYgxj5zmgCjyUYBA1R09JoDcmhvniPZnqjM92Zmo0GmHt-KW9v8/s320/11EAA57E-93A2-4F6C-8CE7-8D228CC2BADA.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Coralia and Maruxa in 2002</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In 2002, I had the opportunity to visit Santiago de
Compostela. It was only for one day and then we continued on to A Coruña. While
I was here with some friends from school, we were able to visit the Cathedral,
wander around the city and explore what I have since learned is the Alameda.
The first thing that I noticed upon entering the park was a statue of two short
older women. I had absolutely no idea who they were (as you can tell from the
expression on my face!) but I had to take a picture with them anyway. <br />
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Flash forward 10 years and here I am again in Santiago. I
still didn’t know who these women were, or if they were even anybody in
particular. Until one day, early on in my visit here, I happened to pass by a
small shop and see a photo of two women who looked very familiar. It was a
picture of the women themselves, the Two Marias. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeatyQRSpuff0iVVX8BReJaqdaQHBmyCd8CgRmsu6XFPnik6gqB4TyNLw4u0COjkp6cr35Wl7MZJU_NItQkbFbPsQ_baqqS8ivh8m7HAYAHjfZTMmN9kDfhSRPZX29n8sPBlLctcLXU2Q/s1600/IMG_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeatyQRSpuff0iVVX8BReJaqdaQHBmyCd8CgRmsu6XFPnik6gqB4TyNLw4u0COjkp6cr35Wl7MZJU_NItQkbFbPsQ_baqqS8ivh8m7HAYAHjfZTMmN9kDfhSRPZX29n8sPBlLctcLXU2Q/s320/IMG_0316.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with As duas Marias in 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I started to investigate a little bit online but I kept
coming up with conflicting information. All sources accurately stated that
these two women were sisters who came from a large but poor family in Santiago.
However some stated that the older of the sisters, Maruxa, was the first to
die, while others said that Coralia passed away earlier than her sister. Many
sources stated that there were only a few months between the deaths of the two
women. There was also the question of why they were referred to as the Two
Marias if neither of them was named Maria.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28rafTsNY75qF4owKfYOdgFgq7ektC5ZLC5kJNhFLYWKOsDUG_WKReB59EQUHOTFsBnxyHKCI0IGjeFwHMhcKeDvalZPI3srwsEj3jJ0h7vee-frwm2ytZ6SBiAgf6wgdeytC-Mx5YUM/s1600/IMG_0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28rafTsNY75qF4owKfYOdgFgq7ektC5ZLC5kJNhFLYWKOsDUG_WKReB59EQUHOTFsBnxyHKCI0IGjeFwHMhcKeDvalZPI3srwsEj3jJ0h7vee-frwm2ytZ6SBiAgf6wgdeytC-Mx5YUM/s320/IMG_0345.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An actual photo of Coralia and Maruxa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I needed some reliable sources. I asked my instructor if she
knew of anything in particular and she pointed me to the University library
where I was able to look through a book of commemorative essays and poems on
the two women. There was also a short biographical section which cleared up
many of the date problems I had encountered online. Maruxa, born María Fandiño
Ricart (Jan 4, 1898 – May 13, 1980), was the fourth born of 13 children while
Coralia, whose full name was María Argentina Coralia Fandiño Ricart (Aug 24,
1914 – Jan 30, 1983), was the twelfth born. So, it turns out that there was a 3
YEAR difference in their deaths and that, in fact, both of the women did carry
the name María. </div>
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However, they were not always referred to as the Two Marías.
In fact at one point there were three of them since they were accompanied by
another sister early on. “As duas Marías” is a name that came later on. They
were more commonly called “As duas en punto” because they were known to have
walked through the Alameda at exactly two o’clock each afternoon, rain or shine
(although many of the essays mentioned that it wasn’t necessarily “en punto”). They
came through in extravagant clothing that they had made themselves (they had
been seamstresses by trade) and were said to have flirted with many of the male
college students in the park. </div>
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Most of their personal history is unknown as they were not
known or is unproven. It is known that their family did struggle during the
Spanish Civil War and that they had at least one brother who was active in the
fight against Franco and who supported the Second Republic. This is said to
have caused many problems for the family and it is suggested that Maruxa and
Coralia, and perhaps some of their other family members were tortured for
information on his whereabouts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68I7urx-EXXNuut_OjTiC8qx9CTenChwn6g9bpyLSM2HOAdH_uLSOImZJ-ZPnODnBgsCBBjbEU8-0h__IIERSKOjls8OxfOH_9YI5RTHqUezDSpGMs-MVLX0n1IXcI7skV5FWAwNxp-A/s1600/IMG_0470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68I7urx-EXXNuut_OjTiC8qx9CTenChwn6g9bpyLSM2HOAdH_uLSOImZJ-ZPnODnBgsCBBjbEU8-0h__IIERSKOjls8OxfOH_9YI5RTHqUezDSpGMs-MVLX0n1IXcI7skV5FWAwNxp-A/s320/IMG_0470.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some saw (and perhaps still see) their walk through the
Alameda as a sign of protest against this torture and a display of how they
would continue to live, while others saw them simply as a couple of crazy women
who enjoyed flirting with the young college men. Whatever they represent, they
are without a doubt, symbols of Santiago who will not be forgotten thanks to the
fantastic statue located at the entrance to the Alameda and the people who
continue to commemorate them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOaDiqVjyrhWMrfj6RPvhZWTxi3MC1nikWMXBlAxUVSIB7ElTepH8mHBzNh54uwhYqGo0gmkxYXzPGabErKX9NLPe07EFjqvZV-aqR4TkSJjVbed1G2ZPEmlSmk-kuIAzwiAtvSfffmc/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOaDiqVjyrhWMrfj6RPvhZWTxi3MC1nikWMXBlAxUVSIB7ElTepH8mHBzNh54uwhYqGo0gmkxYXzPGabErKX9NLPe07EFjqvZV-aqR4TkSJjVbed1G2ZPEmlSmk-kuIAzwiAtvSfffmc/s320/IMG_0474.JPG" width="240" /></a>Today for example, I was privileged to attend a tribute to
these two incredible women. It took place at the site of the statue at two o’clock
sharp, and was led off with a reading in their honor, followed by the placing
of red and purple flowers alongside the plaque which mentions who they are, and
finished with the singing of three songs (“Verde ghaio,” “Xente da festa,” and “As
nosas cores”) lead by Uxía Senlle and Sonia Lebedynski, two local Galega folk
singers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DyhaE2gmhK4HjuRKT0QxzPIkuD5UZN4sYvToKR1qtoxo07tsMxnktwGk87N0xXraNrdOyDAMSv9kb-RXAMIKbTwldLpqtU8_0VKUzPGwZUslN9lvDoOQDrBTQX0pPKEcvUDugb1mfmo/s1600/IMG_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DyhaE2gmhK4HjuRKT0QxzPIkuD5UZN4sYvToKR1qtoxo07tsMxnktwGk87N0xXraNrdOyDAMSv9kb-RXAMIKbTwldLpqtU8_0VKUzPGwZUslN9lvDoOQDrBTQX0pPKEcvUDugb1mfmo/s320/IMG_0476.JPG" width="240" /></a>As you can see from the pictures the clothing on these women
has been repainted over the years, in part due to graffiti, but also, I think,
as a way to honor the memory of two women who were known to wear bright colors
each and every day. </div>
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If you are interested, the book that I used for my information was called "As Marias: Maruxa e Coralia Fandiño," It is in both Galego and Castellano/Spanish. I hope to be able to find out more about these incredible women, but as it seems their life and personal history outside of their daily walks is largely unknown. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-11909141557307455852012-07-17T15:10:00.000+02:002012-07-17T15:10:07.685+02:00Day 17 - Husband of the year!Okay, so I admit, this blog entry is not really about my trip to Galicia, it's about the greatest husband a girl could ask for. But it is also a bit about Galicia....<br />
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The title of this post comes from my sister Ashley who told me on the phone one day before I left that Shawn deserved the "Husband of the Year" award for letting me go to Spain. She quickly ammended that statement by assuring me that it wasn't actually that he was "letting" me go, but that he was so cool with the idea of me going. But then again, that's why I married him.<br />
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Today we celebrate our second wedding anniversary from opposite sides of the Atlantic. It may not seem like a long time, but we've been together almost nine years now. I miss him like crazy of course, but I'm thrilled that he is so supportive of this trip and me in general, and I know I would be the same way if the roles were reversed. <br />
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Being in Galicia, I have had the chance to learn so many things that I would not be able to learn back home. In the first place, the Galego language... although that still needs a lot of work! But also a lot of cultural things - including most of the information in previous posts. He understands that my coming here is something that can help me in the future, and he is all for that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L93R3MfYBd-z8lKngRI3RFb0My5bmC0U8h4w_UTiPx1wJUbUrhGMGAFFKbhRIAPSZdOCYI2UOFIaeZHLFSgv5Yy9-IfvHkXKVNJKjraRTWLwbgTxXhWXmO_s8PepyO19oGcGa3eRnDw/s1600/DSC_0260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L93R3MfYBd-z8lKngRI3RFb0My5bmC0U8h4w_UTiPx1wJUbUrhGMGAFFKbhRIAPSZdOCYI2UOFIaeZHLFSgv5Yy9-IfvHkXKVNJKjraRTWLwbgTxXhWXmO_s8PepyO19oGcGa3eRnDw/s320/DSC_0260.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
So, Happy Anniversary Shawn! I love you and miss you and thank you for being you!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-68618449191834336812012-07-16T21:38:00.000+02:002012-07-16T21:38:49.438+02:00Day 16 - MythologyLast week we had a conference on the topic of popular
mythology in Galicia. Galicia, located in the north western part of the country
has historical influences from parts of the world that did not influence the
majority of the peninsula. Much of this influence is Celtic and as such, many
of the mythological stories come from that area of the world.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDB1ZFNTKunjd0pVOfbLDv5kRT4AYQnqmJwLam2FK_aYSvHomgiUkRfBIVcWaUHJWg0boCniBgCrQFmot1rj5S7-l1qIrBUAvS_qJ8utaoJzrEII6FvqDkoMejiPCp7aH9Yyoa09xxAE/s1600/moura+serpe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDB1ZFNTKunjd0pVOfbLDv5kRT4AYQnqmJwLam2FK_aYSvHomgiUkRfBIVcWaUHJWg0boCniBgCrQFmot1rj5S7-l1qIrBUAvS_qJ8utaoJzrEII6FvqDkoMejiPCp7aH9Yyoa09xxAE/s320/moura+serpe.jpg" width="221" /></a><br />
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One aspect of this mythology that was discussed was the idea
of the “Moura.” A moura, is a beautiful enchantress who tempts individuals with
the promise of treasures. The word is thought to be derived from MOR – rock and
MORS MORTIS – dead as well as OURO - gold. The Mouras are thought to live
beneath large tomb-like rocks and they also thought to guard treasures of gold.</div>
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This is a legend that is prolific in both Galicia and
Portugal and has many different variations. In some the Moura will turn into a
snake, in others she remains a woman. In a few cases she is an older woman but
in most she is young. She has been portrayed as a pregnant mother, a
washerwoman and a princess. </div>
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Another legend is the Santa Compaña, which is a procession
of the dead which occurs after midnight. The spirits travel through the
villages and visit the houses in which people will soon pass away. This is a
story that was prolific in the time before electric lights and has faded in
popularity since, although there are still people who reference the Santa Compaña
when they see people traveling by night. </div>
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If you like mythology, folklore and other legends, the
stories from the Galego culture are quite fascinating in that they incorporate
many Celtic aspects as well as later Catholic influences. It is quite unlike
folklore from other parts of Spain. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-79743427411720734572012-07-16T15:44:00.000+02:002012-07-16T15:44:19.527+02:00Day 15 - Miscellaneous SundayGalego word of the day: Obradoiro - workshop<br />
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So after five full days of class from 9:30am until 5:30pm
(granted with a two hour lunch break!), and a Saturday day trip from 8:30am
until 10:30pm, I wasn’t going anywhere on Sunday. Or so I thought…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFPndTwCVeATPGVDiZ8dK9HFfAUmIxSAjpOLF2M7_NEJJp3DHu4HXj850QasavdSwMsDxIOagzZDGnXRT_a3ZZTXGIvYc3cCz1UH-IbF8Wg3aLUFqT7VDgoCLzhl6aeh1LWzpehDNtO4/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFPndTwCVeATPGVDiZ8dK9HFfAUmIxSAjpOLF2M7_NEJJp3DHu4HXj850QasavdSwMsDxIOagzZDGnXRT_a3ZZTXGIvYc3cCz1UH-IbF8Wg3aLUFqT7VDgoCLzhl6aeh1LWzpehDNtO4/s320/IMG_0429.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The plan was to take it easy. I didn’t want to spend another
day on a bus or a train, so I decided to stay around Santiago and just relax.
My friend Alina and I decided to meet in the Praza do Obradoiro at 11am. That
way we could sleep in and just have a slow start to the day. That meant I
needed to wake up by 10am. I woke up at 8:30. But if you ask my youngest
brother, that is sleeping in plenty!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SFL6JwrGoxbE1KVp7f_inBWeowwkZKZe5B4O-QB6jebkqR_m_5KhPAzMRPLCYNKV-DSdGeJhJKdbdIcJeIfCA1LIHkKZqhgDId3zBiyUTyxIY8cgPx_OYEp2bUNOs4IODqXUmx7qWys/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SFL6JwrGoxbE1KVp7f_inBWeowwkZKZe5B4O-QB6jebkqR_m_5KhPAzMRPLCYNKV-DSdGeJhJKdbdIcJeIfCA1LIHkKZqhgDId3zBiyUTyxIY8cgPx_OYEp2bUNOs4IODqXUmx7qWys/s320/IMG_0436.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjNGQ3SBRt5fJYOGv5-3QC7jDz_GU1FSrfZDTxdDA0cFMfHpqv5fk0NgZzkbr51WZZTp4cpIxXcYW3SpsqV4C30BNUtWI1ibwiiw5hSfrXDXn23YRuLA9nTNXz5Y1VhatfU6kWk9EVt8/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjNGQ3SBRt5fJYOGv5-3QC7jDz_GU1FSrfZDTxdDA0cFMfHpqv5fk0NgZzkbr51WZZTp4cpIxXcYW3SpsqV4C30BNUtWI1ibwiiw5hSfrXDXn23YRuLA9nTNXz5Y1VhatfU6kWk9EVt8/s320/IMG_0433.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We started our day with a visit to the Cathedral Museum
which was actually quite interesting. The four story museum includes an
archeological display, relics from the cathedral’s history, the “Botafumeiro” –
a large incense burner which is operated by eight priests, and a large
assortment of tapestries. It is also possible to visit the cloisters – one of
the only places where you can take pictures, as well as the balcony which
overlooks the Praza do Obradoiro. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2NjdWIe8bSlElL0z1SNVyTOY-n8jJPOBVcdEtp4WuHUBLt6k5OTvzJZRhD6Hkrid2V3UG9K-pyC3gB9WbnSXJwRIktPZDYN9rZvHCBWEz4fYhX7kMxL6SsP7Py6cMWv01dLrCvzfC4k/s1600/IMG_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2NjdWIe8bSlElL0z1SNVyTOY-n8jJPOBVcdEtp4WuHUBLt6k5OTvzJZRhD6Hkrid2V3UG9K-pyC3gB9WbnSXJwRIktPZDYN9rZvHCBWEz4fYhX7kMxL6SsP7Py6cMWv01dLrCvzfC4k/s320/IMG_0432.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We continued with multiple stops at tapas bars as well as a
walk around the city and stops in two different parks. In the Alameda, one of
the larger parks in the city and very popular for a Sunday stroll, we found a
playground for grownups. Sort of. It was a section of the park which contained
multiple exercise machine style contraptions. Which of course I had to try out!
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKeOWCjkz_GJ0J8rDiAl6PoX7Dvq8QAqIu0FVP4vZT2S3AOlOyB-sVtf7m5t5fYju1GvFHutj6ZLEtiJcIQGuD9DaiFia5GvjWBbJGsm3rIfaMSUrnKM1pSvwcUejma9PM5z8G5W9W04/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKeOWCjkz_GJ0J8rDiAl6PoX7Dvq8QAqIu0FVP4vZT2S3AOlOyB-sVtf7m5t5fYju1GvFHutj6ZLEtiJcIQGuD9DaiFia5GvjWBbJGsm3rIfaMSUrnKM1pSvwcUejma9PM5z8G5W9W04/s320/IMG_0440.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc4YKjjf1omT-tB6JXEtt5WiPS8O_q25LSgs58c6R_hbRTYFX-ylsvjfnsuf5ELSr8pJBdYWZxDDGiyITBdy-kGJI5SQs-cYJI29HqvwN32ze54lI4GPuHEqtC64gq3vOGzf-kCxx2UQ/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc4YKjjf1omT-tB6JXEtt5WiPS8O_q25LSgs58c6R_hbRTYFX-ylsvjfnsuf5ELSr8pJBdYWZxDDGiyITBdy-kGJI5SQs-cYJI29HqvwN32ze54lI4GPuHEqtC64gq3vOGzf-kCxx2UQ/s320/IMG_0441.JPG" width="320" /></a>Many hours later, we returned to the Alameda and ended our
day by watching a street performance. There were buskers performing juggling
routines and acrobatic tricks. It was just a bit of icing on the cake of a
hodgepodge day. It may not have been as relaxing as I had originally thought, but
it was a lot of fun. And hopefully all that walking burned off some of that
Tarta de Santiago I’ve been eating all week!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFzcNHN8laX6-Ph-EE7Fke6I-mhy7IXaSP4H-JaM_kvMNAgvyo_LwaeO0aIa1O3QMWzUp1qP-KSINZXD70TYrqzBy1J_rGnpt1uHhb7T10RzfTdihsT0-LmFuXGdm3OSgfQN65dZLVhg/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFzcNHN8laX6-Ph-EE7Fke6I-mhy7IXaSP4H-JaM_kvMNAgvyo_LwaeO0aIa1O3QMWzUp1qP-KSINZXD70TYrqzBy1J_rGnpt1uHhb7T10RzfTdihsT0-LmFuXGdm3OSgfQN65dZLVhg/s320/IMG_0447.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcLQIgYYDFrkFgstOFWhMdaombFBfO8HDOxqtKhL9Fp0SSVNYj5Cj57FSRsr9-MKjYHS1GOvWb5nR_2UrAdzrVksmSZSz4FWA7q1KPZkyje0QUCm874BpiqfQJgn0E8rpejGzrJp7jho/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcLQIgYYDFrkFgstOFWhMdaombFBfO8HDOxqtKhL9Fp0SSVNYj5Cj57FSRsr9-MKjYHS1GOvWb5nR_2UrAdzrVksmSZSz4FWA7q1KPZkyje0QUCm874BpiqfQJgn0E8rpejGzrJp7jho/s320/IMG_0446.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-73678854160223824012012-07-16T15:09:00.001+02:002012-07-16T15:46:50.791+02:00Day 14 - Allariz and Celanova<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPA7ym5LXY5b8KADIczSVWMgTZ6i9YU_h_xLj9W2JpI6Lvr7DEf_HQzZao8zGIMbcB1hxWTJEu0lzPUIyusqirG9881Dnsf3EMEBXoQtIBq18z6wIjj7UWPjNu_ya7uYqJ65uSepXWBF4/s1600/IMG_0351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPA7ym5LXY5b8KADIczSVWMgTZ6i9YU_h_xLj9W2JpI6Lvr7DEf_HQzZao8zGIMbcB1hxWTJEu0lzPUIyusqirG9881Dnsf3EMEBXoQtIBq18z6wIjj7UWPjNu_ya7uYqJ65uSepXWBF4/s320/IMG_0351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remaining ruins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Galego word of the day: Gaita - a Galician Bagpipe instrument<br />
<br />
On Saturday the group that I am studying with had a planned
excursion to two different towns in the interior part of Spain. The first stop
was Allariz where we saw a variety of old architecture including ruins from the
pre-roman time period. It is interesting to me that the old structures and
walls could have survived over hundreds and even thousands of years. Many of
the buildings have been given new uses, such as the clothing store that had
once been a synagogue hundreds of years ago. It is true that although there is
evidence of the previous cultures that lived in the area, most of it has been
either destroyed or has eroded into the ground. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYKksNZRU6g21vCK6t_D1fuYaPhPT8Kd3ZvXIx8vsHymPjCOgK4ePd932iaDPgi9VRWB6q4InhV7fiCR-oJ2SeCifL1t4S72yCX0SacPATFGrzo10PKm0NWilfQPGs1ZycCciMXEwsbY/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYKksNZRU6g21vCK6t_D1fuYaPhPT8Kd3ZvXIx8vsHymPjCOgK4ePd932iaDPgi9VRWB6q4InhV7fiCR-oJ2SeCifL1t4S72yCX0SacPATFGrzo10PKm0NWilfQPGs1ZycCciMXEwsbY/s320/IMG_0349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Color on the balcony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This particular day in Allariz, there was some sort of
celebration and we happened to see a small marching band go by in honor of this.
I think they were a bit surprised that sixty or so foreigners were standing
there ready with their cameras to take pictures of them, but they were quite
professional and continued playing on as we snapped our shots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuqvaS688q0jUUNIe9YhxxSrqO6zIGCKebW-BJChLwv4l9PULbmvxKMH7-FnVvGm2Ii9W8yOpz6tYcM6MDfVXnVnFXSmpqeoqdpmTaA6QaVauk6qes45xgY4Bso6mAnQlm4rCw1CDF1Q/s1600/IMG_0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuqvaS688q0jUUNIe9YhxxSrqO6zIGCKebW-BJChLwv4l9PULbmvxKMH7-FnVvGm2Ii9W8yOpz6tYcM6MDfVXnVnFXSmpqeoqdpmTaA6QaVauk6qes45xgY4Bso6mAnQlm4rCw1CDF1Q/s320/IMG_0371.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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One of the most interesting things I found in regards to the
beauty of this town was the color. The houses and other buildings are all a
dull sort of grey from the stones the stones they have been constructed from,
but even without the paint, many of the buildings stood out because of the
beautiful collection of flowers displayed around the patios and window sills. Even
though in general I prefer houses of different colors, I thought this was a
beautiful and natural way to make the colors stand out. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSoU_JAhXdXOXNEoUY6WD3KtHWHHPZxDk95y_CYHx0RuBwvz9X9TKv4AYeMq4yg0KZNjS-lfVzl5KobllwJMBCQpxUX8nfDrZeIFhVsx6wu-raQGxLnuCmOpJopRKfIRRfVQUhiJzBNw/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSoU_JAhXdXOXNEoUY6WD3KtHWHHPZxDk95y_CYHx0RuBwvz9X9TKv4AYeMq4yg0KZNjS-lfVzl5KobllwJMBCQpxUX8nfDrZeIFhVsx6wu-raQGxLnuCmOpJopRKfIRRfVQUhiJzBNw/s320/IMG_0382.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaita - Galician Bagpipes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Our second stop was Celanova. After lunch, where we were
treated to a mini concert by our tour guide who played the Gaita, a sort of
Galego bagpipes (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galician_gaita" target="_blank">Galician Bagpipes</a>) and to a brief rendition of a traditional Galego dance
performed by one of my Galego instructors, we headed out to the Casa dos
Poetas. The Poets’ House is the former home of Galego poet Manuel Curros Enríquez
and now houses a museum dedicated to this poet as well as others including
Celso Emilio Ferreiro. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcLFpwUTZb12K-Dt2-n9T4coqLq764wymzXl5Ho3xyx0VnXYrrcv4t4ju8EPOHW3kMzZCh9Fy1O_Hc9BrlVjBJ1I_hZh4b4zv6gS0aQEumoDuCfwH6uuOgf0lNxzwak5Rt5iC5spqc8A/s1600/IMG_0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcLFpwUTZb12K-Dt2-n9T4coqLq764wymzXl5Ho3xyx0VnXYrrcv4t4ju8EPOHW3kMzZCh9Fy1O_Hc9BrlVjBJ1I_hZh4b4zv6gS0aQEumoDuCfwH6uuOgf0lNxzwak5Rt5iC5spqc8A/s320/IMG_0385.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosa, one of my Galego instructors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOX0l1Qr-v3v_WkNZMZVO2yQ3TsKR775gKA7_UMwGKcDCLFaqX5XpLbaNL6rOBwH_-NXNI44BoiU_u7Lmostbm2NQhI_KWb7r7CO0n2HbC-3cnlFzJaUMHMi5qAtWsdzzChOqYZbOD6U/s1600/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOX0l1Qr-v3v_WkNZMZVO2yQ3TsKR775gKA7_UMwGKcDCLFaqX5XpLbaNL6rOBwH_-NXNI44BoiU_u7Lmostbm2NQhI_KWb7r7CO0n2HbC-3cnlFzJaUMHMi5qAtWsdzzChOqYZbOD6U/s320/IMG_0405.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mozarabe church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After that visit we were given the opportunity to tour the San
Salvador Monastery, also known as San Rosendo. The most fascinating part of
this tour for me was the small mozarabe church in the courtyard of San Rosendo.
Mozarabe is the name given to Christians who lived during the Muslim reign on
the Peninsula. This particular structure has been here since the 10<sup>th</sup>
century and was built as a place for the two women who lived on the grounds to
pray as they were not permitted to enter the actual monastery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Our final destination on the journey home was a stop at the
Torre of Villanova, a tower that allowed us to look out over the area. It was
constructed sometime during the 12<sup>th</sup> or 13<sup>th</sup> century. It’s
interesting to me to think about the age of some of the architecture in this
country. There are buildings that are conserved here that existed before
Europeans even knew that the American continents existed! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S5iZqLQPfDp1vCyWPjXgaJ4UlLlCf6aC1tmj33WASIuTbDVjh31b7r8Vx8-D6QnbHgumpI41Qok7Ao945pENHow1o8OxDlVAvNgKWvSTKhIhGYFhYKfutCnYKTwOpNIjxA4Z50GUREI/s1600/IMG_0421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S5iZqLQPfDp1vCyWPjXgaJ4UlLlCf6aC1tmj33WASIuTbDVjh31b7r8Vx8-D6QnbHgumpI41Qok7Ao945pENHow1o8OxDlVAvNgKWvSTKhIhGYFhYKfutCnYKTwOpNIjxA4Z50GUREI/s320/IMG_0421.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torre de Villanova</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuozne4lp0UE-leqzIxomb33HhaadI7QwoSZTaHlG4ztnW5O5ihENgawn0Cy0kwgWE8C8fFgD6zYinfHILyYwnWEbQGPOX2ulKvfD7Q_xS92a2qVhlmTBcypTXc55DexgTTaYozA2m54Q/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuozne4lp0UE-leqzIxomb33HhaadI7QwoSZTaHlG4ztnW5O5ihENgawn0Cy0kwgWE8C8fFgD6zYinfHILyYwnWEbQGPOX2ulKvfD7Q_xS92a2qVhlmTBcypTXc55DexgTTaYozA2m54Q/s320/IMG_0358.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allariz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVENAzvExh5xWG6JctzehdOJMVMnBxrEr4QDGcs-1-pThkOqg5r9pEJXAY8qtjIEuZ8MD6p7BIFi7KoZs8kY8tzNz3RSI264pTtGivjMei1T80Elnhj6UPlviWXHV9ABZPTc5yQb_Gz5w/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVENAzvExh5xWG6JctzehdOJMVMnBxrEr4QDGcs-1-pThkOqg5r9pEJXAY8qtjIEuZ8MD6p7BIFi7KoZs8kY8tzNz3RSI264pTtGivjMei1T80Elnhj6UPlviWXHV9ABZPTc5yQb_Gz5w/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monestary - San Rosendo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVVL4surZCTCxJTtkvEIuPRQRkffQq0H9-bRnfkI79QrkpFxTDqkoGaWZ4xmDIXvki0eBqvA6sXHw1U3Oqef_6Rbw1gM7Kd6h-avKoaIhWV3eyqsREUGhVFnD44T3uT_LEKKyZfeE6MA/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVVL4surZCTCxJTtkvEIuPRQRkffQq0H9-bRnfkI79QrkpFxTDqkoGaWZ4xmDIXvki0eBqvA6sXHw1U3Oqef_6Rbw1gM7Kd6h-avKoaIhWV3eyqsREUGhVFnD44T3uT_LEKKyZfeE6MA/s320/IMG_0362.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overlooking Allariz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-79469020682737153652012-07-13T15:32:00.000+02:002012-07-13T15:32:48.688+02:00Day 13 - A Cidade da Cultura Galega<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNUUSY6m7tyNoKfGz3boDc13cG61p7xlWrBqDonAVYVgdC5lrMXW3t_PjvDuIkYienj_5TDIMjVDApPZqiTn9Am2Vku2uulmfA4GxCtHnrUthaar59Hjg3j2Fgkb6O_PtnGAU4uZFiVA/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNUUSY6m7tyNoKfGz3boDc13cG61p7xlWrBqDonAVYVgdC5lrMXW3t_PjvDuIkYienj_5TDIMjVDApPZqiTn9Am2Vku2uulmfA4GxCtHnrUthaar59Hjg3j2Fgkb6O_PtnGAU4uZFiVA/s320/IMG_0327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Cidade da Cultura Galega</td></tr>
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To me, it looks a little like something from outer space. Although that was not the plan at all. The "Cidade da Cultura Galega" is a cultural center high in the hills (mountains?) of Santiago de Compostla. It was originally designed to consist of 8 buildings which would be built to hold various cultural facets of Galician culture. At least two buildings have been removed from that original plan since it was unclear what purpose they would serve. The buildings that are currently on site include a library, a concert hall, administrative space with artifacts from the architectural design, and a museum. As you can see from the photos the design was one of rolling buildings which were meant to simulate the hills that were removed in order to place these buildings in this particular location. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitddkXTkoNb93MNQnCbkCFy9Npzj4pBDat792Ms5fsDhQwF0cuhSpXCDqcKkHVW1OoBVdeX8ojd_tX6A-uGg14wiFQMKpfNNXE58EHVCu__fcD7PF1rjzpSPE0hU79YOjkPhvaGKptovo/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitddkXTkoNb93MNQnCbkCFy9Npzj4pBDat792Ms5fsDhQwF0cuhSpXCDqcKkHVW1OoBVdeX8ojd_tX6A-uGg14wiFQMKpfNNXE58EHVCu__fcD7PF1rjzpSPE0hU79YOjkPhvaGKptovo/s320/IMG_0328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Designed to look like the land it replaced</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It seems a bit strange to me, to place the cultural center of Galicia high in the hills, a 45 minute walk from the actual center of the city. There is a bus which will bring you to the cultural center which runs approximately every hour, and you can of course drive if you have that as an option. We did not. We walked. <br />
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I don't mind walking that's for sure, and yesterday was a great day for a walk, but for many this was more of a hike than a walk. The trip consisted of walking along a winding road which worked its way up the mountain (hill?). It seems like a great concept, but certainly not one that would attract the "peregrinos" or pilgrims that had just completed their journey along the Camino de Santiago! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIf3LcTfsu_eBJnjl_Oh4-VzltrgjXp8RU3xLb8AUC9MpvwYUa1wb-jxCP8-E5sU6aCs37qfa9OSRDFsOmMmUH27kPZcm10SUUdyh4SQh_ww2NiyYyoDlmhUvbJbeDjykVB8RyRFtT-ZI/s1600/IMG_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIf3LcTfsu_eBJnjl_Oh4-VzltrgjXp8RU3xLb8AUC9MpvwYUa1wb-jxCP8-E5sU6aCs37qfa9OSRDFsOmMmUH27kPZcm10SUUdyh4SQh_ww2NiyYyoDlmhUvbJbeDjykVB8RyRFtT-ZI/s320/IMG_0331.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model of the "Cidade"</td></tr>
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Perhaps though, that is not the idea. Perhaps the idea is to have a cultural center about Galegos and made for Galegos. A library filled with books written by Galegos as well as many other titles from around the world. A museum which teaches Galego culture to children and adults who have lived in the region their entire lives. <br />
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Our trip was in the late afternoon, after classes ended. We were unable to go into the museum since it was closing shortly after we arrived, but we were given a tour and a brief history of the architect and a few of the buildings. We saw models of the design as well as the library. It was the library that surprised me most. I understand that this center just opened or was officially inaugurated last year, but the library seemed... empty to me. And as far as I could see there was only one patron using it as a library and not simply touring the center. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hDe4Ro3fl_RtR_ms1MbgKLWvMj6odKTaLHQOkJQTrxjhAtiM10H3wCSENHFvuXFtehC1v5AkBmAfBe2bzhs5ZnH2qASyr3BIQ2jrF-4_zls6Fs4KzRfCcPz1QApWOnQ-f2JFRwlEq7c/s1600/IMG_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hDe4Ro3fl_RtR_ms1MbgKLWvMj6odKTaLHQOkJQTrxjhAtiM10H3wCSENHFvuXFtehC1v5AkBmAfBe2bzhs5ZnH2qASyr3BIQ2jrF-4_zls6Fs4KzRfCcPz1QApWOnQ-f2JFRwlEq7c/s320/IMG_0338.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many of the shelves were this full</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This center is controversial. Of course none of this information was shared with us during the tour, for obvious reasons, but I have read that many Galicians seem to think it does not and will not serve the purpose it was designed for. These people think that the center was a waste of money and that it will not serve any purpose in the future. <br />
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I don't know that there is an answer to whether or not that is true right now since the center was really only opened a year ago and is still undergoing construction, but there were very few people there when we viewed the center. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pi4i_tDdN4rsfmpXFYmQBYYOsGa_AeMz8jIoGT_zi5by7jirni4eYKcVzWl97SVs1EGFlT3QonOO2KVZAbHoC-bYqLcDC90-aedMM-mjx-e7R_8JgM5l_mdJTx8ANivC7HnKOhN3YcQ/s1600/IMG_0339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pi4i_tDdN4rsfmpXFYmQBYYOsGa_AeMz8jIoGT_zi5by7jirni4eYKcVzWl97SVs1EGFlT3QonOO2KVZAbHoC-bYqLcDC90-aedMM-mjx-e7R_8JgM5l_mdJTx8ANivC7HnKOhN3YcQ/s320/IMG_0339.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A room for Galego authors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But as I mentioned, for me, the most unsettling thing about the center was that the land was removed and then replaced with buildings that were made to simulate the land that had been removed. This was done before the design changed and two of the buildings were scrapped from the plan, so the result is one that does not completely recreate the land. Hopefully the center will flourish and those who speak against it will be proven wrong and will see that it is a useful center; hopefully the library will grow and begin to see more use; and hopefully the museum will be the site of many educational trips as well as those of the visitors to the city. <br />
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Only time will tell. A Cidade da Cultura Galega has potential in my opinion, I just hope to see it live up to that potential. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVUWo7VzjlEpftIvJZvfgEu4KUAjMyvFsBV5I0bh0MCi7wAapKTyJT5h_KNAi_MuCXAViqWEwWLVIclLtIeXRU8yg21XMC-FMqltORFrXs63MulXu7XdMZPBp-tuxJyZNOMEVmTrnwxk/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVUWo7VzjlEpftIvJZvfgEu4KUAjMyvFsBV5I0bh0MCi7wAapKTyJT5h_KNAi_MuCXAViqWEwWLVIclLtIeXRU8yg21XMC-FMqltORFrXs63MulXu7XdMZPBp-tuxJyZNOMEVmTrnwxk/s320/IMG_0341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even I climbed ALMOST to the top!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5KjQczOMheE3BNFp8jUpYFB_ySPLRffibt77z9LyetVYBbL40wR2Yz8HtrsVMzimXpG92hb05auWZJj74yxXIjnii_L9JCrbRnW6POEjOvkYVZaouMiZ5zsTe5QWbUPlyGSGtTbKbZ0/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5KjQczOMheE3BNFp8jUpYFB_ySPLRffibt77z9LyetVYBbL40wR2Yz8HtrsVMzimXpG92hb05auWZJj74yxXIjnii_L9JCrbRnW6POEjOvkYVZaouMiZ5zsTe5QWbUPlyGSGtTbKbZ0/s320/IMG_0329.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant ball of books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-21276928989759548272012-07-12T15:34:00.002+02:002012-07-12T15:34:42.835+02:00Day 12 - Weather<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqOSvUW2RLeJp-jF7vze8ySI0G_MRx5CM1R5pK4VATjAvwTN5jGEzngMVseVFQ-ZPbOaeqR00kadT_aqofA04XbAdGsyhE0tyKH1Lb9hYymNpXCcM03840eJFIm-zsimMtbyhSD6LD2I/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqOSvUW2RLeJp-jF7vze8ySI0G_MRx5CM1R5pK4VATjAvwTN5jGEzngMVseVFQ-ZPbOaeqR00kadT_aqofA04XbAdGsyhE0tyKH1Lb9hYymNpXCcM03840eJFIm-zsimMtbyhSD6LD2I/s320/IMG_0311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terraza - Bar</td></tr>
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So, many of you are reading from the east coast of the United States where I know it has been in the 90s for a couple of weeks, but I have to tell you about the weather here. As you may know from looking at a map, Spain is not a tropical country. However, it is summer here in the northern hemisphere and you would expect it to be relatively warm.<br />
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As a matter of fact, certain parts of Spain can reach temperatures in the high 90s (high 30s Celsius) this time of year. However, the area of Spain where I am studying right now is not that area. Average temperatures for Galicia and Santiago de Compostela in particular are around 70 degrees. We have not hit that temperture more than one day since I have been here. I don't think I packed enough sweaters!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAijbPoTh500bQPCfIyV4LX5GpfQlrc_kioD2FWRZxFCFpnDZtYmLB8SEV8k6PpaTD-q_Zt6awy2Ll9alWrHAunWnVxra38yUXPiq_tGwNj64KXLc7uTRDRB9LvMZpzTj0_ShNhZ8hGo4/s1600/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAijbPoTh500bQPCfIyV4LX5GpfQlrc_kioD2FWRZxFCFpnDZtYmLB8SEV8k6PpaTD-q_Zt6awy2Ll9alWrHAunWnVxra38yUXPiq_tGwNj64KXLc7uTRDRB9LvMZpzTj0_ShNhZ8hGo4/s320/IMG_0312.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
No seriously. It's been pretty cold here. When I went to pack my jacket on June 30th (90 something degrees in NYC), Shawn laughed and asked if I was sure it was necessary. I said, no, but that it couldn't hurt to play it safe. I packed it figuring I might use it once or twice at best. Well, I've had to use it quite a few times. That, along with my Brooklyn hoodie sweatshirt and long pants have been my staples over the last two weeks. The shorts, skirts and t-shirts are getting dusty! <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubteI5G36Do1F9ipS7VO4f-_mSAdy1-uTn6HccRsICvhb_m_RvZMT7FjZ-fi7fmvYxYQgFrDi-PB_jGzDfnwojBludcqo0JYPip_QyxzHFC3aRVd_FRMKFa8XzpgSnDbyuVflvLdANgw/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubteI5G36Do1F9ipS7VO4f-_mSAdy1-uTn6HccRsICvhb_m_RvZMT7FjZ-fi7fmvYxYQgFrDi-PB_jGzDfnwojBludcqo0JYPip_QyxzHFC3aRVd_FRMKFa8XzpgSnDbyuVflvLdANgw/s320/IMG_0313.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alina, Marina, Anastasia, Me</td></tr>
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Today, while I was waiting for a friend to walk to class, the guy from the cafe downstairs came outside and told me it was going to be hot today. I'm not sure what his idea of hot is, but if this is it, I would have to disagree with him! It might be 68 out now. Who knows, we may get to 70 later today!<br />
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Anyway, it is sunny today... well, mostly, so maybe that's what he was refering to. It is a beautiful city when it's sunny that's for sure. The old architecture really stands out against the blue sky, and the green hills and red roofs make the white buildings look a little bit brighter. It's not that there's anything wrong with a cloudy or rainy day, but when it's beautiful like this, you can't complain, even if it is only 68 degrees!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxYI2i1Lt1-ZktmMhyuMFZvLpQ5lcTDVp_qCSOIXkwb5RG02_phgICLvGNTrTvKM2bLvPYZEMJaxL5E9WPSQCvVRd8STbdc7lPLybqQ86CUjM-0AiRCO0zIn6fN5jpxZhPD1cYORLi0k/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxYI2i1Lt1-ZktmMhyuMFZvLpQ5lcTDVp_qCSOIXkwb5RG02_phgICLvGNTrTvKM2bLvPYZEMJaxL5E9WPSQCvVRd8STbdc7lPLybqQ86CUjM-0AiRCO0zIn6fN5jpxZhPD1cYORLi0k/s320/IMG_0320.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back to my apartment </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-80369491435798549672012-07-11T15:18:00.002+02:002012-07-11T15:18:21.622+02:00Day 11 - Miners reach MadridI'm not sure how many of you are aware of the situation in Spain. Financially, they are dealing with some very difficult stuff right now.Various cuts are being proposed including one which would cut miner's subsidies by 63%. Miners are protesting these cuts and have asked to negotiate with government officials regarding this situation and to be granted what was promised last year be respected. So far they have not been granted either of these things. Over the past 3 weeks they many miners have been marching their way to the country's capital to protest these cuts. I am going to attach a few links about the situation for your reading pleasure... or at least for general knowledge. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/07/09/inenglish/1341861585_538270.html" target="_blank">El Pais</a><br />
<a href="http://www.euronews.com/2012/07/11/spain-s-marching-miners-arrive-in-madrid/" target="_blank">Euronews</a><br />
<a href="http://www.groundreport.com/Business/Spain-Miners-Strike-Featured-Across-Social-Media/2946899" target="_blank">Ground Report</a><br />
<br />
To be perfectly honest, this was not something that I was very aware of prior to my arrival in Spain which is why I thought it would be good to mention. So often, in the United States, we can go unaware of many things occurring around the world. There are so many things that it can be difficult sometimes to keep up with all of them. Since I am here and am more aware of the goings on in this country, I thought I would take the opportunity to share at least one of them. <br />
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Use my links to find out some basic information about the situation, but do not hesitate to find your own sources... we all know Google brings us each different results! It is important to be aware of the world around us, whether in our own country or in others. I'm sure there are many people in our country who can relate with the miners here in Spain, and unfortunately many of them are not aware of those who they have so much in common with around the world. Spain, just like Greece, and even the United States, is suffering from a financial crisis. We really aren't all that different!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-32844776475061018632012-07-10T15:21:00.001+02:002012-07-10T15:21:24.825+02:00Day 10 - EngurrasTaken from IMDB:<br />
<br />
Wrinkles portrays the friendship between Emilio and Miguel, two aged gentlemen shut away in a care home. Recent arrival Emilio, in the early stages of Alzheimer, is helped by Miguel and colleagues to avoid ending up on the feared top floor of the care home, also known as the lost causes or "assisted" floor. Their wild plan infuses their otherwise tedious day-to-day with humor and tenderness, because although for some their lives are coming to an end, for them it is just a new beginning.<br />
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Engurras is the Galego word for wrinkles, arrugas in Spanish. This was the movie that we watched today during the mid-day session of my program. It is a pretty new release (Spanish release, January, 2012) so don't be hard on yourself if you haven't heard of it! It is an annimated film but it is definitely made for adults. It's not that it's violent, but the relationships portrayed in the film are adult and it deals with the themes of old age and even death. <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/j7GubmEhaok?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
I think it has to be one of the better films I have seen in a long time. The characters are so likeable and you sympathize with all of them. One of my favorite relationships in the film has to be the one between the elderly couple that is in the residence together. You know that they love each other and have for a very long time. It's a beautiful relationship without being cheesy at all.<br />
<br />
The trailer is is Spanish with English subtitles, although we watched the film in Galego, which I believe is the original language of the film, although it was translated for general audiences. I am curious about the moments they choose to portray in the trailer, but when this comes out you have to go and see it. Or rent it. Or buy it. Which is what I plan on doing as soon as possible. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-51026112970332498632012-07-10T14:34:00.003+02:002012-07-10T14:34:51.445+02:00Day 9 - La Lingua GalegaSo far I have written about different things that I have
done or places I have seen. Sure, a large part of why I am here is to learn
about the Galician culture, but the other, and perhaps primary, reason I am
here is to learn the language.<br />
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Each day I take Galician language courses. From 9:30 until
11:30 I have what are called theory classes. This is basically a grammar based
class. So far I have learned about when and how to accent words, how to
conjugate many present tense verbs and about the gender of nouns. Much of this
is similar to Spanish (castellano as it is called here), although some of the
genders are opposite, which can be a bit confusing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBexMLmc43p4cbX3ZeHL7muTKpXtp3omowoFzKd6L0ZepzzhAaH9ohn7TghUp7AgQgY0HuT70P0NVH1Z5T1V2kmtJJI45pn02KJctzYDBMzZnDgkhkvmFAdQ70Awy5QWniNdhbOxy4Yfc/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBexMLmc43p4cbX3ZeHL7muTKpXtp3omowoFzKd6L0ZepzzhAaH9ohn7TghUp7AgQgY0HuT70P0NVH1Z5T1V2kmtJJI45pn02KJctzYDBMzZnDgkhkvmFAdQ70Awy5QWniNdhbOxy4Yfc/s320/IMG_0202.JPG" width="240" /></a>This course is followed by an hour to two hour long
conference by experts in Galician language or culture (more about this in a
bit!) and then a two hour long lunch break where I go home to eat and to post
this blog!<br />
<br />
In the afternoons, from 4:00 until 5:30 I have my practical
or practice class. Here is where we try to apply the grammar concepts we have
studied with vocabulary through oral and written practice. On the one hand it
is easier than if I were starting from scratch with a language that in no way
resembled Spanish, but on the other hand, it can be difficult to know when the Spanish
and Galician words are the same and when they are different. We kind of make it
up as we go along sometimes, but since the majority of the grammar (at least
that which we have learned) is comparable to Spanish it’s mostly a matter of
correcting our pronunciation. The problem it seems most of us have in my class
anyway is using “y” (ee) instead of “e” (eh) when we need to say “and.”<br />
<br />
Anyway, what I wanted to talk about mostly in this entry
involves one of the conferences that I attended during that middle session. The
title was “La situación sociolingüística do idioma galega” and it was presented
by Xosé Henrique Monteagudo Romero. It was an interesting title in my opinion
especially considering the number of people back home who did not even know that
Galego was a language. So what exactly is the sociolinguistic situation of the
Galician language? <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZenVsSvPJ_9jByTYGeZkgLnbs7owdtAReWET5iFGoiBAPaeo60YcZ6r6U9fmmLVArRhWveO0mw9wvHcIdl97eAl5BQU9I1qjCGsDqGgSa_Hmi-zEnpGvloBgsqhngUQmUq-Q6ro15bE/s1600/IMG_0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZenVsSvPJ_9jByTYGeZkgLnbs7owdtAReWET5iFGoiBAPaeo60YcZ6r6U9fmmLVArRhWveO0mw9wvHcIdl97eAl5BQU9I1qjCGsDqGgSa_Hmi-zEnpGvloBgsqhngUQmUq-Q6ro15bE/s320/IMG_0269.JPG" width="240" /></a>First Monteagudo discussed the language that people learned
in their home as their first language. Within Galicia 47% learned Galego, 27%
learned Castellano-Spanish, 23% were brought up bilingual, and 3% initially
spoke another language. He then spoke about the language that is most commonly
used on a daily basis. 30% speak only Galego, 20% speak only Spanish, 22% use
both, but more frequently use Galego, and 22% use both but more frequently use
Spanish. <br />
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<o:p> </o:p>All of this was interesting to me as there is a part of me
that is fascinated by linguistics (although not enough to change my studies
Marcus!), but what I was even more intrigued by was the change in linguistic
patterns. Monteagudo had looked at changes in the number of Galego and Spanish
speakers since 1992 and had found that the number of speakers who only used
Galego had decreased by 15%. At first glance this is alarming for the language
as the thought of losing it could have a dramatic impact on the culture.
However the number of speakers who used only Spanish remained consistent. There
was no change downward or upward. So what was happening? Where did all of those
Galego speakers go? It turns out that they were now bilingual speakers who used
both Galgeo and Spanish in various situations. I consider this a positive
thing, although I am not Galician, so perhaps it is not fair to say. I think it
is important that the Galician language not be lost, but I also firmly believe
in bilingualism and the ability to communicate with those outside your
immediate cultural circle. </div>
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There is much more I could write on this subject regarding
the patterns of age and speaking Galego, but I’m sure this subject is only interesting
to a few readers out there so I will let it go. If you want to know more about
what I learned during this conference I’ll be happy to fill you in on the
remaining details… but for now, it’s off to class!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-79064456500130238032012-07-09T15:29:00.002+02:002012-07-09T15:29:38.185+02:00Day 8 - Pontevedra<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhafUeYu1QmfU5WPxJrbvLtfybXbhSxEIxNTHzSQVSDZemYIqI7ox3mbk4ygK8vGuU2NGBwHxXGENAh8cSYnuh3TSL7cqP91mIhI6mTm0eOvzas4QdKAymYH1iu4wYqhYK5IUf5HShJd1o/s1600/map+galicia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhafUeYu1QmfU5WPxJrbvLtfybXbhSxEIxNTHzSQVSDZemYIqI7ox3mbk4ygK8vGuU2NGBwHxXGENAh8cSYnuh3TSL7cqP91mIhI6mTm0eOvzas4QdKAymYH1iu4wYqhYK5IUf5HShJd1o/s320/map+galicia.gif" width="320" /></a>Unfortunately, the cafe downstairs from my apartment is closed on Sundays and they completely shut down their wifi... so Sunday posts will have to wait for Mondays!<br />
<br />
Yesterday I took a trip to Pontevedra, a small city near the western coast of Galicia. It is technically on the coast of a "ría" or an estuary and not directly on the ocean. See the map for location. It was beautiful there... and about 10 degrees warmer than in Santiago. I had thought that because it was along the coast it might be even cooler than in Santiago, but I did not actually need my jacket there which was nice. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRqfbk6QqjY1PCfxk3rGvcFI6OKCa9xB06IPwtidSEyCiBAezHbWgk7XXV8KfQE27rlHpUM1PLFM2RbeJCtco7O2Unfcs3IMuYBFFyU-FQ93pOP-8FrkPI6iWIxF_8-WsIr0JHH-yQ1Y/s1600/IMG_0283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRqfbk6QqjY1PCfxk3rGvcFI6OKCa9xB06IPwtidSEyCiBAezHbWgk7XXV8KfQE27rlHpUM1PLFM2RbeJCtco7O2Unfcs3IMuYBFFyU-FQ93pOP-8FrkPI6iWIxF_8-WsIr0JHH-yQ1Y/s320/IMG_0283.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the shells to stay on the<br />
Camino de Santiago</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I took a train ride (about an hour) with Alina, one of the girls from my Galego language class. It was a Sunday, and as is typical in many parts of Spain, few places were open. We were able to go to the Museo Pontevedra for a bit and we walked around and saw an old bridge that was part of the Camino de Santiago (the Portuguese route I believe!). Part of the museum was a site which included the ruins of Igreza San Domingos (St. Domingo Church).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmZOXyph8fM6il5AnSUZowSm2J9lguuKm7Th3P_ajUkxztxW_wZkSWHcjDuR2vCL67tUuATPL0mXYpRL1LjR4Z1RmdyEPzfl2YttKIlAbA9JiVxOr9BbiYhuIrQfJ3OSu9GnTFxOpzO8/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmZOXyph8fM6il5AnSUZowSm2J9lguuKm7Th3P_ajUkxztxW_wZkSWHcjDuR2vCL67tUuATPL0mXYpRL1LjR4Z1RmdyEPzfl2YttKIlAbA9JiVxOr9BbiYhuIrQfJ3OSu9GnTFxOpzO8/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Igreza San Domingos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We also stopped at a small restaurant and had Pulpo (octopus) sauteed in garlic with paprika, and Pimientos (peppers) de Padrón which are sauteed in lots of oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Since this particular restaurant carried Pepsi products I had a Kas Naranja instead of Fanta, but still just as good, and better than in the US... I don't know why, but they just make it differently. It reminds me more of Polar Orange than any other orange soda. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1754CPgtCG6_MavamjUajVb_Uvs9uF4-5CeW4stESPxiiARQnrsylRvvABEB-eN5owgPAcKmcdaSgfJMyCiGdm51YjazS3AN2bHewDyKLNViM3PH-9eEdyUK3iMrk4sfGOLgOIRSmwcM/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1754CPgtCG6_MavamjUajVb_Uvs9uF4-5CeW4stESPxiiARQnrsylRvvABEB-eN5owgPAcKmcdaSgfJMyCiGdm51YjazS3AN2bHewDyKLNViM3PH-9eEdyUK3iMrk4sfGOLgOIRSmwcM/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pimientos de Padrón (left)<br />
Pulpo ajillado (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyway, for this particular entry I am just going to include a variety of photos so that you can see what Pontevedra looked like this past Sunday. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7J-XWuhrwy8SNjNvaxBNuYzYsfHfGgMuFQMxVpRRHWOR416du2UaPZiUnnkrCDAoHu5dtgtCyu60RvOEfiGI-Q5ej5WbGpCWrLZ5pWnMocdRWP61t8YlUoGe6R3pH8RoRoAfpLVoRsw/s1600/IMG_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7J-XWuhrwy8SNjNvaxBNuYzYsfHfGgMuFQMxVpRRHWOR416du2UaPZiUnnkrCDAoHu5dtgtCyu60RvOEfiGI-Q5ej5WbGpCWrLZ5pWnMocdRWP61t8YlUoGe6R3pH8RoRoAfpLVoRsw/s320/IMG_0288.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rockin it with Ramón de Valle Inclán</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h5uNDDx7pueXm2cqZwoUGcuUCvF8r3DBn1ZLEQ3ntc6Oc611K4U20J1Xcg0KZfHNDLbtyXKWa554YaZcbIz9R47WWQEKvkttGvbZGizWEe-jWDyd_774XsR75EYeHOikorrkECdAnbY/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h5uNDDx7pueXm2cqZwoUGcuUCvF8r3DBn1ZLEQ3ntc6Oc611K4U20J1Xcg0KZfHNDLbtyXKWa554YaZcbIz9R47WWQEKvkttGvbZGizWEe-jWDyd_774XsR75EYeHOikorrkECdAnbY/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_015ONBcm7ckZpUeMXHKpgtHAunXkgkevuwsWBDK2HqS04Z8apf7rbahVG__we8PjAtQiLTCFhbqyYokSx7sQmh1Y4WiBzZrAyrBt47nQ8WUCdGanXdIt0WhFScz404BSDlVi3N4OuIo/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_015ONBcm7ckZpUeMXHKpgtHAunXkgkevuwsWBDK2HqS04Z8apf7rbahVG__we8PjAtQiLTCFhbqyYokSx7sQmh1Y4WiBzZrAyrBt47nQ8WUCdGanXdIt0WhFScz404BSDlVi3N4OuIo/s320/IMG_0284.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-24214083681730837442012-07-07T22:32:00.002+02:002012-07-07T22:32:56.799+02:00Day 7 - La Catedral (part 1)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojqZqE8M-06GwsfoRV5xr3Ao_MNqQqNnoViz6eAXaSAacEwAcqgQ7rK7QLmZ202ByDn7CyXQKZZLP3kKwYiWa5oSwCMeNS_l6_WQdx1rgyscNDt8jtKcqgHBf0frMo95_BGyUd8zgRlA/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojqZqE8M-06GwsfoRV5xr3Ao_MNqQqNnoViz6eAXaSAacEwAcqgQ7rK7QLmZ202ByDn7CyXQKZZLP3kKwYiWa5oSwCMeNS_l6_WQdx1rgyscNDt8jtKcqgHBf0frMo95_BGyUd8zgRlA/s320/IMG_0250.JPG" width="240" /></a>I visited the Cathedral here in Santiago today, but I know that I was only able to see a small section of it and therefore am labeling this entry "part 1" since I am sure that I will return at some point during the week or the weeks to come. As today was Saturday, it was quite crowded with tourists and "pilgrims" who had reached the city and had one goal in mind - to see Santiago. It is believed that the remains of Saint James are located within the Cathedral. <br />
<br />
Entry into the Cathedral is free, however there is paid admission to the museum and also to the roof (known as Las Cubiertas). The line to the High Altar was also quite long and better left to a slower day of the week. The person that I was with today was not interested in paying for the museum; the students are trying to get a group rate for the roof; and as mentioned, the line to the High Altar to see the image of Santiago was just too long. I will try to cover some or all of that information in a "part 2." <br />
<br />
What we did do however was tour the Cathedral itself and also a free art exhibit that was in an upstairs portion of the building. As you can see from the pictures, the Cathedral is quite ornate and very large. The front of the building is known as the Obradoiro facade and was added to the Cathedral between 1738 and 1750. The Cathedral itself has been around quite a bit longer than that however. The first Catholic building on the site was a chapel constructed in the 9th century. It was later enlarged to a church but was destroyed in the year 997 by a Muslim army who was searching for the remains of Saint James. Construction on the Cathedral that stands to this day began in 1075 and it was finally consecrated in 1128. But as the date of the facade shows, many additions and embellishments were made throughout the centuries. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sDjH1N5tca7DA552-Ozen2tllsSauuy-0GoMu2o5N-PJRupSzs0blUppJ50-wSM5UbZ10dGFU_heI8BE0N1KBK57ZX78nqJ-_C5yCw_cYSyuFCLYBRrspat836ykcaNEpw_11pkiacU/s1600/IMG_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sDjH1N5tca7DA552-Ozen2tllsSauuy-0GoMu2o5N-PJRupSzs0blUppJ50-wSM5UbZ10dGFU_heI8BE0N1KBK57ZX78nqJ-_C5yCw_cYSyuFCLYBRrspat836ykcaNEpw_11pkiacU/s320/IMG_0264.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The art exhibit that we saw was a 21st Century portrayal of the saints. Of course I can't remember the name of the artist right now and I can't seem to locate anything online saying what the exhibition was called... but as you can see from the pictures, it was a sort of paper construction/origami rendition of various Catholic saints. (I will try to swing by tomorrow to write down the name and update this post for anyone who is interested!)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVu9JnrTxh4uIbtkxkafAafqKgHSiaFWc310EpmzreWo63pP6rctRrD1QORfdVBfI2vFfcDqqk3Wy8iBH7olJ7lI4LO9zH8VMbWuaFMMbzERnpC_-UbOUzppNEQBRgLq1ceaQCVR2GkJ0/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVu9JnrTxh4uIbtkxkafAafqKgHSiaFWc310EpmzreWo63pP6rctRrD1QORfdVBfI2vFfcDqqk3Wy8iBH7olJ7lI4LO9zH8VMbWuaFMMbzERnpC_-UbOUzppNEQBRgLq1ceaQCVR2GkJ0/s320/IMG_0263.JPG" width="225" /></a><br />
One last point that I think is quite interesting, is in regards to the Codice Calixtino. Apparently it was stolen from the Cathedral in July of 2011. It was considered the most valuable manuscript held by Cathedral and there was a long and detailed investigation into its disappearance. I have posted a picture of a facsimile of the codex taken at the Museo de Perigrinaje (Pilgramage Museum) so you can see what it looks like, but not to worry,the real thing has been returned. Just this week it was discovered who took the missing manuscript and an arrest was made against an electrician who had been working in the Cathedral and had been taking things for over 10 years! If you understand Spanish check out the following video clip: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtXqSM5NMTM&noredirect=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtXqSM5NMTM&noredirect=1</a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVFc1tXltBwKq7IcSw1g1HkDdiqV6dxLjuXUUOlSuvvITKaAoUiW8GXzMESClWVLGzpFOWxN3aOK9ea7FK-HfDqTOi7K-eNXKdcXAZVn6b2I2AxlR8xSWS12_1hHulnZ4k9t9NZKfnCQ/s1600/IMG_0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVFc1tXltBwKq7IcSw1g1HkDdiqV6dxLjuXUUOlSuvvITKaAoUiW8GXzMESClWVLGzpFOWxN3aOK9ea7FK-HfDqTOi7K-eNXKdcXAZVn6b2I2AxlR8xSWS12_1hHulnZ4k9t9NZKfnCQ/s400/IMG_0278.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't seem to rotate this... it started out okay<br />
but now it's sideways... oh well</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDiTHwpBw2XNFJ8nZejAg4UDez3DbWcB9ST3Axf8n9_cSajoVG8tyN1j83DjU_sJQv0Kaj1jZZnAfCAgO_JLTucIj1io1ES2tn5_IC97iNsiDhoK2dVDjb8-4U-mQa1eBTXVEiausXYA/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDiTHwpBw2XNFJ8nZejAg4UDez3DbWcB9ST3Axf8n9_cSajoVG8tyN1j83DjU_sJQv0Kaj1jZZnAfCAgO_JLTucIj1io1ES2tn5_IC97iNsiDhoK2dVDjb8-4U-mQa1eBTXVEiausXYA/s320/IMG_0256.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santiago impersonator - "levitating"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b489nMIVBEbUbb2IqlWqI1VoxK08J3JmGyDnMNBOAaDGN2rqFokkxUID0M_MscOkgNKSsz940LMmes1c6dDvpTTro-VXyrIuqu-SqQdDGSFdM1-udtuarRgT-2dpENeAAKNvZIwUXrA/s1600/IMG_0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b489nMIVBEbUbb2IqlWqI1VoxK08J3JmGyDnMNBOAaDGN2rqFokkxUID0M_MscOkgNKSsz940LMmes1c6dDvpTTro-VXyrIuqu-SqQdDGSFdM1-udtuarRgT-2dpENeAAKNvZIwUXrA/s320/IMG_0261.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Cathedral</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-90565793334572574592012-07-07T09:26:00.000+02:002012-07-07T15:15:31.625+02:00Day 6 - A Coruña<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CZzHHhf1gGT13N7P1S6nGChdTufpXM-eNk8yoJeM0LdKPH5vCnmudN3J-fGb6vq89Ri2NXVzS4ZXZjF3AseZfVpc88naEFN8fi8CtmIe3At3NEY0tKfPWNBAB5SkKJQGfxdAKFoM8QM/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CZzHHhf1gGT13N7P1S6nGChdTufpXM-eNk8yoJeM0LdKPH5vCnmudN3J-fGb6vq89Ri2NXVzS4ZXZjF3AseZfVpc88naEFN8fi8CtmIe3At3NEY0tKfPWNBAB5SkKJQGfxdAKFoM8QM/s320/IMG_0220.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Real Academia Galega</td></tr>
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Sorry for the delay in the posting... I lost internet service before I finished editing the pictures last night... <br />
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Today we took a trip to A Coruña which is located along the northern coast of Galicia. The primary reason for our trip was a visit to the Real Academia Galega. Interestingly, the Academy was founded in Cuba in 1905 under the name Sociedade Protectora da Academia Gallega. It was founded in Cuba due to persecution against the Galician language on the Iberian Peninsula. In 1906 the name was changed to the current Real Academia Galega. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqjzGPBhG7evvR7OtMydRUrAXZ4pGzJzioEs1e729ahmvffAgwq5OdIrLsJeWdDsJu56OpzhQWgAezi6P1dHDY395EOoZSmXH2izj3PyE3RLST-HkJ2hTmg-R-EGNCT5zkq7jxPTdWm4/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqjzGPBhG7evvR7OtMydRUrAXZ4pGzJzioEs1e729ahmvffAgwq5OdIrLsJeWdDsJu56OpzhQWgAezi6P1dHDY395EOoZSmXH2izj3PyE3RLST-HkJ2hTmg-R-EGNCT5zkq7jxPTdWm4/s200/IMG_0222.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st president of RAG</td></tr>
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The idea behind the formation of the Academy was the promotion of Galician culture and language. It has decided the official grammatical and orthographic rules of Galego as well in addition to defending the language. The Academy also decides which literary figure from Galician history will be the representative for el Día de las Letras Gallegas (Day of Galician Letters) each year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3beBmDuuwvPgPFnX0vjJodvMbHNGYFpNi0Ug03FmG9-3LB5zP3WULnzjZwRTFAn6RkRjBdvEi7ejV4sqKA5rteVPSngxWDfaq_ta5gm20MzIcVBEXfykKiAyqyewMpiUgQJO06mdlNE/s1600/IMG_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3beBmDuuwvPgPFnX0vjJodvMbHNGYFpNi0Ug03FmG9-3LB5zP3WULnzjZwRTFAn6RkRjBdvEi7ejV4sqKA5rteVPSngxWDfaq_ta5gm20MzIcVBEXfykKiAyqyewMpiUgQJO06mdlNE/s200/IMG_0235.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside of Rosalia de Castro's home</td></tr>
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This year the Academy is celebrating it's 50th year of the Día de las Letras Gallegas. Their first representative, in 1963, was the illustrious Rosalía de Castro who lived from 1837-1885 and is arguably one of the most famous Galician writers of all time. Their current, 2012 representative is Valentín Paz Andrade - a lawyer, journalist, politician, businessman and poet who lived from 1898 until 1987. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYo6hZ2tzjrd1_sLfqg5y1piyCLaIZf9RWo2bdz1EVFXPDlvEQ7MNqQjvQ_SVyxK9MYHWEZO6uQ9shtspFa2uxyYFGDgOdOmHoP7kf_a7h_sg_1Ta7tZbhVbApk93S6gB1M8corGidwSE/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYo6hZ2tzjrd1_sLfqg5y1piyCLaIZf9RWo2bdz1EVFXPDlvEQ7MNqQjvQ_SVyxK9MYHWEZO6uQ9shtspFa2uxyYFGDgOdOmHoP7kf_a7h_sg_1Ta7tZbhVbApk93S6gB1M8corGidwSE/s320/IMG_0238.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Coruña</td></tr>
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As an interesting sidenote, we were told today that Francisco Franco (dictator of Spain from 1936-1975) was made an honorary president of the Academy in the 1940s. This is somewhat surprising as many Galicians, including the founders of the Academy were more supportive of the Republican government than of Franco (or of Primo de Rivera), although not completely unbelievable since at that point they were probably trying to cause fewer conflicts and difficulties with the new government. <br />
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Unfortunately we weren't left with much time for exploring around the city, but it is only an hour or so from Santiago de Compostela, so perhaps there will be another chance to go there and have a look around. I remember going there ten years ago when I was studying in Granada, but we only spent a quick day there that time as well. There is so much to see that it is difficult to decide where to go. I have each Sunday free, but Sundays many things are closed, so I'm not sure how much use a Sunday trip would be. <br />
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The following link is to an article about our visit to the Real Academia - I am in the fourth row all the way on the right side of the picture... you can see my glasses anyway!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ocioycultura/2012/07/07/case-90-alumnos-22-paises-aprenden-galego-cursos-veran-da-academia/0003_201207G7P39999.htm" target="_blank">http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ocioycultura/2012/07/07/case-90-alumnos-22-paises-aprenden-galego-cursos-veran-da-academia/0003_201207G7P39999.htm</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5rk8Cvenaq6Rdn2vFcRe8lmZotMs4YvivwMos27jhfAZyT8kiCcMS36s1mh7Sv9gMMlSAFTsO1Wite-2gEW_IySLB_C_Tzp6zCml8lsyeB7oooENd6OfqeBnBdsxB_V7mthLSWSmdFs/s1600/IMG_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5rk8Cvenaq6Rdn2vFcRe8lmZotMs4YvivwMos27jhfAZyT8kiCcMS36s1mh7Sv9gMMlSAFTsO1Wite-2gEW_IySLB_C_Tzp6zCml8lsyeB7oooENd6OfqeBnBdsxB_V7mthLSWSmdFs/s400/IMG_0233.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center: Current President RAG<br />
Also.. when I look at the tapestry all I can see is the storm trooper's head!</td></tr>
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Galego word of the day: <br />
Trip - Viaxe <br />
As in: <br />
Eu quero vir nun viaxe. <br />
(I want to go on a trip.)<br />
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(Gosh I hope I got that right!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ocioycultura/2012/07/07/case-90-alumnos-22-paises-aprenden-galego-cursos-veran-da-academia/0003_201207G7P39999.htm"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-45570397131502973602012-07-05T15:33:00.002+02:002012-07-05T15:33:32.874+02:00Day 5 - A walk in the park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0YCLc-YGdgKwtxeLvg5fNkHgc3iaQcxeNgc8yPNzjv4bsLcjrv-kDA707TWYhnkK8u_zA81iiRyvvMdL6rUbMMUzQXbCe7-7tbf6byh-hvfXq4CR9hPnWPyy88xnnxIUtBAFYoSH9dg/s1600/IMG_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0YCLc-YGdgKwtxeLvg5fNkHgc3iaQcxeNgc8yPNzjv4bsLcjrv-kDA707TWYhnkK8u_zA81iiRyvvMdL6rUbMMUzQXbCe7-7tbf6byh-hvfXq4CR9hPnWPyy88xnnxIUtBAFYoSH9dg/s200/IMG_0207.JPG" width="200" /></a>Living in New York, I am spoiled to have two wonderful and large parks nearby, Central Park and the even greater and closer Prospect Park in Brooklyn. That does not mean that I can't enjoy and appreciate other parks, and that is exactly what I did yesterday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJeg9xWzxqabNg8PtiNq3eAhNcfka9vSKKwFCiXOKH7ZC_ereAhs-09OTB5t2F8M0MEKBEryaXNxqRALoO_YAjbcOBDUnSQBPksmW3VxIpF06DmejGzyWFurnywmwoed0AgF7rl9gm1I/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJeg9xWzxqabNg8PtiNq3eAhNcfka9vSKKwFCiXOKH7ZC_ereAhs-09OTB5t2F8M0MEKBEryaXNxqRALoO_YAjbcOBDUnSQBPksmW3VxIpF06DmejGzyWFurnywmwoed0AgF7rl9gm1I/s200/IMG_0204.JPG" width="155" /></a>After the afternoon session of classes a few classmates and I went for churros and chocolate (yes, in the afternoon, so???) and then for a walk in one of Santiago's parks. This particular park is not the largest in Santiago - that would be Alameda on the western side of the city - but another, smaller, but by no means tiny, park - Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval - on the eastern side of the city. <br />
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From my understanding this is a relatively new park. It's not that the location hasn't existed for many years, but it was only officially made a park in 1994. The park is divided into three different parts. The first belongs to the Convento de Boneval where the monks continue to cultivate various fruits and vegetables. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVRBK0zU3wKgUmQTcc1siiPAHJ-zXkG7XVJrOWdzEKGm-paGZj9k1522-iq9luJA-jy-_2cgrZFpxzu2jPzEbL0fFalHccZAzt7YAvmGf1ssPFFmpoCJO8WeghVyPk6_ZNp-SzGxiwmg/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVRBK0zU3wKgUmQTcc1siiPAHJ-zXkG7XVJrOWdzEKGm-paGZj9k1522-iq9luJA-jy-_2cgrZFpxzu2jPzEbL0fFalHccZAzt7YAvmGf1ssPFFmpoCJO8WeghVyPk6_ZNp-SzGxiwmg/s200/IMG_0211.JPG" width="200" /></a>The second part is an old cemetary where there are incredible views of the city (see pictures). This cemetary was particularly interesting because it was not like any cemetary I have seen in the United States (this of course does not mean no such cemetary exists, just that I haven't see one!). I have included a picture of this as well because I felt it was quite unique for someone who is not from around here. I haven't asked if it is typical of cemetaries in Spain, but I am curious to know. It seems a bit like a masoleum, but outdoors. <br />
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The final section of the park is an oak grove which is separated from the rest of the park by a stone wall. This final section I did not have much time to investigate, but I do plan on returning to check it out. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUszNNXKGBWRYqv0f6u2ZWOg3PPH7T8SoHLptZEND7hp9PbuVUJ8Y5FBLGrTTibWqEtDCTC3JfEC2hvAj7xBsN7Pd13hEXaDjDaGvFWt_UV8qAq6eYX-GbehzxMhbZkTWsrKXOgszYzU/s1600/IMG_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUszNNXKGBWRYqv0f6u2ZWOg3PPH7T8SoHLptZEND7hp9PbuVUJ8Y5FBLGrTTibWqEtDCTC3JfEC2hvAj7xBsN7Pd13hEXaDjDaGvFWt_UV8qAq6eYX-GbehzxMhbZkTWsrKXOgszYzU/s200/IMG_0212.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
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Galego words of the day:</div>
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Os dias da semana</div>
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Luns - Monday</div>
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Martes - Tuesday</div>
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Mércoles - Wednesday</div>
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Xoves - Thursday</div>
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Venres - Friday</div>
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Sábado - Saturday</div>
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Domingo - Sunday</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703042482341885712.post-26156104352921368562012-07-04T14:55:00.000+02:002012-07-05T09:00:06.736+02:00Day 4 - Tarta de SantiagoLast night I tried the most wonderful dessert, Tarta de Santiago. Tarta is the Galego word for torta or, in English, cake. But this is not your standard cake. This is a cake whose ingredients consist of almonds, eggs and sugar. Different recipes add a little cinnamon or lemon zest or even a bit of flour. But all contain the first three ingredients and apparently in "equal parts." I'm not exactly sure how to get equal parts egg and almond... but one recipe I found listed 5 XL eggs with 250g (approximately half a pound) of sugar and ground almonds. Hey, I didn't say it was healthy, just delicious! The finished cake is sprinkled in powdered sugar. <br />
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The first reference to this particular almond cake in Santiago was around 1577 and the first written recipe is dated 1838. It has gained fame over time with increased travel on the Camino de Santiago and is now served not only in Santiago de Compostela but all along the Camino and even in other areas of Spain, especially in July around St. James Day. <br />
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If you are ever in a Spanish restaurant and you see this item on the menu I highly recommend trying it, you won't be disappointed! I am going to have to see about converting the measurements and cooking temperatures to cups and farenheit so that I can make this when I get back to the states! In the meantime, I will just have to keep enjoying it while I'm here... I just ordered one... I'll take a picture and post it for you all to see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8wmrXFPmI6MWCWhzX115I2VKPQwD4SE7PDfqf_N5ZbpbZh3659TKH8z1lLSjqsW4EOq1N-Nj0shxSfOZHyIw4ASc81GRBeXuLR05NJPP4C6YUMkSJ2kqfUON-opo3TlSdZDPHSQHao0/s1600/tarta+de+santiago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8wmrXFPmI6MWCWhzX115I2VKPQwD4SE7PDfqf_N5ZbpbZh3659TKH8z1lLSjqsW4EOq1N-Nj0shxSfOZHyIw4ASc81GRBeXuLR05NJPP4C6YUMkSJ2kqfUON-opo3TlSdZDPHSQHao0/s320/tarta+de+santiago.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
If you feel up to the challenge, there are many online versions of the recipe I found during my research. Just google "recipe tarta de santiago" and you'll find plenty of options. I recommend one with little to no flour as the moist versions are even tastier!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638087380246326304noreply@blogger.com1