Today, we will drive obliquely across the corner of northwestern Spain, the Galicia Provence. We have been in Fisterra for three pretty foggy days. Now the forecast is better north and east of Fisterra on the north Atlantic coast. That is good because Ana has been eager to visit a beach with extraordinary rock formations that have been carved through tidal action over milliions of years. The beach is a Provincial park, the “Beach of the Cathedrals” and is restricted to a limited number of people each day. We have made a reservation for Friday and must arrive about 2:40  p.m. which is low tide. At high tide the beach is flooded and access to the rock formations is lost until the tide recedes. So, there is no missing our appointment.

We have nearly a 3 hour drive so we are up early packing and having breakfast. It is foggy in Fisterra again, but it is not quite as dense as other days there in the morning. Today at sunrise, about 8 a.m., we can see the view to the bay out the condo’s large windows, but the mountains on the other side are obscured by the fog. We are driving by 10:30. As we move inland to cross the province toward the port of Ribadeo, the fog lifts and we get good views of the farm country that is much of Galacia. The land is rolling hills of green farm fields and forests. It reminds me much of upstate New York near the Finger Lakes and south of Buffalo. The big difference being the sea is not far away. 

The greenery is dotted with mostly modern farmhouses and little towns that seem too newly built for Europe. Many of the houses are simple concrete boxes, that are stark in design with simple trim.  There are a few historical stone farmhouses, mostly gray or sandy in color, scattered throughout our drive. But the newer, simpler homes are almost all painted in flat pastels. Pink, green, orange, yellow and occasionally terra cotta are the colors that repeat themselves in an almost tedious way. 

We make our way off the Fisterra peninsula and the hills become mountains outside of Coruna the largest coastal city in Galacia. As the expressway crosses a mountain range on its way back to the sea, a large windmill farm can be seen along the ridge above. As always these giants seem ugly and out of place in this otherwise natural setting. I hope they are providing an amazing supplement to the power generation of the region; but I fear that they produce little energy and have been a wonderful boondoggle for a few captains of industry, who ride the ecology wave. 

We descend from the mountains to the sea and easily find the Cathedral Beach Park. A few miles from the sea, our sunny day turns back to fog. It is a disappointment for sure, as our photos to soon be taken will lack the sparkle of sunshine. It is not yet low tide so we settle in at the park restaurant, which has a surprisingly good seafood menu for a public venue, like a park. We both order fish soup. It is a broth seasoned with saffron, Ana tells me. It is full of shell fish and other bits of fish. It is enjoyable as we sit outside on terrace over looking a gray and cold Atlantic.

Lunch done we checkin at the beach gate 100 feet above the sand of the beach below. There is a long staircase down to the beach which is broad now at low tide. It is an expansive area of sand going in both directions. People are milling about the beach as far as one can see in either direction. We begin walking and the rock towers start to appear. The we see people disappearing into caves along the rock cliff. Others flirt with the small waves rolling gently up the beach. The water is silvery, reflecting the gray sky. Where pools have formed in the sand, the color is steely green, clear and polished. 

From the beach, the cliffs and pinnacles tower high above. The slabs of sedimentary rock rise up like piles of irregular tiles. The colors deep and rich. It is a feast for the eye. We explore the caves that twist into the rock walls and then sometimes come out in a different location. I am shooting photos everywhere I look. This quite a place! 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I convince Ana to climb over a slippery rock barrier, so that we can continue further down the beach. She does and now we will get to see the many archways and towers found only on this section. It will be worth the scramble over the slippery rocks.We finish our tour and stop back at the restaurant for a warming cup of cafe con leche. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We stay to night at an old fashioned B&B. in the river port of Ribadeo just a few miles to the east of the park. The B&B has been run by a woman for more 21 years. She has a 250 year-old farmhouse. It is a lovely old place with many fine personal touches. The gardens are still lovely, but she says they were better this summer. I believe it. Our room is large and quaint in a rustic way with nice windows looking into the garden. The public rooms downstairs are large and comfortable. I would like to stay in places like this more often, but we would have to give up our ability to cook and the privacy and space of a multi-room unit. Still it is a nice change. 

• 

• 

• 

The owner recommends a restaurant by the river port. We take a drive to “case it out” while there is still light. Our 8:45 reservation will require we drive there in the dark and the streets, like all old Spanish towns, will be narrow and confusing. So, it is good to practice our drive and find out where the parking will be, if any! The “Restaurante San Miguel” looks promising and we make a phone reservation, as it is Friday night.

What luck! We are the first to arrive after the restaurant opens. It is a beautiful dinning room, though empty. The menu is difficult, but he waitress is helpful. We order an appetizer of scallops. It is served to both of us in a large scallop shell. The food is embraced in a sauce rather like French onion soup. Our first course is a rice with local vegetables and octopus…pulpo. Lovely. We struggle chasing the fish course and the waitress brings the entire fish from the cooler on a large white platter. It is a beautiful fish, red-orange and larger than a red snapper. They will cook half of it for us. It is wonderful. We order a sorbet in wine for dessert. It comes with two straws and we each drink the dessert through straws! Quite delightful. This the best restaurant we have found in Spain. What a treat.