Post camino vacay to beachy A Coruna!

The train ride to A Coruna was quick and painless--40 minutes and 4.90€. I arrived at the station around 4:00pm without a clue as to my orientation in the city, or where I was supposed to be going, but with lots of energy and willpower to find my way.  

One of my new favorite things is being deposited in a foreign city and trying to find my destination. This is particularly challenging when I don't have a map, which was the scenerio in A Coruna. But with some trial and error--along with several inquiries for directions--I found my way to the marina after about an hour, where there happened to be a tourism office. I arrived just as the office was opening post-siesta, got myself a map of the city, and navigated my way to the hostel where I was staying. And to think, I almost gave up and hailed a taxi! So glad I battled through it: the camino prepared me for the long-ish jaunt with my pack, and there is a fabulous sense of accomplishment when I am able to figure out a large city on my own...especially when the language is not my native tongue!  

I've decided that A Coruna is the people-watching capitol of Spain...or at least Galicia. Not only are there limitless opportunities for me to observe others (which, as many of you know, is a favorite pasttime of mine), I myself am often the object of scrutiny. You ladies know what I'm talking about; we're always sizing up other women, but it's taken to a whole new level in this city: lingering, uncomfortably long stares without any attempt at hiding the blatant gawking. The most intense and shameless observers are older women and young children; the combination of grandmothers and their grandchildren is particularly ruthless. My two favorite strategies to combat this phenomenon are to either 1) walk on by and act completely oblivious to their eyes piercing my skin, or 2) stare back at them intently as I walk past, making them uncomfortable, angry, or both. Such a fun little game. 

There was lots to see and do in A Coruna, from ancient sights to beach lounging. A couple of my favorite tourist sights included the Tower of Hercules, a lighthouse built in the 2nd century AD to alert local protection from potential enemies. It is located out on the northwest tip of the peninsula upon which the city of A Coruna encompasses. There is also an impressive promenade that follows the coastline, framing the entire city. Near my hostel, there was also a garden close to the marina that included such wonderful oddities as an entire day-planner set made from flowers: functioning clock and calendar included (the gardeners change the plants every 24 hours to reflect the new date). Nice to see that even in a floundering economy, places of public enjoyment are not sacrificed!

I left early to make the 40 minute walk to the train station, assuming I'd have plenty of time to get there and secure a ticket. I'd forgotten one thing: it is Sunday and lots of Spaniards head to the beach for the weekend--the Renfe trains that usually have several vacancies were COMPLETELY booked. All of them, even the night train. This would have been no big deal, but my mom is arriving in Madrid at Barajas at 7:40am today and I need to be there to meet her.

The closest I'd been to having a breakdown the whole trip, I raced out of the train station and began asking for directions to the bus station on the street. One man sent me the wrong way, but after several more inquiries, I made it and rushed the ticket counter, where no one was to be found (it was nearing siesta time). "Por favor, ayudame! Hay autobuses hoy con destino a Madrid? Tienen billetes?! Alguien esta aqui?! Por favor!!!" After a while a woman in her thirties came strolling up to the counter, annoyed by my haste. It took a bit of time and pleading, but I was able to secure one of the last few bus tickets that evening to Madrid. Yet again, the universe delivers. 

So here I am, back in Madrid for the evening before I meet up with my mom tomorrow morning at the airport. I feel like I know this city quite well despite only having been here once before for a few days; I was able to navigate from the bus station to the metro to my hostel at 11:00pm with no trouble at all. Funny how I can feel comfortable navigating Madrid but still manage to get lost in Olympia, Seattle, or Bellingham.

Hope you all enjoyed a delightful weekend; I'm off to catch a couple "z's" before heading to the airport in a few hours!

Hasta luego,
Kels

p.s. - A Coruna also introduced me to the world of topless beaches. Hello, Europe!