Spanish views from a small town

Yesterday, I took my free day of this holiday week, and went about on my own. Since we can't leave the region, I wandered where my car took me. I stopped in Pontevedra, where I was surprised that it was a local holiday. Easter Monday is a holiday in some regions of Spain, and apparently also in some townships of regions where it's not. I think I also noticed in other towns I passed through that everything was closed.  I bought my lunch there and then drove down to the beach at Cesantes, where I parked, and ate, looking out at the Illa de San Simón, a sanatorium turned Francoist prison, and now a place where they hold cultural events in summer. There were lots of people about, thanks to the lovely day.  From there, I drove down to Tui, but not into town, this time. I drove up to Monte Aloia, where I hadn't been before. Monte Aloia was once a bald hill. But then, some forestry engineers decided to plant it with different species of trees and shrubs. It became the first declar...

I am late in writing today because I have been out and about. In part, because I wanted to ground myself for upcoming scenes I've been thinking about for my book. In another part because we are finally free to move around. Even though it's still only possible within the autonomous region. Long ago, I heard the saying, "a book whose sale's forbidden all men rush to see, and prohibition turns one reader into three." That is so true. Tell me I can't leave my house, and I want to leave my house. Tell me I can't leave my province, and I want to leave my province. It doesn't matter if the reason for the prohibition is good, prohibition of something makes you want it. So, I've been aching to go out, to see where I'm going to place my characters, and to change my own vistas. After leaving lunch ready for my husband, I went down to Pontevedra, first. It doesn't seem to have changed much. Some businesses are still closed, I don't know if for...

There is a beautiful corner of the coast to the south of us called A Costa da Vela. It's to the north of Vigo, almost opposite the Cíes Islands, sentinels that guard the entrance to the Ría de Vigo. There are some villages scattered about, but the coast that faces the islands is a cliff area, fal ling in a steep slope down to rocks and crashing waves below. Al most along the middle of the coast is a small hill called Monte do Facho. Although it's not even two hundred meters above sea level, it dominates the coast line. And that is why it used to have a lighthouse at its summit. It's also the reason for its name. Facho re fers to a bundle of firewood and hay tied together and used to give ligh t . It (and feixe, which simply means a bundle tied together) come s from the Latin fascis , a bundle, fagot, or burden. Rather than being used as a regular lighthouse, it was used as a warning light . From the top of Monte do Facho you can see for miles up and down the coast....