¡Ha llegado la Bombona! Crêpe making lessons
Maybe not as exciting as the arrival of my travelling backpack, but I decided the arrival of Bombona ( the gas cylinder for the stove) was a reason to celebrate or at least use up the rest of my crêpe batter. I was told yesterday I am the ´alegria de la casa´, which I think is a nice compliment. Funnily enough at the same time the expression was used to tell me that evening that there wasn´t enough salt in my cooking, that it was missing some happiness. I think my crêpes were apreciated though. I was quite entertained by the fact that I was told crêpes are in fact Galician not French. In Galicia they are called Filloas and are not usually eaten with any filling. I was told that some recipes include adding a glass of pig´s blood to the batter which I personally find more revolting than the thought of adding nutella or whipped cream inside. To each his own.
The gas for the stove ran out on the weekend when I had some friends over for crêpes. My Saturday night cooking went alright, but I noticed the flames around the burner getting a little small. Then on Sunday when I had my Portuguese friends over for a meal it did not go very well. Had I known that my friend´s husband had been in a crêpe making contest I would have never suggested the idea to them. The batter I made had a few lumps because I don´t have a mixer and my cooking technique is not perfect, but I think it was when the gas ran out that iced the cake. Added to all of this the chair he sat on at the table has a piece that is a little loose and it fell off when he sat down. I am not sure if they´ll come back for another invitation, but they can´t say the meal wasn´t entertaining.
This is not my first crêpe making mishap I think the first time I tried to make them in Valenciennes was possibly a little crazier. I invited all of the English language assistants over one night for supper and bought all of the ingredients. The fact that I had never made crêpes before never phased me because I am quite an experienced pancake maker. In any case it was good thing a few people who came knew the technique. The fun part of the evening was when the landlord arrived with a repairman to fix the stove. In the apartment we only had one common room which was the kitchen so it got a little crowded. In the end everyone was eating crêpes and all´s well that ends well. Maybe I should learn some lessons from these experiences. Crêpes anyone ?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
First Porto Call
The same day I went Ria Arosa I came back to Lugo to get in another friend´s car and drive to Oporto, Portugal. For the second time in the now six months I have been in Spain I left the country.
It was a 3-4 hour drive to the city and on the way we had one short supper stop around 10pm to eat sandwiches in a grocery store parking lot in Porriño. We were parked next to the garbage bin and that´s when I kn
ew this trip would be an adventure. In total we were seven from five different countries including Ireland, Scotland, England and Spain and we were friends from the weekly quiz night in Lugo. I am glad that Gallego is a lot like Portuguese (especially the northern dialect) because if not it probably would have taken much longer to find our hotel. Obrigado, or thank you was a very good word to know.
At breakfast the next morning a couple of the guys surprised us with the gift of matching t-shirts. Normally I might think it would be quite cheesy to all wear the same shirts, but the guys had a nice maroon colour and the girls in green with the words ´First Porto Call´ printed in the top left corner. I wonder if my sisters would like us to have a matching family t-shirt for when they come to visit Spain this summer.
As usual it was within the first hour of walking around Oporto that I saw the yellow arrows for the camino to Santiago. It feels like I have not travelled to one city in Spain since doing the camino where I have not seen them and my yellow arrow radar-like detection skills are still quite strong. After walking for a while, taking a short boat trip on the river and having lunch we stopped for our Porto wine tasting. I don´t remember much from the tour, but the two glasses of Porto wine afterwards were very tasty.
One of the most interesting things we saw in Oporto that day was the Lello bookshop. The staircase and wood carvings were as exquisite as the collection of books. We stopped for tea on the second level and had a nice rest.
Late afternoon the three craziest of the group, which included me went for a swim on the beach. Similar to my ocean dip in december the water was still freezing and the wind didn´t make you feel any warmer when you came out.
The next morning after breakfast we got back into the cars to start the drive back. We stopped first for mini-golf, next for lunch and then to play on the beach in Carmiña before getting on the highway ( or motorway since most people spoke British English) back to Spain.
The same day I went Ria Arosa I came back to Lugo to get in another friend´s car and drive to Oporto, Portugal. For the second time in the now six months I have been in Spain I left the country.
It was a 3-4 hour drive to the city and on the way we had one short supper stop around 10pm to eat sandwiches in a grocery store parking lot in Porriño. We were parked next to the garbage bin and that´s when I kn
ew this trip would be an adventure. In total we were seven from five different countries including Ireland, Scotland, England and Spain and we were friends from the weekly quiz night in Lugo. I am glad that Gallego is a lot like Portuguese (especially the northern dialect) because if not it probably would have taken much longer to find our hotel. Obrigado, or thank you was a very good word to know.At breakfast the next morning a couple of the guys surprised us with the gift of matching t-shirts. Normally I might think it would be quite cheesy to all wear the same shirts, but the guys had a nice maroon colour and the girls in green with the words ´First Porto Call´ printed in the top left corner. I wonder if my sisters would like us to have a matching family t-shirt for when they come to visit Spain this summer.
As usual it was within the first hour of walking around Oporto that I saw the yellow arrows for the camino to Santiago. It feels like I have not travelled to one city in Spain since doing the camino where I have not seen them and my yellow arrow radar-like detection skills are still quite strong. After walking for a while, taking a short boat trip on the river and having lunch we stopped for our Porto wine tasting. I don´t remember much from the tour, but the two glasses of Porto wine afterwards were very tasty.
One of the most interesting things we saw in Oporto that day was the Lello bookshop. The staircase and wood carvings were as exquisite as the collection of books. We stopped for tea on the second level and had a nice rest.
Late afternoon the three craziest of the group, which included me went for a swim on the beach. Similar to my ocean dip in december the water was still freezing and the wind didn´t make you feel any warmer when you came out.
The next morning after breakfast we got back into the cars to start the drive back. We stopped first for mini-golf, next for lunch and then to play on the beach in Carmiña before getting on the highway ( or motorway since most people spoke British English) back to Spain.
Rias Baixas
On the seventh day after his hard work creating the world God stopped to rest and while doing so touched his hand to the earth and created the five rías on the North west coast of Galicia. This was one of the stories I was told on my drive to the Ría Arosa to meet my friend Teresa´s parents and to see the region she grew up. My current housemates also come from that area, so I have heard a lot about it and was excited to finally see it.
I was told there was no English translation for the word ría, but it seems it is quite similar to word estuary which might sound more familiar. The definition the on-line Collins dictionary gives is that it is a long narrow inlet of seacoast, being a former valley that was submerged by a rise in the level of the sea. Rias are found on the coasts of SW Ireland and NW Spain. The word Baixas is Gallego and I think it means low level.
As we got closer to the Ria Arosa we started to see cars with bunches of yellow flowers in the front grate above the license plate. It continues to be a tradition on the first of May to attach these yellow flowers to the front of your car or house for luck and to ward of witches who come out on the night of the first of May. I wish I had known earlier to have put some outside
my door.
The first town on the coast that we drove through was Noia, but we didn´t stop because the tide was out. Legend says that this was the location where Noah´s ark settled after flood and that is where the town´s name comes from.
Some of the houses we saw were covered in bright coloured tiles and my friend explained that bathroom tiles were put on the outside of houses to help with humidity and sometimes even ship paint was used. I think a similar strategy was used in Portugal however the effect of the intricate blue and white Azulejos is quite different.
About mid-morning we stopped to see the ruins of the Baroña Castro (celtic village). It is beautifully located on the edge of the water. I was told that a Gallego version of Asterix & Obélix called ´Os Barbanzos´ is inspired from this castro.
We continued down the coast and stopped in the town of Xuño, or Juno in Spanish because I wanted to see the Spanish Juno Beach. There were no military landings here, but the scenery is well-known from the Spanish film ´Mar Adentro´ by Alejandro Aménabar.
We stopped in a few more towns and saw some beautiful views, but it wasn´t until we climbed to the top of Mount Curota I got a sense of the rías and the coast.
We stopped for a Paella lunch at her parent´s house in Puebla de Caramiñal. Looking at some of the photos in her parents house I started to understand the damage the recent development has caused to the coastal area. Less construction would be better because most of the beach has been built on and the port has almost taken over.
Despite the development the town has managed to keep a rather unusual tradition alive and on the third Sunday of September they celebrate ´Divino Nazareno´. On that day all those that have made a promise to the Nazarene Christ, which could have been to be cured from a disease, will celebrate being alive by buying coffins and carrying them through the street. If you are really grateful you will lie inside one. Another variation is to wear a purple tunic, like the Nazarene Christ for an entire year.
I was told there was no English translation for the word ría, but it seems it is quite similar to word estuary which might sound more familiar. The definition the on-line Collins dictionary gives is that it is a long narrow inlet of seacoast, being a former valley that was submerged by a rise in the level of the sea. Rias are found on the coasts of SW Ireland and NW Spain. The word Baixas is Gallego and I think it means low level.
As we got closer to the Ria Arosa we started to see cars with bunches of yellow flowers in the front grate above the license plate. It continues to be a tradition on the first of May to attach these yellow flowers to the front of your car or house for luck and to ward of witches who come out on the night of the first of May. I wish I had known earlier to have put some outside
my door.The first town on the coast that we drove through was Noia, but we didn´t stop because the tide was out. Legend says that this was the location where Noah´s ark settled after flood and that is where the town´s name comes from.
Some of the houses we saw were covered in bright coloured tiles and my friend explained that bathroom tiles were put on the outside of houses to help with humidity and sometimes even ship paint was used. I think a similar strategy was used in Portugal however the effect of the intricate blue and white Azulejos is quite different.
About mid-morning we stopped to see the ruins of the Baroña Castro (celtic village). It is beautifully located on the edge of the water. I was told that a Gallego version of Asterix & Obélix called ´Os Barbanzos´ is inspired from this castro.
We continued down the coast and stopped in the town of Xuño, or Juno in Spanish because I wanted to see the Spanish Juno Beach. There were no military landings here, but the scenery is well-known from the Spanish film ´Mar Adentro´ by Alejandro Aménabar.
We stopped in a few more towns and saw some beautiful views, but it wasn´t until we climbed to the top of Mount Curota I got a sense of the rías and the coast.
We stopped for a Paella lunch at her parent´s house in Puebla de Caramiñal. Looking at some of the photos in her parents house I started to understand the damage the recent development has caused to the coastal area. Less construction would be better because most of the beach has been built on and the port has almost taken over.
Despite the development the town has managed to keep a rather unusual tradition alive and on the third Sunday of September they celebrate ´Divino Nazareno´. On that day all those that have made a promise to the Nazarene Christ, which could have been to be cured from a disease, will celebrate being alive by buying coffins and carrying them through the street. If you are really grateful you will lie inside one. Another variation is to wear a purple tunic, like the Nazarene Christ for an entire year.
I have to agree that the rias are the most beautiful part of Galicia I have seen so far.
Quiz night- Take two
I co-organized a quiz with my friend Esther a week ago and here are the questions:
Once upon a fairy tale:
1. What do Hansel and Gretel find in the forest ?
2. Who is the author of Cinderella ?
3. Name the seven dwarfs.
4. What is the third thing that Jack steals from the Giant at the top of the Beanstalk?
5. What is the curse the wicked fairy gives Sleeping Beauty at her christening ?
6. What is the name of Pinnochio´s father?
7.What is the name of the dwarf who helps the Miller´s daughter spin straw into gold ?
Going Bananas:
1. The origin of the word Banana is from the Arabic word ´Banan´ what does it mean?
2. Which singer is famous for the phrase: ´Bananas is my business´?
3.What country is the largest producer of bananas ?
4. What is a cluster of bananas on the plant called?
5 .Where was the first banana split invented?
6.What are the names of the two main characters on the children´s television show: ´Bananas in Pyjamas´?
7. Who is credited with the ´discovery´ of bananas ?
I co-organized a quiz with my friend Esther a week ago and here are the questions:
Once upon a fairy tale:
1. What do Hansel and Gretel find in the forest ?
2. Who is the author of Cinderella ?
3. Name the seven dwarfs.
4. What is the third thing that Jack steals from the Giant at the top of the Beanstalk?
5. What is the curse the wicked fairy gives Sleeping Beauty at her christening ?
6. What is the name of Pinnochio´s father?
7.What is the name of the dwarf who helps the Miller´s daughter spin straw into gold ?
Going Bananas:
1. The origin of the word Banana is from the Arabic word ´Banan´ what does it mean?
2. Which singer is famous for the phrase: ´Bananas is my business´?
3.What country is the largest producer of bananas ?
4. What is a cluster of bananas on the plant called?
5 .Where was the first banana split invented?
6.What are the names of the two main characters on the children´s television show: ´Bananas in Pyjamas´?
7. Who is credited with the ´discovery´ of bananas ?
Sanabria
About a month ago now I was invited to visit the region of Sanabria (Zamora) which is just outside of Galicia in Castilla y Leon. When I told people where I was going for the weekend they told me I had to see the lake. Really my plan was to meet a friend from my pilgrimmage and visit the small town San Román de Sanabria where his father was born. Like most small towns in Spain only a handful of people actually live there and the other residents are from nearby cities and occasionally visit on weekends and holidays. When I arrived I was surprised by how dull the colours and the landscape seemed to me in comparison to the green hills and dark stone houses in Galicia. For the first time this year I felt hot, dry summer heat and it reminded me of Saskatchewan in August. It´s funny how the winter can make you forget what summer feels like.
Saturday morning after a breakfast of toasted bread and olive oil we drove to see the lake. It was very quiet and still, surrounded by brown, round hills the water didn´t seem to move. The sand was soft, but the water was very cold. We sat down on a wooden walkway and looked into the lake. At my feet through the clear water I could see swarms of little fish swimming excitedly about. My friend started to read the history of the landscape to me telling me about the path of the glacier that had formed the lake showing me its traces on the rocks and the hills. A Spanish author, Miguel de Unamuno, named the lake Espejo de Soledades (mirror of solitudes) and I prefered that name to the rather boring official name Lake of Sanabria. When you look into the water you can see the clouds at your feet. I didn´t look to see my reflection. It´s a strange sensation when the world appears upside down.
We drove to the top of one of the hills and looked down at the puddle and I was told another story about a town that was supposedly submerged under the waters of the lake for not having welcomed a pilgrim on a cold, rainy night. I don´t remember all the details, but it felt like a magical place.
In the afternoon after making crêpes we went for a walk to visit a great, great, great grandfather tree behind the house and then wandered through the countryside. Just like on the days we walked together during the pilgrimmage it started to rain. It´s hardly believe that I walked accros
s Spain now it seems like a crazy thing to have done.
The next day we went to Puebla de Sanabria and visited a medieval castle. My favourite part was leaning over the edge in the tower because I had the sensation I was flying. Sadly I had to come back down and get in to the car to drive to the bus station and go back to Lugo.
Saturday morning after a breakfast of toasted bread and olive oil we drove to see the lake. It was very quiet and still, surrounded by brown, round hills the water didn´t seem to move. The sand was soft, but the water was very cold. We sat down on a wooden walkway and looked into the lake. At my feet through the clear water I could see swarms of little fish swimming excitedly about. My friend started to read the history of the landscape to me telling me about the path of the glacier that had formed the lake showing me its traces on the rocks and the hills. A Spanish author, Miguel de Unamuno, named the lake Espejo de Soledades (mirror of solitudes) and I prefered that name to the rather boring official name Lake of Sanabria. When you look into the water you can see the clouds at your feet. I didn´t look to see my reflection. It´s a strange sensation when the world appears upside down.
We drove to the top of one of the hills and looked down at the puddle and I was told another story about a town that was supposedly submerged under the waters of the lake for not having welcomed a pilgrim on a cold, rainy night. I don´t remember all the details, but it felt like a magical place.
In the afternoon after making crêpes we went for a walk to visit a great, great, great grandfather tree behind the house and then wandered through the countryside. Just like on the days we walked together during the pilgrimmage it started to rain. It´s hardly believe that I walked accros
s Spain now it seems like a crazy thing to have done.The next day we went to Puebla de Sanabria and visited a medieval castle. My favourite part was leaning over the edge in the tower because I had the sensation I was flying. Sadly I had to come back down and get in to the car to drive to the bus station and go back to Lugo.
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