One of the highlights of this trip was to take my group to Oia and stay with my friend Tanya at La Cala – a pilgrims inn. I first met Tanya years ago when she had come to Spain to find a house to set up as a welcome place for pilgrims. We had a mutual friend in Gonzalo, and when he took me to visit her we fast became besties. Her house is beautiful.
Lo and behold on the eve of our trip to Oia, which is not easy to get to if you are not walking a camino, she messaged me to advise that she was having a bed bug problem! She was fumigating the house but it wouldn’t be done in time for our visit. I must add here that the bed bugs have now been eradicated!!!!! She jumped onto the problem quickly.
So after a day of trying to work out buses and taxis to get there, and actually lining it all up, I had to cancel and find a solution. I was devastated because not only did it mean not seeing my friend, we would not be able to go to the Celtic ruins of Monte Tecla
My wonderful friend Gonzalo (I thank god every day for this man’s friendship!) organized for a taxi friend to pick us up in the morning and transfer us to Baiona, a beautiful seaside fishing/holiday village. This was to be our special treat.
As we drove along the boulevard and entered through the arches, the Parador loomed into reality and I almost heard the girls’ jaws drop as we approached the magnifence of this amazing building. Once again, everything worked out just fine!
The current Parador occupies the site of the old fortified town of Baiona, founded in 1497 by the Catholic Monarchs. Its strategic position made it a key factor in the wars between England and Spain; Francis Drake attacked the town in 1585.
The views are spectacular and the water was like a mirror. Boats and expensive yachts lined the docks and sea gulls the size of a large dog soared in the sky, their wing span reaching out wide. Baiona is beautiful!
I sat out on the terrace in the afternoon and joined a couple of Americans with an Aperol spritz. Cool gentle breeze, sunshine and great conversation. They are pilgrims having a posh break here at the Parador. I’ve arranged to meet them when they get to Santiago. Not long after this some thick heavy fog rolled in and we watched our view disappear into oblivion. It was so fast.
Helen and I went out for dinner and had one of the best meals so far. It was so good that we even had dessert- a delicious lemon mousse and a flan made with local cheese. We sat there savouring every mouthful and letting it melt on the tongue. Oh my! It was so good, we might just go back for lunch.
Margaret Caffyn 