A Coruna (La Coruna) Spain (December 2007)

Ah Coruna – I might as well spell it differently as everyone else does. This was our alternative port of call on the Bay of Biscay crossing – “easy to get into and the bars are good” we were advised by our skipper – oh yeah and it’s before the corner. It was with this in mind that I convinced Karen that an over night stay is probably warranted for this town. I did some research – well limited really – and found out it also has the oldest operating lighthouse in the world (Damian told me that too) and a very nice old city.

So after a 4 hour bus ride via Vigo we arrived in A Coruna and the first thing Karen saw was Cortes de Ingles  – Spain’s largest retail chain and we had to go shopping for pillows????? From there we walked to our hostel – Hostal Residencia La Provincia – quite a walk and we probably walked further than we had to due to a nice pair of jeans and stilettos that appeared to be going in the right direction. We arrived at sunset and the non-English speaking receptionist showed us to our room, provided us with soap and left us to it. The rooms were clean, with some nice sketches decorating the walls and when we came back to the reception –the full nativity scene (looked like all of Bethlehem) was being constructed by the receptionist, her daughter and her daughter’s daughter I assume.

We then commenced our night time exploration of A Coruna. My research proved accurate – there was in deed a nice old town, starting at the Square of Maria Pita (for the inventor of pita bread, she seemed like an angry woman with the sword and all) and the Principal Palacio and of course churches such as Santa Domingo and a full on ham shop. The shopping was also interesting particularly El Beasto – In service for the sick – one for you to investigate Andy…..

We then hit the bars – these were interesting but we were not yet into the Spanish lifestyle and they were just opening when we got there. The first was popular with some interesting decorations on and behind the bar – still life vs soft porn.

The second bar we went to was a bit more interesting – it was in the old part of town and was just opening. The walls were covered with cartoon like Tin Tin and art work from the clients and the beer  (Galacia Estrella) came out of a celtic woman. There seemed to be a real affinity with witches in this area, which we are still trying to understand.


The next day we walked the city and took in the sights of the Park of Hercules that surrounds the lighthouse.

Interestingly enough, Karen was not the first person to renovate with the lighthouse having an extended life with four different facades.

I can still recall seeing it as we passed the city on our initial passage across the bay, so I really didn’t care what it looked like but was just glad it still worked.