By Corey Sandler, Destination Consultant Silversea Cruises
We have crossed the border from Portugal into Spain, and many Spaniards call this interesting, somewhat remote port La Coruña.
But we are also in the autonomous community of Galicia, and there the official name of the port is A Coruña.
If you want to venture into the obscure, the English called the place Corunna and you will see some reference to that name in history books.
And if you want to go from the obscure to the archaic, then let’s throw in The Groyne.
You can’t go wrong with any of the first three.
La Coruña is sometimes called “The Crystal City.” That nickname is derived from its many galerías, or glazed window balconies, said to have been adopted from the windowed stern of warships.
They help bring a lot of light into the homes here, in a place where the sun regularly seems to be absent. Here are some photos I took today in grey Galicia.
All photos by Corey Sandler 2018, all rights reserved.
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
About an hour away from La Coruña is the city of Santiago de Compostela, a handsome place that had its origin in the establishment of the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the city’s cathedral.
The shrine was the destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route begun in the 9th century.
According to legend, the remains of the apostle James were brought to Galicia for burial.
In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd to the burial site. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop, who declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II in Oviedo.
To honor St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found.
The story ties in with one possible explanation for the name Compostela, which would be from the Latin Campus Stellae, “field of the star.”
Modern scholars think the name may have a less lofty origin, from the Latin, composita tella, “burial ground.”
The Way of Saint James, the Camino de Santiago, has seen a resurgence in recent decades
And today tens of thousands of people make the pilgrimage each year.
You are supposed to start from your own doorstep, although many follow a path from the French border.
That trip is about 800 kilometers or 500 miles, and the trip usually requires about one month.
Some people make the pilgrimage in a single trip, while others perform portions of it stretched over several years.
All photos and text Copyright 2018 by Corey Sandler, all rights reserved.
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