Vigo
This was the time to see Galicia in the northwest of Spain just north of Portugal, a distinct region with its own language, galego (Galician). I often feel a funny travel intuition, which has started to happen frequently. I hear about places from other people or on the internet or in a magazine, then somehow there is this little miracle that I get a chance to travel to these locations – the Netherlands was also one of them before we eventually moved here. Vigo happened this way.
While on a ship last year, we stopped at this port due to an on-board emergency, but were unable to disembark. My inner thoughts said that I would soon be back for a visit. A few months later and bang, here I am!
After an eleven-hour journey from Rotterdam I arrived in Vigo, one of Galicia’s main cities. Bus number 1 whisked me away from the airport, a 45-minute journey down from the hills to the seaside.
Food and eating have been always a vitally important part of my life, before Philippe, and even more after I met Philippe. It has never been merely a necessity, but a way of life.
So here is the chronicle of another tasty journey with him …
My husband Philippe has always booked well-located hotels near his ship whenever I have visited him aboard. But this time he hit a really marvellous one, Hotel Bahia de Vigo, right across from the cruise terminal, with a full view of the vessel from my window. He disembarked to pick me up the next morning and all he had to do was cross the street. The hotel is a good choice in terms of location, safety and cleanliness.
I arrived at the hotel very hungry, so after settling in and having a nice shower, I went out to explore Vigo and its food scene.
Philippe had already shared a few dinner options. After strolling around the long green parks around Vigo and having a tasty Venezuelan arepa at Tostón Bistro, I walked to the Plaza Porta do Sol, the busy square full of shops and cafés, where perched high stands O Sereo (El Sireno in Spanish; the Merman in English), an intriguing steel sculpture by contemporary Galician artist Francisco Leiro. This work is one of the symbols of Vigo.
From Porta do Sol I continued on to Taberna a Mina for dinner. I hadn’t had any Galician restaurant experience before. As I had not eaten all day, I chose to have a big meal of steamed octopus with roasted potatoes. It came seasoned with traditional Spanish smoked spicy paprika and top Spanish olive oil. Yum!
As full as I was, I could not resist ordering a dessert for the finale – San Sebastian cake, a Basque-style cheese cake, dense but light, with a caramelized top. BOOM!
The portions in Spain are quite generous, and this dinner was no exception. So, no disappointment there! You could share this meal easily with two or even three people.
The next day, after Philippe’s ship came in, we both headed back to Porta do Sol, this time for breakfast. Philippe tells me there is this breakfast place called Semola, let’s go! It made me laugh; I was going to suggest just the same place!
We had both savoury and sweet treats at Semola. We ordered two pieces of the local pie called empanada gallega, one with tuna and tomatoes, and one with corn and scallops, plus an apple and walnut muffin, as well the delicious brownie that comes as a complimentary treat. It is a lovely pastry shop, a little more expensive than its peers, but it is really very good!
Nightcap aboard the ship
Philippe plays every night in the ship’s dedicated jazz room, the Take Five. His trio, PLT (guitar, keyboard, drums), features two highly talented musicians from Argentina, Claudio and Jose. My treat to myself every night was to listen my husband’s brilliant performances during my stay aboard.
Madeira
After one sea day, Madeira was our next port. This was my second visit to Madeira while cruising. I had visited the island once before that in 2009 while participating in the European Volunteer Service in Portugal where I lived on two different occasions.
We returned to the same lunch place we had been to on our previous trip there, the simple and cheerful Bela 5 Snack Bar. This restaurant is very popular with locals and visitors alike and located just slightly off the beaten track. They are famous for their prego de atum em bolo do caco, a fresh tuna steak sandwich served on typical Madeiran bread. This bread is so delicious we ordered some extra on the side, smothered with olive oil and garlic. The simplest recipes are the tastiest ones of all! Still, there is an extensive menu beyond the sandwiches, with a variety of fresh seafood featured daily. Everything is fresh and delicious, served in a friendly and casual atmosphere.
Tenerife
After Madeira, on to Spain with the Canary Islands. The first one we visited was Tenerife. This was my second time here. Instead of strolling around the markets, this time Philippe took me to San Cristóbal de La Laguna.
It is the old capital of Tenerife and indeed of the Canary Islands. Because of its history and lovely 16th century architecture, it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We enjoyed strolling about and poking around the shops. We found a beautiful old-fashioned stationery where we got some leather purses. We then headed back to Santa Cruz for lunch, where we headed to the Tasca Los Pulpitos. We dined on an octopus vinaigrette salad and grilled smoked cheese with saffron dressing from the island of La Palma, the island where the owner is from. A highly recommended restaurant!
Canary Islands continued
The weather was velvety and just breezy enough. Perfection. Our next stop the following day was Gran Canaria, to be followed by Lanzarote, our final port in the Canary Islands; then Lisbon and home!
The Canary Islands have pleasantly warm weather in early spring, around 22-24 degrees. The sea temperature in the islands around that time of year is in the neighborhood of 17-19 C, just warm enough for some fresh swimming. We both enjoyed the sea in Gran Canaria and Lanzarote over our two days there.
Gran Canaria
You can enjoy all kinds of food along the main beachfront of Playa de las Canteras in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria’s capital – and incidentally one of the two capitals of the Canary Islands group. We chose to sit in a pleasantly shaded tapas bar at the top of the seafront, a bit away from the crowd, for better and friendlier service. In Gran Canaria, you can try fried aubergine strips with delicious palm honey, a typical syrup from the region made from the sap of the Canary Island date palm. Being from Turkey, I am very accustomed to eating a lot of aubergine dishes but is quite different for me to have them sweet 😊. This combination of sweet and savoury is indeed often a feature of Canarian cuisine. Besides this dish, you might also be offered queso asado (fried cheese) topped with mojo rojo and mojo verde (red and green sauces); octopus – grilled, steamed or roasted; papas arrugadas (“wrinkled potatoes”) – new potatoes boiled in salt water and served with the typical sauces , as well as an abundance of fresh fish options.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote is one of my favorite islands, much quieter than Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Again we took the opportunity to dive into the sea, then strolled back down the seafront and through the capital town of Arrecife, finally stopping to enjoy a meal at our now favorite lunch café, Charco Vivo.
We had corvina fish with the ever-present papas arrugadas. Corvina is a mild, sweet white fish. It is very tasty just as it is, with only a squeeze of lemon.
Lisbon
My last port on this cruise was Lisbon. It was time to return home.
Who knows what my next port of call will be, whether by ship or train or maybe another road trip. Stay tuned and find out!
