April '04
I've lost the original text for this trip report so, I'll try to draw on my sketchy memory...
I departed from my friend's house near Porto, Portugal heading north towards the Spanish frontier.
Narrow streets of Ponte de Lima...
First glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean...
Sometime after lunch, I arrive at the river crossing just a mile or so inland from the Atlantic Ocean that separates Portugal from Spain.
Boarding the ferry to Spain...note geezer in red cap frozen in his tracks by the sight of a Guzzi in the wild
Views of the Atlantic coastline...
I believe this is the fishing village of Cangas. The inhabitants of Galicia are descendants of the Celts who inhabit Scotland and Ireland. Galicians even play a form of bagpipes.
Around 5 P.M. I find a small hotel near Vigo. I think I had seafood for dinner
The next morning I proceeded to head north, sticking to the coast as much as I could. I had hopes of finding a coastal road that would approach California's Pacific Coast Highway but, alas...it wasn't to be. Although there were stretches that were undeniably beautiful, the coast was too populated. Every time I seemed to get a clear run, I would enter another small town and would have to reduce my speed.
I stayed another night at a hotel along the coast. I believe it was in Rianxo. I was just beginning to think that this would be a lovely place to live...then it started to rain There's a reason Galicia is so green. Fortunately, although the skies were ominous, I only received some scattered showers. I made my way northwards to Cape Finisterre before turning around. Finisterre means end of the earth as they must have thought in the days before Columbus discovered the New World.
Stormy day on Cape Finisterre...
I made my way inland and started to head back to the south through Santiago de Compostela and then onwards to Ourense. I managed to drive in circles near Ourense before I found a cabbie who showed me the right road back to Portugal
I stayed the night in a restored monastery. It was quite nice but seemed HUGE as I was the only guest.
The next day would be my last day on the road. I found my way back into Portugal and back to Porto. Galicia and Northern Portugal are a great motorcycling destination as they are far off the tourist radar and have some great motorcycle roads. I would definitely like to return some day.