Now I have to confess, before heading to A Coruña in Galicia, I’m pretty sure I’d never heard of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela or The Way of Saint James. No small feat really given its age, its significance to millions of people or that there was a movie made about ‘The Way’. On top of that, I’d actually had friends make the pilgrimage a few years earlier!

I visited Santiago de Compostela my first week here, it’s just a half hour train ride from A Coruña and from the train station it’s about a 15 to 20-minute walk to the old city and the Cathedral.

After spending a half day visiting the Cathedral museum and walking around the old city, I must admit that I was slightly underwhelmed. Apart from a delicious lentil soup in a local café, that is. Perhaps it was partly because when friends learned I was coming here, so many of them, including Albert, had talked it up and my expectations were high. A bit the same as when films like ‘Birdman’, one of the worse movies ever, wins an Oscar and you wonder if you were missing something.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s undeniable charm in the old city, the Cathedral was certainly impressive and the view from the balcony across the terracotta rooftops was beautiful, but apart from the museums, I couldn’t work out how or if I could actually get inside the Cathedral proper.

My second visit was when George was here at Christmas. An expat Liverpudlian acquaintance told me I had to take him to Santiago, and if I didn’t, he would. We just happened to be heading south on Boxing Day so it was decided that our first stop would be Santiago and the Cathedral. How happy am I that we did?

Aside from the ear-shattering commotion of protesters outside the Government building opposite the Cathedral we were incredibly lucky to see the beautiful, extraordinarily detailed nativity scene that took up significant space within the nave. The incredible display of an entire village (presumably Bethlehem), left nothing out. With moving characters and animals that far surpassed my fascination of Miss Miller’s doll house that used to have pride of place in the Invercargill City Library.

Perhaps I’m a little slow on the uptake but my third visit nailed it for me, the penny, as it were, finally dropped. Following Carnival, I had a few days to spare so decided that the only way I truly experience a place is to stay a few nights. With that in mind, I booked my accommodation, boarded the train and spent three days exploring Santiago de Compostela.

It pretty much belted down rain the whole time I was there but the weather certainly did not deter from me finally ‘getting it’. I spent hours walking the outskirts of the old city, around Park da Alameda and Park de Belvis but the highlight, without a doubt was Museo del Pueblo Gallego.

Dedicated to the ethnographic of Galicia, the museum is home to displays of intricately detailed rural, fishing and boat building exhibits that leave nothing out. Much like the aforementioned nativity scene. The other cool thing about the museum was a crazy spiral staircase that led nowhere but everywhere. Something that you need to check out for yourself.

A couple of cafes that deserve a mention are Café Bar Derby near the entrance of the old city on Rúa das Orfas. For its old feel décor and ambience yes, but more importantly, the best croissant I’ve had here and a real pot of tea!

The other is Cerveceria on Rúa Nova, where I visited for a ‘working’ lunch. Lunch didn’t need ordering; coffee was served with cake and tortilla. I then asked for a glass of wine which was delivered with a side of tortilla and chickpea soup. Having already eaten breakfast at Rúa das Orfas, I really didn’t need more food, but there it is Galician life.