Friday, December 16, 2011

Gijón

(Trip to Northern Spain pt VI)


The city of Gijón is on the coast of Asturias, just about 30 minutes by train from Oviedo. (Remember that both the G and the J are pronounced as a heavy H sound, as in Loch Ness.) At first it struck me as a letdown-- the city isn't old and enchanting in the same way as Oviedo is. But it's interesting in other ways. It has ports, long beaches, and at night there are lots of people in the streets and squares-- a bigger and busier city with more movement.


Strong waves



Note the surfer


This was a market with artisan goods and food


One big park had big ponds with all kinds of waterfowl, as well as a caged section with chickens... and two emus. Looking at the emus I felt like I was getting an idea of what dinosaurs used to be like. They seem really primitive. Their feathers are stringy, their feet massive and plated, and the way they move their necks-- well, it looks like they are big puppets and somebody's arm is inside doing clumsy and cartoonish gestures.


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