Tuesday is a day off in Pontevedra. Nurhan and Calum get ready to explore the city with the generous breakfast at our hotel -- pears, apples, ham, cheese, wonderful bread, and pastries that look like giant croissants but taste more like brioches.
Just a block from the hotel, the perfect mini-plaza -- Mary-Beth can take a break from practicing and listen to another violinist...
Many members of the orchestra head for the Museo de Pontevedra first, three buildings housing an archeological history of the area from Paleolithic weapons on through Neolithic, Bronze Age and Roman artifacts and up to a beautiful collection of ceramics representing various styles manufactured by a local firm founded in the early 20th Century. As one would expect for a city with an important maritime history, there are many exhibits that detail naval and commercial ships and citizens, including a terrific full replica of a captain's cabin, another of a merchant's office, and this whimsical sofa with built-in storage compartments shaped like ship's forecastles instead of upholstered armrests.
The first floor of the city market combines the smells of fresh flowers in the centre aisle with those of the seafood stalls on either side. Shoppers can purchase the regional favourite, octopus, many varieties of squid, eels and every possible size of prawns and shrimp in addition to dozens of types of fin fish.Our maestro loves to absorb the atmosphere of each city he visits on tour by walking far and wide. Old and new coexist around every corner here, with radical new architecture like this harp-like bridge only a moment away from historic squares.
Tomorrow a new bus will pick us up for the trip to Ferrol. We'll be sorry to leave this city we've enjoyed so much, but glad to go see more of Spain.
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