A Coruña
I spent a few days exploring A Coruña while my girlfriend Andrea, an emergency room doctor, took a super intensive 2.5-day medical course at a hospital there. We had been to Galicia’s most populous city once last year to go furniture shopping. But this was the first time that I could check out areas outside of IKEA.
Below are some of the things I got to do:
- Eat a cachopín for the first time. A cachopín is half of a cachopo, an Asturian dish comprised of breaded veal, ham, and cheese. It would not rank as one of my top 20 favorite Spanish dishes, but it was not bad-tasting and fascinating to try.
- Walk through the city center over to Monte San Pedro, where there were World War II cannons and projectiles. There were also excellent views of the city. I walked 25 km that day, or the farthest I had walked since the Camino de Santiago in 2017.
- Take a bus the following day back over to the city center. From there, I walked over to the harbor and Hercules tower. The Hercules Tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009 and is the only Roman lighthouse in the world still in operation.
- Saw a modern-day MG in Spain for the first time. MG returned to Iberia less than two years ago.
- Run 23 km along the river southeast of A Coruña.
These were the routes of my exploratory walks in A Coruña:
Below was the route of the long run:
We also stopped at IKEA again. I’m a fan of both their food and well-designed furniture. Their cafeteria serves inexpensive yet semi-healthy and delicious meals, including their Swedish meatballs.
Andrea passed her super intensive course, which included 13-hour days and four hours of exams. I’m very proud of her!
![Enjoying a cachopín with fries and a salad at La Cantina Sixtina.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-01.jpeg)
![A mural on a wall near the Santa Cristina beach that says "A diversidade é a nosa forza" (diversity is our strength).](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-02.jpeg)
![Parque José Martí in Perillo was a great place to read.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-03.jpeg)
![The public hospital that Andrea took an intensive course at, as viewed from the Santa Cristina beach in Perillo.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-04.jpeg)
![A painting of a bicycle on a concrete pillar in the Santa Cristina area of Perillo.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-05.jpeg)
![The view of Santa Cristina Beach from A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-06.jpeg)
![World War II projectiles in front of an observatory at Monte de San Pedro.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-07.jpeg)
![View of a maze (As Roseiras), the Orzan Cove, and the city of A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-08.jpeg)
![A cannon and green space by the ocean at Monte San Pedro.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-09.jpeg)
![Buildings and ships by the harbor in A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-10.jpeg)
![A green statue with the Port of A Coruña in the distance.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-11.jpeg)
![A man reading in a chair with a view of the Castle of San Antón.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-12.jpeg)
![Old ships docked at the Port of A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-13.jpeg)
![City Hall in A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-14.jpeg)
![Apartment buildings overlooking a greenbelt near the Hercules Tower in A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-15.jpeg)
![The view of Aquarium Finisterrae by the water in A Coruña, with Monte San Pedro in the distance.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-16.jpeg)
![Hercules Tower on top of a green hill.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-17.jpeg)
![A black 2022 MG ZS.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-18.jpeg)
![Surfers catching some waves by Playa de Matedero.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/images/a/a-coruna-may-2022-19.jpeg)
![A bowl of shredded chicken, beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions covered with a white sauce from the Gazteca restaurant in A Coruña.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-20.jpeg)
![The Rio Mero between O Burgo and O Temple south of O Coruña. There are many walking paths by it.](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-21.jpeg)
![white plate with IKEA Swedish meatballs, mash potatoes, peas, gravy, and mini Swedish flag](https://felixwong.com/gallery/thumbs/a/a-coruna-may-2022-22.jpeg)
There are 2 comments.
What a peaceful beautiful place. Those inexpensive Swedish Meatballs look fantastic & Congratulations to Andrea, well done!☆☆☆
You've done quite a lot of exploring on foot. I'll bet that's been fun!
You both look fantastic Felix! 😊
Yes, those Swedish meatballs are delicious. I've been to American IKEAs before, but I never tried their meatballs until moving to Spain.