Chapter Four: Recuperative Waters & F. Scott Fitzgerald o A Toxa

 The day after seeing the cultura antigua of Santiago de Compostela, we saw more of contemporary Galicia as we visited the seaside towns. We took a brief cruise on the Ría de Arousa which houses a lot of the shellfish industry. After a brief marisco sampling, we headed to the town of A Toxa. Known for its curative waters after a guy brought his dying horse there and the horse didn't die or something I don't know the tour guides really told us a lot and I can only pay attention to so much and it's not all as interesting as Santiago pilgrims, A Toxa is a small seaside town with the beautiful Hotel La Toja. "Hotel La Toja" is Spanish for "Hotel A Toxa" because the locals speak a different language for some reason that made sense in the 12th century but is a little inexplicable today.

Lounging and eating in the hotel, I was reminded of F. Scott Fitzgerald's stories in the best possible sense. The ornate decor and view of the water recalled Dick Diver's summer at East Egg, before the inevitable tragedy that forced him to blow up a diamond as big as the Ritz. As I lay happily in the sun, contemplating the Autumn to come, thinking of that green light and Daisy...

After the pleasant afternoon in A Toxa, the rest of the day was spent at Combarro and enjoying tapas in Pontevedra. For the former, it was yet another fishing town, distinguishable only by a little boy who said "Hablas inglés, yo creo. Que horible" like the little gremlin he was. The latter, however, was delicious. Mozzarella sticks, croquetas, shrimp in garlic sauce, tortilla española, all of the tapas were delicious in one of Pontevedra's squares.