A beautiful sunny morning in La Coruna. When I wake up I'm still angry after last night's result and a visit to an internet cafe shows I'm not alone. The controversy over the Henri handball seems to be causing a major furore at home. I decided to push football disappointments to one side and concentrate on matters concerning Francisco de Cuellar and the Spanish Armada.
La Coruna, a truly beautiful city today was, in the sixteenth century, confined within its city walls to a small peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow neck of land in the part of the city where the pension I'm staying at is now built. Situated on a wide, sheltered bay that provided a perfect harbour conditions La Coruna had developed into the principal port of northwest Spain. Francisco de Cuellar wrote of his experiences with the Armada and commentators analysing that account suggested possible links with the region based on his language. Whether or not he lived in the city Francisco was present here with the armada in the months of June/July 1588. He was made captain of the San Pedro here and commanded that vessel in the engagements that followed with the English fleet along the south coast of England during the first week of August that year. A look around the old town therefore was made interesting given the possibility that Francisco may, or may not, have walked down the self same streets at some time during this period. Looking out into the harbour with its myriad collection of boats moored in the marina it was easy to picture the great fleet of Philip II's Grand Armada anchored in the bay over four centuries ago. I was also told that 'Aodh Rua', Red Hugh O'Donnell landed here on his way to petition the king of Spain after the Irish defeat at the battle of Kinsale in 1601.
Walking along the narrow streets of the old town there are many building remaining that were in use at the time of the Armada. I stopped off at lunchtime in one of the old Town's bars for a seafood lunch that suggested a second visit to the bar would be on the menu for tomorrow. Nearby, the church of Santa Maria del Campo was the official church for the traders and sailor's guilds in the sity and would have been visited by many seamen of the time. The small tree-lined Plaza de Azcarraga, known then as the Plaza de Harina was the city's main plaza at the time of the Armada. Any of the principal officers who came ashore while the Armada rested at Coruna would most likely have visited this plaza. The main body of soldiers and sailors onboard the Armada ships were not, however, permitted to enter the city for fear of desertion. In an attempt to raise morale the men were allowed to visit the shrine on the tiny Isle of San Anton a short distance for the walls of the city. All who visited the shrine were presented with a holy medal. Francisco's was stolen from him outside Grange after he was shipwrecked.
The year after the Armada Coruna witnessed a second Armada, this time a hostile English fleet led by the much-feared Sir Francis Drake, 'El Draque'. The city was attacked in retaliation for the earlier attack by the Armada and in May 1589 Drake's force laid seige to the city. In desperate fighting on the city walls the defence of the city was inspired by the actions of Maria Pita whose heroics are commemorated by the naming of the city's main square in her honour and the erection of a statue depicting the events of those days.
I took a wander along the citys' main beaches, the playas de riazor and Orzan where local surfers were making the most the days waves. On the far side of the bay, close to the water front sits the impressive modern football stadium of the city's beloved Deportivo La Coruna. Named the 'Riazor' after the adjacent strand this was the citadel of a team that was powerful in both Spain and Europe through the nineties exists under more modest circumstances thesedays though the team is sitting high in la Primera Liga in the current season. From one icon of the city to another. The 'Torre de Hercules' was a must see, magnificent ancient lighthouse, reputed to have been first built by the Romans in the second century AD. Today the restored lighthouse dominates the seaward tip of the peninsula on the edge of the city.
In the evening I took a stroll back to Matthews bar to listen to a postmortem of last nights showdown in Paris. It Listening to the guys the French seem to be roundly condemned by all and sundry to the point of a diplomatic squabble between Irish and French politicians. In 1970 the aftermath of a world cup confrontation between Honduras and El Salvador sparked off a small war between the two nations. Hopefully this won't happen in this case. Perhaps a suggested replay between the two teams would cool down the hot heads?
Friday proved to be a dismally wet day. Exploring the city was confined to trips back to the old town for another taste of the local seafood specialities, to the internet cafe to monitor development on the 'Paris-gate' controversy and to a local Parillada for a fill of grilled meat in preparation for hitting the road once more tomorrow. It would be nice to stay longer in La Coruna but, with time ticking and my sights set on the city of Valladolid some 4-500kms away, I have to keep moving.
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