Getting around again!

So, here we are in Sanxenxo once again for the chess tournament. We had fun organising our travel. We wanted to check up times of trains from Vigo to Pontevedra, to coincide with buses from there to Sanxenxo. Vigo has two train stations: Urzáiz in the centre, the refurbished original train station, and Guixar, out on the edge of town, which we thought was just a temporary measure while the refurbishment work went on, but which remains open. Trains from Guixar to Pontevedra take about half an hour to do the journey. Trains from Urzáiz, on the other hand, do the run in ten to fifteen minutes. Some of the information websites only gave us trains from one station. Others gave all stations but neglected to state which station individual trains left from. We could make a fairly well informed guess from the arrival times in Pontevedra but to the uninformed that site was less than useful! And there would be little point in turning up at one station for a train and hoping that you could make it quickly to the other if you were in the wrong place. Crazy stuff!

We made it in the end, however, despite the bus to Urzáiz railway station arriving late and then our being held up while we had to put our luggage through the security scan system at the station. Vigo Urzáz station clearly has aspirations of grandeur. But then so does Pontevedra station. I suppose you can't be too careful these days!

Anyway, we got here and trundled our bags down the hill from Sanxenxo bus station to the hotel, reflecting that it was quite hot but not as hot as it has been some years on our arrival. We usually have a heatwave for the tournament. There is time yet!


Last night, as we checked train times for the umpteenth time in one of our local wifi-providing bars, I noticed that the football team on the TV was dressed in yellow. The Cádiz canaries. As they scored a goal I sent a message to my sister, who lives just across the bay from Cádiz and supports the canaries. It turns put that she and her son were there - on the front row too! Needless to say, I did not notice them!

In my friend Colin's blog yesterday he put a link to advice on keeping cool in the heat of (especially southern) Spain. This included standing near or even in fountains. I now read that such activity might get you into trouble in Italy.

"Rome is cracking down on anyone hoping to recreate Anita Ekberg’s dip in the Trevi fountain in the film La Dolce Vita, imposing fines for bad behaviour in and around the city’s watery wonders. One of Italy’s most visited cities, Rome has long struggled to protect treasures such as the Colosseum and prevent tourists paddling in its sculpted fountains."

Apparently some fountains have been badly damaged by tourists paddling in them. Some people even take a naked dip in them. No respect!

The worst offenders are often football fans.

 However, a friend of ours, a fan of both Manchester United and Celta de Vigo said he was most impressed by the Manchester fans who turned up in Vigo to watch the recent match between the two teams.

Mancunians are pretty good! Well, most of them!