September 29, 2022: Another busy day! We met a local clam digger who told us about how clam diggers make a living in Cambados. She supplied us with protective gear, and we went to dig some clams (on a catch-and-release basis).
Low tide on the Ria de Arousa. Rias are estuaries.
Another horreo! This one was originally used for drying fish, instead of storing grain.
Our clam-digging guide made the point that when times are tough, nothing is wasted. Here clam shells were used for siding.
Closeup of the clam siding.
William strives to dress like a clam-digger
Elaine and William ready to dig.
Our group received last-minute instructions. Anything we found we had to put back, because as tourists we did not have clam-digging licenses.
The pro demonstrates the use of the rake.
There were three different types of shellfish for which we were digging. Each has specific size minimums.
William digging for clams!
Elaine got one.
Professional clam-diggers walk toward the shore with their gear.
Walking to the clam-digging area.
Professional clam diggers at work throughout the estuary shallows, at low tide.
Cambados houses near the estuary.
Photographic mural of the clam diggers at work.
While we were clam-digging, our guide, Paula, was very cagey about our plans for the rest of the day. We knew it involved a boat, but nothing else. Then we met Isidro, and the second part of our day’s adventures began. What followed was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip.
Isidro’s boat. Deck hands on board.
Isidro meets our tour group.
Our group on Isidro’s boat.
Paula translates as the deck hand gives us information about mussel farming. This was our day to wear gear!
Cruising out to the mussel farms in the estuary.
One of many mussel farms we passed on our way.
Isidro clambors about the boat raising the rain shields since the morning rain had stopped.
The deck hand shows us the material used to attach baby mussels to ropes that hang from the mussel-farm platform. More details to follow…
The deck hand ties the boat to the mussel-farm platform. The platform is anchored to the bottom of the estuary, but it still is a floating work area, and is very dangerous in high seas. Ropes are tied at intervals to the platform and hang in the water holding baby mussels wrapped in the material shown previously. The cross bars on the platform are made of eucalyptus.
Elaine holds a baby mussel. Ahhh! (We’re not sure where they get the baby mussels. Where do they come from mommy?)
Isidro checking the mussel lines.
Kelp is another cash crop from the mussel farm.
Then Isidro surprised us with platters of grown-up mussels cooked to perfection.
Yum.
Elaine shows off one of the mussels. Our full meal included mussels, sardine empanadas, bread, and wine. Double yum.
Paula sounds the conch shell with the bread basket on her head. Why?
On the return trip, Isidro tells tour-group member Jasmine how to pilot the boat.
Isidro bounced around the boat energetically and boisterous as a Fellini character.
Paula tells us about seafood freshness labels, which are required throughout Spain.
After a brief but heart-felt conversation (in Spanish!) thanking Isidro for his mussel tour, we piled back on the bus. We drove to the restaurant Quinta de San Amaro in Meaño and cooked our dinner as a group, under the supervision of one of the restaurant chefs. Then we ate it!
This restaurant is a member of the Slow Food movement and specializes in Galician cuisine.
This very large horreo has been converted into a special spot for the restaurant and hotel.
Paula, our chef, and many of the raw ingredients are ready for our attack.
Squirmy razor clams.
The ever-important certificate, which shows that the navajas (razor clams) were harvested that morning.
Almeja babosas (clams), also harvested that morning.
Pieces of ray, ready for a potato/ray soup. It was not our favorite.
Elaine whips up the batter for some filloas (Galician crêpes) while tour group members work on other components of our meal. Shown are Rena and Jasmine.
The razor clams have been freed from their mesh bag. (But they don’t know what’s about to befall them)
Tour group member Johnathan rolls out some empanada dough, which William had assembled and kneaded some time before.
The chef showed us how to cook the filloas.
The chef spreads the filloa battern while tour group member Joe watches.
We all took turns cooking the filloas.
Here is a short video showing the grilling of the razor clams:
The feast.
Taking pictures of food was a favorite activity among tour group members.
Cooked razor clams.
Elaine showing off her filloa.
Farewell.
We ended the day with a walk around Santiago de Compostela, a cup of hot chocolate for William and a vermut rojo for Elaine at Café Literarios.
Santiago de Compostela: Cathedral, Mercado, and Lots of Food