October 1, 2022: On the last day of our group tour, we learned about conger eels, lace-making, and barnacle harvesting. We ended with a flaming grog toast to our time together.
The harbor at Muxia
The shell of St. James posted near the Muxia harbor pointing the way.
The Muxia shore.
Boats dockside
Murals seem to be a big thing in Galicia. This is one of several at the seafood processing building in Muxia.
Originally barnacle harvesting was done by women, as depicted in this mural. Now it’s mostly done by men wearing lots of safety gear. It is dangerous work.
Not sure what’s happening in this mural, but it sure appears to depict the dependence on women in the seafood industry.
This mural is inside the fish processing building.
Our guide Paula shows us a portrait of a gooseneck barnacle.
These look like ropes from a mussel farm, but they are obviously done with them or something to that effect, because what’s on them is not mussels!
In 2002 the oil tanker Prestige wrecked off the coast of Muxia. People came from all over Spain, Europe, and indeed the world to help with the cleanup. These pictures on display at the fish processing facility brought our guide Paula to tears as she told us about the accident and the damage to the seafood industry and the coming together of so many people to help.
While we were waiting for the next part of our adventure, we stopped at a cafe in Muxia and continued our quest for excellent Spanish thick hot chocolate.
Dried conger eel is a Galician delicacy. We learned how they were processed before European Union regulations and how they are processed today.
Conger eel ready for cleaning and processing
Processing begins with removing the innards and splaying the skin. Slits are cut throughout the body to facilitate even drying.
The cutting part of the process is complete. This is the result.
The next step is to insert a wooden rod for hanging the conger eel up to dry.
And it’s ready to go.
In the time prior to Spain’s membership in the EU, conger eels were hung out to dry in the sun on large outdoor racks.
The is what the full old-fashioned drying rack looks like.
Today conger eels are dried in special drying chambers that satisfy EU regulations.
Here is a conger eel completely processed and dried, ready to be shredded into the delicacy to be found on restaurant menus and grocery shelves.
We walked up to a bluff on the shoreline, where we had a picnic snack and tried our hands at harvesting gooseneck barnacles.
On our way to harvest barnacles we passed this bell tower located across a little plaza from Igrexa de Santa María de Muxía.
A Ferida is a monument to the wreck of the oil tanker Prestige. The symbolism of the ship breaking in two is clear.
Often pilgrims on the Way of St. James end their journey here, and leave their hiking shoes tucked into the monument.
Our group walked down the bluff to the Virgin Rock where we had a picnic.
At the picnic we ate a traditional almond cake embossed with the emblem of the Knights of the Order of St. James.
The view of the shore from the Virgin Rock. The church of Our Lady of the Boat is in the background. We went there later.
Boulders at the shore at low tide where we went barnacle hunting.
Our host Santee demonstrates the technique for harvesting barnacles.
Santee uses an iron scraping tool to dislodge the barnacles.
Tour group member Jasmine gives it a try.
Success. Two goose-neck barnacles!
Sea urchins too!
William takes a turn harvesting barnacles.
After our barnacle harvesting we reviewed the haul back at the picnic site.
We walked back into town to Santee’s restaurant Mesón O Prestige (named after the shipwreck) to try some barnacles and conger eel.
We went to the Mesón O Prestige restaurant.
Shipwrecks along the Muxia coast. The Prestige tanker wreck is in the center.
Tour members getting ready to eat barnacles and empanadas.
Our first beer in a long time. It turns out that Estrella Galicia is very popular throughout Spain.
Gooseneck barnacles up close and personal.
Peeling the barnacle in preparation for eating.
The final product. When you place the barnacle in your mouth, you squeeze the remaining shell and the meat pops out.
Yum. ?
Not sure what these are, but we think they are deep-fried battered seaweed.
Our host Santee serves us rice seasoned with conger eel. You can’t see the eel because it is used in its shredded form. It tastes briny.
We went to the bobbin lace society, chaired by Santee’s aunt.
Elaine tried this and it took tremendous concentration but these ladies act like they can do it in their sleep.
Another bobbin lace maker.
Elaine poses with Santee’s aunt.
Santee’s aunt gave Elaine a bracelet on which Elaine could make a wish.
We took a long walk through Muxia to the Church of Our Lady of the Boat where we celebrated a final tour farewell with flaming grog.
Fishermen along the coast near the church.
Preparing the grog.
Elaine takes her turn stirring the grog.
Paula gets the flames up high.
Santee prepares to serve the grog to our tour group, after a Galician incantation.
