Day: May 7, 2019

Young people

Post by Wynette

When we were at the botanic gardens, we came across these girls and a photographer getting ready to do a photo shoot. The girls were all giggling.
We see so many children. Birth rate must be up here. For a while I think it was dangerously low. Parents seem so loving and patient with their children.
It seems every trip we take to Spain, we come across a wedding. Here guests are waiting outside the church for the bride and groom and being entertained by a bagpiper, a drummer, and a baby.
The Gijón sign by the marina where people like to get photos taken. Proud grandma.
We enjoy sitting on a park bench and watching the children play. This little girl was being very bossy with the two younger boys.
Young couple at low tide
We see lots of families eating out.

Living in Gijón

Plaza San Miguel, a small park

Post by Wynette: Gijón certainly isn’t a tourist city. We’ve seen a few pilgrims passing through but that’s about it. There are probably Spanish tourists who we don’t recognize as such and many more of those who come here in the summer to avoid the heat of places like Madrid or Seville. (Many Spaniards own a second home or condo somewhere on the north coast of Spain. Housing was way overbuilt here before the 2008 crash. We presume housing is cheap.)

As a place to live, I think Gijón would be hard to beat, at least here in the center. It has its wonderful beach with miles of walking on the beach or on wide walkways along the beach and ocean. It has beautiful parks. It is tranquil and vibrant at the same time. Wonderful restaurants and bars and pastry shops, almost on every block. Most businesses appear to be locally owned. Lots of grocery stores and fruit/vegetable stands. Incredible bus system. People here seem relaxed and happy. It’s been a great place to spend 9 days.

A large park, Parque de Begoña. Church next to it reminds us of St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe.
Where the kids play in Parque de Begoña
Another corner of Parque de Begoña. There’s an outdoor cafe culture here. These are pretty much all local people.
We’ve noticed the younger people dress pretty casually, but the older people often dress up, just to go out and sit on a bench.
Dressed up to go shopping on the big pedestrian shopping street. The stores will either let her bring her dog inside or provide a place by the door to leave her dog.
Our neighborhood: Fruit/vegetable store next to The Blu Café, one of the cafes we like. Photo taken from bar where we go for coffee and sometimes breakfast. All a half block from our apartment.
Waiting for the bus at Plaza del Carmen