Santiago di Compostella
19/May/2007 18:16 Filed in: Galicia
Concert day today. Cleaned the boat and then tried to sort out my e-mail arrangements on the new servers. Part of it was quite easy but there were some complications where what I had in front of me was inconsistent with the instructions given and I was being given error messages. Very frustrating so mailed a grumble to tech support..
Then I had an hour or two before the train left for Santiago. Spent the time relaxing in a street cafe being entertained by a bunch of old boys sitting outside the cafe opposite singing traditional Galician songs.
The train ride to Santiago is only around 45 minutes. I hadn't booked a hotel and while walking up from the station found one in a perfect location. The Hotel Hórreo was very close to the town centre and within walking distance of Multiusos Fontes Do Sar where the concert is being held. I think I got the last room. It was very comfortable and pretty reasonable at €40 per night.
There were two hours before show time at 20:00 so I went for a coffee and read the paper. The last few minutes of the FA cup with Spanish commentary was on the tele.
It was about a 30 minute walk to Multiusos and I would say the majority of the people I saw walking up were south of 30. There was no queuing to get into the hall and they had a way of serving drinks that I had not seen. One booth sells you a ticket which you take to another booth which gives you your drink. I had forgotten my old rule which is never ever to buy anything other than the entrance ticket to an event. They were selling drink tickets much faster than they were serving drinks and with pot luck as to who was served it took a long while to get my drink. Grrr.
Quite a nice venue but the concert was no way sold out. The floor was pretty full but the cheaper side seats were largely empty. We were to be entertained by the Van Morrison Orchestra of 7 musicians, two doowah girls and Van himself.
Proceedings started pretty well on time with Van coming on after one warm up number. I had been very disappointed with Van Morrison when I saw him play in Cheltenham a few years ago. Tonight he was in fine form and the band was good. Most of the songs were more recent and only towards the end did they play a few classics. The show finished after only an hour and a half with "Gloria" and that was it. No encore, lights on and you can all go home. It was still light outside at 21:30 and I was left thinking, well, is that it!
Back in the town centre other musical activity was taking place. More traditional street musicians who were very good and an excellent latin trio, I think from Cuba, playing on a council sponsored stage.
All in all a good musical day but not in the way I had expected.
Then I had an hour or two before the train left for Santiago. Spent the time relaxing in a street cafe being entertained by a bunch of old boys sitting outside the cafe opposite singing traditional Galician songs.
The train ride to Santiago is only around 45 minutes. I hadn't booked a hotel and while walking up from the station found one in a perfect location. The Hotel Hórreo was very close to the town centre and within walking distance of Multiusos Fontes Do Sar where the concert is being held. I think I got the last room. It was very comfortable and pretty reasonable at €40 per night.
There were two hours before show time at 20:00 so I went for a coffee and read the paper. The last few minutes of the FA cup with Spanish commentary was on the tele.
It was about a 30 minute walk to Multiusos and I would say the majority of the people I saw walking up were south of 30. There was no queuing to get into the hall and they had a way of serving drinks that I had not seen. One booth sells you a ticket which you take to another booth which gives you your drink. I had forgotten my old rule which is never ever to buy anything other than the entrance ticket to an event. They were selling drink tickets much faster than they were serving drinks and with pot luck as to who was served it took a long while to get my drink. Grrr.
Quite a nice venue but the concert was no way sold out. The floor was pretty full but the cheaper side seats were largely empty. We were to be entertained by the Van Morrison Orchestra of 7 musicians, two doowah girls and Van himself.
Proceedings started pretty well on time with Van coming on after one warm up number. I had been very disappointed with Van Morrison when I saw him play in Cheltenham a few years ago. Tonight he was in fine form and the band was good. Most of the songs were more recent and only towards the end did they play a few classics. The show finished after only an hour and a half with "Gloria" and that was it. No encore, lights on and you can all go home. It was still light outside at 21:30 and I was left thinking, well, is that it!
Back in the town centre other musical activity was taking place. More traditional street musicians who were very good and an excellent latin trio, I think from Cuba, playing on a council sponsored stage.
All in all a good musical day but not in the way I had expected.