Nothing stops a Demo

Today I heard loud voices in the street.  At first I didn’t react.  I thought it is just some one having a fight but as the sound came closer, I realised this is a demonstration.  I looked out the window and there were as small group of people under their umbrellas walking down the street.

I couldn’t make out everything they were chanting but one phrase was clear, “Justice for Henry”.  I wondered who Henry was.  Was he a Galician nationalist being held as a political prisoner.

I put the question to one of the WhatsApp groups.  The answer is surprising.  Henry was a 34 year old Cuban who was going around La Coruña with a big metal bar smashing things.  When the police finally caught up with him, one of them shot him.  Henry is dead.  

If the newspaper report is to be believed, the case is not similar to unarmed and defenceless African Americans who have been killed by the police.

What is surprising is that so many people came out on a very rainy day to demand justice for Henry.

Bells are Ringing

This morning while walking along the Sarela, I heard the Cathedral bells.  They were such a welcome surprise.  I didn’t know they could be heard so far away, maybe a kilometre or even less as a bird flies.

The Energy of Youth

The other day as I was walking through the plaza in front of the Cathedral, I saw these children dancing.  I thought the wonder of the energy of youth.  Then I tried to remember if I ever had that much energy.

15 Seconds of Calm, July 25, 2023, Santiago de Compostela

During all the hubbub of the nationalist demonstrations on July 25th, the day of Santiago, I saw this little girl drawing.  I thought how wonderful.  She is so focused and calm.  Nothing is knocking her off her center.

Firemen’s Protest, July 13, 2023, Santiago de Compostela

I was in the market buying fruits and vegetables when I heard the whistles and firecrackers.  I kept shopping but eventually I thought, I better see what’s going on.  I videod the tail end of the demonstration.  Besides wanting more pay and better working hours, the firemen want better management.  Their flyer said the managers were a bunch of incompetent political hacks.  It’s about time, the workers point that out.

Street Music

When I walk home from the Philharmonic concerts, I pass the plaza in front of the Cathedral. Under the arches of city hall, there is always a group of singers, the Tuna, with a crowd around them. Then further on, under the arches of the post office, there is often a smaller group of Tuna. This night there were very few people listening to them but those who were, were really enjoying themselves.

Thank God They’re Going Home

For some reason there are excessive numbers of young people in town. No one knows why.  I have never seen so many people all at once in the almost nine years I have lived here.

The title expresses my sentiment that there are too many tourists/pilgrims.  

Even though I have been making videos for over ten years, I still don’t think like a videographer.  By that I mean, I see something interesting and my first impulse is to take a still picture.  After I have done the stills, I think, I should have taken that as a video.

Thursday I saw hoards of young people going to the bus station.  I took stills but when I got home I thought, it would have been better to take video.

As luck would have it on Friday, once again there were hundreds of young people going to the bus station.  Here is the video.

Obradoiro, July 7, 2023

They came in like an invading army with their flags flying and singing their victory songs.

Live by Mistake

One of the things I don’t like about the iPhone is that it is very easy to change the settings on the camera.  By mistake I took all these live pictures.   I was focusing on the faces of people.

I knew something was gong to happen in the Alameda because I saw the stage but I couldn’t find out what or when.  I arrived too late and just photographed the performers as they were unwinding. More people leave Galicia each year than are born.  Like their Celtic cousins the Irish, the Galicians keep their identity alive. These people came from all over Latin America with their instruments and costumes to perform in Santiago.

Like Fireworks

I was finishing a long walk, 20 km, around the perimeter of Santiago. When I arrived at the Obradoiro, I got caught in a thunder storm. As I stood under and eave, I thought the rain coming out of the gargoyles and splashing looked like fireworks.