The climate in Galicia, and in northern Spain in general, can be tough, much tougher than in the rest of the country. I’m not talking about temperature extremes; central Spain certainly has more of those. What I mean are the atmospheric conditions: rain, wind, storms, cyclogenesis… Here, we’ve got wind and rain in every variety you can imagine.
And if, like me, you were born on the coast, all of that intensifies. I spent my early years in the village of Bares, which is absolutely beautiful when the weather is kind, but more often than not, you get wind, rain, and humidity all at once, creating a particularly harsh combination. I remember being at the town festival, which takes place during Easter, wearing a coat buttoned up to my nose, feeling hurricane-force winds slap against my face, and watching apocalyptic rain soak everyone in sight. Yet somehow, the Monday after the festival always dawned bright and sunny. Maybe Mother Nature was trying to tell us something… who knows.
The fact is, the weather here is quite unique, and I’m convinced it shapes who we are to a large extent. We Galicians walk around with red cheeks and ears, we love a hearty meal, and getting wet in the rain is just part of life. Bad weather is woven into our everyday reality.
And the same goes for the landscape. Galicia’s vibrant green is a direct result of the rain we receive throughout the year. The cows in our fields are happy, enjoying grass so thick and lush it’s practically gourmet. But it’s not just the rain that shapes our surroundings, the wind leaves its mark too. If you look closely, you’ll notice how our trees and shrubs take on curious forms. Much like us Galicians, who can sometimes be a little twisted, our vegetation has a quirky character too. A terriña shapes us all, and if it weren’t the way it is, for better or worse, we wouldn’t be the same either.
