Without a GPS you can get lost and still find something.

I seldom rent automobiles, but in Galicia I did. I wanted to wander the countryside. My grandfather was from Meira, and I drove hoping to find something of myself in the mountains or rivers or small villages. I didn’t. But the trip was memorable because of sites I didn’t expect.

Travel is about learning, experiencing new and unexpected things whether they are eye-pleasing sites or memorable people. Without a GPS my trips are random, spontaneous, and full of surprises. If I get lost I can ask for directions and talk with someone, have a conversation. I never regret wandering without a GPS.

On this trip, because I didn’t have a GPS, I got lost. Because I was lost, I found Galicia.

With a GPS I would have missed some experiences which I tried to capture here. Above is a bridge built in the 1700s over 300 years ago. The solitude, the bridge, the greenery, and the silent symphony of the crystalline water’s susurrus all made me wonder at the beauty of a place of which my grandfather never spoke.

Below is an image I had to go back for. I was on a small road, making the turn on a tight hill. I gasped at all this unexpected beauty. As soon as possible I had the car parked and I walked back up the hill to capture this Romanesque church and hillsides painted with yellow flowers. One of the things that comes to my mind when I think of Galicia is this image.

Finally, a short walk through some woods took me to this idyllic place with a clear stream and singing birds. The bridge is elegant in its strength and simplicity. It is an engineering marvel. From the 8th C, this stone bridge supports itself. No mortar, no buttresses, nothing. Just expert masonry. A short walk through some woods took me to this place.