Of Octopus and Saints

So, it turns out that I just happened to move to Lugo during the biggest festival of the year--San Froilan. It's like a mix between the Rhody Fest and the Puallup Fair, but at the same time not at all.

I'm not sure what exactly the history is behind it--who San Froilan was or what he might have been famous for but it must have been something pretty awesome to get such a big festival in his honor. The celebrations last pretty much all month, although after the first week everything calms down a lot. There were firework shows at the start and end of the first week, and a zillion stands and rides and games were set up in the town center. The city also puts on parades and music shows (both traditional and modern), magic shows and fashion shows featuring traditional Galician dress.

People come from all over Spain to see the festival, mainly from the villages in the province of Lugo. (the city and the province have the same name. this can be confusing.)

The main attraction of the festival is the traditional San Froilan delicacy. Pulpo. My coordinating teacher, Julián and his wife Sofía took me out for lunch a couple days ago to one of the many pulperías. We went to a real restaurant, but near the attractions there is a whole row of portable restaurants (more than stands, they have tables and kitchens and pleasant lighting inside) that real pulperías from around Lugo (the province) set up for the month. Usually they are booked full the entire month, but because of the crisis they were nearly empty when I walked by, just before lunch time on a sunday. Even the restaurant we went to was fairly slow.

We had wine and empanadas first. They cooked the pulpo in the copper pot you see in the background.

Sprinkled with spicy paprika and sea salt, served with bread and toothpicks.

Curly tentacles. 

Not at all like squid like I expected, but quite good.