Pulpo Festival, part 1

The day after the medieval festival, we drove to Galicia for their pulpo (octopus) festival. It was an incredible day with several stops of really cool locations. So great that I had over 60 pics to share with you...that is one long blog post! So I'm splitting the day into two parts!

We started off by stopping in this village. I don't remember the name of it, but it is nicknamed the gateway to Galicia, because it is very close to the border. And it was a very quaint and cool looking village.

With some old builidngs

And cool looking houses. I'd love to live in this house!

After driving through a bit of the village, we got out and walked around. Here are both boys, ready for an adventure! Though Coen doesn't look too ready...probably because Cael has a death grip on his neck!

I took a pic of this yellow wall because I've seen quite a few walls throughout various cities in Spain. León and I think Toral has a wall painted this color. Interesting!

Love the window boxes and store fronts

Here's the gang starting to walk down this narrow and very cool street

Love how it's so narrow!

We walked by this super cool building

And past another very cool street with impressive coblestones. A lot of the streets had cobblestones, actually, which I remember because our stroller with teeny wheels did not do so well on them!

And then we were off. Driving by this very old looking building.

And into the "Comunidade de Galicia," a sate to the west of Castilla y León, the state we live in.

Into the village of the pulpo festival. The village was actually kind of just this main street and I think people come from all over to eat some pulpo!

I walked up and saw this!

Whoa! Purple octopus!

Kind of disturbed, I took a step back and took this lovely couple's picture. Jona and Lara; she is my Spanish teacher and my friend! Love them!!

This is the festival from afar; there are a few booths with tables. You sit at an open/empty table and they bring you pulpo!

Gathering my courage back up, I walked closer for more of an inspection...they have these vats...

Filled with purple water! I think they use the ink from the octopus to cook them in, which turns the water purple. I think! Purple, foaming water. YUMMM...

And they use these hooks to raise the octopus from the water

Put them on the boards and, using scissors, snip them into bite size pieces...

Kaarin, this picture is for you...Tan took my camera to get a group shot. He handed it back to me with this below picture on it and told me, which I quote, "This is for your blog"! Love Tan and Kaarin and we are very, very thankful for them!!

Here we all are, ready for some pulpo!

I was sitting at the table, waiting, and the server all of a sudden brings this plate to the table. Inches from my face. I gasped and jumped! Ha! Must be my absolute terror of snakes...

They had the most amazing bread. Best I've eaten! Ever!! Here is Coen and I, pre-pulpo...

We gave Coen an octopus piece...would he eat it? Yes, he did. I didn't even realize I was making these faces. I was super grossed out!


Coen loved the octopus and ate a ton. I couldn't handle it being in such close proximity to me, however, and passed Coen off to Gus!


And yes, of course, Gus ate pulpo. Lots of it. Tentacles and all.

I, on the other hand, just could not do it. I.just.could.not. They were too "serpenty" for me. And I could not get past the tentacles. I just couldn't. Gus really wanted me to. But it was one thing I just could not get my mind past. And there is no disguising purple octopus tentacles! Thankfully, they served steak. Very, very yummy steak!
Oh and Cael ate pulpo too. But not as much as Coen. He ended up eating chorizo, which was also served alongside the steak!

Would you have eaten the pulpo?