With information about us, our dogs, our experiences, the surrounding areas, the people, where what to buy and everything else we want to share with the world. In short: how we went to Galicia, Spain, and how to live here!
Around 15 years ago we settled in the Northwest of Spain in a small village in Galicia. The region is getting more popular every year with foreign tourists but all the more with Spaniards, especially by Spaniards from the region Madrid and Barcelona. So in the traditional vacation period from mid July until mid september the population here doubles or triples. Nevertheless, we are not the only foreigners who discovered the region for permanent settlement. English, Germans, French, Belgians, even people from Finland, South Africa and as far as Australia found a place here. And of course Dutch, we are not the only ones here.
Before our life here we worked and lived in Holland, more specific in a town called Helmond nearby Eindhoven. Herman was a professional soldier for over 12 years in the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), worked as an aircraft technician at KLM and his last job was Software Engineer at DAF Trucks N.V. in Eindhoven. I worked as a teacher and after that as an executive secretary at PHILIPS Semiconductors, later on NXP. And until July 2002 we had a busy life, but that all changed on the 15th of July at 10.07pm. Herman collapsed and was gasping for air while lying on the ground. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance to the first aid post. While slowly loosing his consciousness a diagnosis was made: pulmonary embolism. During treatment Herman slipped into a coma, which nearly killed him, resulting in a 48 days stay in the ICU.
Unnecessary to say that a long stay in the ICU comes with unpleasant consequences. And on top of that all severe sleep apnea was diagnosed. All that changed our view on our life. Thus time for a rigorous change!
After weighing the pros and cons of emigration, and after seeing an episode of "Geen weg terug" (a dutch tv show) we decided in 2007 to go for it. In July 2007 we went for a vacation (the first one in years) to Galicia, a region with lots of nature in peace and quiet. Just what the doctor ordered. After looking at some houses and old farms we decided to buy a rural house, build in 1850 and abandoned for more than 20 years. Nothing more than a ruin but it had a electricity connection and it's own water well.
We left for Spain in January 2008. To get an impression where we were going to live have a look at some pictures of our house in its original state. The first 8 month we camped in the bedroom, the rest of the house was a work in progress. We definitely left the luxury behind us...
Well enjoy our website and have fun reading about us,
Margot
Tuesday, 22. October 2024 from Margot