We are now parked up just inside the Spanish border, not that you would know it. Very hilly and the river is quite narrow. Apparently the Douro starts from a spring in the Spanish mountains. Virtually all the boat went on this tour as it was so popular. 2 hour drive to the city, which is 800m above sea level, so the drive took you up to the top of the hills, then across a large flat plain to the city. You definitely felt elevated.
A view of the country side close to where the boat parked up.
It is very scrubby with hardly any houses, no people, but different oak trees in fields with broken stone walls. It is the area where they breed bulls and cattle (including for bull fighting).
Spot the cattle! or so-called bulls.
The power lines are a different shape to ours.
The landscape got more cultivated and looked after. Those are a variety of oak tree that the cattle munch on the leaves but also eat the acorns off them and give the meat an extra flavour.
Now onto the flat plain where fields ploughed ready to plant grain and wheat.
Hay making all over the place
Now in Salamanca which is a city of many old historical buildings. We did a walking tour and ended up in this gorgeous huge plaza, with food and umbrellas all around the outside to tempt the tourists. This is our lovely Annie and Stuart from Melbourne area who came with us. The weather was a cold wind but sunny, but in this sheltered place it was lovely and hot. There are apartments in the 3 upper stories that have been owned by the same families for centuries.
It took a while but we finally found a restaurant that made paella which we wanted for our first Spanish meal - with Spanish beer. It was sea food, so picked out the shells and gave them to the others!
Salamanca historic town is full of little streets, no cars, lots of cafes. The buildings are made of stone and the roads/pathways are large stone squares which are much easier to walk on than cobblestones. Very clean and well preserved.
There is a huge cathedral which is actually in two parts, the old part roman and the new part neo gothic. Not all gold and glitter but very impressive.
As we walked through the roman part of the cathedral there was a wedding happening (today is Saturday) and as we were walking back past the back area they came out so Annie and I became wedding crashers and stood close by and took picures1 One very classy lady in a big hat threw fire work crackers everywhere which were loud and scared everyone. Apparently a tradition of celebration here!
He kisses the bride and they throw tissue flowers over them.
I think I mentioned before about art deco being a big thing here, well this is the Art Deco museum of Salamanca. Dave refused to go in, but apparently it was amazing. You can't see so well but the windows are all stained glass pictures.
Down the hill there was a river which had this Roman bridge over it. Still has the old stone and for pedestrians.
Back to the Roman part of the cathedral, I mentioned there was a wedding going on. Apart from being surrounded by tourists walking through, there was also old crypts and there were graves inbuilt in the floor they were walking on.
So the brides father and grooms mother stand up with the couple.
This is the organ, which was massive and playing as we walked around the new cathedral.
Lots of little alcoves with glittery gold plated shrines, A very agonised Jesus,
As a building very impressive. These are the doors in with carved art around the outside.
This was the university of Salamanca - the oldest in Spain. Lots of students around dressed in crazy costumes. I think it was either celebrating end of exams, or finishing the year or start of exams!
Can you see these? I thought they were small toffee apples but after sucking on them a while they are toffee grapes!
Very crowded streets but it was a Saturday.
This busker was making his puppet play a violin to music, with a very bored dog behind.
Dave was horrified at the wonderful wirring on the outside walls.
Believe it or not this is a stork nesting in the bell tower with babies in the nest!
The main plaza again.
The guide took us to an indoor food market by the plaza. These are smoked hams. Can you see the price?379 E which is about $700nz. I kid you not! I questioned the guide about the price and apparently the pigs were acorn fed so hence the high price!
Lots of different olives.
The food market was in a large hall with art-deco stained glass windows around it. Lovely.
More storks onto top of power lines!
This long salami was $100nz approx.
I loved Salamanca as a city - very historical and the students around the old town made it even better. Surprisingly it is a tourist city, but only some restaurants had an English version (hard with tapas being the main way to go) and the waiters had very poor English. Luckily, we found one who was great and served us even tho we weren't his table. Everyone was rather tired and quiet when we returned 2 hours later.
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