Salamanca 1

In the morning bright sunshine lit up the plaza. The air was cool but not cold. I found breakfast in a cafe on the plaza. On the local bus to the station a woman, sensing that I wanted to get off, pressed the bell on my behalf.

En route to Plasencia we crossed the Tajo (which becomes the Tejo in Portugal, meeting the Atlantic near Lisboa), the longest river in Iberia. From the pictures it looks like we travelled on the N-630, a narrower highway than the N-66, because of these views of the catchment area. It was lovely, wild landscape reminiscent of Tasmania.

Skies were clear and cloudless. We passed a drover and sheep. The bus had a two way radio. I wondered how they could get reception in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere.

Plasencia felt like a mountain town, with its proximity to forests and lakes.

Between Plasencia to Salamanca the verdant countryside was reminiscent of France but the sunshine was unmistakably Spanish. The road was tortuous in sections requiring frequent gear changes. Snow topped sierras could be seen in the distance. From time to time we crossed bridges over deep ravines. (Looking at maps it seems Spain has unkinked some bends since, making the route less exciting now.)

Approaching Salamanca, the landscape flattened out. After commuting into the city centre by bus, I looked for an eatery. I settled on the Restaurant Bardo which offered vegetarian fare, but it turned out to be excellent. Soup for starters, then cauliflower with sauce and a vegetarian pastry. Dessert was pears poached in cinnamon syrup. The musical stave decorations on the wall gave the establishment a nice ambience.

I checked in at the Fonda Lisboa. I got the room on the top floor, with a view of the street but roller shutters to darken the room for siesta.

At the the appointed evening hour, I met up with G. We had supper at a student comedor, then walked around the city before drinks at a quiet bar with chess and checkers players. By the time we finished, the cafes were taking in tables. It was a chilly night and I was glad to burrow under the sheets.