Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Salamanca

As my classes on Friday were cancelled last minute, it was time for a impromptu overnight trip! When my sister studied abroad in Spain years ago she was based in Salamanca, and because of her stories I have always wanted to visit. I also know that the university there is one of the oldest in Europe, and because of that it attracts students from all over the globe. I figured the city must be young and full of energy, and for that I also wanted to visit. I posed the idea to Nacho Friday morning, and him being the smart, organized planner he is, quickly jumped online and found an airbnb room for us to stay that night. Within the hour we were on the road (with me behind the wheel!) to make the two hour trip west, into the autonomous community of Castilla y León, into the Province of Salamanca, to its capital city.


Found this style of graffiti all over the city








We spent a cold but sunny Friday afternoon exploring the Old City. After a warm menú del día from a local mesón we lazily wandered our way through the streets. Sites included the old and new cathedrals (new used quite relatively here as the cathedral was constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries..), the beautiful plaza mayor, the university, and Casa de las Conchas. Favoring a siesta over more cold sightseeing and with our minds already thinking about a night of tapas and drinks, we headed to our airbnb home to recuperate.




That evening was for amazing jamon and vino tinto, tapas and drinks, more tapas and more drinks. I found the free tapas to be bigger in Salamanca than in many places in Madrid- a definite plus for Salamanca. As the night grew on and we moved from relaxed sit-down bars to more club-like places, the crowds seemed to get younger and younger. It was then that I realized how much I've changed since my college days. These days I prefer my drinks with tapas, my bars with seats, and music low enough to still allow for conversation. I even turned down a free gin and tonic at the end of the night- what has happened to me!?




The trip was a short but wonderful break from reality. Our host gave us an amazing free breakfast spread Saturday morning with everything we could ask for (from churros to homemade yogurt!) and we were home by 2pm to get some sleep and recover after a late night out. Salamanca was good to me, and I was happy to share another city with the best travel partner a girl could ask for. 

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