Thurs. July 3/14 Salamanca Spain

I was excited about getting a "lunch allowance" from Kerstin!  We left  at 8 a.m. for Salamanca Spain.  It was a 2 hour drive but the bus was comfortable and I love seeing new scenery so it didn't seem long. The drive was through farm land with olive groves, cultivated fields and some black pigs which are famous in this area.  (This is not my picture but here's what they look like.) 

We arrived at Hotel Alameda Palace for a "comfort stop" before heading out on a walking tour of Salamanca.  

This lovely and comfortable Hotel was ours for the day so we had the choice to return to it any time. We had to be back by 2:30 for the Flemenco  Show and coffee break before returning by bus to the ship. It would have repositioned to Barca D'Alva while we were away. 

First we walked to The Plaza Mayor where we looked around while waiting for our local guides.  We had time to  visit the nearby market and have an espresso. 

 We broke into small groups to walk and learn about this gorgeous city.  The Plaza was once a bull fighting arena but is now used for concerts and is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.  

You couldn't help but be impressed by the gorgeous golden coloured sandstone buildings.  Salamanca is considered to be one of the best Renaissance Cities in Europe and home of another very ancient University which was commissioned in 1218 and is still vibrant.  

Even the graffiti is beautiful.

The university buildings are intermingled in the city and it was hard to say where the campus began or ended.  I could hardly imagine studying here.  The language spoken in Salamanca, Castillian, is considered to be the purest Spanish and people from all over the world come to learn it.

After leaving our guide we had time to stroll and find a place for lunch.  Tapas is what we were after so we found a bar along one of the streets and sampled various specialties I couldn't begin to pronounce or identify.  It was delicious! The restaurants,bars and cafes are numerous, as I have noticed in other places in Europe.  It's a wonder they can survive but I realize they are very much part of the culture.  Shops are closed mid day for siesta so where else would you hang out unless you went home?

After lunch we walked past closed shops (siesta time) and back to the Hotel for coffee and treats and the Flamenco presentation.  The dramatic songs and dances were quite entertaining.  

We got back to the ship in time for another lovely meal and evening on board.  As usual, we did not travel at night since navigating the Duoro requires all senses to be on full alert.