Medina del Campo

Sigh.

So many cities to love, so little time!!

After my one-night stand with Oporto I felt like I surely couldn't fall in love again.... Until.. Salamanca grabbed me by the heart (and sweat glands).

The lazy crowds on hot-summer evening streets, strolling in linen and sundresses through centuries-old red tinted golden sandstone, savoring ice cream amidst countless monumental buildings that are joyfully still in use; the sounds of church bells, live music, and happy children; the sparklingly clean stone streets; and the smells and flavors of fantastic food; I found myself happily trying to do ALL THE THINGS despite knowing our affair could last only two nights.

In the morning I devoured the history of Europe's first University City, and ran around as much as I could before the day's heat drove me first to a shady meal and eventually to a cool bed to nap off the meal. Evening brought low-light color to the red-gold of the stone. Salamanca's signature coloration comes from the centuries of oxidation of Villamayor sandstone which is naturally a blond color that shifts golden with the expression of oxides exposed to sun, water and time. ( Read more here: https://wp.me/p4Br14-4K )

Added to that natural process, centuries of exuberant students used a combination of bull's blood, pimentón, and olive oil to paint "vitorias" - celebratory graffiti - upon graduation from their studies with a doctoral degree. The text has a typical style/symbology that has been incorporated into the street names and businesses... Giving a whimsical/historical vibe that made me smile again and again. If smiling is a problem for you, beware: Salamanca had me again and again. Your mileage might vary.

I couldn't possibly share all the goodness.... Highlights included a very affordable 2hr walking tour, several meals worthy of repeating, world-class people gawking, kids playing in a fountain to beat the 95° (35°) heat, catching the bells and views from the Cathedral tower, meeting some wonderful people and hearing about their travels, sipping a cool beer at the favorite college bar of some close friends, a live band of bards in the Plaza, a very talented street guitarist, finding the famous frog on the facade, watching the river curl through reeds under an old roman bridge, wondering at the hauntingly beautiful sounds as they tuned the cathedral organ, and generally feeling wonderful as hot dry breezes caressed me.

Hasta luego, Salamanca. Lo nuestro fue breve pero bonito.Read more