Day 32
San Pedro de Rosadas to Salamanca 25kms
I don’t understand people sometimes…Last night we stayed in
this costly, little hostel and because it was a little more expensive than your
average hostel I expected something a little more. Well…it didn’t even have a
toilet seat. I went back to the very unfriendly woman at the bar and asked her
if she had a room with a toilet seat. She just looked at me as if I was sooo
demanding and mentioned something under her breath about how that would be
extra. Can you imagine that happening…??? Anyways.. I got a little angry and
told her there was no way I was paying full price for a room without a toilet
seat. I won in the end and then it turns out we were the only ones in the
hostel. Now I know why. We would have gone elsewhere but the two other
albergues in the village were closed.
The walk to Salamanca this morning was very pleasant.
The morning air was
cool and the walk meandered up and down through wheat fields. Because the
terrain is fairly flat, the sun seemed to rise very early, casting long shadows
as we walked northwards.
We also seemed to be able see Salamanca for a long time
before reaching it.
Upon entering Salamanca, as per the usual “Roman City”, we
walked in on the Roman Bridge, into the ancient city part. Again, it was most
beautiful. What a gorgeous city it is!!!!
Day 33 Rest Day in
Salamanca
DIDGERREEDOO….. Yahoo!!!!! Rest day !!! I had no idea how much we needed it until we
got it. Fortunately we are staying in a 4 star hotel, for just a few more euros
than last night and it even has a toilet seat.
Salamanca is a university city
and one can feel the life and energy abound. It’s full of youth and vibrancy. Salamanca
University was founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX and became Spain’s most important
university. Internationally its reputation grew rapidly, such that, within 30
years Pope Alexander IV proclaimed it equal to Oxford, Paris and Bologna, the
greatest universities of the day.
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| The old Cathedral |
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| The Plaza Mayor |
Some fun Salamanca facts:
The Frog
The facade of University of Salamanca, carved in stone, conceals a small frog… on the skull.
The legend says that all the students who come to Salamanca have to look for the frog. If they find the frog, they will pass their exams and will have good luck. So that’s the legend ‘sold’ to tourists. The alternative story gives the frog on the skull a deeper meaning, i.e. the frog is a symbol of a sexual temptation and the skull a symbol of a failure (or death). Thus, according to the legend, the frog on the skull warned the students to beware of women, to stay away from them because they might make them not pass their exams, make them miserable and even kill them (students used to associate with prostitutes that spread various contagious disease, some of them incurable).
Monday Waters (Lunes de Aguas)
In 16th century King Felipe II, ordered that all prostitutes residing in Salamanca had to leave the city during the Lent and Holy Week (so students could study and get involved in the Lent). They would go to another side of the river El Tormes. When Holy Week finished, prostitutes would return to the city crossing the river by boats. Students, after such a long time of a sexual abstinence, would go to the river to give a warm welcome to the prostitutes with drinks and hornazo (kind of a pie, very typical of Salamanca).
Until now, Salamancans go to the riverside on Easter Monday with their families to have a picnic, drink, eat hornazo, chat with their friends and enjoy a day (but no longer to await the returning prostitutes).
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