A rest day in a city of incredible beauty, it's like a walk through a history museum, and a place where it appears everyone is out and about and part of the action. We slept in till 7:30 when Jenny's restlessness became too much and a coffee was necessary. Even in the early hours the streets were alive with early morning folk, starting their day with coffee and breakfast, a great many delivery vans providing the many cafeterias with freshly baked delicacies for the insatiable appetites.
There appears to be little English spoken, the masses of tourists Spanish or European. But there are literally thousands exploring the fascinating features of the old town. Interestingly, there are numerous groups - tour groups but also masses of young school groups. They are constantly walking the streets, backwards and forwards, never ending.
And then there are the many university students, suddenly flooding the streets presumably as their classes conclude or before they commence. Over 30,000 youthful university students from 50 different nationalities actively injecting themselves into the spirit of Salamanca. This is where you find all those young adults who have left their home towns / countries to embark on new adventures, a whole new beginning in their youthful lives. And here their youth and fashion sense is a tribute to the 70’s, and it occurs to me there are few here who could recognise that, oh dear!
As well today the Mayoral Square workers commenced constructing rows of cubicles in rapid time, for a celebration commencing this weekend - Feria de Libre (6th to 14th May). The centre part of the square is cordoned off and local police are present to control the process and safeguard the transit of people and trucks through a very narrow access lane. We are grateful that we got to witness the Plaza Mayor without the clutter of this recent addition.
Several times today we crossed paths with the Dutch ladies (Sonya and Margarita) who have decided they have had enough - one more stopover (Zamora, a recommended highlight) and then they will head home. What is a tad sad about that is that, along with Isabelle, they are the original pilgrims who we met on Day 1 of our camino out of Seville. I don’t believe there are any others, except for Isabelle, that we are likely to cross paths with again.
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