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Other entries in Salamanca

Toledo - Madrid - Salamanca

Well well...was incapacitated for a few days there...once I finally had a chance to relax in Toledo, my immune system decided it was gonna get some rest too...I ended up with what I'm calling my "Spanish flu"...although it was actually a cold. Stayed in my comfortable hostel in Toledo for an extra day just so I could recover. Aside from the cold, Toledo was amazing. I spent all day Friday visiting imposing cathedrals and museums with peaceful and sunny courtyards. Quite wonderful. But as always, it's the surprises that are the best parts of discovering a new place. In Toledo, there were many many surprises: first, I found this cathedral with two towers that you could climb, which gave you a view of the whole city. Second, there was the statue of Cervantes framed by this amazing Mujédan gate right next to the Plaza Zocodover (the central square in Toledo). Third and most surprising: I hadn't realized how big a deal the Epiphany was in Spain. They call it the Feria de los Reyes, I think. It happens on January 5 & 6, and it marks the end of the holiday season. Spontaneously, around 6 p.m. on Friday, Toledo's inhabitants all gathered in the main plaza, and you could sense that something was going to happen. I decided to stick around. It was a lovely ceremony and parade where the Three Kings walked into the Plaza Zocodover on horses and were welcomed into the city.

This morning I was feeling better, so I took the train from a very foggy Toledo back to Madrid, but I just crossed it by metro to get to Chamartin station, where I got on another train for Salamanca. It was so nice to see the countryside along the way. Found a little room in a hostel right smack on the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, not as nice as the Pension Castillo in Toledo, but I need to save some dinero!! I'll look for something better tomorrow if I decide to stay for another day. There's lots to explore in Salamanca, which is known for its ancient university and its limestone buildings. The Plaza Mayor is especially beautiful, even more so at night.  

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