Almost one week done

June 19, 2014

         Hard to believe that we’re almost done with our first week in Spain. On Sunday we head off to Madrid to meet up with some friends from the U.S. We’ll just be there for one night before we return to Salamanca but hope to find time to get into the Reina Sofia or the Prado for a bit. If not, then we’ll be back in Madrid for a day before we catch our plane back to the U.S.

         Yesterday we went to the train station to get our tickets to Madrid. The station is the modern part of the city, which reminds me more of the kind of general apartment buildings and such that you see in other European cities. The old sandstone buildings that we’ve been showing here seem mainly to be in the old part of the city, where we’ve been spending almost all of our time.

Grace continues to enjoy her class and I’ve been productive working at Casa de las Conchas. We’ve already tried most of the items in the local bakeries, including the many types of galletas, their version of empanadas (which is more like calzone with pastry crust), and the local specialty of hornazos, a kind of local pasty or meat pie stuffed with a specific blend of meats (chorizo, pork loin, and egg is the standard mix according to the internet but ours seemed to have had another type of meat and no egg). We’re heading out this evening for a Tapas tour organized by Grace’s school.

some of the galletas on display on our corner bakery 

Two of the stuffed pastries for sale at most bakeries. The empanada here is very different from the Latin American version.

With a jamon y queso empanada. You order a section of a gigantic piece that takes up a whole baking sheet.

The distinctive lattice tops of the empanadas here

The hornazos don't have the lattice tops.

Many of the old buildings are labeled with this calligraphy

Another view of Casa de las Conchas (the public library)

Looking towards the entrance to Casa de las Conchas. This guitarist or another musician is set up there most days.

A few hours before the Spain world cup game people were already getting ready. Lots of the restaurants have outdoor seating with a big screen TV.

Getting pumped up in the Plaza Mayor

Preparing tables for watching the Spain game

All sides of the plaza had TVs going.

a view across the plaza

We passed by lots of these types of outdoor TV set-ups on our walk back.

Not everyone seems to have been rooting for Spain

There are giant stork nests on top of several of the old churches 

Note the storks hanging out on top of the chimney on the left. This is the view of the cathedral from inside Casa de las Conchas.