FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain
July 26, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain
Day 15 – Tuesday, July 24 – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain
Ávila
What I LIKE
- hot coffee only costs 2 Euro @ Parador
- 11:00 take 15 minute walk to the Art Nouveau Museum – 2 floors of bronze sculptures, ceramic & porcelain figurines, paintings, furniture & an incredible doll collection dating to 1860 – really beautiful!
- Garmin works!
- Euro is down to 1.20 to the dollar!
- much warmer this morning
- finally getting on “Spain Time” – get up late – drink wine with lunch – take siesta – wake up and repeat – go to bed late
- 1 hr drive to Ávila – OMG Camelot for sure! – another walled city
- free parking lot has security surveillance
- lunch – local dish of huge white beans & ham stew – nice mixed salad
Roman Aqueduct
- walking back to car realize we’re parked next to Police Station (what are the chances)
- 3:30 head off to Segovia – only takes 1 hr
- Parador sits high on the hill overlooking the “old city” – more panoramic views like Salamanca
Segovia Cathedral
- 7:30 take taxi to “old city”
- 1st stop – Roman Aqueduct – really massive & impressive
- 2nd stop – Cathedral – it too is really massive & impressive
- 3rd stop – Alcázar – palace too is really massive & impressive
- 4th stop – Plaza Mayor for dinner – mixed salad & grilled tuna – Juan Gil 18 – Jumilla wine – quite good!
- being serenaded on plaza by piano player
- love watching all the families out & about
- kids actually playing – no Ipods or computer games
What I DON’T LIKE
Alcázar
- paranoid about leaving car in lot with all of our luggage inside
Ávila Cathedral at City Wall
- really hot mid-day
- Parador is 20 years old & dated – too new for my tastes & too big & too expensive (prices have been all over the board depending on availability)
(FUN-fact) – The Paradors offer a 5 night card for 525 Euros. Much less expensive than we have been paying per night. Breakfast is not included but we don’t eat that much anyway. Breakfast charges have varied from 20 to 40 Euros for two people. We’d rather spend that money on lunch or dinner. When breakfast is included we always make a sandwich with the meats & cheeses and have it for lunch.
More FF (FUN-fact) – Segovia wins a Gold Medal for the most delightful, authentic local experience in our Travel Olympics.
FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca, Spain
July 25, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca, Spain
Day 14 – Monday, July 23 – Salamanca, Spain
University of Salamanca
What I LIKE
- another beautiful day – cool in morning
- computer is still working
- 10:30 – 12:30 nice walk through old town
- go to University – the oldest in Spain – built 1230
- McDonalds has coffee for 1 Euro – just off Plaza Mayor (coffee there costs 3 Euro)
- best lunch so far @ Parador – roasted peppers & tuna salad – broad bean & chorizo stew – nice white wine from Duero region
- take siesta
- happy hour on the large veranda overlooking the old city
- dinner @ Parador quite good – large plate of fresh grilled vegetables – grilled tuna on mashed potatoes – more nice wine from Duero region
What I DON’T LIKE
- computer screen reads “no operating system found” – take out battery & restart
- many businesses & tourist attractions are closed on Monday
- too much meat, cheese, bread & mayo for me
FF (FUN-fact) – There are many stores selling Ibérco ham in varying degrees of quality. 18 Euros for 100 grams (4 0z) of the best – acorn only fed pigs.
FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain
July 24, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain
Day 13 – Sunday, July 22 – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain
Salamanca Cathedral
What I LIKE
Plaza Mayor
- another beautiful sunny day
- turns out this Parador is 5 ***** and the “best address in Santiago”
- get map & directions out of town from reception
- get to Salamanca @ 3:30
- nice warm breeze blowing
- this Parador is new & sits high on the hill with stunning views of the cathedral & old town
- town is only half mile away
- nice walk to get there
- 4 pm happy hour @outdoor cafe
- 5 pm have snack of salad & lentils – yummy! & wine of course!
- cathedral & churches look splendid lit up @ night
- download new software update for Garmin
- sit outside sipping nice wine from Duero region before bedtime
Hanging Ham
What I DON’T LIKE
View From Parador
- GPS keeps freezing up
- seeing more & more graffiti
- still have to stop & ask how to get to Parador because streets have no signs
- no TP twice today & had tissues in car
FF (FUN-fact) – Driving across the middle region of Spain looks a lot like Arizona and El Centro. Dry grass and barren hills with small farms sprinkled across the landscape. Lots of sun flowers too.