It's Snowing!

Monday, 29/04/2013 - Salamanca.


Got up this morning aware it would be a cold and rainy day. Had breakfast and got ready to go to school. As I exited the building I became aware that what was falling from the sky was not light rain, but SNOW!  So I walked to school with snow falling on my head. No wonder it was cold. Today has been the coldest day yet since I arrived. Really glad the apartment is heated. It continued to snow, lightly until about 10.00 am. When I finished classes at 3.00 pm and was walking home, the temperature was approx. 3 degrees. Not bad for spring!

The video below was taken in the courtyard of the school about half way through my first class.

Invierno en Primavera (Winter in Spring)

I mentioned the weather was somewhat changeable at this time of year. How about snow one month into Spring?

I caught the news today that showed pictures of heavy snowfall just a bit north of here.
I also found out that we had very light snowfall here in Salamanca as well. It was certainly cold enough last night and today to suggest snow was possible. The wind was very icy today as well. Still managed to spend some time with friends wandering around. I think my nose and ears are still thawing out (2 hours after I got home). Very bracing!

Mandy (from Holland) went on the excursion to Leon and Astorga yesterday and said it was very cold in both places. Both are north of Salamanca and a bit higher above sea level so I can imagine it was somewhat wintery there.

Forecast is for more cold weather (2 degrees overnight) and rain for most of this week. Hopefully by next weekend the warmer temperatures will have returned. Gillian, if you read this, you might just want to consider bringing a warm coat with you!

I'll let you all know when Spring decides to return!

Amusing Salamanca

Over the past 5 weeks in Salamanca, I have had the pleasure of wandering around (in the cold and wet & warmth & sunshine) this delightful old city. As I have a fondness for stone buildings, the older the better, I've had my share of ogling medieval sights etc.

During these ramblings, I've come across a few unusual things. Some are legend, some are curiosities. Below are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Just to give you some idea of the difficulty in finding these symbols, I've also included a photo of the entire doorway.

The Cathedral - the old and new cathedrals are side by side and basically form one very large building. Both are built more than 200 years ago. However, on the doorway of the new cathedral, there is distinctly a modern symbol.

Façade Main Doorway, Cathedral

Did you see him?


Salamanca has been given UNESCO work heritage status so a lot of preservation has been done on many of the buildings. Where there has been restoration, apparently there must be some acknowledgement of this fact. Hence the astronaut carved into the doorway.


The University - Salamanca has two universities: The Universidad Civil and the Universidad Pontifica (or Privada). On the Universidad Pontifica, there is an unusual carving of a frog. Legend has it that if you can find this frog, you will have success in your exams. However, I've also heard another that says if you find the frog, you will get married within one year. Hope it is the former not the later!

Façade, University

Section of Façade with frog

Here he is!


 Last but not least, the Huerta del Calixto & Melibea, a small park behind the cathedral and overlooking the city. This park has a reputation for being for lovers. Very pretty view, lots of lovely trees, benches and small gardens, with a wishing well. Sometime ago, somebody decided to leave a lock on the wishing well with the names of those in love. It has now become a symbol of your undying love for that person. The locks are on everywhere - on the well, on the fences etc.  One assumes each person kept a key and if things went sour, they would come and remove the lock?

 

Locks on Wishing Well, Huertas del Calixto y Melibea

Locks on fence, Huertas del Calixto y Melibea

One of the locks

 

It's all in the timing

A very short post. I just want to share a lovely photo I took on Tuesday. Perhaps I can start a new career as a bird photographer!. This little chap was singing his heart out. Very appropriate really as I took this picture at the Lover's Garden (Huerta del Calixto y Melibea).

Five down, One to go .....

I've now completed 5 weeks here with only one left in Salamanca. I'm a bit sad in a way because I have really enjoyed it here and met some lovely people, plus I really like my teachers. Also, the city is small, quiet, beautiful and generally very safe. The constantly changing weather at this time of year has been a challenge to my wardrobe but have managed quite well overall.  We've been fluctuating between winter and spring on an almost daily basis. It was rainy and very cold in the first 3 weeks, then we had one week of glorious spring weather, to be met with one day of winter (5 degrees or less) then one day of spring (24 degrees) the next day. Tonight it is forecast to be -2 overnight and possibly up to 12 degrees tomorrow. At least the sun is still shining and we haven't had a lot of rain again. This afternoon there was a  brief storm with hail but it didn't last long.  It is also my last weekend in Salamanca as next Saturday, I travel to Madrid to meet up with my friend Gillian from Melbourne. Really looking forward to that!!

This week has been a bit unusual for me in that I only made it to school on 2 days. Tuesday was a local holiday which has been celebrated since historic times. It also coincides with the day Cervantes died. Hence Salamanca holds a book fair in the plaza mayor. If the number of books on sale and the number of people there is anything to go by, reading and books are alive and well in Spain. It was a day after my own heart, but to any who have helped me move house, rest easy, I managed to restrain myself and didn't buy a single book! I was very tempted though so I'd better stay away from bookshops for the rest of my trip or try to convince Gillian to take them home for me.

I spent the day with some friends from school, Rebecca (Switzerland), Don (US) and Mary (Canada). Rebecca and I first visited the book fair, then we found time to visit a café for "morning tea". At 3.00 pm we met up with Don and Mary. Together, we valiantly tried to visit as many tapas places as possible in an afternoon and finished it all off with an ice cream. Don't worry though, I only had two glasses of wine.  The weather was cool to start with but became very warm and sunny for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, I appear to have fallen victim to the changeable weather. I woke up on Wednesday morning with an extremely sore throat and a headache. I also felt very unwell. Turns out I had a fever (not too serious). I spent all day in bed, couldn't eat and could barely manage to swallow water my throat was so sore. Felt a bit better Thursday but very tired. Carmen still insists I had a raised temperature on Thursday. I managed to go to school today, but without a voice. I still can't talk so for all of you who have prayed for me to shut up, sorry, you missed it! It was very interesting being in a conversation class for 2 hours without being able to say anything. I could and did practice my listening skills though but it was frustrating. Anyway, I'm on the mend and should be back to normal by Monday. One of my teachers had the same trouble last week so I hope she didn't share!

After the drama I had explaining I wasn't hungry to my host family, I was a bit concerned about how much fuss being sick might cause. However, Carmen was wonderful. She checked my temperature, intermittently prompted me to drink fluids and tried to temp me to eat, but generally left me alone to rest and be miserable in peace. I was too ill on Wednesday to really care anyway. I think I either slept or dosed most of the day. Glad to say I am feeling much better but still a little tired. I expect I will try to get an early night tonight.

Extracurricular Activities

Perhaps you are all wondering what I get up to in my tiempo libre (free time). One of the pleasures of the school I have chosen is the opportunity to go on excursions, do cultural activities and meet people from all over the world. Currently, there is a lovely young lady from Switzerland and another from Holland that I have had opportunity to socialise with. Neither are in my classes but are great fun. The mix of students is frequently changing as people come for short or longer periods of time and new students start most weeks. Its a constantly changing dynamic which adds some spice to the classes as well.

One of my favourite activities is the Canciones (Songs) every Tuesday night. This is an activity rather than a cultural class and involves one of the teachers from the school playing his guitar and leading/teaching us traditional songs from all over the Spanish speaking world. Some are traditional to Spain, others from Central or South America. Generally it is a fairly packed class and just goes to show that lots of cultures enjoy singing.  Below are some of the songs on YouTube if you want to have a listen.

http://youtu.be/48vNfKUHWRw    - De Colores

http://youtu.be/Qmup9XGU960    -   Verde Que Te Quiero Verde

http://youtu.be/KzjrbXhXNXs     - Porompompero

http://youtu.be/B_27Hi1In6o     - La Cucaracha

Full time student

This week marks the start of my 4th week here in Salamanca (and Spain), which means I'm half way through this part of the visit as I have a total of 6 weeks in Salamanca. It also means, I began extra classes on Monday. I am now at school for 6 hours of normal class and 1 hour of cultural class each day. Makes for a long and tiring day, limited time to explore and visit monuments and places of interest, and do my homework. There is definitely no time for a siesta! I also walk approx. 2 hours most days between walking to and from school twice per day and other rambling and wandering around the city. I may just have to go back to the days of no sleep to fit it all in!

Being a full time student has it's own challenges due to sensory overload. Just when I was starting to feel comfortable and understand more, I've increased my classes with the affect that I'm feeling lost in translation. I have sometimes likened being in a non-English speaking country as like standing beside a waterfall. All you can hear is the roar of the water when you want to listen to the bird songs. Being is Spain is a bit like that for me currently. I'm hearing the rush of Spanish around me all the time, with occasional experiences of fully understanding what's being said. I was beginning to hear more and more bird song (Spanish) until I increased my classes and now feel like I can't hear anything! I think the strain of adjusting to an extra level of formal classes etc, has been a bit difficult for my middle-aged brain (yes I am middle-aged even if I don't act like it!) Like all adjustments, I just have to keep going, give it time and enjoy the journey. At least the sun is shining and Tango (the dog) enjoys hugs.

Signs of Spring

When I arrived in Spain on the 24th March, it was cold - a balmy 4 - 8 degrees to be precise and raining. Spring officially starts here on 22nd March I believe but March & April are known for their instable weather. Hence, I had come prepared for coolness by squashing my good wool coat into my luggage before I left Australia and bringing some warmer clothes. Whilst the extra luggage was a pain when travelling in Mexico and Guatemala, I'm very glad to have thought ahead or I would have had to visit to the shops before doing anything else!

Up until last weekend, the weather has stayed quite cool, with lots of intermittent rain. However, on Saturday, Spring finally arrived. The rain has cleared for now, the sun is shining, the temperature has risen and all the birds are singing their hearts out. Salamanca has thrown off her winter coat and has arisen golden and beautiful in the sunlight. Today, we even got up to 28 degrees. Quite a change from 10 degrees last week. Apparently this means it's also the season for coughs, colds and flus. So far, I haven't had any problems but many students and some teachers at the school have been ill.

Whilst I didn't mind the cold, I'm glad of the sunshine. It has allowed me to get out more, take some wonderful photos and enjoy walking around this lovely city. I even managed an excursion to Segovia and Avila last weekend. More on these towns in a later post. If all goes well, I'm off to Toledo this weekend. Weather forecast is for lower temperatures and possibly rain! Hope Spring decides to stay.

Budding trees & birds, Spring has come!

The perils of being normal

When engaging in cross-cultural activities, most of us try very hard not to give offence in the country in which we are staying. Having said that, there is often a clash of cultures (not necessarily in a dramatic way). An example of this clash would be the meal times between Spain and Australia. The Spanish generally have a fairly light breakfast around 8.00 am or later, depending on when they start work. Lunch is around 3.00 pm and is the largest and generally most important meal of the day, with dinner being somewhere between 9.00 pm at the earliest and 10.00 pm. In Australia, breakfast will be between 6.00-7.00 am for most people, lunch around 12.30 - 1.30 pm and dinner around 7.00pm. These types of clashes will often be sorted very easily and with some bemusement on either side but no ongoing problems.

 

One thing I have noticed in Spain, particularly if you are staying with locals, is that meals tend to be quite large. One of their ways of ensuring that you are comfortable and happy, is to feed you - lots, and then more, and then ask if you want more. While I generally have quite a healthy appetite, I don't like eating huge meals at every mealtime. I find eating big meals frequently quite uncomfortable and feel a need to give my stomach a break from constant digestion. I don't know about others specifically, but apart from the amount of food I like to consume at mealtimes, I have days where I'm too tired / hot or for no particular reason, just don't feel hungry. This can also depend on what I've eaten, how much exercise I've had or how much sleep I've had. Generally, when these moments occur, I either eat very lightly or don't bother.

 

My first week in Spain was a clash about how much I should eat. Managed to convince my hosts that I really liked the food but wasn't used to eating so much and that if I kept eating everything they offered, I'd have to buy another seat for my trip home. Excellent, no pressure to eat everything and could stop when I was ready so long as I promised to tell them if I didn't like something. During my second week, all was well. Then yesterday was a day where I just didn't feel hungry. Forced myself to eat breakfast as I rarely miss this meal and it is a long time till lunch in Spain, had a normal-ish amount for lunch, but really didn't want any dinner. As dinner was soup to start and is always served with bread, I decided I would just have soup and a drink. I was a bit tired so had planned to have an early night.

 

Then the interrogation started:

 

Was the food okay? Did I like it? Was I unwell? Did I want something else? Had someone upset me or something happen? Did I have a headache? It took over 30 minutes to convince Carmen I liked the food, I wasn't unwell or unhappy and nothing had happened - I just wasn't hungry and this was normal for me and happened occasionally for no specific reason. The time taken to convince Carmen all was well, wasn't because of communication / language barrier but due to Carmen's very real concern that she needed to either feed me something else or fix a problem. I wonder.......Do Spaniards ever not want to eat a lot and have a low appetite or for them, is it a universal sign of not being well / unhappiness?  You know, like corgis who will eat everything in sight and if they refuse food, you know something is wrong! If it's only for one day, no problem but if not eating persists, get them to the vet.  

 

I had to be very careful to eat a reasonable amount (for Spain) today to stop my temperature being checked!! Still not feeling overly hungry.

 

The moral of this experience?  Perhaps try telling my hosts before the meal that I'm not hungry and see what happens.

And Then There Were Nine.....

Well, I knew when I decided to come to Spain and stay in host families that having constant other people around might be a challenge, particularly as I have been living alone with just a dog for company for the better part of 20+years. Therefore, I booked a single room for my host family arrangements. That way, I could at least get away and close the door for a couple of hours, even if I had to pretend to be studying or sleeping.  

After 2 weeks in Salamanca with Carmen and Jose Ramon, I was feeling pretty good. I had figured out the daily schedule for food etc, Carmen & Jose proved to be chatty and friendly and the only other student here, Kiri (from Russia) hardly ever came out of his room. Hence, I was coping really well. Carmen had mentioned that other students were arriving. Again, I should have paid more attention as I thought she said they were coming separately. This was not the case!!!!!

On Saturday, a further 2 students arrived (young girls from Italy). Sunday 3 more arrived (2 young boys from Frances & 1 young woman from Switzerland). Kiri arrived back today (Monday) from a visit to his parents in Russia. So now there are 9 people and 1 dog living in a 4 bedroom apartment - 5 of which are under 18 years. OMG!!! I'm surrounded by babies and there are people under foot, the bathroom and toilet are constantly busy and we need to eat in shifts as the table only fits 4!. PHEW - 4 of them are only here for this week - Gracias a Dios. (Thanks to God). As Kiri and I have a single bedroom each, I'm not sure where Carmen and Jose Ramon are sleeping this week (my suspicion is on the lounge chairs).

The French and Italian pairs will be leaving on the weekend. Rebecca, the young woman from Switzerland is staying for 5 weeks, and Kiri has retreated again to his room. Rebecca is a very mature young lady and I think a bit homesick. She is planning on becoming a teacher of history and maths at the end of her university studies. I think we will get on fine. She is at the same college as me so we travel together to and from school. Her Spanish is very good (one level up from me) and quite friendly and chatty. I'm sure she will make friends at the school and want to hang out with younger people, but I have enjoyed her company so far and Carmen appears to have taken to her too. Well, hopefully next week will be less crowded and we can resume normal schedules. Poor Tango (the dog) is quite beside himself and not sure who he should be keeping an eye on. He'll be glad when everything returns to normal.

The experiences keep happening.....

Well, I've now been in Spain for 2 weeks and can now say I'm feeling a bit more comfortable. I can have general conversations with minimal difficulty with strangers; I'm managing to wade through the 4 past tenses in Spanish and cope with the very different times for dinner, sleeping etc.  I'm still experiencing new food tastes and the occasional new drinks experience as well.

Last week produced two new experiences, Wednesday night's tapas and futbol and then on Friday night - I got kidnapped. Well, that's how it felt anyway. Before you all get worried, let's start at the very beginning:

Carmen and Jose Ramon, my host family, normally have dinner around 9.30 pm. On Friday night, they had been out earlier in the evening, visiting Jose Ramon's sister. Consequently, Carmen arrived home late, hadn't organised dinner and decided to take me to their local bar/restaurant for some typical Gallego (from Galicia, in the north) food. As Galicia is mostly coastline, they have an amazing array of seafood and fish to choose from. We had a traditional dish called Pulpo a la Gallego, which is basically steamed octopus chopped in small pieces with paprika or similar on top. This was followed by Boquerones fritos (small fish much like sardines fried whole). This dish is a typical dish from the south of Spain  though and very tasty. The next taste sensation was Rabas (lightly floured and fried tentacles of a cuttlefish like creature). Think calamari as it is very similar. This is also a typical dish from Galicia.  Interestingly, if you look Rabas up in the dictionary, it says it is bait used for fishing. I enjoyed all of these snacks very much. The restaurant was like a high class fish and chip shop with bar stools and tables in one section and sit down tables and chairs in another. People also stood up at high benches to eat and drink as well. Great décor and very friendly staff. The kitchen was in the middle of the room, so you could watch everything being cooked etc. Was like kitchen theatre in a way and very enjoyable. (sorry no photos as wasn't expecting to go out for dinner).

The other difference was that this place also sold alcohol like a bar. I had some vino tinto (red wine) that was very tasty - not quite as good as the Chilean Camenere  (for those who know this) but close. This was called Rivera Del Duero. I'll be looking out for it again (I had two). Following all this food and wine, Jose & Carmen decided I needed to  experience the typical Gallego booze. This is called Orujo and come in two forms: Orujo Blanco and Orujo de Hierbas. We had the Orujo de Hierbas which is a very yellow liquid (think lemon jelly colour), served in very small glasses (smaller than a port or shot glass) and comes in something that looks like a sauce jug. It's a little sweet but not too bad and is actually a very nice drink. It's meant to help digestion. However, I'm not sure how much I drank as Carmen kept refilling my tiny glass! If I have it again, I'll take a photo or you can look it up on Google which should have a picture. Orujo Blanco is apparently worse than paint stripper - according to Jose Ramon, but as he doesn't drink at all, I'm not sure if his opinion counts!

Now to the kidnapping - after dinner as we were walking back to the apartment, Carmen and Jose were discussing music and tobacco (they both smoke). I was aware they were including me in some of this but wasn't really paying attention. When we got back to the apartment, instead of going inside, Carmen dragged me off in another direction. We seemed to be wandering aimlessly through deserted streets, only some of which I was familiar with, through late night Salamanca. It was almost midnight by this time but quite safe. Turned out Carmen had decided to take me to a few bars to celebrate the weekend. So, I'd already had 2 glasses of red wine, who knows how much Orujo, then she wants me to go to bars and drink more alcohol!! (I really should have paid more attention to what they were talking about!) I had a gin and tonic at the first as I couldn't think of anything else and didn't want more wine but managed to convince her I didn't want anything else at the next two. The one gin and tonic was quite enough as it came in a very large glass (think brandy glass). Carmen, in the meantime, had 3 whiskey and colas (whiskey & coke is a popular drink here). Think we got home around 1.30 am and that was only because when given the option of another bar or return home, I chose home.

So, I've now experienced tapas, seafood, futbol and clubbing Spanish style. What a weekend. I took pity on Carmen the next morning and told her not to bother with breakfast until 10.00 am (usually 8.00 am). It wasn't because I needed the sleep!! 

I wonder what the next experience will be .........

First Bar

 

La Dama Bar, Salamanca

When in Spain......

Here's a few tips for anyone thinking of travelling to Spain (from my experience only):
 

1. Pretend to be interested in futbol (soccer) and know the name of any team  in the European Champions League.
2. Learn to slide through minute gaps in crowds and along footpaths. Spanish people often walk 4-6 people abreast with linked arms. They generally won't move for you.
3. When crossing roads or open spaces, try to anticipate the trajectory of those walking opposite you to avoid collisions (helps if you have sensors like a bat). 
4. Pretend to be interested in futbol. 
5. Street names in older sections of towns are not always obvious and are frequently just small plaques on the side of a building well above normal visual range.
6. Only main intersections appear to have street name signs. If you come out onto a street somewhere else, good luck finding which street you are in until you get to the end.
7. Pretend to be interested in futbol (Spaniards are passionate about their futbol).
8. Old medieval towns didn't necessarily have town planning. Streets are often winding, narrow, and prone to dart off in any direction without warning. There is no such thing as around the block. Turning a corner and coming up the next street may take you to another part of town altogether and not back where you think you are going (a masters course in orienteering may assist).
9. IT IS NOT ALWAYS SUNNY & WARM IN SPAIN. Check local conditions and bring a brolly/raincoat/jacket.
10. Be prepared to try lots of different foods. You may have a few awkward experiences, but you will enjoy excellent and amazing new tastes along the way.
11. Olive oil is a Spaniard's must have in the kitchen, on their food, salads etc.
12. Pretend to like futbol (get the picture?)

Real Spanish Experience

3 April 2013 - 11.30 pm (Salamanca)

 

I have just returned home from my first “real” Spanish experience.

My host family, Carmen and Jose Ramon, took me out for dinner to their local bar. 5 plates of tapas, 3 sangrias & 1 glass red wine later, I am feeling very sleepy and definitely not hungry. We also watched a fútbol (soccer) match between Real Madrid and a Turkish team. Real Madrid won 3 – 0 in what was quite an exciting match (even for a non fútbol follower like me). The food was excellent, the bar was noisy but the vibe was relaxed and homey. The Spanish are very passionate about their soccer but seem quite relaxed compared to reports of violence from other country's fans.

We later shared our table with a young Frenchman who spoke excellent Spanish. I had opportunity to talk to him in Spanish for approx. half an hour. We seemed to communicate okay for most of our conversation. The area we went to is locally called “Van Dyk” and has many, many tapas bars etc. It’s generally unknown for tourists but very well patronised by the locals. It’s also much cheaper than the “tourist” eateries in the historical section and only 5 mins walk from where Carmen and Jose Ramon live.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening although I am sure I will be useless in class tomorrow. At least tomorrow when the teacher asks me what I did yesterday, I’ll be able to tell her something different than my usual response (went for a walk, studied, practiced Spanish with my host family, watched the news).

The Rain in Spain falls.........

According to the musical by Lerner & Loewe and  the 1964 film My Fair Lady, the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. After 10 days in Spain, I can say that the rain in Spain falls mainly..... everywhere! 

Much of Spain has had constant heavy rainfall for some time and I can vouch that since I arrived in Salamanca, it has been raining quite frequently. I have been watching the noticias (news) each day with considerable interest as there has been reports of significant flooding across Spain but mostly in the north and in Granada. The constant rain had a big impact on the Semana Santa Celebrations as well, with tourism down and many of the, mostly, night time processions either cancelled, shortened or taking place in a modified way indoors. The only sunny strip appears to have been on the east coast around Valencia, but even they have had some rain. At the moment, this looks set to continue for some time. All the Spaniards (and probably most of the tourists) are praying for the sun to return!!

The good news for me is that yesterday dawned cool and cloudy but sunny. This enabled me to get out and explore a bit more and not get wet! When it's only 4 degrees, not getting wet is a wonderful thing. Although most of the buildings are heated (unbearably so at times), there is generally no shelter (awnings, roof overhangs etc) on the outside so if it's raining, you get wet unless you have waterproof clothing, a hat or an umbrella. The wind makes an umbrella a tricky thing to operate and whilst I have a waterproof coat, it's too cold to wear it alone so need my wool coat (which doesn't fit underneath the waterproof). Apart from that, I'm not overly fond of cold, wet feet!! I really don't feel like donning all my serious walking gear just to get around town. Would look a little curious to the locals I think.

Mostly I have just been walking around getting my bearings and seeing what I can in my wanderings. I found the Casa de Las Conchas (now a public library). It was built from 1493 to 1517 by a knight of the Order of Santiago de Compostela who was also a professor in the University of Salamanca. The façade is covered in shells. I also found the Puente Romana (Roman Bridge) which leads to a lovely walk along the river. Lots of birds (too small and quick to photograph) and a wonderful view of the historical area with the Cathedral being the main focus. The Cathedral makes a fantastic landmark as it dominates the skyline of old Salamanca. Even in the narrow winding streets, you can often catch a glimpse of the Cathedral spire so there is always a point of reference to return to if you feel you have become lost (old medieval towns often didn't have town planning). It's quite curious that you can try to go around the block and end up going in a completely different direction. I had a similar experience in a small medieval town in Germany where I swear you could go in a circle and end up in a different part of town nowhere near where you started and unable to find you way back!

Puente Romano (Roman Bridge), Salamanca

View of the Cathedral of Salamanca from across the river

Façade - Casa de Las Conchas, Salamanca

Interior of Casa de Las Conchas

Interior Staircase, Casa de Las Conchas

Stone Carving, Casa de Las Conchas