SALVATION IN SANTIAGO

As anyone who has travelled around Spain by coche will testify, if there's one thing the Spanish do REALLY well (apart from tapas, wine, olives, and all sorts of other fab things) it is making roads. The autopista and autovia network is nothing short of magnificent, at least the equal of anywhere I've seen around the world. One is constantly reminded of this heading west from Asturia into the rugged, inhospitable countryside of Galicia.

Grain drying house....

....and another.....

....one more

Here we travel on extraordinary viaducts that are engineering marvels in their own right, as well as being downright scary if you fear heights. There's nothing quite like driving on a man made structure 6 lanes wide and up to 250 metres in the air to give you the beebie jeebies!

We travel all day before arriving at our destination - the Sercotel Gran Hotel on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, and we have at last managed to complete El Camino, St James Walk - albeit by car! As it turns out, just down the road is a drop off point for literally busloads of tourists and students, all of whom then proceed to walk the last 5 kilometres of The Walk. Cheating? Well I guess it depends on your reasons, but I guess as long as there are no exaggerated claims made then no harm done.

Rocinante at the end of the road

Given the significance of this city as a destination for pilgrims and the curious, this may come as a surprise but the LegsyBoys didn't particularly like Santiago. Firstly, unless you're walking around in shorts and walking boots, lugging a backpack, carrying a walking stick (don't get me started on ski poles for walking!), and an obligatory bandanna around the neck, then you're almost persona non grata - match this up with the hordes of 5km walkers hanging around and you get the picture.

The registry office for wlakers

 

So where's the snow!

A lone Galician piper

I just like this sign!

One of them is a statue......

Crazy place Santiago!!!

Secondly, and far more importantly, Santiago is not a happy city. It is spotlessly clean, but it is cloaked in greyness, the towering cathedral (for which thousands queue to enter in order to see the massive swinging incense burner) is the 2nd bleakest (first place is a certain basilica near El Escorial) we have encountered in all of Spain, and it is as if the woes and sorrow of all the pilgrims that have passed by have weighed the city down - in a word, it is depressing. Who'd have figured that probably the only place we have openly not embraced is one of Spain's premier destinations.

The incense burner

Confessions in English - not enough hours in the day!

It would also be remiss not to mention the extraordinary statues adorning several buildings near the cathedral, all of grotesque, obese and naked men. I have no idea what it's all about, but it did seem rather unusual to be located all around one of Christendom's premier destinations.

What..is...going...on...here...

In reaching this region, we have now officially driven the length and breadth of this beautiful country; we haven't seen it all but we've given it our best shot. Pointing Rocinante back towards Madrid, we have two more stops to make. First up is a visit to the Rias Baixas wine region south of Santiago.

Vines on every strip of land

There are some wonderful wine regions in Spain but this is the newest and as far as our taste buds are concerned, easily the best (and most expensive!). The region specialises in dry white wine called albarino and is located on 4 estuarine inlets. Because of this, vines are trained to grow up to two metres off the ground to combat the extremely moist coastal climate. Rocinante is, needless to say, loaded up with a few more boxes.

Martin Codax tasting room - superb.

 

With the setting sun behind us we enter our last destination - Salamanca. Only 2 hours from Madrid, it's ironic that it has taken us 2 years to get here, considering its reputation as one of Spain's most beautiful old towns (well deserved as it turns out). Travel Tip: Parking is a nightmare, especially if you stay in the city centre. You will have to park your car and drag your bags to wherever your hotel is or risk having your wheels clamped - we saw it happen. We have booked the Petit Palace Hotel, it's 30 metres from the Plaza Mayor, in fact for an extra 30 euro you can have a room that opens onto the Plaza - no thanks. The walls are so thin that describe them as paper is doing paper a disservice - no matter, it's one night.

We dine at a bistro on the Plaza, where the service is abysmal but the food is fine. It is a magnificent square and when the lights are turned on at dusk, it is truly magical; an experience to savour.

We stroll around the old city, past the cathedral and through the University Of Salamanca, established in 1134 and the 3rd oldest continuously open university in Europe. We manage to find the location of the university's mascot - a frog that legend states will bring guaranteed exam success for any student who touches it - good luck with that!

Roman bridge

See the stork nest?

There it is.

University entrance - where's the frog????

There he is!!!

And so, it's time. We head east, driving around the walled city of Avila for a final time and stop off in El Tiembo to look at the Toros de Guisando. The 4 granite sculptures (bulls or pigs?) are an ancient type of sculpture called verracos and are estimated to date back to the 2nd century BC! There is even some graffiti n Latin!!

Latin graffiti

Five prehistoric bulls

They are a common reference in Spanish literature, most famously on several occasions in a certain novel by Cervantes - DON QUIXOTE! And what an appropriate reference point for Don Legsy, Dulcinea, the Aimster, Buzzy and our faithful steed Rocniante to conclude our Spanish love affair.

We have loved every minute of our Spanish quest. We will be back (some of us already have been!), and there are still a few more adventures to catch up on.

Hasta luego Espana - te queremos!!!