Our time in Salamanca is coming to an end. We leave in five days.

Spanish classes have run the gamut. The amount of information that has been crammed into this tiny old brain of mine is hard to fathom.

In keeping with the whole “student” experience – last week I succumbed to the sickness being passed around the school – right down to losing my voice and making conversation class impossible. I didn’t want to be selfish so shared with Bill – one week later and we are both sick.

It is cold, cold, cold. On certain days the fog rolls in and clings to the antiquated buildings, making the town feel ominous. We long for our fireplace…

Bill walks 3 – 5 hours a day. He has learned the landscape of Salamanca hither and yon.

He starts near the Plaza Mayor where we have fallen in love with the formally appareled Spaniards, dressed every day, all day in their Sunday best. The woman are complete with full length fur coats, hair coiffed and make-up worn with precision – age not a deterrent. Husbands and wives walk arm in arm. Infants are bundled in their prams and children frocked as if they were heirs to the throne – a throwback to a bygone era.

He heads away from the scene in the snow globe toward the other parts of Salamanca, down winding paths along the river – home to a cat lady and her 20 plus felines, a homeless camp with a man huddled next to a fire to keep himself warm and families strolling with their dogs.

We had a fun and welcome break two weekends ago when Mark and Jonel came to visit. We indulged – libations, pastries, food, pastries, sight seeing, pastries and cards – fun times!

Salamanca….