Salamanca - memories of a rainy evening...

It was Saturday evening when the sky decided to pour a lot of tiny raindrops on the roofs and pavements of this city. The sky seemed so dark, probably because it was fully covered with thick clouds that were slowly releasing their content. I was not very happy because of this rain as it kind of ruined the last days of our journey, which in the end finished earlier than it was planned. We didn't have more dry clothes and shoes, and the very next morning, after this rainy evening walk in Salamanca (Spain) we decided to go directly home and drive 683km in one day.

The plans included one more stop, in Avila, a beautiful old Spanish city, but the bad weather literally chased us away. The day before Salamanca we were in Porto (Portugal) and the heavy rain that started there already spoiled some plans. We got very wet there, and some of our clothes could not dry so easily. My jacket got completely soaked with water and the boots I thought were waterproof turned out to be no match for the force of the Portuguese rain. Salamanca's rain was an additional hit and after it, we spent some hours with a hairdryer in our hands trying to dry trousers, jackets and footwear.

We had our accommodation by the old, Roman bridge that leads directly to the city centre. It was less than 10 minutes on foot that we needed to reach the beautiful centre, buildings, squares, churches and universities. There was still a bit of daylight when we started our evening walk, but it was already raining. Although we had umbrellas, at one moment I closed mine as I was anyway completely soaked.

I can't say that I knew a lot of things about Salamanca before we got here. I heard from my friend who was travelling with us that this is a city known for universities but I could never imagine that it would mean seeing marvellous old buildings of those same institutions in the strict city centre. She said that there is a great number of students and it gives the city a young vibe. However, a huge surprise waited for us when we started discovering street by street on that rainy evening.

The ancient buildings started to grow all around us as real giants that came to give us history lessons. About the city, knowledge, people, all those famous ones who one day studied here and those other ordinary ones who didn't make it into the books. The walls talked about those who walked here in the past and observed the same buildings as we did, and who maybe felt the cold rain one winter night.

Little street lamps appeared everywhere, compensating for the lack of daylight and making the buildings attractive. Are they the same beautiful during the day? Would we appreciate them in the same way if not lit by these lights, contrasting the darkness?

Night or day, it was not important anymore. Neither the rain was hurting after some time as I realised that it was not us who could change the circumstances. But walking there was an outstanding experience, absorbing all the beauty given to us.

Step by step, despite the cold feeling that already reached the bones we were still exploring around. The main street led us to one passage, hiding there one last gem. We just had to pass it and the Main Square of Salamanca overwhelmed us with its shine.

The rich baroque facade of the Main Square of Salamanca is the meeting point for many people who find themselves in this city as tourists, residents or students. Seeing how splendid it is, this fact can't be denied.

The rain transformed the square into a mirror. All the little lights and lamps shined from the ground too, giving a double glamour to the place. Maybe it was just an optical illusion, but the game of the shadows and lights on the wall that I was watching was worth enduring the cold rain and converting this walk into wonderful memories.