Salamanca

It’s hard not to think about cost comparisons and to wonder how they can be so different across our two countries. On the face of it UK - Spain we are the same. It appears that we have the same standard of living. The cars people drive and the clothes they wear look the same here as at home. Yet prices are lower. The Camping Gaz 907 cylinder was barely €20 whereas in the UK they are now £40.  A bottle of lager, served in a glass at a bar, is €1.20, coffee served at café are <€2. We have been buying diesel at €1.69 although that is after a government discount of 25c. 

How does this happen? Supply and demand? Labour rates? Other costs of doing business? Tax rates? I wonder what the net margins are. Maybe if I’d studied Economics I would be better prepared and able to answer.

We left the lovely riverside position with the Geese Man and drove towards Salamanca.

Now the scenery becomes flat, arable and almost monotonous. Rapeseed is well in flower and what will be cornfields, are deep green with calf-length shoots. It’s dry but cold; the temperature is struggling again to get into double figures.

We see our first castle, there will no doubt be many more. Then we arrive at Salamanca and head to Lidl for fresh food, before arriving at a recommended campsite a few minutes out of the city, Camping Don Quixote.

The Lidl fish is cooked and we have a shower. It’s another chilly night and it rains a little but tomorrow promises to be sunny and we check on the bus times so that we can spend the day in the city.

Salamanca is built around the University which is the third oldest in the world. I suppose that’s after Oxford and Cambridge, or is it Cambridge and Oxford? No, Oxford first I think.

I could rant about how cheap the bus fare is but I won’t. We jump off and it’s a quick walk to Piaza Mayor, an 18C beautiful grand square.

The ‘New’ Cathedral is stupendous and we walked around craning our necks to see the cupola high above us, as we listened to the narrative on our phone - triggered from a QR code.

We had a coffee in the square, it cost no more than anywhere else and then wandered around the university buildings which seem to be open for anyone. It’s beautiful.

Spanish lunches can be big affairs and we ate Menu del Dia at a place on the square and finally went Frog Hunting. Dawn was happy to finally spot it in the sculptures over a university entrance and she’s now able to relax in the knowledge that she should do ok in her exams!