<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SERIF" FACE="Palatino Linotype" LANG="0">Hi Deanna,<BR>
I've become persuaded that one's life is not complete without having been in Salamanca..... the learning/teaching city of them all. When you arrive there, a week hence, tyou'll find that more than one-third of the people there are students; of them most are graduate students, and a full one-third are foreigners. You'll find Italiani dappertutto, Francais partout and Britishers everywhere. <BR>
Salamanca must be the last best kept secret of world wonders on this earth.<BR>
You'll find enchanting dances in the sky, in late afternoon, performed by storks, hundreds of them, in magnificent beauty, who've decided not to sojourn to Africa anymore. <BR>
You'll find pedestrian shopping streets that become open air restaurants at dusk, enlightened by musicians, tango dancers, saltimbanchi, conversation, or just awareness of the fortune of being there . <BR>
You will find the most Santiagoish of all buildings: a medieval palazzo entirely covered by shells, which is now a library, and you will find a modern (16th century) Cathedral abutting the old (10th Century) Cathedral which structure and perduring art works will leave anyone with blood in her/his veins, just speechless in stunned wonder.<BR>
By the way, you can go up to the roof of the Cathedrals; you'll find priceless exhibits up there, including a sound-and-film Camino homage, and a marble, beautiful, ancient statue of Santiago.<BR>
The Fonseca of Santiago fame..... the one who is crediting with building the city of Santiago, was from Salamanca. While in Salamanca do go visit the palazzo he built, in the center of the city, to impress a damsel whose favors he sought. He didn't succeed in his romantic endeavors, whereupon he became a priest, and eventually the bishop who built the casco of Santiago de Compostela.<BR>
Do tour the Salamanca Universities..... the word University (Univesidade.... universal) derives from the concept of learning and teaching which began in Salamanca in the 9th Century. <BR>
And do walk over the 9th century Roman bridge, and gaze upon the oldest extant Roman sculptures outside of Italy still standing where they were first built. <BR>
I was, and am, wide-eyed, openmouthed, spellbound by the place... and can't wait to go and spend months and months there.<BR>
As far as finding Via de la Plata guides,and whatever.... you needn't worry. Salamanca is the educational city in the Western world (perhaps even beyond) par excellence. What cannot be found there isn't worth finding.<BR>
There are also lots of monasteries and convents with monks and nuns PhD'd in the Camino whose mission in this life appears to be to illuminate and help pilgrims on their way.<BR>
If you haven't made hotel arrangements, try the hotel "Don Juan"... it is in the middle of the whole thing and you will be awakened by the noisy goings on of the storks instructing their young in the huge nests on the bellfry, right across your window.<BR>
My dear, you are blessedly fortunate.<BR>
Hugs!<BR>
Rosina<BR>
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