Anyhow, when we arrived at Fatima, we alighted in one of the buildings off the beaten path leading to the shrine and discovered that it was a shop. We were sort of “captive clients” as there were no other people in this shop but us. It was really nice, mind you, and they’ve got lots of goods, other than religious articles. But I noticed that we stayed longer in this shop than we’re supposed to and that bugged me a lot. I was itching to go to the shrine. I understand that Trafalgar is a sightseeing tour, but Fatima was supposedly included in this tour.
We finally arrived at the shrine and we were given only 1 hour to do whatever we wanted to do. Agh! So the first thing I did was to light candles for those I promised to pray for, went to the Basilica to pray and then walked over to the Chapel where I experienced ultimate peace the last time I was there. But unfortunately, there was an ongoing mass when I went in so I just prayed and left. Darn!
Back on the coach, we continued on our journey back to Spain. We stopped at Lake Aguiera for lunch. The place is simply beautiful and serene!
Switching our timepieces ahead by an hour, we arrived in Salamanca at 6:30pm, after which we immediately embarked on a walking tour of the city.
Located in the western part of Spain, right beside the border with Portugal, Salamanca is famous in the world for its culture and for its student atmosphere. In fact, the University of Salamanca is said to be the oldest university in Spain and the third oldest university in Europe, founded in 1218.
Tourism is the most outstanding industry of the city, thanks to its historical heritage and to the charm of the city itself, since Salamanca can be considered one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. It is also in Salamanca where the purest Spanish (or "Castellano") is spoken, which makes the city a popular destination for students wanting to learn Spanish.
Our first stop was Plaza Mayor, one of the finest squares in Spain.
We were then given some time to wander around the Plaza. I was also here last year, but I didn’t appreciate it that much because it was raining so hard that I was unable to go anywhere else except around the Plaza. This time, I ventured out and went towards the New Cathedral. Unfortunately, it was already closed for the day so I just took some snapshots of the church and of the surrounding area.
Salamanca is a very beautiful city and I wish we could have stayed longer. In fact, some travel destinations are and should be once in a lifetime experiences. But to me, Salamanca is an exception. I will be back.
At the appointed time and place, we then walked and ambled back on the coach and checked in into Gran Hotel Corona, had duck for dinner, and called it a night.
To Be Continued....
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