Approaching the cathedral was absolutely breathtaking. The amount of detail and history seen was insurmountable. The inside only continued to impress us as we strolled the halls of the antiquated church. Each alter equally as magnificent as the last. We passed though the 12th century portion as all tourists do, taking way too many photos. As with the castle in Segovia, we had been granted entrance to the tower in addition to the cathedral itself. We scaled the many steps to the first platform. Towering above the city, I could not have imagined a better view of the Salamanca skyline. I would later be disproved.
The four groups were assigned and we broke off in a scavenger hunt challenge. However my team’s first goal was not to find the astronaut hidden in the cathedral door, although we did find that. No, our mission was to find a greater treasure: lunch. Being Americans in Spain meant desperately searching for wifi in every location. I’m pretty sure I checked for a wifi signal in the cathedral. We finally found a cafe with a strong signal and ordered the very traditional Spanish dish of burgers and fries. After asking the owner where to find various sites we set off. Some gelato, some souvenirs, and nearly all of the items later it was time to return to the teachers.
Our next challenge was to reflect in our diaries about the journey so far. Clutching my new prize from winning the scavenger hunt, I asked Sra. Allen if I might climb to the bell tower as my group had not been able to. Once given permission, I briskly made my way to the cathedral. The numerous stone steps were no kinder to my legs as I sprinted up them for the second time today. By the third flight of stairs, I was panting. If any Spaniards questioned why a blonde girl was alone and dying, they did not vocalize it. At 3:58, I had finally come to the top of the tower. The view from the very top exceeded every picture taken from the first level. Bells hung around me. The old bells coupled with automated hardware creating a glorious juxtaposition. As 4:00 struck, the bells rang. It was worth every step, every trip over uneven stones, every ache I had in my body. I ran, almost fell, back down the spiral staircases all the way to the entrance to the tower. Walking back to Plaza Mayor, I felt truly at home in the cobblestones streets.
-Sarah Grace Kennady
Today our excursion in Spain was to the historic and beautiful city of Salamanca. We all met early in the morning at the bus stop in Valladolid. After an hour and half bus ride, we had arrived in Salamanca. Immediately after getting off the bus, we were greeted by Salamanca's breathtaking streets and the cool, brisk weather. We headed to the Plaza Mayor and warmed up in a cafe. After the much needed pick-me-up, we were ready to explore the amazing city.
Our first stop was to the Cathedral Nueva and the Cathedral Vieja, which are both connected. Although called the New Cathedral, it finished contruction between the 16th and 18th century while the Old Cathedral was built near the 12th century. The inside architecture of both were extremely impressive and ornate, while the outside of both was gorgeous. After that, we were divided into groups of four and handed a paper with instructions for a scavenger hunt for various historic sites in Salamanca. After some time and lunch, we were supposed to report on the significance of our findings. We then headed to the tower of the cathedral for some more unbelivable views and then split up in our groups to explore!
We were first supposed to find the astronaut within the door to the New Cathedral. After much searching, we were finally able to locate it and found out its significance. During the 1920s, many of the older buildings of Salamanca were undergoing restoration and many adopted more modern aspects which explains why there is an astronaut on the door of an ancient cathedral. Then, we also found La Rana de Salamanca, which is located on the door of the University of Salamanca's Plaza Patio. There is small frog sculpted on top of a skull, and it is considered good luck for students on their exams when they are able to find it.
After the scavenger hunt, my group and I had a delicious Italian lunch consisting of pasta, pizza, and garlic bread. We even saved room for some ice cream! After that, we walked around the streets some more and explored on our own until it was time to go. We headed to the Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) from which we had a beautiful view of almost all of the university. As tired as we were, we were all also sad when it came time to leave Salamanca.
When we arrived back in Valladolid, I was greeted by my host mother and I was eager to see my host sister at home as it was also her birthday. At home, we had a small gathering with some family friends and her grandmother, where gifts were exchanged and many sweets were devoured! It was a very fun night, but it had to end early since my host sister also had her history exam the next day and had to finish studying. My time with my host fmaily has been phenomenal and we have all gotten along so well. In my family, there are two parents and three daughters, so I always have someone to keep me company as this is also a time for exams for many students in Spain. They have taken me to several historic museums in Valladolid and nearby towns. They have been very courteous about my religious practices and dietary restrictions and have made delicious meals for me each day. Everyday with them has been very productive, fun, and memorable!
-Bushra Rahman
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