Spain 29 - Zamora, castles, castle walls, closed church, and no dinner at the inn

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Buenas Noches – The rain did not stop. After our lovely day in Leon we found ourselves stir crazy sitting inside Suzy listening to the endless rain thundering down on the rooftops. All we were missing was the thunder and lightening. The storm has certainly hit us and the winds had picked up. We found ourselves watching our new neighbours arriving on site. Some in caravans and braving the weather trying to hitch up and find a spot. Others in panel vans travelling in groups and setting up camp beneath umberellas which were about as good as a chocolate fireguard. One motorhomer rode round five times searching out the perfect spot and in the end we thought he had given up and abandoned the search only to find him parked up just at the entrance gates. The weather was more like November in Britain than September in Spain. Never have we had such awful weather which shows no sign of abating. It is soul destroying seeing the days slip away and we are getting wet each day to the bones.

Today our drive was going to be from our site in Leon to Zamora where we would have a look around before heading for Salamanca for our overnight stop. We followed the camino again today. Along the way we saw only one solitary pilgrim. The walk must have been horrific as we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere in buffeting winds. Suzy rocked and rolled along. We stopped for diesel at an isolated petrol station. The lovely middle aged attendant took our Caxton card and tried it in the automatic machine. Glory be . It worked first time. We filled up and left him to return to his car where he sat whilst waiting for his next paying customer. Customers who were few and far between. We felt sorry for him with nowhere warm to sit. It must have been a lonely old job.

Before we left home we downloaded new maps of Spain to Sally Sat Nav. Oddly we found ourselves on a fairly new road with silver shiny metal work which she did not recognise. We were in a field and she became demented telling us to “turn round wherever possible” or to “take the next left and at the roundabout take the next right”. There was no way to turn round or take a left even if you had needed to. She bonged, bonged instructions that we should do something different and she came close to being thrown out of the window. Even on old roads she failed to recognise a new roundabout and tried to send us round the houses. Every roundabout confounded her and she sounded more manic as we approached each one. Sat Navs good when they work. Infuriating in Europe when they don’t.

Eventually we got back on territory she recognised and we drove in Zamora. A town with a medieval heart, castle and cathedral and many, many churches. We parked up on a specially built aire/sosta with 20 free spaces for motorhomes. How forward thinking of the local council unlike back home where we are viewed as pariahs. As we parked up we were waved at by a dutch motorhomer and four brits parked next to us. The wave is alive and well amongst the motorhoming fraternity.

The city was only a few hundred metres away and we entered via a gateway in the castle/city walls. The castle was free to enter and fairly interesting . Moorish in influence the city originally was ruled by them until such time as it became part of the Christian Kingdom of the Asturias. It was and still is heavily fortified. Inside was built a later Spanish residence which sadly too was in ruins. It was possible to walk the walls but on a day like today we thought it best not to.

Outside is the Palacio de los Condes de Alba y Aliste which was built in 1459 with patios and a fancy staircase, the Museo de Semana Santandre which cost 2 euros each to enter and housed the pasos which are the figures paraded by the townspeople at festivals. We felt museum overload in a way. Zamora was never going to compete with the treasures of Leon that we saw yesterday. The cathedral was more our style. Built in the Romanesque style with a fantastic tiled roof it was completed in 23 years in the 12^th century. It looked different to any churches we had seen before . Domes like St Marks in Venice but yet nothing like that style of architecture. A touch of Poitiers here and there on the front. Individual and it looked as if it could be interesting inside. Sadly there was no-one in and we were locked out of the House of God.

Having said that there are more churches in this city than you can shake a stick at. One San Pedro y San Ildefonso built in the 11^th century. Four 12^th century offerings and one from the 13^th century. We peered in all of them but they did not excite us in any way. Small interesting features but they did not have the wow factor.

The medieval bridge crossing the Duero can be seen from the city walls and is impressive. That was Zamora just dinner to source out and a magnet . The magnet proved easier to find than the dinner. Most of the cafes were closed . It felt very out of season. Those open had unintelligible menu del dia and after fleas yesterday we wanted a menu we could read. We found one that looked promising , went in and sat down and waited. Eventually the lady behind the counter came over to us . Menu del dia I asked – we had seen it outside and it looked pretty good at 11 euros a person and with a good choice of three courses . Not until 1 pm she said . It was now only 12 and we had seen everything the city had to offer. We just didn’t feel like hanging around in the freezing cold for an hour and an espresso there would have only taken 15 minutes to drink even if we had dragged it out. So it was supermarket hunting time. Could we find a decent one? No we could not . Where do the residents buy their food I wonder? There was nothing like ours back home just small shops selling tin goods and UHT milk. In the end we got some bread, some milk and some fantastic cakes. Chocolate with a hint of tiramisu, white chocolate with a coloured filling that looked like a battenburg cake but it was soft like a mousse. Cost more for the cakes than for tortilla patata and two espressos. The dinner was not up to much but the cakes more than made up for it and I don't mind the cost if they are good as these were. Why did'nt I buy more of them?

Tonight we are at Camping Ruta de la Plata in Salamanca . We had a choice of going to the Hotel Regina where we stayed last time but decided a change was as good as a rest . This site is smaller than the Hotel but does not have the facilities of the hotel. There is a small shop, a closed bar, clean and serviceable toilet blocks and cost 16 euros as it is an ACSI site. There is even a small swimming pool . The wind has dropped finally. We have seen trees down . We believe it is now heading up France towards Britain where it will arrive shortly. We hope for a quieter night. The site is fairly empty with no Brits other than us although Glenn did get into conversation with a Brit in a Spanish plated motorhome. A retired electrician he lived in Spain but went home to Lancashire twice a year to see family and MOT his van. He planned to buy a new Burstner so in the words of Harry Enfield he must have loadsa cash. He told Glenn about his trip to Italy and they exchanged travel tales as his journey mirrored ours last May. At last we no longer Billy No Mates .

Our task tomorrow is to try to get into Merida. Roman remains – well we try to vary what we see and we have not managed this place last time we passed by . So hopefully this time we will be lucky and get to see these wonderful sites the Romans left at Merida . Wish us luck .

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Comments

[Home and Away]

I like it!
Sorry the weather has been so bad. I just looked at the forecast and it looks like you are in for better weather.

[JenGog]

Weather and things come in threes
Well Bob the weather has improved here in Portugal . Know what you mean about the problems with hire cars. We have had many over the years. At least now Suzy is ours so we have our own home on wheels with us. Things do seem to come together . We now think we may have problems with our Via toll box for Portugal. We have been onto motorways and the thing has made any noise at all to show it has registered us. We could be into three fines by now. It has worked on the overhead ones but not the ungated main ones. A real worry as we have just crossed the bridge tolled over the Tagus . Hopefully Christ the Redemer (or at least his statue ) will look kindly on us . I think the weather in Spain has improved too. We are off to Sintra and the palaces hopefully a bus journey and train away. Knowing our luck we will catch the wrong bus and the train will break down :)