Salamaca, First Glance

I have now been in Salamanca for 10 days, and feel it’s about time to write about it. The problem is, there’s too much to cover.  And since starting classes this week, my brain’s all mumbly bumbly Spanish.  So, here’s a less-organized but mostly-covered advance of experiences, events, and stuff that, quite possibly, only I find funny.  Pictures are here. 

Breathtaking - Most all the buildings are this sandstone yellow, and create this golden hue on everything.  There are 2 ginormous cathedrals here called the New Cathedral and Old Cathedral, which left me stunned at first when realizing it took almost as long to build the New Cathedral as the US has been a formal country.   

Snowball Fights are Internationally Badass - It snowed on Sunday, which only happens a couple times a year here.  So we went on a walk in the city and proceeded to get into an epic snowball fight in the streets.  Still as legendary as they were as kids. 

Siestas - They’re real, and they’re spectacular.  Every day most all businesses go on siesta from 2-4, leaving you with only cafes and cervecerias to solicit.  This cultural habit took no time at all to get used to.

Festivals - On January 5, there was the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (March of the 3 Wise Men) festival and parade.  This city packed the streets and Plaza Mayor to see this festival wind through.  I guess I had higher hopes for… it was kind of cheesy Disney... but was still pretty fun, and looking forward to more.

Tapas - There’s really not much else to say.  Delicious mini portions of (mostly) good meat/potatoes/bread/fish, and most places they’re free with drinks. 

Cheaper to Drink Booze - Makes you think drinks are expensive, eh?  Price check: 1.25-2.20 Euro for a tapa and wine or beer, or add $.50 for coke/water.  Yep.  It’s cheaper to drink here than not.  Another proof point - my favorite wine so far is 1.51 Euro, and that’s twice as much as the cheapest here.  Coca-Cola is about 1.75 per 2L.  My beer is .23 Euro a can, vs .50 for Coke. 

Overdubbing (see, I said I’d get to it) - Spain is rich enough to overdub every program/movie that’s not made here, but can’t afford to hire more than two voice-over males and two females.  The Simpsons are on TV here., and apparently it’s much easier to overdub Marge and Lisa (or the women are better) than it is Homer and Bart.  It’s a disgrace, and I am concurrently writing to pledge they stop this nonsense and learn English.  Until then, I’m concurrently-concurrently writing to pledge repercussions for these people having to listen to that Homer for all these years.

Jamon - it’s ham, and it’s everywhere.  Giant legs of cured ham hanging from every corner.  And my friend Nevin (pronounced in Spanish ‘Nee-ben’) bought one… and it’s delicious.  Oh, and we even went to a bar that had their bartaps shaped like one.  

That’s pretty much it for now.  I had my placement test on Monday, and classes started Tuesday, and they’re intense.  In the past 2 days and 10 hours of class, I’d be surprised if I heard 10 English words from the professors.  And they’re fast talkers.  But, I’ll save that hasta luego.