Castilla y León (part 1)

 I awoke in the darkness of the night once again. This stop, however, felt different. A sense of purity arose from the dimly lit, well-kept streets and buildings. The conversations around me now seemed a bit more mellow and clear. Minutes after we left the station a familiar yet breathtaking sight emerged: the city wall of Ávila. I was struck by the grandness of it all. I had seen the wall before on my last trip to Spain, but in an instant, I was reminded that places like this do exist in the world. Of course, most Spaniards don’t live behind massive city walls or in castles, but still, they DO exist, and they are jaw-dropping when you see them in person. I didn’t think to flash a picture, but I have this shot from my first visit here.

 I was glad to have woken up when I did, but I hadn’t come for this. I was going to Salamanca, the city in which I studied for a short time a few years ago. I got there around 11:30 p.m. friday night and had left La Puerta de Segura at 6:00 that morning. It’s not normally that long of a trip, but visa appointments and waiting for buses made it so. By the time I got there, tiredness and hunger were had fully set in. I checked into my hostel and quickly headed towards the central city. After a day like this, I needed something that was certain to satisfy. I love trying new food, but occasionally, new food lets you down. Not tonight. There was one place in town that would for sure end this exhausting day the right way: Burger King. A double bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a beer later, I felt like refreshed and ready to experience Salamanca once again. The city at night of course was stunning. I still haven’t seen much of Spain, but Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor (seen below) has to be one of its most impressive sights.

The next morning I decided to be a tourist. A felt a little silly going to the tourist center of a place I had previously lived for a month, but it was the only way to be sure of seeing some things I hadn’t the last time. First, I decided to see el Convento de San Esteban, a former convent of Dominicans. This particular group, while created in the 13^th century, dealt extensively with the issues involving what Spain considered the new world during the time of Columbus and later the expansion of Spain’s empire (late 15^th and after). Columbus spent time here (although this exact building had not been constructed yet) with Diego de Doza, a famous religious figure who helped introduce Columbus to Ferdinand and Isabella. The messages on the walls portrayed a commitment to democracy, eradication of poverty, and ethical treatment of indigenous peoples among other things. However, I couldn’t help but wrestle with the knowledge that Spain’s colonies, starting with Columbus, were not exactly centers for democracy and have struggled with it through their births as nation-states. Furthermore, Doza later became one of Spain’s more famous inquisitors in the effort to push all Jews, Muslims, and other non-christians from the country. I guess the fundamental question I was trying to figure out was whether this convent was providing religious justification for the expansion of an empire or  challenging the various unethical dimensions of the expansion based on religious principles. I still don't quite know that answer. I imagine there was some of both. There were references to genuine voices from this convent challenging human rights abuses in the Americas.

                                                    From the inside of San Esteban

Next, I went to meet up with my host family that I stayed with a few years ago. Out of all the host families that other students had that summer I can safely say I had one of the best, if not the best. I heard stories from some other students about families that did the bare minimum of their requirements. But Mari (seen below in our recent visit) did everything within her power to make my experience great. It was nice this time to actually be able to have a conversation with her. My spanish was far from conversational in 2008.

  

After our visit I strolled around a bit more. An art museum, a civil war museum, and this; the picture I never got the last time I was here. The old Roman bridge over el Río Tormes that runs along the southern edge of the city. Originally constructed in 89 A.D., 15 of the original arches remain today.