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The day trip to Salamanca was filled with
great experiences. The first stop was the
covered market near Plaza Mayor, where
different stalls offered a fantastic array of fresh
fish, meat and vegetables. The tour finished
with a visit to a tapas stall, where we sampled
squid, cheese, olives and chorizo washed down
with a fruity white wine. There was much to
explore around the town, including two
cathedrals and the Art Nouveau and Art Deco
Museum. Another well-known building was the
House of Shells, which was decorated by its
owner to display his wealth. The university
buildings were all built in a decorative red
sandstone, and one tradition from previous
centuries was for graduates to climb up the
sides of the building and write their names in
bull's blood. Some of the names could still be
seen high on the walls of some of the dwellings.
As it was Saturday, there were many weddings
taking place in Salamanca's cathedral and
churches, and we joined groups of exuberant,
cheering wedding guests gathering in the
streets to celebrate the bridal parties. It was
interesting to see how glamorous the Spanish
wedding parties were; many of the women in
attendance would not be out of place at a ball,
dressed in their long, brightly coloured gowns.
Bands of musicians wearing traditional black
capes serenaded the brides and grooms, while
confetti bombs and firecrackers added to the
incredible street-party atmosphere
During the voyage, there were several
opportunities to sample some of the wines and
ports of the region. In Porto, the included
excursion ended with a trip around Ferreira
Cellars, located on the river close to where
Viking Osfrid was docked. A tour of the cellars
was very informative, and one of the things we
learned about was the storage of ruby and
tawny ports. Ruby ports are stored in large vats
so there is less oxidization, which helps to retain
their ruby-red color. Tawnies, on the other hand,
are stored in barrels to help create the wine's
distinctive brown hue.
There were further opportunities to enjoy
delicious Portuguese and Spanish wines as part
of the wonderful Quinta da Avessada, Castelo
Rodrigo and Salamanca excursions, as well as
on board the ship itself. Drinking the wines and
ports of the Douro Valley was one of the many
special highlights of the voyage.
PA STÉIS DE BELÉM BA K ERY
LISBON , A RC HITEC TUR E
Fado, music of Portugal
