ungkler: Northern Spain: A Pilgrimage and Food Trip

Spain : Salamanca, Zaragoza, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Madrid & Cuenca

Winter 2025

Visita Iglesia to the Catedral de la Asuncion de la Virgen in the old town of Salamanca

(jan, feb-2025)

Travel Journal... Barely made it home to the Philippines for the country's pandemic lockdown last March 2020, then flying outbound from Madrid. And here we are finding ourselves flying back to Madrid post-pandemic 2025 for a third visit. Third visit is the charm, they say.

January 28, Tuesday: 3:51PM, Etihad Airways check-in counter, NAIA Terminal 3. It was swift for business class passengers, like us (ahem). We were pointed to a separate immigration entry way, soon after parting temporarily with our luggage (...see you in Madrid!) No lines, no fuss, great!

4:11PM, PAGGS lounge. My attention got drawn to a huge Christmas tree adorned with lights and red ampao envelopes. It dawned on me, and after Google confirmation, that our outbound flight coincided with Chinese New Year's eve. By midnight, it'll be "Kung Hei Fat Choi, 2025!" The Filipino soup of arroz caldo is not to be missed, which I paired with the Chinese siomai and asado siopao, befitting the turn-of-the-year Chinese celebration.

Tránsito aéreo de Manila a Madrid
con conexión en Abu Dhabi
29-jan, 1:58am

5:57PM, boarding time for priority passengers. Slid into my appointed seat: 6C, window side. I'd opt for window seat to easily record takeoffs and landings, which to this day fascinate me-- "Like a bird, I fly away to see the world!" Flight route, first leg: Manila-Abu Dhabi. Estimated arrival time in Abu Dhabi: 11:36PM. (Time at Abu Dhabi: 3:26PM) I had eight hours to enjoy my reclining seat/bed, till the Abu Dhabi interlude. I looked forward to Etihad Airway's in-flight meal, the arabic mezze, which is a selection of hot and cold Middle Eastern appetisers. My last taste of it was long ago, on a 2016 trip flying with the same airline, headed to Rome. I turned the Etihad Menu page, and it was still listed. Great!

January 29, Wednesday: 12:19PM, Etihad Airways lounge, Zayed International Airport. Lounge opportunity was brief, under 2-hours. I was not able to fully enjoy the six floors of the Etihad lounge. Save, hydrating on a bottle of sparkling water, and the golf cart-ride to the lounge. I faintly heard someone calling my attention from behind the wheel, "Madame! Madame!..." and inviting me to hop on. And me thanking the Etihad staff later, "Shukran."

Etihad Dreamliner.
29-jan, 2:53am

1:47AM, re-boarding the aircraft. It was a Dreamliner on the second leg. I took to my new seat: 10A, window side. Flight route: Abu Dhabi-Madrid. Estimated arrival time in Madrid: 7:13AM. I had seven hours to enjoy my reclining seat/bed, till landing time in Madrid. By the time, my timezone had automatically switched to sleeping mode. I fumbled over the "Do Not Disturb"-button, clicked it, and dozed off to dreamland shortly after takeoff. Or, did I partake of the in-flight meal first before dozing off? I can't seem to recall. Zzzzz...7:41AM, touchdown, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. My third travel to Spain, and what a charm!

Flashback to 1st visit, in 2011: Barcelona, Montserrat, Madrid, Cordoba, Toledo, Segovia, Siguenza, Avila, Seville & Granada; and 2nd visit, in 2020: Madrid.

Hola! España. On this 2025 travel, hubby and I are bound for Northern Spain. Starting off.

Salamanca, 2025
29-jan, 8:14pm

January 29, Wednesday: First city, SALAMANCA. 9:05AM, cercanias-commuter train to Chamartin station, from Madrid airport. 12:40PM, Renfe high-speed train to Salamanca station, from Chamartin station. 3:17PM, taxi ride to the hotel, after queueing in line which took some delay. Hubby was muttering under his breath that he should have downloaded the Uber taxi app when he had stronger wifi signal back at Chamartin, than in Salamanca station. Finally, we alighted the taxi which drove us to the old town. Check-in: Salamanca Suite Studios. Our assigned Room 305 was inclusive of a bedroom, t&b, kitchen, living room, plus mezzanine balcony.

Room balcony overlooked the Plaza de la Libertad, a square with manicured trees and a water fountain. Salamanca's winter weather was unexpected. Only west of Madrid, Salamanca's weather in January was biting cold than Madrid's. A wool scarf was mandatory around the neck. I worried any further temperature drop would betray the rest of the pack of my light wear clothing for the trip.

Room balcony overlooking the greenery of Plaza de la Libertad, in Salamanca.
29-jan, 3:51pm

Salamanca's Plaza Mayor was right next door, and it was not to be outshined. The town square, Plaza Mayor, beamed with pride, and radiant with lightbulbs, all ablaze at night. Surely, the city mayor did not scrimp on electricity to showcase the Plaza Mayor, to say the least. That night, I lost no time taking several photos of the main town square. But not one of my photos captured the Plaza Mayor with justice. Over in one corner, I stood. I gazed, and gushed over the Spanish baroque-style town square. I was mesmerized by the grandiosity of it. Salamanca did not fail me on a first visit to the city, on my third travel to Spain. A warm feeling-- "I'm back in Spain!" had set in my consciousness instantaneously.