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)

Journal Entry... Barely made it home to the Philippines for the pandemic lockdown in March 2020, then flying outbound from Madrid. Fast-forward to 2025, we're flying back to Madrid 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 process for business class passengers (ahem), who also go through a special immigration entry way. I temporarily parted with my luggage... see you in Madrid!

4:11PM, PAGGS lounge. On display was a Christmas tree adorned with lights and red ampao envelopes. It dawned on me, our outbound flight coincided with Chinese New Year's eve. By midnight, it's "Kung Hei Fat Choi, 2025!" Befitting the turn-of-the-year Chinese celebration was the Filipino soup dish of arroz caldo, which I no-brainer paired with Chinese siomai and asado siopao, also being served, at the lounge.

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

5:57PM, boarding. Seat: 6C, window side. First leg: Manila-Abu Dhabi. ETA Abu Dhabi: 11:36PM. (Time at Abu Dhabi: 3:26PM) I had eight hours to enjoy my reclining seat/bed, till Abu Dhabi layover. I looked forward to Etihad Airway's in-flight meal, especially the arabic mezze... a selection of hot and cold Middle Eastern appetisers. My last taste of it was too long ago, in 2016, flying the same airline headed for Rome. I turned the Etihad Menu page and found it was still listed. Great!

January 29, Wednesday: 12:19PM, Etihad Airways lounge, Zayed International Airport. Layover was brief, under 2-hours. It was not sufficient for me to explore all six floors of the Etihad lounge in Abu Dhabi. Save hydrating myself with a single bottle of sparkling water, plus that golf cart-ride to the lounge. "Madame! Madame!" someone was calling my attention. I turned around, and saw an incoming Etihad ground staff from behind the wheel of a golf cart, offering a free ride to the lounge. "Shukran," I properly thanked the Etihad staff.

Etihad Dreamliner.
29-jan, 2:53am

1:47AM, re-boarding. Aircraft was a Dreamliner. Seat: 10A, window side. Second leg: Abu Dhabi-Madrid. ETA Madrid: 7:13AM. I had seven hours to enjoy my reclining seat/bed, till Madrid landing. At this time, my body clock had automatically switched to sleeping mode. I fumbled on the "Do Not Disturb"-button, clicked it, and dozed off shortly after takeoff. Then woke up in time for in-flight breakfast. 7:41AM, touchdown, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. Hola! España.

Salamanca, 2025
29-jan, 8:14pm

January 29, Wednesday: First city stop, SALAMANCA. 9:05AM, cercanias-commuter train from Madrid airport to Chamartin station. 12:40PM, Renfe high-speed train from Chamartin to Salamanca station. 3:17PM, taxi ride to hotel; some delay at the taxi stand deciding whether to download the Uber app, or just wait for incoming taxi. We waited for a taxi. Check-in: Salamanca Suite Studios. Hotel room 305 was inclusive of bedroom, t&b, kitchen, living room, plus mezzanine balcony.

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

Room balcony view of Plaza de la Libertad, in Salamanca
29-jan, 3:51pm

Salamanca's Plaza Mayor was next door. It was not to be outshined. The town square, Plaza Mayor, was radiant in lightbulbs, all ablaze at night. The city mayor did not scrimp on electricity to showcase the Plaza Mayor. I stood in one corner, and gazed, and gushed over the Spanish baroque-style town square, and took photographs. Not one of my photos that night did justice to the grandiose Plaza Mayor in the golden city of Salamanca.