Life in Ciudad Rodrigo

Shocking I know but today we celebrated the return of the prostitutes to the city of Salamanca. A tradition that seems to have spread to our own little town - we did it by going down to the river and having a picnic the main element of which was a local pie stuffed full of bits of pig. Actually we ate our hornazo in the kitchen but we were by the River Águeda in spirit and we did go to stare at the picnicers a little later in the afternoon to show solidarity. Apparently, back in the 16th Century Philip II (the one who got his beard singed by Drake) decreed that the prostitutes from the town brothel in Salamanca should be shifted across the river Tormes for the whole of Lent to ensure that the menfolk remained chaste. The women were put under the care of a priest, un Padre, who became known as Padre Putas (Father Whores) - it's quite amusing in Spanish but it loses something in the translation I feel. The women were allowed back into the city on the second Monday after Easter Sunday...

The main square in Salamanca is pretty impressive. Salamanca is full of students from all over the planet. I was waiting for Maggie, under the clock stamping my feet to keep my circulation going on this wet and miserable day when I realised that I was taking part in a ritual common to Salmantinos and visitors alike that must have gone on for hundreds of years - well since the square was built in 1729 at least. Ahh, the continuity of it all.