...I say bye to Salamanca and drive out to the mountains of Ponferrada to visit a world heritage site of Las Médulas - ancient Roman gold mines
...I find the village by the site overrun with tourists - I can't even get lunch, no free tables
...I trek to a nice viewpoint - my first walk
...I descend to Ponferrada and visit the town center - here too Easter processions are well underway. The town is quite pretty, the castle is very scenic and the setting against snow-capped peaks is breathtaking. There's even a small ski resort.
...I drive to León where on account of Easter processions I spent one hour in traffic and trying to find a spot
...I park 10 minutes from my hotel, to which I can't get by car. It's in the very center in a converted monastery
...not without some troubles I check in and find...a large crucifix over the bed in my cell...er.. I mean room. Otherwise my living quarters look quite normal but but the building is very charming
...I head out, see the famed León cathedral at sunset (a masterpiece of Spanish gothic, apparently - it is very pretty indeed)
...I immerse myself in crowds of revelers flocking the narrow streets of the historic district - eating, drinking and party until the wee hours are in order - despite it being Good Friday!
...I get slightly drunk, eat some Mexican food (which every other bar in this town seems to offer) and go to sleep