Free-D

2000 immigrants have arrived over the last year, most noticeably from Rumania and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, we have the shocking news that poor old Bejar, once a thriving centre of woollen mills finds itself with 2000 - 25% - of its living spaces empty. And the voracious construction around Salamanca remains unabated. Location Location , they say, but until some bright spark actually decides to bring flights into Matacan from the UK, the city and province will always remain a backwater.

 They say that Europe is rapidly turning into a theme park for rich American and Asian tourists. If that’s the case, Salamanca must count among the favoured rides. Apparently over 90,000 nights were enjoyed in Castilla y León by rural tourists. Compare that to 65.364 in Catalonia, 55.405 in Balearics, and 39.966 in Andalusia. We may not have sun, sea and sand but we’re certainly doing something right. But not all the time…Alba de Tormes, with its fountained plaza and winding streets has maintained a slightly tatty but nonetheless consistent sense of elegance that sits well with its historical monuments like the castle and the convent. But the coach parties from Ireland and Japan go there above all for one thing: to see the great roofless basilica. Despite its Gothic style, the building was really a mad project set up in 1898 which later ran out of money.

Even despite subsequent efforts from the Church, the building remains hollow, no ceiling let alone the ornate spire that was originally planned.  Paradoxically, this white elephant has come to form the centrepiece of Alba’s architectural gems. But the Church, having saved its pennies has decided that that it needs to be completed. It will be covered – doubtlessly by a cheap tin roof - and the extraordinary quasi-modern, ruined folly shall be lost forever. It’s not as though Alba lacks churches. It’s not as though there aren’t countless other priorities that would seem far more worthy and in need of financial intervention. I would understand it if the basilica was to be used to accommodate new immigrants into the province. But we already know that there’s plenty of room for 2000 in Bejar.