Salamanca Summary and Analysis

The narrator begins this chapter talking about the differences between Spain and Portugal. One thing is for sure: people feel safer in Portugal than they do in Spain. Portugal is simply a cleaner, more organized, and safer nation than Spain and people prefer to go there. It is the oldest English ally and northern Europeans go there as a big vacation spot.

When he arrives in Pamplona, he notices how many garages there are with young men working on their Citroen and Ford engines. Everywhere he looked he saw many northern Europeans all huddled together in groups, and tons of cars. He saw lots of lumberyards, workers' benches and cordage shops and knew that Pamplona would be an unusual city. He also saw men walking around with garlic necklaces, as if they were precious pearls, and this was how he knew...