Breakfast in Burgos © 2012 Mufidah Kassalias

I’ve always loved Spanish tortillas. And the good thing about being in Spain is that you can buy them everywhere at pretty much any time of the day.

When we arrived in Burgos our first port of call was the bar at the corner of the street where we had arranged to meet a friend to pick up the key to the flat of another friend. Hungry, and having time to wait since we’d arrived earlier than anticipated, we ordered a couple of tortillas for only €1.50 each. Delicious and nutritious at a price you can’t argue with.

The following morning we set off in search of a supermarket or grocery store to stock up on provisions, only to find everything closed. Not having had breakfast we found ourselves hungry again — and in need of a caffeine boost — so we stopped at a nearby café for a smooth, creamy café con leche to wash down our second slice of tortilla in just over twelve hours.

I’m not sure how many tortillas and cafés con leche we’ve had over the last ten days, but it has to be close to one a day. Mostly because the best WiFi access we’ve found is at Vara Café, less than a five-minute walk from where we’re staying. And, even with the €6 cost for two orders of each it’s still cheaper than the internet café two blocks away which, not only being prohibitively expensive, also turns out to be not much of a café but more like a old-style office with each person having to sequester themselves in their own high-sided cubicle.

Beyond enjoying breakfast in Burgos we’ve also enjoyed exploring the city, getting to know our way around and learning some of the history, much of which is centred around its medieval heritage and monuments, with the vast, Gothic cathedral being the most prominent and well-known.

Burgos Cathedral © 2012 Mufidah Kassalias

There are few who fail to be impressed by such architecture, yet I find myself reaching saturation point with grand and great buildings, many of which are essentially imposing chunks of grey. Instead I find myself drawn to the colourful, the unique and the human-scale. Just two minutes walk from the Cathedral and you find yourself in the Plaza Mayor, an enclave of brightly painted houses, many of which also have balconies filled with flowers. A much more inspiring sight, full of life and individual expression. Talking of which, I think it’s time I ordered another tortilla.

Plaza Mayor Houses © 2012 Mufidah Kassalias