Yemas de Santa Theresa in Avila

Busloads of tourists congregated at the tiny overlook off the main road, jostling for position to snap photos of themselves with the walled city of Avila in the background.

Avila has long been famous for its association with St. Theresa, the female patron saint of Spain. Her presence in this town is unmissable, with her remains inside the eponymous convent.

Thus, much like the backpacker circuit, this was just a stop on the religious pilgrimage circuit, along with other well-known hot spots such as Fatima, Lourdes and Santiago de Compostela.

I happened to be in the area and purchased a box of yemas de Santa Teresa. In addition to appropriating the saint's name, these sweet egg-yolk and sugar concoctions have been produced since 1860, so they must be pretty good.

Darn good they were. And very sweet. Too sweet. Couldn't resist popping these bite-sized delicacies into my mouth for a quick sugar fix, or just because. After two days, the box of twelve was entirely demolished, with no assistance from anyone. (Not that I offered).

I would have wanted to get my hands on another box to carry me through the rest of the week, but another trip into town was not in the offing. Visitors to Avila should make sure to sample these yemas for a different kind of nourishment after touring all the important spiritual sites.