Awesome Avila (Gredos)

Avila is located at 111km North West of Madrid the Capital of Spain.

Ávila de los Caballeros, the real name of the town, is also the capital of the province with the same name, it is now part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, In Spain few cities, like Barcelona, or Madrid are at the same time a city name and a region or province name.

The city is 1117 meters (3665 feet) above sea level, the highest provincial capital in Spain. It is built on the flat summit of a rocky hill, and is surrounded by a landscape strewn with immense grey boulders, and surrounded by soaring mountains.

This hotel is located virtually in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farms and mountains in the distance. It is a lovely calm, rejuvenating place to relax.The rooms are comfortable and most have a spa bath (which they call a jacuzzi, but it really is just a normal bath with jets). The rooms are modern with huge timber beams and all the amenities that go with four star hotels.

Near the main house is an old shearing shed that has been converted into a gym, sauna and huge indoor pool with opening bi fold walls that look out to the mountains. We have set meals, three courses with wine and a salad bar.

  

It's a lovely place to unwind in the clean mountain air and there is a beautiful river within easy walking distance to swim in. We went down to the river and put our feet in and a million tiny fishes nibbled at the dead skin on our feet, so tickly.

We have only six wonderful Spaniards on our program, Fernando, L and Fernando, P, Julian, Manuel, Marissa, and Sol.

We also have thirteen English speakers, Gerry (Ireland) Linda, Barbara, Brandi, Cheri,  and Mary (USA) Taissa,Brazil, Glenys, Karen, (UK) Kaz (NZ) and Jim and I (Aust)

And our master of ceremonies Tom and Carmen the organiser.

  

Our day begins at 9am with a shared breakfast. Small tables each with at least one Spaniard. A smorgasbord of cereals, pastries, croissants, breads, smoked salmon eggs, tomatoes, juice tea or coffee and beautiful fruit, nuts, local peaches and cherries. Delicious!

10am till 1pm are either one to one (English with Spanish) sometimes teleconference or just sitting in the shade or walking and talking. At 1pm we come together for a group activity, which usually involves a lot of laughing and then at 2pm it is lunch for an hour, again a  shared meal with Spaniards.

Lunch is followed by a siesta till 5pm.

From 5pm till 8pm we have group activities, theatres sports, skits, improvisations and much hilarity. This is sometimes followed by a one to one before dinner at 9pm.

From 10pm onwards if free time but often means congregating in the bar for some songs, a game of bingo or just sitting chatting with the Spaniards.

Included in each day is an hour (or sometimes two) of free time where you can rest, do your washing, go for a swim or to the village (or write a blog) or look at stork's nesting on the cathedral.

The one on pone’s are fascinating. I look forward to them even though you must be totally focussed and concentrating for one hour. In these intense discussions you learn so much about the Spanish way of life. The people are warm, interesting and funny and very open to having fun. We have travelled into fragile territory discussing religion, politics, the economy, homosexuality – no subject has been excluded and the Spaniards are open, intelligent and quick to learn. I feel so privileged to have shared this week with them.

As part of the English immersion program the Spanish are required to make a short presentation in English, a daunting task for anyone but a colossal task for a fledgling English speaker. Each of our Spanish friends presented on a different subject.

How stressful presentations are, the stages of road building, a trip by barge along a canal, the history of the town of Avilla, the emergence of a shopping centre built in an old railway station and the annual festival held in Julian’s home town of Seville.

The presentations were great, informative, interesting and funny and the Spaniards were so brave to make them. There was also lots of theatre and skits that had us laughing till we cried. I was so sad when the week came to an end and we had to say goodbye. I will carry such warm memories of the Spaniards and the Spanish countryside from that week forward in my heart. It was an awesome adventure.