Our Travel Journal: Island Hopping 2024: Spain, Ávila, Salamanca, Tapas

With a later than usual start (remember we were eating pizza til well after midnight), we got moving for this phase of our travels, a road trip through Spain. The first thing was to get accustomed to the Spanish road system. This was easy, great roads and plenty of signage. Next was to familiarize myself with the rental car, Citroen. Not bad, at least the gear shift and the driving wheel was in the right place (unlike those crazy Brits), we did have some trouble with the navigation system, but fortunately we had a back-up system so all was good.

Driving out of Madrid the first landmark is the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain ranges. Some of those mountain tops were covered with snow. However, the drive from Madrid to Salamanca did not involve traversing extensive mountainous terrain. The landscape tended to be a mix of hills, plains, and agricultural areas, especially as we moved away from the immediate vicinity of Madrid. The overall journey offered a glimpse of the varied geography of central Spain.

A small town we drove through

The rolling mountains around Madrid, we could see this cross for miles

We arrived in Ávila around 1:30pm (13:30), made a quick stop at a local pharmacy and then drove on to the famed old city. We were running late so we only had time to walk some of the crooked streets and view the Ávila Catedral. Yes, it does not take being in Europe long before you start marveling over these magnificent cathedrals. This one was made a little more special because it houses an El Greco painting.

This is carried through the town on St. Teresa day

The cathedral's El Greco, I still think he got the hands all wrong

Inside the cathedral

Walking the twisting streets

Approaching the walls from the inside

Driving on to Salamanca we arrived at our hotel around 6:00pm. The NH Collection Salamanca Palacio de Castellanos is a beautiful boutique hotel with an outstanding view of the main cathedral. Later in the evening we joined the paseo, a cultural tradition of taking a leisurely stroll in the evening in and around the plaza. The paseo is deeply ingrained in Spanish culture, providing an opportunity for people to connect with their community, unwind, and engage in casual conversations. Sandy and I, following these strollers, ended up in the magnificent town center of Salamanca. Following a casual stroll around the square we chose a pleasant Tapas Bar for dinner. A couple of interesting Tapas and a few glasses of Rioja later and it was clear that Salamanca will be unforgettable.