Where Is Joey Today?

Avila's Home Again

I have mentioned on previous blog entries about my favorite untouristed touristy spot in Spain; Avila. Most Iberian bound travelers will be lucky to see it from the window of their train on the way to Salamanca. It is a either a shame or a blessing depending on your point of view. It is nice to be traipsing around 900+ years of history without every fannypack yellow umbrella follower getting in the way of your photos on the other hand, people are missing out on this day trip gem. Meh, I'm selfish I'll keep it the way it is.

The attraction for non Catholics, is the wall--called La Muralla; Avila is also the home to Saint Teresa of Avila. Em and I took the 12:40 train there for about 16 euros roundtrip. For people that like buses, you can do the same for 10. For people traveling with my sister, you spend the extra 6 euros ;)

The wall is roughly 1 km or so from train station so when you pull up you can see from end to end. Very impressive. Having seen this lovely pueblo twice, like a few things I have revisited, the wow wears off a bit. Although that is to be expected. Jokes aren't as funny the second time around and movies dubbed classics make you scratch your head at times.

Disculpe, donde esta 40.653466, -4.696451?

There is something here I wanted to see which is a bit different than most people. Two years ago, I took a photo that turned out by chance to be possibly my favorite of the thousands I have taken. I didn't realize it fully until I dumped it on my computer almost a week later. So one of my goals was to find this place. A tricky task. When I took it, it seemed good but not thinking much of it at the time, I took no steps to think about where exactly it was. I had a vague idea (which turned out to be right) that it was on the back side of the wall or near the back side of the wall.

Em and I wandered for hours looking for the place. I decided that it was probably not going to happen...at least not in time to see it in different light. Because Angela and I passed by at twilight, it is forever foggily sealed in my imagination the way it exists there. Part of me wondered if I wanted to see it any other way. There is something to be said for keeping it as it was in my mind. If I took a better photo with my better camera, would I really want to replace my first one? It wouldn't represent the same feelings or mentality I had when I took it. The photos I plan on hanging on the walls of my future house, should be more than a pretty picture, I want it to represent about that 1/8th of a second of time when it was taken with all the associated feelings and thoughts that went along with it.

We had lunch/dinner at a cafe called Bar Havana (alas no luck finding Cuban food, just burgers) when I noticed they had a few computers. So I jumped on took a look at the photo on my blog, photoed the screen and headed off with new found energy. I think I had seen the top of the cathedral in the background! Sometimes Dad will tell me he has no idea who he is rooting for in a random football game until one team scores or messes up and the outburst is off the cuff. Similarly, I wanted to find this place. No doubt :)


We got a bit turned around and as we found ourselves near a belltower I recognized from last time and we kept poking around the grounds because it looked promising. Having covered it from every angle I was resigned to not finding it again, only this time I knew I was going to be disappointed. More walking up narrow paths up to the wall and I see a familiar arch, with the top of a tree that doesn't appear to belong in Spain. YES! I ran up and as the road bent around I see a hemisphere of stone.

Bingo! Now that I had found it, I wanted to get some more information. If future generations were to do what I have done with my father's photos I would need to get them some details on what and where this is. I now know exactly what it is and EXACTLY where it is ;)

Turns out it is called El Convento de Nuestra Se~ora de Gracias. The street is Cuesta de Gracias and is a stone's throw from the Muralla. I remember Angela telling me she thought the courtyard felt spiritual and I agreed, and then whipped out the camera. The Convent was from the 1980s. Wow, only as old as me? Kind of a metaphysical bummer. A little more research showed that it founded in the 1500s but burned down in the 1700s. In the 200 years that followed it was decided that it should be a national monument. 40 years later it was reconstructed in its present form.

If you decide to take a day trip to Avila from Madrid (or Salamanca), make sure you take the last train back. The wall at night is really pretty.



--Joey