on to Ávila

 My first gate in the wall that rings Ávila. My hotel is just beyond it to the right.  Arrived mid afternoon and walked from the train station, intended to take a cab but they were few and far between and the people waiting were a good number. I figured I could walk there in about 20-25 minutes and I could easily wait that long for a cab.  My room is very nice and I have a whole walking tour route planned for tomorrow. Rain this afternoon but it's expected to end around sunset so I might get some evening photos before seeking St Teresa's famous finger (per Megan & Christian worth seeking out!) 

my hotel to the left of the gate - San Vicente gate

View from the hall windows of the wall.

 nicely appointed room

 

In the early evening I walked to to the Cathedral (another post) and then came back to the hotel for dinner there. A nice tuna tarare and a righ sized dessert of tarta de abuela with a custard sauce and warm chocolate to top it!

that night I laid out a plan of attack for my one and half days in this lovely city. Meanhwile a few photos along the way- 

the Pincipe Pio train station where my train to Ávila departed from Madrid.

 

I was on a regional "middle distance" train which made eight stops along the way - here is one of them- taken from the train window (which was not very clean LOL)

and then on my walk to the hotel I came across this (and a nmuber of others) on the side wlak along the park. I am from Ohio soI recognize a buckeye when I see one. Here their chestnuts are not exactly the same as ours in Ohio were I think ours were called Horse Chestnuts. These are a lot less hard than buckeyes are - quite squishy actually. But it caught my eye- 

and as I approached the hotel and the gate into the old city I came across an fabulous romanesque church- and the hermitage right on the property 

so plenty more to see in Ávila - come on back!