La Mancha - Leon

BEDFORD ROAD: After picking up our Ford Focus, we managed to navigate our way out of Madrid with minimum fuss and headed down to the historic city of Toledo in Castila y La Mancha. This beautiful city sits on top of the hill, wound (as most Spanish cities are) with tight streets and dotted with spires.

After a couple of hours wandering around we headed back north towards Avila in hope of accommodation. We had a place booked in Salamanca but that was a little off track. After driving through the golden plains and castle topped hills, we began to round a majestic lake. Spotting a couple of signs offering accommodation, we stopped the car and then, after a series of manic conversations in broken Spanish, we were able to secure a place to stay.


Our neighbours (Rob)
However to get supplies we had to backtrack to a sleepy Spanish village deep in the narcotic slumber of siesta. We drove back and forth four or five times through this tiny town in search of an elusive grocery store where we could load up on ham, cheese, chorizo, beer and sangria (our Spanish staples). We finally found the modest shop front having driven straight past it four times.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening swimming in the lake before a bonfire on the banks.


Drowned rats (Rob)


This was actually a house (Rob)


The lake (Rob)


Bonfire by the lake (Rob)

After a morning dip to wake up and we set out for Avila which 1001 Places to See Before You Die recommends you see for its perfectly preserved medieval walls. The walls were amazing but what the book didn't tell you was that it was basically a theme park for Spanish tourists.


Loch Ness monsters


Spanish castles


The Great Wall (Rob)


The king of the castle (Rob)


Apparently this guy is related to Pete the Student (Rob)

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