Val de la Villa - Pueblo Ingles

Since returning to Madrid, I was determined to still get out and enjoy my vacation. I decided on a day of museums and parks. It was a gorgeous sunny warm day, but unfortunately my knee wasn't cooperating too much. I walked around the Retiro Park enjoying the sun, the fountains, etc., but stopping at almost every bench to rest my painful leg. I was hoping to see the exhibition in the Crystal Palace, and the rose garden, but due to bad timing missed both, which are closed on Tuesdays! Instead I sat for a while watching the black swans on the lake, and a man dressed entirely in a business suit doing tai chi in the shade beneath the trees. That stuff must really work, it was very relaxing, just watching! My last stop in the park was the statue of the Devil, according to the guide book the only one in Europe.

Next stop on this vacation was another week at Pueblo Ingles, the English language program for Spainsh speakers wanting to converse for an entire week in English. This program was held at Valdelavilla, and abandoned village which has been rebuilt at a rural retreat. The location was very remote, extremely pretty, and for the first couple of days very cold and wet. I was also in constant pain from the moment I got off the bus. Adding to my grief was the simple logistics of negotiating around on a bad knee and slick wet cobblestone streets, steep uneven steps outside, and steep steps in all the period buildings. I tried hard, but after a couple of days had to accept that the standard painkillers were just not doing that. I accepted stronger drugs, but with the result that I was totally numb, and barely able to stay awake. After another couple of days being unable to join in the group activities, nor really hold a reasonable conversation I voluntarily evacuated myself from Valdelavilla.

I hope to return there someday. It was a beautiful area once the sun came out, but I never got to see anything more than the main administrative building and my room.

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