VaughanTown

Kick Off
Information
Conduct
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VaughanTown
Greetings once again from the VaughanTown team!
*Arrival times are roughly estimated as they depend entirely
on the punctuality of the participants, so please be on time! We
suggest you book your outgoing flight the day after the program,
at the earliest, to avoid stress and rush. If you must fly out the
same day the program ends, than please book your flight no
earlier than 9:30 p.m. The bus will not make any special stops
at the airpor t, bus stations or hotels on the way back.
Here we are again with more information that will help you gear
up for the adventure ahead of you. This newsletter offers a glimpse
into the breath-taking National Park of Monfragüe where the
Hospedería you´ll be staying at is located!
Program Kick-off: Anglo Meet and Greet.
The program officially commences with our special welcome
tapas sampling for all of you the day before your program,
Spanish style of course. This is your chance to meet all your
fellow Anglos, socialize and relax before the program begins.
The meet & greet is quite informal, no need to dress in any
special way. As soon as you feel tired or sleepy you are free to
retire to your hotels as there is no official "end of meeting" time.
Expenses and Insurance.
The only expenses not covered by VaughanTown are your flight
to and from Madrid and the hotel for the night/s you are not
on the program. Our company will cover all costs once you
board the bus for Monfragüe and until you say goodbye six days
later. You will be covered by an accident insurance policy
throughout the program. If you get sick, we will take you to the
doctor, but our policy does not cover the cost of medicine. For
lunch and dinner we will be serving a 3-course meal with wine
*The meet & greet will be held on the second floor of the El
Almendro Mediterranean Café which is located on Santa Engracia,
number 41 from 7pm-8:30pm. The bus to Monfragüe will leave
at 8:30 a.m. from Paseo de Eduardo Dato, number 3.
MONFRAGÜE: Getting There and Back.
Our lovely VaughanTown bus will take you to the picturesque
and rustic 4-star Hospedería of Monfragüe. The bus-ride is three
hours, with a 30-minute stop.
You will be accompanied on the bus by the VaughanTown staff
and by some of the Spanish par ticipants. Some of the other
Spaniards will probably drive straight there in their own cars.
Here's the schedule for the bus depar ture and arrival times:
Madrid - VaughanTown
Departure: 8:30 a.m.
Arrival: 12:30 p.m.
VaughanTown - Madrid
Departure: 4:00 p.m.
Arrival: 7:00 p.m.
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of Monfragüe's door. The city of Trujillo is famous not only for
being of pre-Roman origin but also because of it's historical and
ar tistic heritage. The city of Caceres, 55km or 45 mins by car,
is one of the most impressive and best preserved monumental
cities of the Iberian Peninsula. It is considered to be the third
most impor tant European monument and was declared as a
Human Heritage site by UNESCO in 1986. The city walls together
with it's palaces, churches, squares and old streets form an
admirable historical centre. Plasencia is a frequently visited city
in for it's highly valued ar tistic and historical centre. Since the
city was founded by Alfonso VIII in the twelfth centur y it has
always been a ver y strategic point on the "Ruta de la Plata"
(ancient road uniting northern Spain with the south of Andalucia
and which passes through Extremadura, today classified as the
N630). Its cathedral, its noble and religious buildings and its own
special idiosyncrasies make for a very attractive tourist destination.
On the first Tuesday of August the city paints the town red with
the fiesta of "Fiesta de Mar tes Mayor", declared an annual fiesta
of impor tance for tourism and dedicated to Plasencia's visitors.
and water. The only expenses you may have once you're on the
bus to VaughanTown are between-meal snacks, drinks or
refreshments (other than the wine and water ser ved during
meals), or medication required from nearby village pharmacies.
We would recommend that by the time you board the bus, that
you have a minimum of 30¤. There are no ATMs (cash-machines)
at VaughanTown, so please bring cash and keep in mind that
Spain isn't very "traveller's-cheques" friendly.
Accommodation.
You will be in a lovely, four-star, rural hotel with a breathtaking
view of the National Park of Monfragüe. The Hospedería was
built in 1999 and improvements in all the hotel have been made
in 2006. It has been built in wood, slate and concrete. Inside,
with avant-garde decoration, we can find pictures of Extremenian
artists as Vostell or Canelo, just as furniture and carpets of wellknown ar tists like Mariscal, Le Corbusier or Moragas. You will
each have an individual room at the hotel unless you specifically
ask to share with another Anglo (couples, etc.).
Although the average temperature is quite accommodating,
there can be cold fronts with wind that can chill you to the
bone. Therefore it would be better to be prepared for the cold,
especially in the evenings and early mornings.
Place and Climate.
Here is the link for the weather forecast:
http://espanol.weather.com/weather/local/SPXX0204
The venue where VaughanTown will be taking place is in the
province of Caceres. The Hospedería Parque de Monfragüe is
located in the center of the triangle formed by the historic cities
of Cáceres, Plasencia and Trujillo; and in middle of a typical
Extremenian dehesa (a kind of meadow), and at National Park
HOSPEDERÍA DE MONFRAGÜE,
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Telephone number:
(34) 927 45 52 78 / 79
Fax number:
(34) 927 45 52 80
Address:
Ctra. Plasencia-Trujillo, km 39,100.
10694 - Torrejón el Rubio
España
Facilities: Each room is furbished and equipped with the following:
o Internet (with Cables)
o Air Conditioning
o TV
o phone
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The hotel is equipped with:
tap.
Phone Calls.
o "El Paraiso de los Sentidos" Restaurant
o Inside bar
o Relaxing Lounge
o Outside terrace
o Games room with a table tennis, billard table, etc.
o Swimming pool
o Gardens
o Parking
o Meeting rooms
o Laundry service
If you want to make a phone call, or be reached, the best time to
do so is from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., as you will probably be in your
rooms resting or taking a siesta. Here is the phone number again:
(34) 927 45 52 78 /79.. You can use your calling cards, your 800
cards (in Spain they are 900 cards), but be careful with the phone
calls you make, you will be charged at the end of your stay.
Internet Connection.
There is WI-FI access in all the lobby of the hotel. The hotel also
has a computer in the lobby for their client’s use. Internet connection
will be available in your rooms but you will need to bring your own
laptop and cable (CAT-5 or the like) to have access.
Food and Meals:
The dinning room in the hotel can easily accommodate our entire
group at one sitting. All the meals will be hot and served by waiters.
Breakfast is at 9:00 a.m. and consists of a buffet with typical Spanish
and continental breakfast dishes. It will be free seating for all the
meals assuring each table though has two Anglos and two Spaniards.
Lunch and dinner are 3-course meals that feature typical Spanish
food, served with wine and water. If you are a light eater, you can
simply tell the staff, through the Spanish participants, that you would
like a green salad and nothing more or only a banana, for example.
The restaurant has a bar that serves beer, wine, soft drinks, and
mixed drinks all day long and well into the night. You will pick up
the tab on your own between-meal snacks or drinks. Concerning
alcoholic beverages, please bear in mind that nothing beyond light
social drinking will be permitted.
Voltage.
220V. You would do well to bring a plug converter. There are hair
dryers in each or the rooms, but if you usually travel with a small
iron or your computer, please make sure you bring converters for
standard 220V European currency (the two pronged circular plugs).
Laundry.
There are no laundry facilities on site. The hotel has its own laundry
service but no dry cleaning, which is slow and very pricey. You will
be responsible for this cost, so be sure to pack enough for the
duration of the program. By the way, there are no irons or ironing
boards in your room.
If you have any dietary restrictions, we need to know that now so
we can plan with the hotel kitchen accordingly. We are able to
accommodate vegetarians and special diets, but we need to know
in advance.
Tap Water and Food Hygiene.
The tap water everywhere in Spain is potable and it even tastes
better than many bottled waters. You may not be used to the taste
of the tap water in Monfragüe, but it is perfectly drinkable. It's very
rare for a visitor to get sick in Spain because of the food or water.
Please don't be afraid to eat anything or drink water from any normal
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Health.
necessary. However, walks will not be over any rocky terrain, so if
you're comfortable with slippers, sandals or loafers - that will be
fine. No heavy duty outdoor gear is required. In general, casual wear
is quite common, although some participants bring a nice outfit for
the night of Spanish music. The Anglo meet-and-greet is casual as
well. Even during the summer, we suggest you bring a light jacket
or sweater for the evenings.
There are first-aid kits in the hotel, but any illnesses or accident will
require that we take you to the nearby town of Torrejon el rubio.
If there is a true emergency, we will take you to Plasencia, the nearest
city. It's a popular tourist destination because of its charm and beauty.
Finally, as stated above, you will be covered by a health and accident
policy while participating in the program, including the bus to and
from Monfragüe.
Smoking.
Very Important: Feet, Legs and Lungs.
Smoking is prohibited in the public areas of the hotel, the restaurant,
lobby and your rooms. There will be a smoking area provided for
you. If you are a smoker, please bring your own supply of cigarettes
to last you the duration of the program.
You will walk a lot during this program. One Spaniard gave a speech
on the last day of his experience saying: "Over the past six days I
have learned 110 kilometres of English." You will probably not walk
110 kilometres, but you could easily end up walking 40 miles. Now,
if you prefer to sit in the lounge or out on a bench and talk to your
corresponding Spaniards, that's perfect too. But still, it is wise to
bring comfortable walking shoes.
Drinking.
Light, social drinking is okay. Spaniards are not heavy drinkers. Of
course there are the odd alcoholics here, but their alcoholism is
usually due to drinking half a bottle of wine per day for 30 years
straight. It's not very common to see a drunken Spaniard. Don't
be overwhelmed by the free wine that is on the table at every
meal. You do have to be clear-headed afterwards.
Dress Code.
Many Anglos send us emails concerned about what to wear during
the six days and we always say the same thing: bring comfortable
clothing! You will be doing a lot of walking, so good shoes are
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Partying.
Sancho, there is nothing more prized in this world than freedom.
Without it all great things accomplished come to little joy.
Spaniards are famous for their love of night-life and their ability to
stay out into the wee hours of the morning. We've had a lot of
fun, healthy partying in every program we've held up to now.
Different people get together, both Spanish and Anglo, and play
games, go for walks, or just end up chatting under the stars or in
the lounge. We do not recommend staying up so late that you can
barely make it to the breakfast table, but the incredibly rich linguistic
atmosphere achieved in these late night gatherings makes us reluctant
to prohibit them. Therefore, the only advice we can give is the
following: have fun, enjoy the rich human and cultural mix, but keep
your head on your shoulders. If someone is clearly losing his or her
edge because of the festivities, we will be forced to ask them to
leave the venue and the program.
Let us remember the wise words of our noble knight and remember
also that our Spanish visitors, who need so much to extract from
us the essence and vitality of the English language, must endure the
frustration and lack of freedom that comes from not being able to
freely express themselves on the international stage.These professional
adults, accustomed to winning contracts and achieving goals in their
native land, suffer tremendous embarrassment and frustration when
seeking the same abroad. They despair of their English, but they're
good folk and you'll enjoy their company immensely.
Best regards,
The VaughanTown team
Travel Tips
For some handy travel tips to help you plan your trip, as well as
some recommended accommodations with their addresses and
phone numbers, check our website.
Madrid is a popular weekend destination and hotels and hostels
tend to fill up. Don't leave your accommodation arrangements for
the last minute!
IMPORTANT:
HAVE YOU BOOKED YOUR FLIGHTS / BUS / TRAIN YET?
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T SENT US THEIR TRAVEL
DETAILS PLEASE DO SO (anglos@vaughantown.com).
That's it for now dear friends. Hope this newsletter answered some
more of your questions but remember, you can always email us
(anglos@vaughantown.com) with any further queries.
And as Don Quixote said to his trusted squire, Sancho Panza: Amigo
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