My dream of visiting Avila came true today! My abuelo Pepe (my grandpa Jose Gonzalez Quiñones) lived in Avila for over 20 years. After my abuela Conchi (grandma Concepción )passed away in 1961 before I was born, my abuelo Pepe remarried a Spanish lady named Angelita and moved to Avila. I have always wanted to visit. Growing up I only saw my grandpa when he came to Puerto Rico to visit. My grandpa lived on Calle Santo Domingo, I’m standing right in that street and the videos are of the street. Calle Santo Domingo is right inside the Avila wall that surrounds the old part of Avila. The wall in these pictures are right by where my grandpa lived. Avila is also where my grandpa’s Davila side of the family comes from. My grandpa’s great great grandmother was Maria Manuela Davila a descendant of the Davila or De Avila family of Avila, Spain. This line came from Avila one of the sons went to Jerez de la Frontera and from Jerez to Puerto Rico. Josef De Ávila came to PR from Jerez de la Frontera married Josefa Espinosa de Los Olivos and two of their sons Tomas and Alonso Davila are my 6th great grandparents because their children who were cousins married, Jose Davila and Josefa Davila. María Manuela Dávila their daughter is my 4th great-grandmother. Avila is a special place for me. I felt in love with Avila right away!
