Toledo is Spain's oldest city, and its former capitol. As you can see, the city mostly lies on top of a hill and was originally a fortress. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella used to live there, too. Impressed yet?
Okay, so it's hard to capture the city in a few pictures, but I definitely tried. There was just no way to really do it justice. This city is truly from another time. The streets were insanely narrow and covered in various types of cobblestone, winding their way through small plazas and stairways and a giant cathedral. See THOSE pictures below:
Here they were in the process of restoring and adding new sections. Awesome, right?
The Holy Church Cathedral of Toledo is one of the oldest and largest in Spain. Pictures weren't technically allowed...but everyone took them anyway. Guards walked right by people using giant DSLR's and even taking photos of guards not enforcing the rule. You gotta love Spain. Also, there was a cellist - yes a freaking CELLIST - playing a beautiful, peaceful melody outside of the cathedral entrance. I didn't get a photo on my phone, but i got some good ones (and good video) on my camera, and they will definitely show up on Facebook soon.
We seriously walked all, and it just never got old. This city is unbelievably beautiful. We did, however, require sustenance, as we'd gone through the ordeal of buying train tickets in a Spanish train station and didn't leave Atocha station until 12:20. As Syd ever so eloquently stated, "Well, you're getting a true Spanish experience." She wasn't kidding - everything is a process in Spain. Anyway, back to the sustenance...
We found a tiny hole in the wall with a special including an appetizer (gazpacho, salad, paella, etc.), entree (grilled.chicken, beef and veggies, seafood plate, etc.), a dessert of your choice, delicious fresh baked bread, and wine or water... all for 10 €. I'm not even close to joking. And all of the food was incredible. The chicken was so tender that it didn't need much more than a small jab of the fork to get a piece off, and it just melted in your mouth. Everything. Was. Delicious. Oh, and this was our view:
All in all, a wonderful day. On our way back to the Toledo station, we found a delightful old British couple that we had helped that morning in Atocha. We talked with them on the walk back - they have really traveled the US. Like, as much if not more than I have. And they are some of the sweetest people I've ever met. Traveling is wonderful.
I snapped this shot going back to Syd's. Gots to.
And finally, a souvenir from Madrid of its symbol - a bear eating from a tree. Sic 'em Spain.
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