Toledo, Septembr 26, 2009

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After an uneventful trip from OKC, we arrived in Madrid and immediately took our rental car south to Toledo. Toledo has been occupied since the Bronze Age, but gained real prominence during the Roman occupation, when it was the administrative center for the Tarraconensis province. After a period as the capital city of Visigothic Spain, it became an important multicultural center (La Convivencia) under the Caliphate of Cordoba, with vibrant Jewish, Christian, and Muslim populations. When re-taken by Alfonso VI of Castile, the Arabic libraries were not destroyed, and translations into Spanish and Latin of the many Hebrew and Arabic texts allowed that knowledge to be re-distributed throughout Christian Europe. From the 17th century to the late 20th century, economic penury prohibited urban renewal projects, and thus the architectural and cultural riches were preserved. Today, Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited cities in Spain.

We hoped to tour the Alcazar, but it was closed for renovations/repairs. Nevertheless, it was fun to wander up the hill to that fortress and we had a wonderful lunch with jamon iberico, anchovies in vinegar, salt anchovies in vinegar, manchego cheese, and preserved Spanish meats, with the necessary beer.

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