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Published: December 5th 2009
We returned Northward on Monday, with two more nights to go before we return home. We dithered a bit about where to spend them, looked over a couple of towns along the way, but ultimately decided that the best place to finish our time in Spain was Toledo. It was the first place we visited, and remained one of our favorites. It is also within an hour or so of the Madrid airport, especially important since our flight leaves early on Wednesday morning.
We had initially planned to spend our last several days in Madrid. Certainly, there are many wonderful things to see and do there. In the end, though, we felt that we had enjoyed the smaller towns and cities much more than the big ones, especially given our style of traveling for the most part without reservations, and navigating by the seat of (my) pants, so Madrid will have to wait 'til the next time we are in Spain (regarding navigation, I have to confess, although I am not a fan of GPS--I hate the annoying electronic voices, the systems tend to get confused and send you in nonsensical loops, it's just one more piece of hardware to
A wonderful, ancient city
The Roman roots of Toledo are very much in evidence.be dependent on, etc.--I would have been wiser to bite the bullet and use one in Spain and Portugal. It would have relieved a lot of anxiety and saved a lot of pointless wandering around in the larger cities). Anyway, as we came to the end of our travels, we all liked the idea of spending a little more time in Toledo. It maintains the grandeur of the important capital that it once was, but is small enough to navigate pretty easily on foot. There is also a pleasing symmetry to finishing where we began.
Utilizing our acquired knowledge of Toledo, we decided to seek a hotel that was up in the walled part of the city. That would make it much easier to get around and would put us more fully within the atmosphere of the old city. We made a few loops within the twisting streets, and ultimately landed at a great location near the cathedral and the Plaza Mayor. The desk clerk directed me to a nearby parking garage, and we were set.
Andrew's cold continued to get better, but he still wanted to nap while Alec and I went out to walk around. We
The streets are still narrow
But they are much more urban-feeling than Arcos returned to a favorite cafe on the plaza for a glass of wine, then revisited the tobacconist for our last few Habanos. It has been such a treat to have frequent access to these great cigars, and an unanticipated bonus that they are relatively low-priced. We can only hope that our government will soon realize that the embargo on Cuban goods hasn't damaged the Castro regime, and has only hurt the Cuban people.
After we had a smoke, we returned to the hotel to fetch Andrew. We had some tapas (a final round of manchego cheese, some chorizo, and potato salad), then started searching in earnest for a restaurant. We ultimately settled on a large restaurant, decorated with hundreds of hams hanging from a high ceiling, near the Plaza Mayor. We tried the sopa castiliana, a very hearty traditional soup featuring serrano ham, egg, and garlic in a paprika-rich beef broth with slices of toasted bread floating on top. It was really, really good, and we speculated that it was a dish we could make at home. Entrees were also really good (we chose a variety of meats and seafood), and we finished with desserts and coffee before returning
to the hotel, our hunger fully sated.
We got a good night's sleep, punctuated by the periodic ringing of the nearby cathedral bells. In the morning, I got up for breakfast, then went out for a walk. Toledo is endlessly fascinating to me, and I could spend a lot of time people-watching there. I went back to get the boys, then we set off to see a few more sights we had missed on our first visit. We strolled around the exterior of the cathedral, marveling at it's vast dimensions and elaborate decorative sculpture. Then we found the "museum" housing El Greco's masterpiece, the Burial of Count Orgaz. In fact, visitors only see that one painting for the price of admission, but it is a remarkable artwork and guides provide a great deal of detailed information about it. We found a pretty good Chinese restaurant with a Menu del Dia (the Menus are a great way to eat on a budget, typically including appetizer, entrees, dessert, and beverage for a low fixed price). After lunch, Andrew wanted to nap again, so Alec and I walked to the ramparts of the city wall, overlooking the Tagus River, to have our
final cigar of the trip. It was a beautiful Fall afternoon. The city and the surrounding landscape sparkled in bright sunshine, and the air was crystal clear.
As the afternoon slid into evening, we picked up Andrew at the hotel and set off once more. We stopped into O'Brien's (or O'Brian's if you read their second sign) Irish pub for a pint. There was a young Irishman behind the bar, and the TV was in English, as were all the customers. We might have been in Dublin rather than Toledo. Strange but fun. Then we stopped for our last tapas and walked around the busy shopping district. Toledo has very sophisticated and stylish shops. It was funny to see the area all decorated with Christmas lights, much as it would be in the U.S. We casually looked around for a restaurant, ultimately deciding to try for a memorable last dinner in Spain. We made a good choice. After sharing a couple of starters, with excellent bread, Andrew and I ordered ox and Alec opted for fish. All were simple dishes, very well prepared and full of flavor. Alec and I shared a really good rioja, the best we tasted
Toledo's port was here
It must have been quite a job getting the cargo up the hill on the trip (Andrew wasn't drinking, as it didn't seem a good idea with his cold medications). We finished with dessert--I chose an almond mousse that was light as a feather--and coffee. The service was excellent. It was a great way to conclude our dining in Spain.
We had to be up at 5:30 on Wednesday morning to make our return flight. Actually, it was two flights, since we were coming home via Frankfurt. We turned in the car, checked in, and had a comfortable flight on Spanair, after a sympathetic flight attendant saw our kneed crammed into the seats in front of us and moved us to a bulkhead row that appeared to be identical to Business Class.
In Frankfurt, we transferred to the Lufthansa terminal and cleared Passport Control in time to have a good German beer before our flight left. It was a long haul (8 1/2 hours from Frankfurt to Dulles), but passed smoothly if not quickly. At least Lufthansa fed us regularly, even offering free beer and wine.
We arrived at Dulles tired, but happy to be home. We were pleased to discover that the line for U.S. citizens was very short,
and a friendly immigration officer reviewed our customs declaration, asked a few probing questions, and welcomed us home. Although it was the evening before Thanksgiving, the airport wasn't as jammed as we had feared, and we retrieved our car and made our way home by dinner time.
It has been a memorable Fall for us. We set out to see new people and places, as well as to reconnect with ones that are dear to us. I, for one, am sure that it will take me a good while to digest all that we saw and did on our travels. I have never before had the opportunity to spend such a protracted period traveling, and while it is always good to come home, I don't find that my appetite for new horizons has diminished. The world is an endlessly fascinating place, and it would be a shame to let life slip by in day-to-day routine, without sampling the different landscapes and cultures that are part of it. I don't know when the next opportunity will arise, but I'll be looking for it.
One final word on our trip, and the event that inspired it. When Vicki died last
February, I lost not only my wife, but also my dearest friend and greatest traveling companion. Our family has always viewed our travel experiences as the peak moments of our lives together, and it was to honor Vicki's memory, and to carry on that family tradition, that we decided to embark on our adventure. There were many times when Vicki was especially present. When we gathered with my sister and her kids in Bloomington, it was the fulfillment of a long-standing desire of Vicki's to get the family together. Visiting Chicago was a return to the place where we lived when we were first married. On a cold night in Yellowstone, she visited me in a dream. I don't remember what we talked about, but it was an easy renewal of our ongoing conversation. I dreamed of her again in Barcelona, where she suggested to me that I should "buy at least a couple of gallons." I'm not sure of what. In Granada, at an outdoor terrace restaurant that she would have loved, the music system, amazingly, began playing Eva Cassidy's wonderful cover of Sting's "Fields of Gold," a favorite rendition of one of Vicki's favorite songs, and mine. I
felt her presence very strongly then. In Morocco, as we dined on the rooftop of our riad, there was an empty place at the table for four.
And then there were the many friends, family, and new faces she would have so much enjoyed seeing. Again and again we encountered the ones nearest and dearest to her, all of them ready to greet us with a warm welcome and boundless hospitality, making our journey happier and easier all along the way. There was also the man in Marrakech, one of the vendors in the souks, who work hard to part tourists from their dirhams. We negotiated our way to the price of a pair of slippers, then he asked if I didn't need some for my wife. I told him that my wife died, and tears came to his eyes. "Sorry, sorry," he said. I won't soon forget what so many different people did for us and the numerous grace notes along the road.
As we look ahead to the new year, and leave this one behind, all of us are, I think, ready to move forward as Vicki would want us to. The boys have found an
apartment, and their college classes begin in January. They are excited about living on their own, and eager to make academic progress. We'll all be busy getting their place decorated and functional during December. I have given a lot of thought to how I will structure my time when they have left, and hope to renew my efforts as a painter, as well as working on my physical fitness and keeping my house and yard in good order. Beyond that, there are many possibilities. There is much to be thankful for, and much to look forward to. The journey continues for us all.
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Ursula
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Thanks for the great trip. I am glad Vicki was with you as every since you have been gone she has been with me. Today was St. Nick's Sale and the bake sale. I can tell you she was there today and enjoyed all the jokes and catty comments, I could almost see her laughing. Very few people are lucky enough to have a close friend. I have been pleased I have had both of you. Lucky me!