TOLEDO

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TOLEDO Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June 2013
I made my way by metro from the hotel to the Madrid Atroche train station. That part was easy - firstly I lined up in the line for a ticket for 'short' distances only, then, after moving to the correct section of the station, and getting a numbered ticket to be served in order, I waited 45 minutes. More people watching time. Consequently I just missed a train and had to wait nearly 2 hours for the next - the joys of travelling! The train journey to Toledo only takes about 30 minutes and the train reached a speed of 250km/h. After a short taxi ride I was at the Hotel Eurico, in the centre of Toledo, very close to the cathedral.
To think that earlier in the week I was contemplating not coming to Toledo is now incomprehensible! It's amazing! A medieval town surrounded on three sides by a river. Narrow streets that cars move up and down - only just! I found the tourist office easily in a square near the cathedral but they did not provide help with deciphering the different tours available, only brochures and phone numbers! Feeling quite deflated I decided just to walk around and luckily came across a very helpful young man in a booth in a square, who recommended a package of vouchers to different sites and the tourist train. I made my way to the cathedral but could not connect with the guide so just walked around by myself. From there to the Old Bisagra (or Alfonso VI) Gate where a tour guide took the group up into the battlements, describing the history of the town. He was passionate about his town's history which made him an excellent guide.
Next morning, I decided to visit the museums later in the day, as the weather is very hot after lunch. I spent the morning on the tourist train and then walking to the first of the museums - the furthest in distance from the town centre - the Plaza Zocodover. The town has three small museums - a ticket for all three usually costs 9 euros - but the man only charged me 6 euros - maybe because of my grey hair! The museums cover the history of torture, the history of the Knights Templar and Leonardo The Inventor. They are great, little museums, up back streets - very focussed on delivering their information.
No day in Spain can go past without a visit to at least one church! Toledo has relics from Roman times, the period of Arab domination (711 - 1085) and from its Jewish inhabitants. Santa Maria la Blanca Synagogue was once a Jewish place of worship and then reconsecrated for Christian worship around 1405. Just down the street is San Juan de los Reyes, a fine church with the cloisters surrounding a magnificent garden.
Finally I visited the museum in the Alcazar (royal palace). Toledo is built on a mountain and the mountain has 7 hills - like Rome! The Alcazar dominates the landscape. It stands higher than the cathedral! The museum is quite large - it is suggested that you need 2 hours to see it properly. It contains small exhibitions in various rooms with exhibits about the siege during the Spanish Civil War, knives and swords (Toledo is reknown for this), firearms, uniforms from when Spanish troops were in Africa and the Romero Ortiz collection of objects and medals. Some of the foundations of the original palace have been exposed.
During the day I made my way by bus to the train station. I was not going to have a repeat of what happened in Madrid! "Manana un billete a Cordoba por favor" was all I had to say and it was all organised! A train back into Madrid and then to Cordoba for the next day.
Due to the heat during the day, I was adventuring out at night a bit more. On Saturday night I wandered along a few streets and come across a little bar, so had a mixed salad and water. I have been trying to eat salad at least once a day as the meals do not include a lot of vegetables. A salad does, sometimes, include tuna - which I fed to the 2 cats that were lurking around the edges of the bar!

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