Blogs from Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain, Europe - page 19

Advertisement

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo April 4th 2006

Okay I´m the biggest dork, I get so excited about all the different foods over here in our travels...and let me tell you we have come across a GEM in Toledo...MARZIPAN...its a pastry made out of none other than one of my FAVORITE FOODS in the world...ALMONDS!!! Yeah these Spanish people are GENUISES...almonds, honey and sugar packed into this heavenly doughy concoction, its great and its everywhere in Toledo! We just arrived yesterday and had a big reunion (Blair and Alyssa went to Madrid while Melissa and I were in Salamanca). We´re staying in my favorite hostel so far, a renovated castle that´s been here since the 1400s for only 12 euro a night!!! Its on the top of a hill overlooking the rest of the city of Toledo. The city has a fascinating religious history, ... read more
The view of Toledo from our hostel
MAZAPAN

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo April 4th 2006

So its week three or four (I´ve lost count of all forms of time...days, hours etc.) of travelling and Blair, Alyssa, Melissa and I are feeling more and more like seasoned vagabundos (vagabonds en espanol :). Yup, we´re becoming old pros and living out of a backpack. And although it can be hell trekkin around with an extra 30 pounds on your back looking for an open hostel upon arrival into an new city, its also kind of liberating to know that we are carrying everything we need to survive on our backs. As Coach McHeffey and Melissa Waston know, this trip is really a big experiment in freedom for me...to hell with the daily routines, endless hours of imprisonment at the library, and disciplined workout regimens that have been my life for the past 23 ... read more
What we do best--hanging out

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo March 18th 2006

Today was my first little day trip. I went to Toledo with Monica and Carla. We were supposed to meet at 10, but Carla and I were a touch late. Good thing the bus leaves every half-hour and we didn’t already have tickets. Poor Monica was freaking out because she thought we had left her! Hehehe. We had all gone out the night before and slept the whole way to Toledo. I say “the whole way” like it was that far. It was only an hour, but that was a good hour of rest! So we got there and we had no idea where to go. I saw this giant hill in front of me and guessed that’s where we wanted to be. So we made our way toward the hill. We got stopped by a ... read more

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo March 18th 2006

The beauty of this medieval city was such a surprise for me. Toledo is situated on a rocky hill protected on three sides by the Tajo (Tagus) river. You enter the walls of the city and can climb up and down the cobblestone streets or look out at the river surrounding the city. The landscape alone is captivating. I enjoyed a break from school and the chance to relax in central Spain. On the way to Toledo the bus stopped in La Mancha to view the famous Molinos of Don Quixote. The whole group had fun posing in front of the windmills and getting the chance to see the setting of Cervantes’ book. Once in Toledo I went with my art class to see the gothic cathedral, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, and ... read more
Posing in front of the Windmills
Los Molinos de Viento
Walking Around

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo February 18th 2006

Recently took a small day excursion with some friends to Toledo, what used to be Spain's capital up until the 1500's or so. It's about an hour away by bus, south of Madrid and though we could've gone through the school, we were more fitted to go wander around on our own. Toledo is such a beautiful town! We went to the Cristo de la luz which was a mosque built long ago, a lot of things were built long ago and since I'm not too well with dates & history & all that jazz, we'll leave it at that. hahah. The cathedral was absolutely amazing, I could definitely say that it beats the Notre Dame in Paris, France. It's crazy to think how they built something so big and tall back in the days with ... read more
mesquite garden
guapo
cathedral

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo January 25th 2006

Hola!!! I have officially been in Toledo for over a week now and I cannot even BEGIN to express how amazing it is here. This culture is perfectly suitable for my normal lifestyle at ND (not sleeping, cafes, etc.) and I am living it up every night. Tonight and last night were probably the best so far in Spain...well, apart from being personally serenaded by a group of men that called themselves "La Tuna" or dancing until 7am at El Kapital in Madrid where the men were VERY friendly and the music was fabulous (gotta throw that word in for my Cairo chums) and every floor of the 7 level building had different rockin' music. But these past 2 nights have been so chill and it is great to talk with people from so many different ... read more

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo January 19th 2006

Greetings from Spain!!! I still can't believe I'm actually here! It's been a few days but already I feel like my Spanish is improving (although typing in English doesn't help but I doubt anyone would read this if it was all in Spanish so I guess I'll have to compromise). :) I am currently tapping into my neighbor's wireless which is AMAZING so I can actually keep this thing updated while I'm in Spain. My family is fabulous, especially my mom (Conce) who is a crazy housewife who cooks the most amazing meals and washes my clothes every other day (AND irons them...I don't think these clothes have EVER been ironed since I bought them). The house is spotless which sometimes makes me nervous because I'm a bit of a mess but so far so good. ... read more
My new room!
Toledo!
Rockin the Irish bar

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo January 17th 2006

Wow! I’m here in the beautiful land of Spain! After a very long flight, almost 8 hours, I met my new place in the world, Toledo. We were met at the airport by Yuki, one of the faculty at the Fundacion de Ortega y Gasset, where I’m studying, we were taken by bus to Toledo, an hour ride. The town is so beautiful; pictures do not even capture the wonder and splendor of this amazing historic city. We hastily unloaded our luggage into a truck, it was raining, softly, but the Spaniards still held their umbrellas tightly. The bus then continued up the very narrow street to the school. After slipping and sliding down the cobble street, where only two people can walk side by side, we came to the Fundacion. We then were told to ... read more
Amigos en Espana!

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo November 3rd 2005

So after my glorious time in Basque country, I headed down to Toledo. yes please insert a Holy Toledo here. There wasn´t much to do (I´m assuming thats why they named a place in Ohio after it) so I headed back to my hostel early (by the way, in another castel....i could get used to living in castels...) (without dinner because the restaurants opened at 9pm). Apparently, after speaking only Spanish for one week straight, I woke up in the middle of the night and started talking to my Australian roomate in Spanish! When she spoke back to me in English, I couldn´t find the words for either language. I think I have caused some brain damage! Then on my 2 hour bus ride to go 15 miles, I sat next to a little girl who ... read more
Lots of scenery
Hi..loving it
At the end of the day

Europe » Spain » Castile-La Mancha » Toledo October 11th 2005

Before our study abroad group arrived in Granada we did some travelling. From Madrid we visited the valley of souls on our way to Toledo where we spent a night and left the next morning to see the windmills of the fable Don Quixote in Alamancha before continuing on to our destination Granada. ... read more
900 dead
Gaurdian
ISA Group




Tot: 0.121s; Tpl: 0.008s; cc: 4; qc: 96; dbt: 0.0767s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb