An Ancient City
After our strange and tumultuous evening in Madrid, we took a bus trip to the nearby city of Toledo. This city has a very classic Italian feel to me, not that I knew it at the time. Its age and position on a hill over a river, just seems to afford it so much authenticity.
Toledo is a city defined by elevations. The Tagus River is an integral part of the form having carved around the base of the historic walled settlement, which means the bridges over it become focal points. It really is strange how much elevation there is in Toledo, considering the surrounding area doesn’t seem mountainous at all. The proximity to such a steep and severe river means there are many beautiful vistas to be had, even without a dominant promontory as found in Barcelona and Palma.
And of course we visited Toledo Cathedral, because how can you not visit a structure that so iconifies the skyline? The building represents the height of Gothic construction in Spain and was built from 1227 to 1493, but the Archdiocese of Toledo dates back to 325 and it was granted the title Primate of Spain in 1088 by Pope Urban II.
Finally we visited a metalworking and glass blowing facility to see demonstrations of the craftsmanship for which Toledo is known. I did buy a knife in the gift shop, and while I didn’t spent a lot I was disappointed that the blade latch broke on the subsequent bus ride. But hey, at least I didn’t try to take it home in my carry-on when we boarded the plane home like Phil. (don’t worry it wasn’t a big deal back in those days)
On the bus ride out of town our tour guide mentioned in passing a 100 year old Bull Fight Arena, La Plaza de Toros. I’m not sure why this stuck out, but it seemed explicitly old to me. Never-mind that the Cathedral I’d just been inside of was 700-some years old.
And that was it! We took the bus back to Madrid, took a plane to Switzerland, and arrived back in Maryland a day later. It was a bit of a whirlwind, and not everything went to plan, but this was the trip that opened my eyes to the prospects of trotting the globe.
