Barcelona→ Majorca→ Madrid→ Toledo
Toledo, Spain - 1996
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 lends it so much authenticity.
Toledo is a city defined by elevations. The river is an integral part, which means so are bridges over it. 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 iconifies the skyline?
Finally we visted a metalworking and glass blowing facitlity 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 dissapointed that the blade latch broke on the subsequent bus ride.
But hey, at least I didn't try to take it
with my carry-on when we boarded the plane home. (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.
