Toledo, Day 1

If I ever live in Spain again, please let it be in Toledo. This place is beautiful. In fact, it's exactly like I imagined Spain would be. Toledo was the capital of Spain for a while, and it shows. It was also a center of culture, so the architecture reflects Christian, Arabic and Jewish cultural influences. And although the Jews and Arabs were expelled from the country in the 1400s, you can still see many of their footprints here. Arabic archways, a Jewish quarter, Mosques, Churches, and Synagogues are everywhere. I've so far only managed to get to see the Cathedral, but that's only because I got into my hostel at 3, and everything closed at six. Speaking of the cathedral... It is not as impressive as the one in Burgos, nor is it as large. That being said, it was beautiful. It's got this AMAZING retablo. Biggest I've seen yet. There's also this one particular wall honoring the both Eucharist and bringing in light in the most unusual way. It's hard to describe, but I'm going to post all the pictures. The stained glass, which doesn't really show up on my phone camera, was probably the most beautiful stained glass I've ever seen. And the chapels are all quite lovely. I also so the original Greco piece of St. Dominic. You know, this one I had the opportunity to climb the bell tower! I highly recommend paying the extra few Euro and visiting the top. Unless of course you are afraid of heights, giant bells, tight spaces, or tiny, winding stair cases. FYI, I'm afraid of that last one. And these windy stairs were ridiculously small. I was terrified on the way down. But the view from the tower was fantastic. And the bells were enormous. Apparently they use the different bells to signify different things. The large bell in the center is no longer used, but was used when war ended, or when a king was crowned, things like that. Some of the older people can apparently tell by the sound of the bells when someone has died, and whether or not that person is a woman or a man. Crazy. I spent quite a lot of time wandering around the city. The city is on a hill, so my legs are exhausted. I think if they some statistics on the healthiest city in Spain, it would be Toledo. There's no way to not be fit walking here every day. Toledo is famous for a couple different things. Mostly swords. There are swords everywhere. And I want one. But I will refrain. They are also well known for marzipan, which I haven't tried yet, but will tomorrow. Don Quijote is everywhere, and the famous wind mills are nearby. I will be traveling to see them tomorrow (which makes me wish I had a sword...) Finally, they're famous for a certain type of gold inlay, called damasquinado, which is Arabic in origin. You have to be careful though, I'm pretty sure most of them are 'gold' and 'silver'. I found a couple good shops, but I think as a general rule, if it also sells Toledo t-shirts and bongs, it's probably fake (you might think I exaggerate. I don't. The town is also filled with bong shops.) I managed to figure out my way around the city in a couple hours. Not everywhere, but from the square to my hostel, hostel to the cathedral, and a few other places. I don't know, there's something about the crazy streets of an old Spanish city that make sense to my brain, whereas the well ordered grid of an American city completely go over my head. I also had a map. That may have had something to do with it. There are, again, a lot of American and English speaking tourists here. I stopped a group that was clearly on a pilgrimage (they had a priest with them). None of them spoke Spanish, and they all ate dinner at six, while I was having a merienda (churros and chocolate, yum). I teased them about it, and they actually laughed! I told a successful joke that didn't center around something nerdy! This is a banner day for me. More adventures tomorrow!