Toledo

Leaving Barcelona we took an overnight bus to Toledo. We were planning on doing an overnight train (which sounded like a good idea) but apparently the rest of spain had the same idea, so everything was fully booked for days. We ended up taking the overnight bus instead--we really had no other option, but I don't think either of us were too happy that morning when we arrived in Toledo.

The old city in Toledo is quite a bit higher than the bus station, so you can either hike up the hill, or ......

take the escalotor. Yup, they have an outdoor escalator (the staircase type looking thing on the side of the hill).

Our first stop (after lugging our bags (and ourselves) up more and more hills to get to the hotel) was the cathedral. Massive, beautiful, full of amazing things....but so cold! There were a few rooms that had paintings, and robes of the bishops in them, that we spent a lot of time in, partially because they were interesting....but mainly because those were the only rooms that were heated.



There were no pictures allowed inside, but we snuck this one from the courtyard.



We took a tour around Toledo on their tourist train. Our Rick Steve's book had said that it was a good way to see Toledo from the other side of the river, and it was. We got some great views.





But it also meant riding around the city on this train.



It was pretty funny. It drives on the roads with all the other traffic, only much much slower. There were times that there were huge lines of cars behind us waiting for any opportunity to pass!

We also went to the Jewish quarter. We had stopped at the Jewish community centre to ask what to see, and had asked about a particular church: the Sinagoga santa maria la blanca. It has at one point in history been a synagogue, a catholic (?) church, and a moorish temple, and retains characteristics of all of them. The guide at the centre said he didn't really recommend it, as it was really just a big empty room....


We went anyways. It really is just a big empty room. But a big empty room with Jewish, Christian and Moorish influences.....

At night the city was lit up with Christmas lights. I remember how last year in France the Christmas lights were so much more special because I hadn't seen any yet until I arrived, and it really did make it feel like Christmas. Same thing here--I loved just walking the streets at night and looking at the lights.




On our way out the next morning to catch the bus to Madrid, I saw this mailbox....kind of like the lion is eating your mail?