We hired a driver and a guide to take us a little more than an hour outside of Madrid to Toledo, a very ancient city, with a long history. It's known also for how three different cultures live together: Christians, Jewish, and Muslim. The city has a rich story of development... even the Romans were there! Not wanting to give you a history lesson, so I'm just posting pictures again.
Oh, just dawned on me, El Greco, a famous painter, this was his hometown and we got to see many of his paintings in the Cathedral.
Back to different cultures for a minute... There is the huge, famous cathedral (which we visited), many churches... all Christian. There is one Temple we saw that is not used currently, but was used hundreds of years ago. (We were told there was another temple, but I assumed it's not really around now) There were no Mosques. I asked and was told the Jewish and Muslim folks have to go into Madrid for their worship. I thought that was odd...
Had a great lunch with out guide, Lydia... Javier, our driver, has to stay with the car while in the city walls, so he could not join us. Restaurant was perfect, small, and very highly rated... we could taste why! By the way, the bread in Spain: Magnificent!
And the traveling/walking temp today....95 degrees... was so nice to have Javier's car nice and cool! Since we had the time, and were cooled off, Javier drove us around Madrid to see some of the places we most likely would not get to see.
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Toledo in the background!
Roman Circus ruins in center of pic
Fishing on the Tagus River which surrounds 2/3rd of the city
The Old.... and the new... just relaxing... while one is reading his cell phone!
I spy a church down that alley!
A whole lot of birds flying around... all the time...
Where the choir hangs out....
Pipe Organ Pipes...
a couple of Greco Paintings...
Some sort of special mass with priests going on in one of the chapels... the chanting was beautiful!
One of the artisan's in a metal shop (gold)... very intricate work... Items are pricey... Machine produced ones, obviously much cheaper.
In the Temple.... Original flooring on the left... most had been destroyed through time
Lunch at Mesón La Orza
Here's their website.... they're located in the Jewish Sector...
This bread is my 'crack'!
Yes, Madrid still has Bull Fights!
Odd Sculpture
And, there's the train station!
Javier and Lydia
Back to Home Sweet Home...
