Touring in Toledo is terrific

A quick train ride from Madrid brought us to the beautiful Toledo train station. The Moorish- Gothic design (Neo-Mudejar) includes ceramic tiles from Seville, wooden ticket booths, church-like soaring windows and a clock tower. This is a delightful way to begin the day.

Toledo is a walled city with several entry gates. We entered at the central Plaza de Zocodover, This main Plaza was the scene of the city’s Tuesday market and before that, the Arab souq ad-dawab (livestock market), the namesake of the square. Our tour, this time in our native language, began with a condensed multi millenium history of Toledo, We then walked through the narrow streets admiring the gates, doors, and all types of buildings.

The cathedral, which is built on the highest point in the city can be seen from almost every vantage point in Toledo. The bell tower is gigantic and contains fifteen bells. One of the bells is so large that it took a team of oxen and many pulleys to raise it into position. It rang once, breaking windows in the surrounding buildings and cracking itself, never to ring again.

For many centuries Toledo successfully managed peace among multiple faiths. After 1492, the Muslims and the Jews were no longer allowed in the city. The temples and mosques were converted into churches and minarets into bell towers. Today, the Jewish quarter is marked with ceramic tiles of chai and menorah. Two of the ten temples are now museums. One is the Santa Maria la Blanca Synagogue. Its beautiful arches and intricate decorations are an example of Mudéjar architecture. The other temple, also an example of Mudejar architecture is the Synagogue of el Tránsito. This synagogue now serves as the Sephardic Museum, highlighting Jewish history and culture.

The local cuisine includes a lot of deer, boar and rabbit. We ate at a small restaurant La Nuestro. I was not so adventurous, but there was someone who was up for the challenge.

This Medieval city is filled with beauty and hidden gems everywhere. There are artisans making jewelry, nuns making marzipan and intricate masonry work to cherish at every turn. Toledo is terrific.

Our final few days in Madrid were filled with museums, people watching and even go-karting at a Formula One go-kart track. A final backyard barbecue was the perfect way to say farewell to Spain—this time; we will be back.