Frozen in Time

Today we took a little excursion to Toledo, a town “frozen in time,” as they say.  I could not have put it better myself.  I felt like I hopped into a storybook.  Cinderella would have been so proud! Surrounded by a stone wall, the entrance adorned with a coat of arms opens to a quaint and beautiful city, complete with stone streets, narrow allies, and not to mention the amazing views, considering it is also known as “City on a Hill.”   It looked just like a medieval city.  Think like a giant permanent Renaissance Festival, only without the completely disturbed people.  (Though we did see some strange looking gypsies.)

 Just to add to the Medieval feel is the fact that one of the things Toledo is known for is its sword business. (Yes, there apparently is a business for that.)  They even made the swords used in Lord of the Rings, so you can use that bit of nerd trivia in casual conversation. There were several stores that sold them, but I imagine a large medieval sword in the suitcase would not go over well through customs.  The other thing they are known for is mazapan, a sweet bread they make.  Naturally, I had to try it.  The best way I can describe it is the consistency of shortbread, with the sweetness of a sugar cookie, but an overall more almond-y flavor.  It was a bit sweet for my taste, but it would have been better filled with chocolate… as I feel about most things.

We walked about the very grand, very imposing, very beautiful architecture.  It has been a place of inspiration for many artists and writers, due to its romantic and classic feel.  (Does a certain Edgar Allen Poe or Cervantes ring a bell?)  Since it is so old it has a lot of legends and stories.  One included the story of a French soldier who was enamored with one of the statues in the Cathedral because it looked so real. When he leaned into to kiss her, the statue punched him in the face.  It might not be the best example, but you get the point.  Don’t kiss statues…? We even got to go in the University of Toledo, where, needless to say, we did not do a very good job of “blending in.”   We went through the Santa Iglesia Catedral Primero, an extremely ornate cathedral.  Another one of my favorite stops was a rose garden, straight out of Alice in Wonderland, at a spot that overlooked the river surrounding the city.  (See?  It even has a moat!)

The only problem about the trip was our tour guide, Pablo.  He was very knowledgeable, but knowledgeable to the point where he talked about every single thing in extreme and annoyingly unnecessary detail.  He even stopped at postcard stands to describe what was on the postcards.  No, I’m serious.  Apparently, he was horrible at reading body language, because after walking in the heat all day (and remember this is a “city on a hill”) we were a bit tired.  He is coming with us on our trip to Segovia, and all I can say is I certainly hope he knows less about that city…   

I had my “ah-hah” moment today when we were enjoying gelato in the plaza, and it went something like this: I am eating gelato in the plaza. In Spain. Life is so good.  Okay, so it was not very profound, but it didn’t have to be.  I just appreciate las cosas sencillas de la vida!