Further adventures in Toledo

We’ve been doing a lot of ambling around the old city as it really is designed for getting lost in. There are no straight streets anywhere and it can be incredibly difficult to tell where you are. Luckily, we purchased a very good map for 2 Euros that has all the streets named. I think Phi would love to amble mapless and see what happens but that is not my idea of a good time.

We spent a good long time in the Cathedral which was quite spectacular. (Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada) Photography was not allowed inside which probably cut our visit in half as Phi would have been snap happy. One thing that particularly caught my eye was a medieval embroidery that was in the Sacristy. It was in amazing shape given how old it was. While we were in the Sacristy looking at El Expolio by El Greco a tour came by with a guide speaking in English. How fortuitous! We learnt all about the painting and several of El Greco’s other works that were hanging near by.

We also had an extended visit to Iglesia de los Jesuita (Spanish) (English translation here.) a beautiful church but so very different to the Cathedral, having plaster walls and a wood floor. The highlight though is to climb to the top of the towers and see the view of Toledo. It’s quite stunning. (A little tricky to get there if you suffer from vertigo but being at the top did not prove problematic.) So far it is the best view we’ve had of the outside of the Cathedral.

To keep Sub Evil Boy from going bonkers we visited the Antiguos Instrumentos de Tortura. Carefully laid out everything was labelled in both Spanish and English so we understood exactly have every implement of torture was used. Human beings really do suck sometimes. Sadly we don’t seem to have moved past this love affair with inflicting pain on other people. Water boarding comes to mind. Approved of by a US President who proclaims his religious observance. The irony as we stood in this tiny museum was felt heavily.

Hopefully our spirits will be raised tomorrow with a visit to somewhere more salubrious.

Current temperature: Toledo 18C/63F, with Mum 13C/55F, at the house 84F/29C

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