Curiosa Alyssa explora Toledo

TOE LEE DOUGH

     Because I don´t have classes on Wednesdays, I decided to take advantage of my time and hit the road to Toledo. There is a bus from Talavera to Toledo that lasts about 1.5 hours. I woke up with the family, took the girls to school, and stayed downtown to wait for the next bus out. On the bus ride we passed through about 8 different pueblos, continually picking up older people as we travelled along. The bus arrived at the station at the very bottom of the hill where the old part of town sits on top. I visited the tourist information office, made a strategic agenda, and began my accent to everything old, narrow, and ornate.

Just outside the walls of the city

Starting my trek up to the old city

   

Key-hole doorway of a mosque

This street turns into nothing!

Getting lost in Toledo is okay with me

     Because I caught such an early bus, the only people around were hurrying on their way to work or school. I passed a few mosques and convents to arrive at a bridge that would provide a good view of the city from outside.

Puente de San Martin

The view from the other side of the bridge. You can see Monasterio de San Juan de los  Reyes.

     I went inside Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca y Parroquia Santo Tome. Inside Parroquia Santo Tome, I saw the magnificent piece, The Burial of the Count Orgaz by El Greco. After that I immediately went the Casa Museo de El Greco and learned about the painter and sculptor. His art can be found all over the city of Toledo. I learned about his technique too because the little blurps next to each picture were translated into english. Interesting fact: I have observed all four of the apostle series by El Greco. The museum mentions that in his workshop he allowed contributors to his paintings, but painted 4 apostle series. I saw it first in the Prado Museum in Madrid, second in the museum of El Greco, third in the Toledo Cathedral, and fourth this past weekend in Oviedo at the Museo de Bellas Artes!

The Cathedral bell tower. 

      I was starving after the museum and hopped over to a cafeteria to eat and then over to the Sinagoga del Transito. This was a very beautiful synagogue and museum about the history of judios in Spain. I managed to get lost a little bit more until I happened upon the Toledo Cathedral. This is by far the coolest cathedral I have been to in my life. Everything about it was ornate and giant and holy. Had I felt more comfortable taking pictures inside, I would show them here. Instead, I decided to see everything with both eyeballs and take in all of its shininess. Maybe one day you will be lucky enough to see it for yourself. With that, I will finish writing and start living.