c+d: 8/26 - 8/30 madrid and holy toledo

So sad to say good-bye to Petersons (and Alex), but it was time to head to Madrid, traveling not by barge, but on the first of many flights on a start-up, low-cost airline. With names like “Click-Air” (and mishaps like billing you but not giving you a ticket), I guess we shouldn’t be surprised with some of our experiences. But we’ve survived every one, so that’s what matters.

So yes, we arrived in Madrid and had a great time. We’re not sure it’s a city we’ll be back to often, but there were some great highlights, including: the PRADO (duh), the hot chocolate (think melted Ghiradellis that you dip churros in) (jeez), the royal palace (those Spaniards sure had a zenith for a while there), and tapas (though getting charged $5 bucks for a shot glass of coke was not my favorite… come on, dollar!).

And can you visit Madrid w/o going to Holy Toledo? The Muslims had their HQ there for some time, and when the Spanish beat them out of there, they had their HQ there for a few centuries more. (It was only when some king in the 1700s was sick of the church breathing down his neck that the new HQ, Madrid, came about.) So Toledo was a big deal for a long time. We loved it. The whole thing is a UNESCO site, and it survives on tourism, so there’s that feeling, but it really is cool – a steep hill surrounded on three sides by a river, walls and gates and towers everywhere, narrow roads, and this great mix of Moorish and Spanish. Smoorish. And the central cathedral is a beast. Gold and carvings and statues and paintings everywhere. So ornate it kind of makes you sick, but fascinating, too. Maybe that’s the Spanish style…?