Toledo and windmills

So, last week we went on a little excursion to Toledo (which is about a 6hr busride away). The ride was long and started at about 6:30am (Spain happens to be absolutely dead at that hour, even though we're living in a pretty big city...it was creepy and oniric---trying to use one of the words I've learned in class...); most of us slept for the first bit, at least until it got light out, then we could look at the beautiful landscape...Spain is gorgeous! (well, some of it, at least)

Then, we stopped at the Don Quixote windmills...I was pretty psyched...I mean, these are the Don Quixote windmills! THE Don Quixote windmills...how much more quintessentially Spanish can you get?? So we all took lots of pictures of the windmills, of us and the windmills, etc...then some of us checked out the little shop that was inside one of them, and of course we had to buy some souvenirs from THE Don Quixote windmills; the nice ladies told us that we could go up and check out the upper levels...it was pretty little, and the stairs were kind of scary (especially coming back down), but it was a pretty cool view out of the little windows...then, back to the bus...

We got to Toledo, and this is like castle/medieval looking town like none other...I loved the look of the city! Unfortunately, as it is all like old and such, the streets are horribly tiny, winding, and steep, and our tourbus was not getting along with them very well...there were a few close calls, but we eventually did make it to our hotel, which was a cute little place. The school gave us roommates who were not our roommates in Sevilla, so we all got to mix it up a little; the rooms were very nice, and I will have to get some pics up, but I didn't bring my camera today...they're on Facebook though if you can access that...

Then we checked out a church with a painting by El Greco---amazing! And, because we had tour guides who know a thing or two about art, we got a much better understanding and appreciation for the painting than we otherwise would have had...Then we checked out a monastery that Ferdinand and Isabella had made for their burial, but then didn't end up being buried there after all...lots of propaganda in the decor...(which, again, i wouldn't have understood had we not had the professors giving us the tour) Then, shopping...Toledo is known for swordmaking...pretty much all swords used by armies for ceremonial purposes are made there...even non-military swords are made there, like the ones used for Lord of the Rings (yes, it's true)...I, however, did not purchase a sword (although lots of other students did...but really, what good is a sword going to do? It'll just collect dust...) What I was surprised to learn is that Toledo is also known for....marzipan!! Yum! Had to sample it to make sure that it was good stuff, and it was...I even helped introduce a few classmates to it, since they'd never heard of it...how that's even possible, I don't know...Then, I had an extremely overpriced "supper"...beh...tourist towns...

The next day we checked out the giant cathedral, which was pretty sweet...then more free time, so we explored, took pictures, and shopped a bit....I had some churros con chocolate for my lunch...it was my first experience with the stuff, and it was good, although not what I had expected...the "chocolate" was just a tad thicker than hot chocolate back in the states...it was good, since the weather was much colder in Toledo, but not something that I think I'll probably be repeating much...Yeah...then another 6hr busride...then a very laid-back weekend...

Yeah, I'm pretty much out of time...Have a great week!