Uncovering History in Toledo
We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls. |
If you have the chance to make it to Toledo, DO IT. This 2,000 year-old city remains a cultural touchstone for our modern world.
We had a personable, knowledgeable local guide who escorted us around the city's historic pedestrian-friendly historic heart. Easily the most memorable moment of the entire trip to Toledo was our visit to the Museo Sefardí. Standing in the museum's crown jewel, the Sinagoga del Tránsito (built in 1355 by Samuel Leví), seeing the careful blend of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim aesthetic, religious, and cultural elements in one place, moved me to tears. We listened as our guide attempted to unravel for us a long and complex history of Toledo shaped by the interactions between major religious, ethnic, and cultural groups. After all, Toledo earned its nickname of "City of the Three Cultures" because of this history, a history which certainly made its mark on the built landscape of the city. The synagogue itself was so stunning (see photos below), and our guide's narration so passionate, that I was moved to tears. Halfway through our walking tour, Frederico surprised us with tasty treats of marzipan, the local delicacy of choice in Toledo - I'm pretty sure that it only contained butter and sugar. The sugary treat revived us for our last stop: the Toledo Cathedral. Construction on this masterpiece began in the 13th century! It is home to one of the best fine art collections any museum could muster (thanks to the famous Spanish painter, El Greco), as well as a five-story tall, ornate altar made of gold filigree. It was jaw-dropping. After we were done oohing and aahing at the Cathedral, we were set free for lunch. My mom and I grabbed a quick bite (I had a delicious sandwich with pear in it!) and did some shopping and wandering. Frederico had to drag us away from the city later that afternoon....our final group dinner in Madrid was calling our names! |
The the thing about traveling is, you always have to go home at some point, whether you want to or not. But boy, did we celebrate our last night in Spain in style! It was nearly dinnertime by the time we returned by bus from Toledo. We walked down Gran Via together one last time and headed to an excellent group dinner at a nearby local restaurant with a cool, underground seating area. Conversation flowed and laughs came easily and often. The meal was capped off by perhaps the biggest surprise of the whole trip. It is usual for tour participants to organize a small gift for their tour guide, who also gives tour members presents on the last night to remember their time in Europe. Who knew that part of our gift was a full on vocal performance by none other than Frederico himself! We were floored when he easily belted out operatic tunes in other languages, perfectly in tune and with no shortage of dramatic flair. Ever since the Don Quixote monologue on our first day in Madrid, I had a feeling that Frederico belonged on the stage. Clearly, I was right about that one.