Revisita España 2014 - Day 5

If it's day 5 it must be Toledo!

And sure enough it is. Opening the shutters reveals another sunny day has begun. Scorchio!

Breakfast was soon consigned to the past. We opted for the €5 version. Tomorrow I'll go €3 instead. That should be quite enough.

We weren't particularly early but made straight for the Cathedral.  Incredibly only a few minutes to get a ticket, at €8 per person including audio headset.

And into the cool quiet interior.

The place is massive, begun in the middle of the 13th century it took them 267 years to complete! Better be forewarned if you want a Spanish builder!

There is simply too much to tell about here - Link!

Some highlights:


As the inner apse has no natural light the solved it with this window and a special "window" in the wall behind. Amongst the decoration you can see it.


Here, I did it for you.

The main altar is a magnificent piece in gold.


El Transparente still providing light along with El Electrico.

More from the interior...





The Sachristy is now the art gallery and is chock full of paintings by El Greco with Francisco de Goya and Carravagio in support. The best and most colourful is this one.


The next two pictures are the top and bottom of a gold and silver piece called  a Processional Monstrance. Created between 1517 and 1524 by Enrique de Arfe.

It is said that Queen Isabella said that the first gold to be brought back from the New World should be used for it. 



It's a small room and getting a picture of it is very difficult as the independent tour guides stand in the way talking!! Maybe their clients get an uninterrupted view?

From the cathedral we followed the signs to the west of the Cathedral to what was the Jewish Quarter.

A stop for a cake and drink fortified us for another 34 degree assault. Up and down the often steep hills.

Down to the El Greco Museum and a viewpoint over the Tajo gorge.




We bought a bocadillo of jamon iberico and got told off as we served ourselves, not realising the large shop had one person working there. "I'd prefer you didn't do that" she said. "I won't again" replied Claire. Not bad for €3. Might have sold two had she not been so rude about it!

We bought another at a second shop and returned to the hotel to eat in our little seating area in the room.

Comments