We get a move on today as we are doing another day trip - this time by fast train to Toledo. There are regular trains from Madrid and they take only half an hour to get there. Toledo is another of those trips recommended to us as a "must see" and it looks good in all the guide books. Fortunately we read carefully about it before we get there and so are not surprised to discover just how hilly it is, and how steep the climb into town is.
But before we get anywhere we are at the most beautiful railway station we have seen yet - the interior is just stunning. The ticket windows in the picture are not used anymore, but I am delighted to see them retained. they are sonderfully built and look just wonderful.
We also read about the tourist buses that meet each train. We could have taken the local public transport but as our time is short we opt for the "turistic" bus, including a walk around the historic part of the city. The bus takes a long route to town stopping at a lookout spot or two for everyone to take photos. All around the world there are thousands of tourists with exactly the same shot among their souvenirs. I am sure that the ticket seller told me our guide is Gore Vidal, but I never have an opportunity to confirm it.
Gore rattles off a lot of instructions as we get on the bus, which I promptly forget for the most part so at the picture stop I chack with him. Yes, we get off the bus at the main square for the walking tour and again he talks very fast so that even in English I miss the next bit. We got off the bus at the mainb square where Gore started talking in Spanish and for a moment I thought we were going to be in real trouble. Turns out that the tour commentary is in Spanish followed by English and then another Spanish dialect. Everything takes a while and there are no pauses so you have to concentrate to catch the start of the bit you will understand. We walk into what is (accurately) described as a labyrinth of narrow streets, some so narrow that you will be able to touch both sides with outstretched arms. Gore points out the various highlights and goes into some detail about how to get back to the station at the end of our day There are several options and he gives us the price of reach, finishing with the walking directions. Then suddenly we are at the Cathedral and he asks those who have green tickets to accompany him into the Cathedral. We are not sure that this is the end, do we wait for them to come out so that we can be shown more than the very little we have to this point. No - that is the end for us, we are on our own.
I am keen to see the Alcazar, but it is shut for renovation. Rob is keen to see the El Greco paintings, but the El Greco museum is closed for renovation. Fortunately for him the most important paintings are on temporary display at the Museum de Santa Cruz. We wander around visiting various things and to our delight come across the Arabian baths. We couldn't get into the baths in Cordoba and we missed out on them somewhere else too so we are glad to visit these baths. We have seen some in the Real Alcazares but didn't think that was the same as visiting what had been public baths. In their heyday the baths must have been wonderful. What we see are the remains of the baths' rooms and enjoy sitting in the very pleasant courtyard with water in it - not running unfortunately. So we tick off Banos Arabes and move on. Toledo is tourist heaven, and I thought I would look at the carving knives on sale. There were so may artesan shops - and they each seemed to be full of Toledo jewellery, other artefacts, Moroccan pearls, swords and hunting knives and a few kitchen knives. Obviously tourists are more interested in flick and hunting type knives and swords. By the way, middle aged women are invisible over here too. I don't seem able to attract anyone interested in serving me and give it up.
As well as the El Grecos the museum houses some Roman pieces - especially sarcophagi, gravestones and some statuary. Also hanging are a collection of tapestries that were Flemish in origin, by design and/or manufacture. Some of them seem to be inexcellent condition and some I find fascinating as they seem to have been repaired with completely different pieces of fabric. Rob has picked up the brochure about the tapestry collection, which unfortunately does not say one single word about these tapestries and so we have no idea when the repairs were made and can only presume that there is work yet to be done on them.
Return to Madrid, straight to Mercado San Miguel for a dinner grazing from the stalls, off to Plaza Mayor for an ice-cream, or in my case a cup of mint tea and that's that except for a discussion about the next day .... Prado day.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Spain 16/7
We get a move on today as we are doing another day trip - this time by fast train to Toledo. There are regular trains from Madrid and they take only half an hour to get there. Toledo is another of those trips recommended to us as a "must see" and it looks good in all the guide books. Fortunately we read carefully about it before we get there and so are not surprised to discover just how hilly it is, and how steep the climb into town is.
But before we get anywhere we are at the most beautiful railway station we have seen yet - the interior is just stunning. The ticket windows in the picture are not used anymore, but I am delighted to see them retained. they are sonderfully built and look just wonderful.
We also read about the tourist buses that meet each train. We could have taken the local public transport but as our time is short we opt for the "turistic" bus, including a walk around the historic part of the city. The bus takes a long route to town stopping at a lookout spot or two for everyone to take photos. All around the world there are thousands of tourists with exactly the same shot among their souvenirs. I am sure that the ticket seller told me our guide is Gore Vidal, but I never have an opportunity to confirm it.
Gore rattles off a lot of instructions as we get on the bus, which I promptly forget for the most part so at the picture stop I chack with him. Yes, we get off the bus at the main square for the walking tour and again he talks very fast so that even in English I miss the next bit. We got off the bus at the mainb square where Gore started talking in Spanish and for a moment I thought we were going to be in real trouble. Turns out that the tour commentary is in Spanish followed by English and then another Spanish dialect. Everything takes a while and there are no pauses so you have to concentrate to catch the start of the bit you will understand. We walk into what is (accurately) described as a labyrinth of narrow streets, some so narrow that you will be able to touch both sides with outstretched arms. Gore points out the various highlights and goes into some detail about how to get back to the station at the end of our day There are several options and he gives us the price of reach, finishing with the walking directions. Then suddenly we are at the Cathedral and he asks those who have green tickets to accompany him into the Cathedral. We are not sure that this is the end, do we wait for them to come out so that we can be shown more than the very little we have to this point. No - that is the end for us, we are on our own.
I am keen to see the Alcazar, but it is shut for renovation. Rob is keen to see the El Greco paintings, but the El Greco museum is closed for renovation. Fortunately for him the most important paintings are on temporary display at the Museum de Santa Cruz. We wander around visiting various things and to our delight come across the Arabian baths. We couldn't get into the baths in Cordoba and we missed out on them somewhere else too so we are glad to visit these baths. We have seen some in the Real Alcazares but didn't think that was the same as visiting what had been public baths. In their heyday the baths must have been wonderful. What we see are the remains of the baths' rooms and enjoy sitting in the very pleasant courtyard with water in it - not running unfortunately. So we tick off Banos Arabes and move on. Toledo is tourist heaven, and I thought I would look at the carving knives on sale. There were so may artesan shops - and they each seemed to be full of Toledo jewellery, other artefacts, Moroccan pearls, swords and hunting knives and a few kitchen knives. Obviously tourists are more interested in flick and hunting type knives and swords. By the way, middle aged women are invisible over here too. I don't seem able to attract anyone interested in serving me and give it up.
As well as the El Grecos the museum houses some Roman pieces - especially sarcophagi, gravestones and some statuary. Also hanging are a collection of tapestries that were Flemish in origin, by design and/or manufacture. Some of them seem to be inexcellent condition and some I find fascinating as they seem to have been repaired with completely different pieces of fabric. Rob has picked up the brochure about the tapestry collection, which unfortunately does not say one single word about these tapestries and so we have no idea when the repairs were made and can only presume that there is work yet to be done on them.
Return to Madrid, straight to Mercado San Miguel for a dinner grazing from the stalls, off to Plaza Mayor for an ice-cream, or in my case a cup of mint tea and that's that except for a discussion about the next day .... Prado day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment