I arrived in the Madrid hostel after a relievingly easy train ride. Another pleasant surprise awaited me as I entered a clean, quiet hostel with a private bathroom, free wifi, air conditioning, and my own room.
I tried to squeeze in sight-seeing before the sun set at 10 p.m., but I ended up only taking a walk to La Puerta de Sol, a plaza with a famous bear statue.
I tried to squeeze in sight-seeing before the sun set at 10 p.m., but I ended up only taking a walk to La Puerta de Sol, a plaza with a famous bear statue.
I came across a tour bus the next morning in Toledo, which brought me into the pages of timeless story settings. During a picture stop on the San Martin Bridge, I realized that I stood by the same armored-soldier-guarded medieval castle gates that housed stories like Tangled and Frozen and better yet, real stories like Arabic and Roman battles. Standing inside the setting of a story resembled the purpose of Disneyworld, but better because Toledo’s characters were real.
The cathedral was filled with magnificent original artifacts, the second richest museum in the world. The cathedral was a timeline- it was completed over 6 centuries of craftsmanship.
From the outside. The tower is a combination of Muslim and Christian influences (to my amazement, diversity acceptance existed centuries ago in Spain):
From the outside. The tower is a combination of Muslim and Christian influences (to my amazement, diversity acceptance existed centuries ago in Spain):
Here is a solid gold monstrance, the original:
The Alcazar museum is built upon the ruins of a castle that first served as Roman and visigothic grounds, a Muslim army sanctum, a Christian army ground, and then a palace for the ruling elite. Inside held an exhibit for uniforms, miniature soldier dolls, swords, and other war-related artifacts.
The displayed uniforms not only made the existence of armored soldier tales more real, but also held stories of cultural mingling. One room displayed artifacts representing the cultural integration forced by Spanish colonization. While colonization initiated wars and cavalry, it also melded cultural innovations together to progress technology and create diversity acceptance. The exhibit showed samurai uniforms (all measuring about 4 feet tall to my dismay) and stone mills which were invented by colonized Africans.
The displayed uniforms not only made the existence of armored soldier tales more real, but also held stories of cultural mingling. One room displayed artifacts representing the cultural integration forced by Spanish colonization. While colonization initiated wars and cavalry, it also melded cultural innovations together to progress technology and create diversity acceptance. The exhibit showed samurai uniforms (all measuring about 4 feet tall to my dismay) and stone mills which were invented by colonized Africans.
Combative histories seeped out of the more contemporary artifacts, which had served for ornamentation rather than belligerence. To this day, little shops all over Toledo sells swords and metal handicrafts of all sizes. Here are some peaceful swords:
I then took a taxi to the Greco museum (Toledo was built like a labyrinth in order to send invading foreigners astray. An excellent site for me to depend on taxis, since I get lost in Alicante even with a functioning GPS). El Greco was a Cretian artist who heavily influenced the artistic world. He was also tragically heroic- his dreamlike paintings arose from delusions and poor eyesight. El Greco’s arrogance left him fameless and penniless until after his death, so the surprise of this discovery magnified his art’s splendor.
The museum was a cozy, very Spanish house that a Greco fan arranged to mimic the home El Greco might have lived in.
The museum was a cozy, very Spanish house that a Greco fan arranged to mimic the home El Greco might have lived in.
I taxi-ed to la Puerta de Bisagra, another medieval architecture framed by Mediterranean scenery.
Lastly, I visited La Sinagoga del Tránsito. I realized how obscure Jewish culture and history was to me. So I absorbed the descriptions about Jewish celebrations, customs, and beliefs. The artifacts were like a new discovery to me. These silver fingers used for reading the torah made me smile.
Before, I celebrated that acceptance was possible. But the synagogue told me that acceptance had already grown and thrived generations ago. This surpassed the excitement in finding hope; it surpassed my range of belief. People I grew up with scorn my introversion as if I’m diseased, but acceptance has always existed an eight-hour plane flight away.
Toldeo is also home to marzipan (a drop of almond butter and sugar), a bite of which I enjoyed.
My first trip alone was a success. I had a day of freedom and complete control over my itinerary. And my trip was short enough not to grow lonely or bored.
Toldeo is also home to marzipan (a drop of almond butter and sugar), a bite of which I enjoyed.
My first trip alone was a success. I had a day of freedom and complete control over my itinerary. And my trip was short enough not to grow lonely or bored.