Toledo

Toledo is a municipality located in central Spain, 70 km south of Madrid. It is the capital of the province of Toledo and the community of Castile–La Mancha. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage and historical co-existence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures.

Toledo is known as the "Imperial City" for having been the main venue of the court of Charles I, and as the "City of the Three Cultures", having been influenced by a historical co-existence of Christians, Muslims and Jews. In 1085, the city fell to Alfonso VI of Castile as the first major city in the Christian Reconquista. Toledo has a history in the production of bladed weapons, which are now popular souvenirs of the city.

The Alcázar of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo, Spain. Once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century, it was restored under Charles I (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) and his son Philip II of Spain in the 1540s. In 1521, Hernán Cortés was received by Charles I at the Alcázar, following Cortes' conquest of the Aztecs.

The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic cathedral and the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo.  The cathedral of Toledo is one of the three 13th-century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain and is considered, in the opinion of some authorities, to be the magnum opus of the Gothic style in Spain. It was begun in 1226 under the rule of Ferdinand III and the last Gothic contributions were made in the 15th century when, in 1493, the vaults of the central nave were finished during the time of the Catholic Monarchs.

I'll have to hand it to Toledo for preserving their wonderful heritage.  

The city view is actually from the balcony of my hotel room.  Beautiful. Hope to get a night shot as well. 

The cathedral was stunning.  Big signs... NO PHOTOS.  EVERYONE was taking photos!  LOL!   The bizarre painting in a hole on the ceiling had a window in it and had carved figures all around it.  Truly odd but very compellingl.

I guess I was tired or hot or both but I toodled around, bought a few dulces (sweets) and did the cathedral and then headed back to relax at the hotel, on the patio, with the same view, and have a few beers.

The kid walking his dog was walking backwards up the street.  The kids on scooters were on the main plaza with their families. And the cats were in a store window.  So cute.

Life is good! La vida es buena!  The Spaniards I have talked to are courteous and kind and love the United States.

I did my best to get a 'bracketed' shot of this skylight, 3 photos w/different exposures WITHOUT a tripod.  Close and maybe a cigar, no?  It was just stunning.  

If you have heard of the Way of Santiago de Compostela, this is he, depicted. The end point of the walk across northern Spain ends in Compostela. The Camino de Santiago is also known by the English names Way of St. James, St. James's Way, St. James's Path, St. James's Trail, Route of Santiago de Compostela and Road to Santiago,

 St. James (San Diego, we know him as, in Spanish) has a legend attached that while he was in Spain, "...riding a white horse and wearing a white cloak, sword in hand: The legend of the miraculous armed intervention of Saint James, disguised as a white knight to help the Christians when battling the Muslims, was a recurrent myth during the High Middle Ages.  The shell is the symbol of Santiago.

The outside of the cathedral is beautiful as well.