Toledo

 Friday, January 16, 2026

We're out the door by 9:30 so we can stop for coffee and train snacks before catching the metro to the train station.  The bakery is huge and we all give our orders to Jenny and let her handle it.  When she gets the coffees from a different counter we come in two at a time to fix them and get out of the way! Then it's on to Toledo, famous for swords and marzipan and we have plenty of time to eat our deliciousness before arriving at the stunning old Toledo station. 

Two sandwiches and a drink for about $6.50! They're small sandwiches, but, still...

Interesting plaque in the sidewalk

Glad I wasn't alone!

morning people?

Comfy train!

Bags o' goodies!

The Toledo station can be a destination in itself!  Stained glass windows and amazing brick work!

It's about a mile and a half walk to the Army Museum, located in the Alcázar, and it's all uphill.  'Nuff said. It is located on the highest hill in Toledo and has been many things since Pre-Roman times, including a fortress, palace, prison, House of Charity, military academy and museum. The displays cover all aspects of warfare - weaponry, uniforms, insignias, and the history of Spain's wars and territorial expansion. As you might expect, the weapons, especially the swords, were the major attraction for Ole and Stu, although Jenny, too was really into it, explaining some of the finer points of Spanish-style fencing to Amanda and me. We spent three hours and didn't see everything!

Thanks, Jenny, for this great family shot!

So many steps!

And we've finally made it to the top of the highest hill!

And so it begins!

It's a cannon.  Why does it have to be beautiful?

There are a lot of steps before you can fire this baby!

And they have some newer equipment, too.  Barbara found this one!

Oh!  Jewelry!

Secret Spiral from the battlements to the servants quarters

Jenny's in her element, too!

This display lets you try out the grips.

We just saw the original yesterday!

Some of us are hungry and thirsty, so it's time to move on.  Jenny and I stop for some sparkling water while we wait and Barbara goes for a walkabout. The rest find us and have brought our coats from the locker.  The wonders of modern communication technology!

And Barbara found a cat!

While I found a pretty bench!

 We've spent three hours in the museum and now it's definitely time for lunch. (4:00!).  Jenny knows it will be a minute, so she stops for some snacks.  She gets two cones filled with two forms of Spanish ham and everyone gets a sample.

It's Toledo.  There are swords everywhere!

Meanwhile the guys have found an antique shop and  explain to a tourist couple that they are fencing instructors and qualified to tell them what they are seeing!

There's a lot of drooling going on.

Finally we find a place for "lunch", El Trébol, and we study the menu outside before going in. When we sit down we receive a complimentary plate of potatoes and sausage and agree to a bottle of red wine.  Ole and Barbara, though want to sample the local beers.  Everything is delicious, as we've come to expect, and after we've cleaned all our plates we set off again.

Amanda does the honors.

The appetizer sampler plate

You can always order more if you're still hungry!

When you start up the stairs to the bathroom ad look down, you realize that the building is built on an ancient site - and the whole rest of the town probably is too!

And we're off again!

Cool pastry in a window we pass

Maybe the biggest attraction in Toledo is the shop where Ole and Jenny first considered moving to Spain!

Barbara did a pano!

In addition to fabricating gorgeous swords, they also have an artist who does illuminated manuscripts.

Our next objective is "numzipan".  There is a convent whose nuns make and sell marzapan, for which Toledo is famous! There's a tiny little store and an actual nun handles the transaction!

"Check that funky Euro duck!"

Next we're looking for monk cookies!  The last time Jenny and Ole were here they actually bought them through a hole is the wall!  It takes a bit of looking; but we eventually find the convent after Jenny asks someone for directions.  It's not a literal hole in the wall anymore.  I guess that's a different place?  Anyway there is a display case from which to make your selections and while the nun (not a monk!) we are invited to see the courtyard.

Great shot, Jenny!

Now we're on the hunt for a place to get some beverages and enjoy our treasurers. Mmmm, hot coffee (decaf, thank you)! Everyone samples everything and discusses whether we want to explore some more in the rain and cold and dark, or change our train tickets for an earlier time. Barbara decides to stay and do some more stair climbing (today's 15,000 steps weren't enough for her!) and the rest of us are ready to go back to Madrid and explore there. Ole hoofs it back to the station and the rest of us take a cab! We arrive with a moment to spare. Our train tickets work just fine and we're even almost sitting together which is cool considering they were just bought!

Busker on the train

Mayor Square is nearly deserted.

 

SO glad we weren't part of this mess!!

                                                                                     Our lobby

We change from the train to the metro and make our first miscue but it's no big deal.  We go one stop in the wrong direction and have to come back to our stop but it's not too hard to do and presto change-o we're back home!  We go back to the B&B to get dry and rest up a bit.  The kids plot our next adventure while I type and presently there's a new plan. We're going to see if Mama's Dumplings has any available space.  it's not far from home, as the kids reckon this things, and off we go.  Hmmm, it's as tiny as we thought, and also as crowded.  But it's right next door to a place that only sells tiramisu in a variety of flavors. Jenny is watching their video while the guys check our kebob places and by the time they've decided she's succumbed to its siren call!  One tiramisu to go, please!  And we're off!

Oh!  Look!  You can get those stupendous Portuguese cream tarts right here!! Amanda gets one for each of us and now I don't care what we're doing or how far we have to walk.  I have heaven in my mouth!

There had been a choice of the kebob place from last night or another one which has a higher rating.  The call of adventure wins out and shortly after we order Barbara appears!  Wait to 'til you see her photos! 

The kebobs, or felafels in Amanda's case, live up to the ratings and when we're satisfied it's time to troup back to the B&B to pack and get some sleep before out flights home.  Jenny has arranged for a car to take us to the airport at 8:00 and I'm so grateful that we aren't negotiating the whole metro/airport thing again. We all checked in earlier today and should just have to drop off our bags.

When we go here there were at least four of these guys holding their ropes an ready to run for it if the cops came.  Looks like they did while we were eating and this guy is setting up again!