Toledo

Didn't have that good a night's sleep but no matter, as it was bags out at 7 and then breakfast and away at 8. Our coach us new and is really, really good. Heaps of leg room and great air conditioning! There are 39 of us on the tour and it sounds like nearly all of them are only doing a 9 day tour whereas we are doing 17 days. When we get back to Madrid they finish their tour while we go on with another tour director to do northern Spain. But back to today's travels.
As it is Sunday and early, the streets are super quiet. We head out southwards to Toledo (pronounced Tolaydo by the locals). Just gorgeous views as we stop at a high point, showing the River Targus and much of the city which is built on a hill. Hope my photos do it justice. We then went to a Damascene workshop where we saw a fellow making jewellery. It was quite beautiful but not my cup of tea, plus I thought it quite expensive although many in our group bought up big at the shop. Jo and I talked an American guy out of buying  a sword, and I'm still wondering why a Grade 5 primary school teacher really was serious about buying a very heavy, and very sharp full size sword.
Toledo has 2 parts and we had a guided tour through the old city which was just lovely. The city has been UNESCO heritage listed so can't undergo any modernisation as such. The streets remain cobbled and all the buildings have lots of iron fret work and quirky balconies. There were at least 6 convents and so many churches which were all magnificent. They are very proud of their history where for the most part Muslims, Jews and Christians have all built their places of worship either next to each other or in some instances over the top of, yet continuing to incorporate the original facades.
We went into the foyer area of the Church of Santo Tome to view El Greco's painting of the burial of the Count of Orgaz. I am a bit of a troglodyte when it comes to historical paintings and I never seem to get what the fuss is about depending on brush strokes and blah, blah, blah. But our local guide Enrique did such an excellent explanation about all facets of who was depicted in the painting and why, that I have to admit that I have a new appreciation for El Greco. We couldn't take any photos but  if you happen to have your own print of the painting I will be very happy to pass on my new found knowledge about the painting. You can call me Eddie the Expert from now on.  No, better make that Princess Eddie the Expert!
We had about 90 minutes then to do our own exploring. Jo and I grabbed some lunch at a little cafe and managed to get exactly what we ordered simply by lots of pointing. Unfortunately our 2 sessions of online Spanish lessons haven't covered food yet! We sat with Shelley and Mark who are good company. Then roamed about the Commercial Street which was a cobbled roadway with lots of different shops either side. I bought Jo and ice cream and I had a frozen yoghurt. It was very yummy and also time to head back to the coach. I forgot to mention before that we had to take 5 escalators to get to the top of the old city, so we took our 5 escalators back down again and then onto the coach to head for Granada.
It was a long drive but for the most part, pleasant scenery. Loads and loads of olive groves, but the plains are very dry and apparently this is La Mancha, so I can see why poor Don Quixote went a bit do lally. Also saw a few windmills on one hill but not sure if they were functional or symbolic. Stopped for a cool drink after about 90 minutes then another hour or so when we then viewed the Sierra Nevada mountains on our approach to Granada which was the capital of the Moorish Kingdom of Spain till the Moors defeat in 1492. Here's a little gem for you before I close this epistle Granada means pomegranate but we haven't seen any of them just yet.
Have arrived at our hotel which is really nice and are now about to head out for reception drinks and dinner. We really haven't been affected by the heat today and I have to keep pinching myself that it is about 40 degrees and I feel just fine, particularly when I hear that it has been snowing on Mt Lofty back home. It's a mad, mad, mad world.... And you my dear little armchair travellers are perfectly suited to your places in that world!