This mosaic of photos comes from one of the first day-trip excursions I took out of Madrid when I arrived in Spain in 2006. I fell in love with the charm of the historical centre but was rather put off by the locals who mocked me for taking photos of their doors and churches.
"Sí sí mi casa es muy bonita," jeered a steel-haired abuela. I'll never forget the ringing of her heckling in my ears. Qué Fuerte!!
Later a group of townies tsk tsked at me and said the equivalent of 'sheesh it's only Toledo'. I was truly stunned by the lack of pueblo pride, in my opinion, this town so richly deserved.
A friend of mine recently moved to Toledo for a job and she tells me that she'd heard the same crusty things about the locals, so she was pleasantly surprised to find them quite helpful the many times she got lost in her new town. Perhaps the recession has softened the sharp tongues of the these tourist-weary townies. Who knows. My friend invited me to come and hangout tomorrow night but I can't for various reasons. Instead I decided to riffle through old photos and do up a post on this beautiful place. I plan to go back soon and this time, I'll have a few choice expressions of my own to toss out at anyone who bugs me about being a shutterbug! Holy Toledo, will I ever. Ha ha...
Toledo, which is seated on a hill above the River Tagus, is the former capital of the Spanish Empire and was once a place where Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures coexisted. Earlier than this, Romans built a fortress and the Visigoths made Toledo their capital in the 6th century AD. Nowadays, Toledo is known for its right-wing religious leanings, throngs of tourists and its magical beauty.
To see photos individually, click:
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