Toledo - Day 9

A little earlier start than yesterday with another great breakfast (the muffins are like angel food cake with sugar topping) before taking the shuttle to the train station.  We quickly found the ticket office and purchased our round trip tickets for Toledo.  The train is a high speed train (electric) and takes 33 minutes to Toledo, Spain.  Last night I was able to map out the entire day on Google Maps and print out the itinerary, so when we arrived and got a city map the day came together (should have thought of that trick earlier in the trip).

Keeping the selfie trend to start the trip!  Renfe is the train company in Spain.

From the train station we started the hike into town and stopped by the Castillo de San Servando before crossing the river and our first set of stairs to climb.  Then we traversed the city past all the various sites: Santa Iglesia Cathedral, Alcazar de Toledo, Museo De Santa Cruz, Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, San Martin's Bridge, O Puerta de Alfonso VI, Puerta del Sol and the Roman Ruins.  If you envision hills and valleys and the city sitting on top of one of the hills you can imagine Toledo.  The walking is up and down as you work your way around.

Arriving in /Toledo at the train station just on the out skirts of town

View on hike up to the city from the train station - sunny day - no clouds

Cathedral that takes up a large portion of the city center!

What a view!

View of Church wall from my seat at lunch

When we got to the church just above the San Martin's Bridge we stopped at a street cafe for a late lunch.  They had a deal to pick an appetizer, entree and get one of an assortment of deserts with Bread and water.  I wanted to try a Sangria being in Spain, so Janie followed suite and to my surprise very good.  Janie ordered the Onion soup and Chicken plate and I ordered the Castillo Soup and Iberian Steak.  The soups came out in a cast iron bowl (smaller version to what they cook Paella in) and very hot to the touch.  So of course the soup was super duper hot.  I burned my tongue a bit, and Janie avoided the same result.  The soups were outstanding and then the entrees came out that we awesome as well.  The scalloped potatoes with peppers was very unique and tasty.  Then Janie had a Flan and I had Tart to cap off the lunch.  Another great meal just winging it!!

Onion and Castillo Soups - Hot!! and Tasty!!!

Herb Chicken and Iberian Steak w/ Potatoes

Guess who had two Sangrias?

From lunch we wandered down to the San Martin Bridge where they had a zip line setup to run across the Tagus River.  Only 10 euros, so Janie stepped up to make a run!!  Gotta love my birthday girl!

Please step into your safety gear

Let me hook you up, hold here and you're off

There she goes!!!!  Only a little girl yelp at the beginning

Professional Pic

Champion

The end of the line

Roman ruins of a Circus built over Muslim grave yard and turned into Pottery Kilns and now just ruins.

Another great view of us - I mean the town of Toledo

This was our first climb after we walked up the hill.  The city is from the top of the stairs to the left!

We continued touring around to the Roman Ruins and then a few shops on the way back to the train station.  We had an ice cream in the cafe at the station and then the 33 minute ride to the Atocha station.  Grabbed a few things and then the cab ride to the hotel.  Another evening hanging out in the lounge and finishing the blog for the day while catching up on news, emails, texts and social media.

Tomorrow is the final day in Madrid before we start the trek back home.  10 hour flight to Atlanta and then the 2 hour flight to KC!!!