Toledo/Granada

A brief history lesson: the Romans were the first to use Toledo as a strategic crossroads near the geographical center of Spain. Over the centuries, Toledo grew to be an important city of central Muslim Spain and after the collapse of the caliphate in Cordoba in 1031, became the capital of a small independent Arab kingdom. Beginning in the 11th century, the Vatican recognized Toledo as the seat of the Church of Spain when Alfonso VI ruled. Up until the late 15th century, the Jews, Muslims and Christians co-existed reasonably well until Granada fell to the Catholics and forced the Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or flee. In the 16th century, serious consideration was given to making Toledo the permanent capital of Spain but Felipe II nixed that idea with a move to Madrid and Toledo went into decline.

Today, Toledo is now a suburb of Madrid and a day trip for tourists given its close proximity and frequent bus and train service from Madrid. The old, charming part of Toledo is in a mixed state of decline. A lot of the museums and churches are only open a few hours a week, a lot of shops are closed permanently and those that are open close down by 5 or 6. Having said that, it was an enchanting city to visit and stay in past the “tourist hours.” Although I didn’t partake in the partridge, venison or goat offered on most menus, I did enjoy some great sangria, paella and wines. The sunsets were incredible and the weather warmed my soul until late in the evening.

Yesterday afternoon I left Toledo for Granada. On the train I felt like I was travelling, at times, through the Central Valley with parts flat and part brown rolling hills and pastures, Napa Valley with its acres and acres of olive groves and vineyards to the foothills of the Sierras as Granada is at 685m and you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance. Like other cities I have visited in Europe, people in Granada eat dinner no earlier than 9 or 10 pm to fortify them for their nightlife that begins somewhere around midnight. Here, there are clubs that don’t even open until 1 or 2 am, way past my bedtime!

Some cities seem to have it all – the looks, the history, a sense of fun and a streetwise edge. I would say that Granada is close to being that city. Granada is beautiful with its fountains and flowers lining the streets, it’s anchored by the Alhambra which sits high on the hillside, there are tons of bars and restaurants, beautiful tea houses, excellent sangria, free tapas and people are friendly but with a good edge to them. I explored the main drag today and some offshoots and was taken by the mix of shops and restaurants co-existing and how clean and nice it is here. I was approached a few times by “gypsy” ladies who offer you twigs of rosemary for good luck and if you accept, they then harass you for money. With rosemary plants abundant here, not sure why someone would accept rosemary from a gypsy. Oh well, we all have to make a living somehow. Granada is also home to a university so at times I swear I could have been on Telegraph Avenue with the tattoo and funky shops.

Tonight I’m venturing to an Arab bath house which I was told is a must for the sheer lazy pleasure of it. Admission is for 2 hours and they offer thermal pools at different temperatures (1.5 hours) and includes a aromatherapy massage (15 minutes) – those proportions somehow just seem wrong. Tomorrow I have a ticket to tour the Alhambra in the late afternoon and since you can stay as long as you’d like, I am planning to stay into the evening as I understand the views and surrounding area are somewhat magical as the sun sets.