Toledo: A little fairy tale.

Well here we are, a new city!
Hola Toledo!

To begin with, we had quite the morning trying to figure out the train situation. To sum it up, it ended with me almost throwing up/having an anxiety attack, and we both cried. Basically everything we read before coming was a bit out of date or something, because nothing said we needed to make reservations for ALL of our train rides. We bought a euro rail pass, and in my experience you just jump on and go. Sometimes making reservations is good because you might not get a seat and will have to sit in between trains...like say, Florence>Venice 2008...but otherwise, you just jump on. RIGHT?! Not with the new and fancy AVE trains in Spain. You need to make reservations and pay MORE money for EVERY trip. Please note, that I now know this by waiting in loonnnnng lines 2 different times only to have mean train people yell at me in Spanish as if that would help me understand them more. My Spanish isn't so horrible, I probably could have understood them a little more if they would just speak slowly and not roll their eyes at me and get all angry. I really needed someone to just PLEASE speak English and HELP ME. I kept just wanting someone to come and take care of everything for me...but I just told myself, "I AM WOMAN" and worked it the best I could...and cried later.

FInally, I used what little Spanish I do have...and pointed to the the printed times and dates we wanted to go (thank God we had that-thanks Alyssa) and we booked our Toledo trip for today, and our Granada trip for the 6th, and back to Madrid for the 10th. WHAT A MORNING.

In other news, Miss Alyssa is feeling MUCH better! She even ate some bread tonight and has kept it down just fine! Her tummy doesnt hurt anymore and she hasnt gotten sick! woohoo! Our spirits are back up and we are ready to get going! Except...now I am fighting a cold and am pretty tired from such a long week last week...so some rest may be in order.

We got here to Toledo this afternoon, we were emotionally and physically exhausted (see anxiety morning 2010 above), so we just passed out for 2 hours before heading out to explore the city and get some dinner. We just FELL IN LOVE with this cute little city. Toledo is a walled medieval city that was the capital of Spain at one point. It has moorish influences too, which make it so unique at every corner. The streets are all tiny, rocky, and confusing...but it isnt scary like Barcelona because its so small you cant really get lost. But you CAN stroll eating their delicious local mazapan and stumble upon cute kids ice skating in a beautiful square! and your CAN find the Zara here! and you CAN run your hand along these huge brick walls that have been here for hundreds of years! AND there are no creepy people...just touristas:)

They have whats considered by most to be the most beautiful cathedral in all of Europe, and since it is the home of the artist we fell in love with in Madrid, El Greco, we will get to see lots of his work at the free museum here as well. Tomorrow should be a lovely day after some much needed rest and some recuperated sicky's.

We didnt take very many pictures today wandering in the dark, but tomorrow I will make sure and get you some!

Sending lots of love from fairy tale Toledo!

-Esther (and sleeping Alyssa)