Toledo

Toledo is the religious capital of Iberian Peninsula, and home to the most important cathedral in the Country. The architecture is stunning, yet I felt more like I was walking through a museum than a religious sanctuary; I just didn't feel that vibe.

We also saw the famous El Greco's The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is huge and, like all art, a totally different experience to see in person not in a book. The story behind it is amazing. An account of a "real event," it depicts Count Orgaz being buried two saints who flew out of heaven, and his soul--a sort of translucent child form--is being carried up to heaven by and angel, through a formation of clouds that represents, interestingly, a birth canal.

We also visited what has been, throughout history, all of a Church, a Synagogue and a Mosque.

Toledo is basically set on a rock, meaning the streets--all cobblestone--are steep uphills and downhills all the time. It feels almost like a huge theme park that transports you back in time. Besides religious places of worship, it's got a plethora of marzipan shops (which it's famous for) as well as sword shops, which offer both genuine Toledano crafts and their Made in China counterparts for the budgeting tourist.

We also came across many a stray cat--which are not hostile, but stink like nobody's business. After our lunch and tour, as the rest of the group shopped, I, exhausted from writing my midterm all night the night before, headed into McDonald's for a nap. Don't get me wrong, I will NOT be eating American fast food while I'm here in Spain. But it was the only place I felt no shame in using for it's bathroom, warmth and good view of the Square without purchasing a single Mc-anything.

A note I took, about McDonald's. The limited fast food restaurants here are strikingly different than the ones in the U.S. They are just this: not fast. The service is, but again, people take their time with their meal, and there are absolutely no drive-throughs.