Toledo Day 2

On our way to visit the El Greco Museum, we came across these bakery windows which caught our eye:













The garden entrance to the El Greco Museum:




The courtyard:












We enjoyed Sunday lunch at La Almena then set out to work it off by walking through the Old Town, across the bridge and up the hill to The Parador, where we met IWCB friends from Barcelona, Janet and Charlie, for a drink in the bar! What a gorgeous view of the city below!
First we stopped at a little chapel on the hill:





Then we reached the Parador, which seemed very popular:









The Alcázar, largely destroyed during the civil war, but rebuilt under Franco and now a huge military museum:




The Cathedral:







Back at our hotel at 8 pm, the innkeeper invited all the guests to the basement for wine and snacks, then showed everyone his collection of Toledo swords and cloaks!








Pat with another guest:






One last glimpse of Toledo train station as we left on Monday afternoon:




And inside Madrid's Atocha Station, a tropical garden and pond full of turtles!



Hasta luego...

Location:Castilla-La Mancha region, Spain

Weekend in Toledo, Spain, February 17-20, 2012

On Friday afternoon, I met Pat at Sants Estacio, in downtown. Barcelona to take the AVE high-speed train to Madrid then on to Toledo, arriving in the early evening. Being on the AVE is similar to traveling by plane, complete with reclining seats and tray tables, a movie overhead and attendants serving refreshments and "merienda" (afternoon tea). We flew through the countryside at a mere 290-300 kph!

In Toledo, we stayed at the quaint Hostal Casa de Cisneros, across from the Cathedral. It was built on the site of an 11th century Islamic palace, parts of which can be seen through plexiglass in the lobby. The current building dates from the 16th century, with stone and wood-beamed rooms. Ours was the last available and probably the tiniest!

The Cathedral opposite our hotel:




Narrow old streets in the walled city:













View of the River Tajo from a park in the old town:




The Jewish Quarter of Toledo:









Inside the Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca:












The Franciscan Monastery and Church of San Juan de Los Reyes, founded by Isabel and Fernando to demonstrate the supremacy of the Catholic faith in Spain:



Known for it's two-storey cloister...check out the prolific orange tree!
















One of the ancient city gates from inside the wall...





And outside...




Joining two buildings, reminiscent of Venice or Florence:





Any relation to my NB friends, Kathy and Norm? We saw this family name quite a lot in Toldeo.



We enjoyed lunch at Kumera then continued our walking tour.
From the tallest point in the city, this is the view from the towers of the Iglesias de Los Jesuítas, an 18th century church:











And inside this same Church:











One more city gate:










Saturday night dinner was at the restaurant La Abadia, set in a former 16th century palace.

Hasta luego...

Location:Castilla-La Mancha Region

Day trip to Roses February 12, 2012

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday just after my return from Canada so we decided to drive up the Costa Brava to the village of Roses, where the former famous "best restaurant in the world", El Bulli, was located. From the top of the hill on the way to see this landmark, we had the most beautiful views over the Med and towards the snow-capped Pyrenees. Further along the peninsula is the village of Cadaques, where Salvatore Dali had a home and did many of his famous paintings. His house was featured in an earlier blog after we visited it with Steph and Lou in January 2010.

















Our lunch at a restaurant in Roses was definitely not up to El Bulli standards, but we had an enjoyable outing all the same!

More later...

Location:Catalunya, Spain

Elliott's christening February 5, 2012

Rev. Karen Chalk, who assisted in marrying Jen and Ben in 2008, baptized Elliott on Sunday, February 5th. The whole family was in attendance, except for Ben's brother, Luke, who is working at Oxford University. Uncle Lou and Grandpa Pat arrived at the last minute as a surprise! Elliott wore an antique family christening gown that was in the Seamone family.




Jen, Ben and Elliott:



Godparents Aunt Steph and Uncle Lou:




Proud maternal grandparents Pat and Kathie:





And equally proud paternal grandparents Laura Lee and Gary:





And all the grandparents together:




Godparents Thomas and Rhonda, Steph and Lou, Ben, Jen and Elliott:




Ben, Jen and Elliott:




Back home in NDG, Jen laid out a spread for the afternoon open house:









Sadly Uncle Lou had to fly back to Denver right after Church, Aunty Sissy left just after lunch and Grandpa Pat returned to Spain in mid-afternoon.





Gilbert entertained his dad, Thomas, Grandma Laura Lee and Elliott with stories of pirates on the Seven Seas! ARGHHH!



More later...

Location:St. Mark's Church, Dorval, Quebec