June 27  to July 1 Madrid

We took an early flight to Madrid and got this fun view of a cloud-filled river before taking the metro into the center of the city. We walked to the much acclaimed Mercado de San Miguel for some good eats and noted all the churches and other places we wanted to explore in the next few days. We are becoming more adept at quickly checking out the touristy areas of places but then finding the more local places to get a better feel of the neighborhoods. We found a market close to our hotel and enjoyed a Es-Mex food dinner there, and then picked up some delicious fruit from a vendor.

June 28th

We took a train from Madrid to Toledo to check out the famous Cathedral. Toledo was the capital of Spain until 1561 when it was transferred to Madrid.

The original church on the spot dates back to 587. Muslims conquered the city and tore down the church and built a mosque. Christians re-conquered the city in 1085. Laying of the first stone of the current church occurred in 1226 and the structure covers the area where the mosque was. The church is called Primatial Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo and was completed in 1493.

These “old towns” within walls are just amazing. The architecture and longevity of the buildings is such a testament to the work of the people. It’s also a little discombobulating to see a McDonalds or a shoe store within the old town with the ancient brick walls retrofitted with all the utilities.

June 29th

When Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561, it did not have a cathedral. Spain built over forty cities overseas during the 16th century and put the building a cathedral on hold until 1885. Construction stopped during the Spanish civil war (1936 to 1939) and didn’t resume until 1950. It was completed in 1993 and consecrated by Pope John Paul II. (Wikipedia image).

The cathedral is colorful! Within the Gothic frame is a mix of modern, colorful paintings and traditional oil paintings. Same with the stained glass. Our favorite was a chapel that didn’t allow photography that was floor-to-ceiling mosiac in cream/white/gold tones.