Homeward bound - Toledo

Tuesday 10^th April

Awoke early and did the blog. Weather bright but overcast. Checked out of Hostal about 8.30 and after breakfast of bocadillos mixto in a café, walked back to car. Tricky junctions and poor road signage made it difficult to get out of Cordoba ,but we eventually found the Madrid road.

Good motorway roads most of way, but torrential rain made driving hazardous at times, particularly during a heavy downpour trying to overtake 3 lorries, and had to slow right up behind them as visibility almost zero.

Stopped off at Consuegra which had a small Castle tastefully restored (still in progress) and 12 restored windmills, one of which works apparently, which housed a small Tourist Office. We noticed some large birds flying over the town, which I thought were storks,but J thought were vultures or buzzards, and we asked the chap in the tourist office what they were…….he knew in Spanish but could’nt translate, but would look up for us whilst we visited the Castle and windmills.

Spent an hour or so doing the Castle …….lots of rooms restored for festivals and medaeval feast etc…..and walked to all the windmills, getting back to the office at 2 pm as he was closing,but he had waited to tell us the name of the birds……Storks !!

After a picnic lunch by a windmill, we drove the remaining 60km to Toledo and found a nice hostal with garage parking on the edge of the old city. Walked into town , which is on a hill and flanked by a river on 3 sides…..huge stone city gateways and walls. As it was late afternoon, we decided to catch the “petite zucotran” (4 €) to do all the sights. This was excellent as it went round the old city on the otherside of the river ,providing superb views of the city.

After the 50 minute trip, we walked around the narrow cobbled streets to the magnificent Cathedral which had just closed, and then to a park overlooking the river.

Decided to call it a day about 7.30 and had a basic spaghetti dinner on way back to hostal. Had baths and a lazy evening watching TV.