Farewell to Mordor

 Walking round Toledo is one of those disorientating things. With no clear vistas and streets that bend you can find yourself not quiet where you expected to be as you navigate what feels like an island - albeit lacking crashing waves and a decent fishing industry.  We are leaving the island today - but we will be back.


I can’t remember where we ate but it was everything you could hope from a Spanish restaurant.  We were on small boy time so rocking up at 9pm for a meal meant the place was empty. They took one look and immediately put two chairs together so the son and heir could sleep, while his parents consumed.  It was the Taberna Artesana; La Tintilla, but we are passing it by so we will pop in and think of decades gone by.



Woman owned and LGBTQ+ friendly, https://restaurante.covermanager.com/taberna-artesanal-la-tintilla/ La Tintilla gets 4.8 stars.  Three hours ago JP noticed ‘The couple who run this place are very nice and attentive.’  John felt ‘The couple who run this place are very nice and attentive.’



Opposite is another of those grand buildings which litter the city.  The Antiguo hospital del Nuncio Nuevo has two reviewers.  Pere said ‘I could only see the facade. It currently belongs to the Administration. It was a hospital promoted by Cardinal Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana y Butrón. Its exterior appearance is spectacular. Note the inscription on the lintel of the entire portal. ‘  Three months ago Jose added ‘Rehabilitated very well. At least xsevusa’






Out we go, by escalator. All dread fortresses should have escalators.  Across the road we enter a park where me and the lad went for a pleasant stroll while his mum slept.  This one has a swimming pool and some Roman ruins.  Every town should be forced to have some lumps of antiquity dotted around for no good end. Norwich does this with its town walls. Toledo has the remains of its circus.  People are less kind than they should be when a two thousand year thing still stands. Javi felt ‘Archaeological "park". It's a park within the ruins of the Roman circus of Toletum. It's a shame they haven't excavated the Spina or the Metae, things they could have done, but it's incomprehensible why they haven't. ‘  Mr Frazier was kinder. ‘Remains of the Roman circus from the 1st century, during the time of Augustus. It is estimated to have had a capacity of 15,000 to 30,000. It is located within a park, and parts of the circus can be seen.’





Tomorrow we head for Madrid and some decisions.

















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