Chances are, in another 500 years from now, not much of this town will be left standing… so best snap as much of it as I can while I’m here.

See the green crane ruining my masterpiece of a shot?! There’s always building maintenance work going on. But not nearly enough, as we shall see…

Welcome to the 13th century. I’m expecting somebody with a horse cart to push past me, hollering, “Bring out your dead!”

This row of buildings looks quite tidy and as if (at least some) building regulations have been adhered to

Steep or what?! The local joke is that you can always tell a Toledanian woman from a visitor by how firm her butt is from having to go up and down these inclines every day. Each and every one of my guests has complained about sore thighs, calves, and behinds. One of my London pals, who’s been here three times now, calls it “toleditis”.
For some stunning views of Toledo, click here.
Photographs of its two amazing historic bridges are here and here.
Ha! I still have Toledoitis and I got back on Tuesday! But in a good way. See my butt…
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Still?? But oh, those buns of steel….!
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I had a friend who lost 20 pounds when we studied in Spain just from those steps! Great pictures.
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LOL!
I suspect that the small Spanish portion sizes may also have had something to do with the weight loss. Just a wee theory I have…
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Toleditis – that’s a good one! Now I understand how you can eat all this cake! 😉 Beautiful pictures!
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It’s an absolute killer in the summer when it’s 45 degrees in the shade…!
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So, this isn’t exactly on-topic, but I always wondered what actual LIFE is like in a place whose main purpose seems (to an outsider) to be a tourist destination?
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This is indeed a problem… people have been abandoning the old town, because it’s just too inconvenient for cars. It once had a population of 30K, now it’s only 10K. Doing anything to one’s houses is a major nightmare, because of planning regulations and having to protect the ancient buildings. Every time you dig anywhere or knock a wall down, you find something (or someone!) ancient. Which brings proceedings to a hold.
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So I am guessing that nearly all the residents are employed in supporting the tourism (restaurants, shops, state museum employees, hotels) and basic services (medical emergency etc)?
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I don’t know what the break-down is, but I don’t think that this is the case. Toledo is a destination for day-trippers (it’s half an hour from Madrid) and doesn’t support many hotels. I know quite a few guides, and my landlady has a tourism company, but most of my friends/acquaintances have non-tourism-related jobs – if they have jobs at all, that is.
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Toledoitis…. I think I could probably contract that without much difficulty…… 🙂
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Especially with twelve pounds of camera equipment strapped to your back!
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Twelve pounds… Who do you think I am, WonderWoman?!
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No just somebody who (I imagine) lugs around six different lenses, a tripod and God-knows-what!
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Hohoho….actually, I am lazy these days and don’t cart too many lenses about, and the tripod doesn’t often go with me either!! There, that’s another myth shattered…..
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Badly letting the ‘pro’ side down, I see…
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Seems so! 🙂
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