 |
| Toledo, Spain |
We spent a single day in Toledo. When we arrived, it was too foggy to take the panoramic tour of the city, so they jostled our schedules a bit and we were whisked into the labyrinth city of Toledo for a walking tour. My tour guide was a very enigmatic and charming man whose purpose, he told us, was to “prove that Toledo is the most beautiful city in the world.” Having never seen most of the striking cities of the world, I had no true basis for comparison, however he convinced me that Toledo likely holds a place on that list. We were guided through monasteries, cathedrals, and a synagogue where the influences of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian culture converged to form a multicultural city that is truly elegant. Outside one of the Cathedrals, I ran into my dear friend, Ben Birch, a fellow University of Idaho student. We exclaimed at the chances of our actually finding one another in Spain and decided we needed to meet up again at some point during the semester. Shortly thereafter, walking into one of the side-street shops, I happened upon two more friends from Idaho, Lizzy Smith and Keelcy Perez. We were able to exchange a few words, take a photo, and then continued on our separate ways. What an incredible happenstance not only for four students from the same University to be in the same small city in Spain, but also for them to connect. The world works in mysterious ways…isn’t that how it goes? Anyhow, Toledo is almost completely encircled by a river that serves as a natural moat, which protected the city from invasion centuries ago. I’d like to one day live somewhere with a moat—I will get started on my research tomorrow.
