Portugal, Spain and Baltic Cruise: Cordoba, Madrid and Toledo

On Sunday morning we drove to Córdoba which was in a very hot part of Spain. Last week they had temperatures up to 47 degrees. This day was looming to be very hot also. We firstly saw a huge 1,200 year old Christian church that became a mosque during the centuries of the Muslim invasion, then back to a Cathedral when the Christians took over again. Each group enlarged the building further and added to the decoration. There wasn't much relief from the heat even in this huge structure with its vaulted ceilings. Next we went out into the sun to do a walk through the old town. Although everyone managed the walk it was clearly taking a toll on our tour group.

After our tour and lunch we boarded a fast train (up to 240 km a hour) for the 1 3/4 hour journey to Madrid. This is our last stop on the tour. We are staying at a luxurious Westin Palace Hotel located central to lots of sites. For most of Monday a throng of teenage girls waited excitedly outside the front door of the Hotel hoping to see some young TV star staying here. Dad enjoyed walking through the crowd then standing on the steps and waving to them like he was the one they had come to see - and many waived back!

On Monday morning we did a bus tour of the city then we were taken on a guided tour of the Royal Palace which is the official residence of the royal family although they don't live there anymore but use it for meeting dignatories and holding elaborate dinners and other functions. Several years ago King Carlos abdicated in favour of his 39 year old son, King Felipe. Felipe only has two daughters so the rules are going to be changed to allow one of them to sit on the throne.

Unfortunately, we couldn't take any pictures in the palace but it was very lavish. It had a dining table that seated 121 people. What interested us was the fact that one of the many China settings was Cappadimonte - of which we have two pieces and want to sell them! Of the 3.400 rooms we were only able to see 21 of them

After visiting the palace we had another sumptuous lunch and then a free afternoon. We chose to have a siesta and then do a short walk before our group dinner at a nearby restaurant. It would be hard to find fault with the accommodation or restaurants on this tour and for those who drink, there is wine in abundance. However, when we get to Madeira we might not eat for 5 days!!

Today, Tuesday, we went by bus to Toledo, about an hour drive away. This is another ancient walled city with a reputation for Lladro porcelain (which I have also and was looking to sell), swords & armoury, pearls and marzipan. Here we once again toured a huge cathedral - the second biggest in Spain and 13th largest in the world. We also saw in a smaller church, a massive El Greco painting and did a walk through the old Jewish Quarter to see a Synagogue that is over 1,000 years old. When the Jews were banished from Spain in 1492 it became a church. About 30 years ago King Carlos invited the Israeli Prime Minister & 60 Rabbis with him to the Synagogue. There, he publicly tore up the decree from 1492 which said Jews must either convert to Christianity or leave the country and apologised and asked them to return to Toledo. There are still only two Jewish families living there.

After the morning tour and another 3 course lunch, which goes for a couple of hours, we came back to Madrid.