A dream come true

Well I am sitting a lifetime fantasy of being in a medieval village playing at writing (OK these are the first words but they are coming forth)... My apartment is just lovely in a renovated alley - Callejone de San Pedro - right by the cathedral. My apartment is just past the bend on the right and I am on the top floor. It was built in the 1500s.

Here is the courtyard in my building which even hosts a well (the round thing on the left) which I guess must have been used for water way back when- sorry about the picture but it is very dark and cool... As I am on the top floor this is what I look down to. All the windows open from the living area onto this so when it is hot it must be very cool - because the weather is still cold and damp (raining and max of 12 today) I am a bit chilly. It will be up in the 20s later this week.

When I walk out my door and up the hill I look straight onto the side of the cathedral which houses real Rapahel's and El Greco's among other treasures - so this is the corner of Callejon San Pedro and the cathedral...

Round the corner there is the mercardo (market) which has the little corners with fish, meats, cheese, vegetables etc and a small 'supermarket'... I think this is only built in 1912 - but it is right next door to stuff of Leonardo DiVinci - not sure if you can see that in the pictures...

This is an example of the delis

And yes Holy Toledo (knives and steel), the Crusades (the Christians Jews and Muslims) and knights which form the backbone of the Toledo tourist story so this is a typical tourist shop up near the Plaza Zocodora as well as the fans, Real Madrid football gear and the gorgeous Islamic painted tiles...

, Today being my first real day here I went out for a hot meal for lunch time before siesta when most everything closes... Had a divine dish of deer cooked as per the region - when I dream of a hot stew in winter this was it with chunks of meat in a gorgeou red and wine sauce with lashings of fresh pan (bread) to mop up all the juice. Please note the plates are for a meal of one person so like a bread and butter plate - guess that is why people in Europe are small and slim in the most part. I had my meal in the little square behind the archway on the left.

Then I took a quick walk to the Alcazar which was the palace but before that the base for the visigoth rulers and I believe the Romans etc... It is on the top of the mountain bordered by the River Tagas below - and the view is beautiful and this is what I capture on my phone which doesn't start to do it justice...

And the town is vibrating with the sounds of cannon fire! Apparently it is from a Fiesta for the Virgin Mary in a town in the valley on the other side of Toledo across the river... However in the plaza on the corner of the Cathedral (we are talking 25 metres maybe) from my place, there is a little protest against capitalism etc etc...

OK I am off to do some writing... and here is the Toledo video again to put it all in context :-) Miss you and hope I gain some Spanish through this as few speak English here...
http://vimeo.com/4580766