I once visited Toledo, Ohio and asked how the expression Holy Toledo came about. Two answers came up: 1. there are more churches in that city than anywhere else in the US - believable when you see the obvious result of the 'my steeple's bigger than yours' contest the various denominations must have had. 2. during the gangster era of Al Capone, the rival gangs of Pittsburgh and Chicago would meet in Toledo as a place of truce and no fighting, thus making it holy. It sort of doesn't matter which story is closer to the truth, Toledo, Ohio is a lovely place.
It doesn't compare, nor do many cities, with Toledo, Spain. Another UNESCO World Heritage place, it's pretty darn whooey. I love the Moorish architecture, and the history oozes within and without of the crenulated walls. Here in the middle of La Mancha, I found other trail indicators for a network of hiking/biking trails following the travels of Don Quixote. I'll have to come back another time - yikes, time's up on my computer...
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9 comments:
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Wow, already in the middle of Spain! Keep going I am virtually with you.
Michèle (Ottawa) ON Canada
Ann this is a wonderful entry, very amusing and jolly. Holy Toledo you are probably the only person who has ever walked so many places and so far!
Quixotic, you are.
Gaddafi is allegedly dead, Cirte will be ready to embrace you.
¡Hola Ann!. Soy Juan María, el chico con el que coincidiste en el convento carmelita de la Encarnación en Ávila.
Ese encuentro no fue una casualidad, sino de la Providencia que es quien guía todos nuestros caminos.
Sé que allí estaba “presente” Teresa de Jesús, mi amiga y maestra; no podía ser de otra manera.
Intentaré seguir toda tu aventura humana y espiritual en tu Camino de Jerusalén, como un anticipo del que yo deseo realizar también en el futuro.
Eres una mujer fantástica, muy valiente e intrépida; tomo prestado un calificativo que define a Teresa, para llamarte a ti también: “Mujer inquieta y andariega”.
¡Ann, Buen Camino!
From André, - just back home in Grenoble France - after crossing Ana on her road in between Toledo and Cordoba, near the the "Torre Abraham" province Ciudad Real... Abraham : what a beautiful symbol fior meeting Ana. What a surpise for me to meet another Jerusalem Pilgrim !
www.andreweill.fr
Hi Ann,
Glad you got to post!
I'm a member of Servas...I see there are 28 hosts in Morocco...maybe you'll meet one of them. And there are 20 in Egypt...but none in the countries in between.
Now, to look up Toledo!
I just read this, for the 25th of October:
And you were just there!
October 25 - Consecration of Toledo’s Cathedral to the Blessed Virgin (Spain, 1075)
The Virgin Mary Stops the Invasion of Christendom
On Saturday, October 25, 732, the first day of Ramadan, the Moslem invaders decided to engage in battle with the Franks, just north of Poitiers, France.
The leader of the Franks, Charles Martel, defeated the Arab army, which had to retreat. This victory ended the Moslem invasions north of the Pyrenees. Charles Martel attributed his victory to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
Hola and Happy "All Souls' Day! I can truly say that I followed in your footsteps, because I was in Toledo (si,Spain, not Ohio) on October 21. The ten wonderful days I recently spent in Spain were disappointing only because our "meet-up" never materialized. Hasta Denver!
Andrea
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