Madrid, Day Three, June 26th.

Toledo is a city that emanates history.

Walking through that labyrinth of a city, I could practically breathe the history and the culture that was so thick there. Even the way it looked was significantly historic, with its cobblestone paths, labyrinthine streets and old buildings. The Gothic cathedral was especially impressive, and had the greatest effect on me. It's always mind-blowing, imagining how these fantastic structures were built without the aid of modern technology.

Inside the Gothic cathedral, the art was immensely impressive. It took my breath away. The air seemed thicker inside, heavy with the sacred holiness of the place. It was a very important cathedral, and continued to remain so even in the modern times. The gorgeous, artistic window that shed light into the cathedral was just something you'd have to see in order to believe that it was real. The sacred artifacts, so priceless that they cannot be bought, were amazing to look at, as if I was witnessing history itself. The scriptures of the monks, the golden Ostentorio used for celebrations... I was fascinated with Spanish history, and enjoyed learning about the ever-prevalent religious influence. Toledo is a city of three cultures. Muslim, Christian, and Jewish, and imagining how they all must've clashed was rather interesting. I also learned more about the Inquisition, a rather dark time in the history of Spain.

Later, we viewed the masterpiece of Goya, the Burial of Lord Orgaz. Goya has become one of my favorite artists, not only because of his Black Paintings, but also his style and his use of dark colors. I enjoyed learning about Lord Orgaz and the many religious tales of miracles that permeate throughout the Spanish culture. These important myths are rather telling of the culture itself, such as the story about the man who defended Lady Mary's virginity and received a miracle when she herself came down from heaven and saw him.

I wanted to stay in Toledo longer, the old capital of Spain, and learn more about its important history. I could see why it is a treasure of Spain.