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| The Osborne bull, originally advertising brandy, is seen all along the highways in Andalusia |
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| Only 91 of the original >500 bulls remain, and are now a national symbol, found on Spanish flags and t-shirts |
Monday, November 4, 2019 Toledo
Today we departed at 8:30 for the longest drive of the trip – 3 and a half hours to Madrid, with a stop at Toledo on the way. The countryside is changing – there are still many slopes filled with olive trees, but now it is much less likely to see cork trees. The earth is redder, and flatter as we travel north. We are entering Castilla - la Mancha – where Elena says there is a fort and castle on every hill. Most were built between the 9th and 12th centuries in these endless battles between the Christians and the Moors.
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| Hilltop forts in Castile-LaMancha province |
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| Classic windmills on hilltops |
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| Mistaken as dragons by the great Don Quixote |
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| Fort and windmills |
From a distance, I have seen a few of the classic windmills on hilltops – I wish we could stop to visit them. It reminds me of the musical “Man of La Mancha” – my favorite when I was in high school. I’m singing Dulcinea and To Dream the Impossible Dream in my head as we travel along.
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| The courtyard from our parador in Ubeda |
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| Last views of our one night stay in Ubeda |
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| Knights in armor and double headed eagle lamp stand at the parador in Ubeda |
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