Madrid is a lovely, modern city. The siesta is still part of the culture. Many shops/stores open at 10 a.m., close for lunch from 2-4 and close at 9 p.m. However, the large department stores in metropolitan areas have the more traditional hours Americans are used to.

We then made our way the top of Toledo and the main city area. Thank goodness for a series of escalators! We visited the magnificent Gothic cathedral that took over 200 years to build. According to one of our travelers, "It is one of the most beautiful and impressive cathedrals that I have ever visited." Next we stopped at a 13th century synagogue, a testament to Toledo's Jewish heritage.