windmills of my mind.

This is another iconic image I’ve long had in my mind.  I didn’t expect to see the windmills of La Mancha - Don Quixote’s ‘Giants’ - on this trip.  But I discovered yesterday that they lay on a hillside  outside a small town less than 40 miles from Toledo.  So we jumped in the car first thing this morning to try and find them. 

We had no map as such - just a Google Earth image in my head and some instructions for finding them on Anniemay’s phone.  As you can see, we managed it.

It’s possible to drive right up to their location - and quite a few other people had the same idea.  When we were ready to leave - around lunch time - there were half a dozen coaches fighting for space on the narrow access road.

These windmills became famous in the 16th Century when Don Quixote was first published, although they pre-date that book. They remained in use up until the 1980s.

The main image is one I first saw a long time ago and we found the spot that gives this view.  A couple of extras were taken at the site.  And see Anniemay's entry for a wonderful panorama.

I couldn’t leave Toledo without a final (extra ) image in the late afternoon sun.  It’s a wonderful place - everything I hoped it would be.  Tomorrow we head North for the Picos de Europa and a 10 degree drop in temperature.