Laura here. I finally stole the computer from the other two.
Today was a really beautiful day! We spent the morning in the Spanish General Archives in Simancas. There we toured through the Castle of Simancas, which was established as the Spanish General Archives in 1540, and was the first official archive of the kingdom of Castilla (a big deal). The bridge, front entrance and doors at the entrance are all still original from the 15th century. We saw beautiful maps that were hundreds of years old of different cities/countries that Spain conquered during it's quest for gold, G-d, and glory. They were incredibly detailed. We also were able to enter the original personal archives of Felipe II. Toward the end of the tour we met with the director of the archives, Julia, who read aloud to us the original royal decree protecting the Jewish people of Sevilla. This text was amazing to see and touch. It was written in 1478 and not considered old!
After we left the general archives in Simancas, we headed to a nearby town called Toro. Our very own Olivia lived there for a few weeks last summer and vouched for it's charm. When we arrived, we had some good moments in the sun in the Plaza Mayor. Afterwards, everyone dispersed in groups to eat lunch, shop (a little), and go on the hunt for an interview with someone in the pueblo. It was a bit of quieter day than we expected, but most found a Spaniard to interact with or ask their questions.
Just outside of Toro we arrived at Queseria Campoveja, an artesanal cheese factory. There, we did a tour of their factory and entered into their bodega to see cheese as it's stored, curing, or aging. We tasted 4 different cheeses and had some time to browse their shop. We learned about the history and cheesemaking process in this particular factory and what makes them special-- they wash their cheese wheels every day with salt and water (and amor)!
Overall, today was a relaxed day with great weather, good food, and new experiences!
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