Mora to Toledo - Kind weather, testing path

Clouds and thunderstorms swirled around me all day. What a relief it was to be walking in cooler weather.
Mora was quiet this morning - only one or two bars open. I shuffled past. I was on a mission.
Forecasts seemed right - it was cool and cloudy. I hoped it would stay that way.
The first town had a church (no surprises there) with a castle right next door. There is  a story of conquest and reconquest, as well as mosque-church remodelling,  there I am sure.
Different cultures and different religions have had dominance over these regions for centuries. On the other hand , there have been long periods of peaceful coexistence. Some parts of today’s world could learn from that.  The stories these church doors could tell.
This morning I was uncertain how the day would unfold. It took a couple of hours for me to feel confident in my walking rhythm. I knew I was walking slow and had a long way to go.
The path was varied and difficult in parts. I walked closer and closer to these castle ruins.
I was surrounded by undergrowth at times.
I walked through a posh vineyard estate. 
Just after I stopped for morning tea . . .
A snake crossed my path!
And then - guess what! It began to rain.
This was lunch- sitting on a rock in the rain. 
Not all that glamorous. Neither was the coffee stop at the next town. Look carefully to see the ghost in the machine. 
By early afternoon, I was confident I would make it to Toledo in reasonable time so I took a rest at a bus stop.
The invisible man - Not long after I glimpsed distant views of Toledo.
And down into the valley, I went. I passed numerous beautiful historic country mansions named after Saints and eventually came to the river.
I saw the beautiful strategic positioning of this world heritage city. 
I even mingled with and shuffled through several bus loads of pigeons. 

Bridges needed to be crossed and that last climb to the city centre was a killer..

The architecture blended from different traditions is so striking.

Just below the Plaza Mayor, I came across Miguel Cervantes. He does not look a day over 400; sorry I cannot say the same about me after today’s walk. 
I found the backpackers, although I think I was the only one with a backpack. I got cleaned up and went out for dinner, satisfied and tired after a long day.

On reflection there is no way I could have done this walk yesterday in the heat. I made the right decision yesterday. The weather was kind today. I am grateful.

Looking forward to a good sleep. - With a bit of sightseeing tomorrow