Tordesillas

The temperature is rising so we wanted an easy day. We breakfasted in the shade and then walked up into Tordesillas. We wanted to see a royal convent : the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara. We had to wait a bit for an English speaking guide but there were only 4 of us, 2 Spanish and ourselves, so it was intimate. Extraordinary security too...our bags were x-rayed and a security guide followed us from room to room to make sure we behaved. It was stunning. Dating back to the 13th century with moorish influence to please King Peter the Cruel's mistress who was from Andalucia.
Then later on the Queen of Castille, known as Juana la Loca because she was a bit deranged, was imprisoned here for 46 years. She had previously carried her dead husband (Felipe the Handsome) around Spain in a coffin and looked in at him episodically..
The other big event here was in 1494. Spain and Portugal divided up the world (those lands discovered already) by running a line down the earth between the two poles. In the Treaty of Tordesillas the Spanish kept everything to the west of the line and the Portuguese kept everything to the east. The line was moved a bit west by the Spanish pope (370 leagues) to go around the Cape Verde Islands and consequently Portugal came away with Brazil. Big spoils... Silly old Spain. There was a great museum in the town explaining it all. We had a menu del dia, which was great, in the plaza major to while away a bit more of the hottest part of the day. Then a swim, BBQ and cool evening breezes by the river.
First time we have felt compelled to buy 2 magnets in one day ....En savoir plus