The Coolidge examiner., 1936-09-04

Here the Pyrenees meet the sea,
and both unite to create unique
qualifications for a summer resort.
The Bay of Biscay rolls into San
Sebastian's semicircular harbor in
a half-moon of blue-green, the same
regular curve repeated in the
beach's yellow crescent.
At the opposite ends of its mile
diameter rise rocky headlands
which have offered for centuries
protection against naval assaults.
The western bluff supports a new
lighthouse beside the abandoned
one, now an observation tower. On
the eastern mountain stands a SUBJ
stantial Spanish castle, less asso-
ciated with dreams than with night
mares of siege.
A distinctive atmosphere survives
in the Old Town. In this Basque
fishing settlement, at the foot of
Mt. Urgull, dark nets dry along the
Wharves and laundry hangs from
windows of the narrow, five and six
storied houses. Nearby the ancient
church of Santa Maria wears a
white-sailed ship above its doorway
to show kinship with it's parishion-
ers who must go down to the sea in
ships.
Toledo Looks Moorish
Toledo occupies the crest of hill
rising nearly 200 feet from the
Tagus River, At miles southwest of
Madrid. When the catapult was the
modern engine of war, it was al
most impregnable. The Tagus
formed an admirable moat on the
south, east and west sides; and the
neck of land on the north stretching
toward fertile plain, was protec-
ted by the plurality of walls that
surrounded the city.
1t is difficult to imagine that with
in less than two hours train ride
from the Spanish capital, there is a
city with marked oriental appear
ance. The Puente de Alcantara, the
principal gateway to Toledo on the
east, is of Moorish design with mas
Sive high towers at each end. 1t
was built in the Thirteenth century.
From the time one steps upon
this bridge, until the river is re-
crossed by way of the Puente de
San Martin, dating back fifty years
earlier than the Puente de Alcan-
tara, the many relics and ruins of
medieval days in Toledo give a
flavor of Palestine and Arabia, with
a touch of French Gothic here and
there.
The road approaching the city
from the bridge winds around the
hill past the Hospital de Santa Cruz,
fifteenth century building, and
then through a Moorish archway
that was nearly 400 years old when
Columbus discovered America. It
leads to the public square which
still retains its Moorish name-the
Zocodover. The square" is really
a triangle with one slightly round
side. A wall of balconied buildings
surrounds it, pierced at frequent in
tervals by narrow cobblestone
streets hardly wide enough for two
Toledo donkey carts to pass. There
are narrow sidewalks but few Pc
destrians use them.
Toward the middle of the city,
the lofty but graceful tower of
Toledo Cathedral rises above the
housetops. The narrow, winding
streets in the neighborhood, bor-
dered by unattractive buildings, do
not permit full view of the edifice.
1t is a splendid example of French
Gothic architecture with carved
monuments, stained glass and trac-
cry work comparable with that of
other European cathedrals. It
covers about the same area as
that of Cologne cathedral and took
266 years to build. The foundation
stone was laid in 1927.
Busy Old Barcelona
Barcelona is modern in appear
ance, although the port dates to the
second century and ranked with
Genoa and Venice in Mediterranean
trade in the Middle Ages.
The spacious harbor into which
the Phoenicians sailed in quest of
new peoples with whom to trade,
and which Columbus triumphantly
entered after his return from
America, now is pierced by long,
modern wharves, each accommo-
dating several large ocean going
vessels at time.
The old quay, now well paved, is
lined on its inner side with modern
buildings and a promenade fanked
by two rows of palm trees occupies
its center.
The old part of the city. once
surrounded by wall, still has some
of its canyonlike streets, and bal
conied windows of bordering build
ings nearly meet. But many of