Historic center of Zaragoza
After our getaway to the fortified Aljafería Palace, we head full of energy towards the city center of Zaragoza. It was easy to park for free near the Santiago Bridge over the Ebro. The temperature is mild even though the sun has not appeared since this morning. Never mind, cameras in hand this time, we head towards a beautiful building visible from afar with its domes decorated in bright colors. We will later learn that this is the legendary Basilica of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar. Once on the bridge, we are struck by the width of the river and its strong flow. The drought is so present everywhere we go in Spain that the sight of so much water delights us.
Opposite, the remains of a section of Roman wall from the 3rd century appear and recall the long past of the city founded by Caesar Augusta in 24 BC, on an ancient Celtiberian city, “Salduie”.
Testimony of a tumultuous past
D'According to historians, the city was conquered in 714 by the Moors, then, in 1065, it became a taifa, an independent Muslim kingdom until 1118. The film , by Henri Verneuil, brings us back to the spirit with the scenes of war between Moors and Christians of the kingdom of Aragon as well as the alliances made with the Cid of Valencia and his Castilian masters.
Today, a modern city, Zaragoza has nearly 700,000 inhabitants. In 2008, it hosted the international exhibition whose theme was water and sustainable development, perhaps the subject of a future panoramic visit. For now, we prefer to immerse ourselves in life in the working-class neighborhoods, not hesitating to take coffee breaks at the bend of an alley, an opportunity to listen to the jokes and follow the news in Spanish. We also like to look at the photos or illustrations of Spain in the past that we often have to find in the dark corners of bars..
The Goya Museum is no longer very far from our place of recreation, we go there a good hour before closing. Striking engravings by the painter bear witness to the atrocities committed by Napoleonic troops between 1808 and 1809 on the civilian population. During this dark period the city lost half of its population, approximately 54,000 inhabitants!
...with its plazas
Still moved by so much suffering, we leave the place for the Plaza del Pilar. Luck smiles on us, no one today on this vast esplanade, often crowded with tourists.
Regularly, major events are held near the Fuenté de la Hispanidad, a beautiful fountain, unfortunately empty during our visit. It commemorates Hispanicity and the discovery of South America by Christopher Columbus. Moreover, October 12 is a national holiday for all Spanish-speaking countries.
Despite the gloomy weather, we took out our cameras and took photos of the emblematic monuments that are grouped together in this large space: the Seo del Salvador, the Nuestra Señora del Pilar basilica, the lonja or trade exchange.
Tired, with more than 18,000 steps under our belt, our eyes filled with the arabesques of Mudejar architecture and the opulence of materials and colors of the baroque-style basilica, we hit the road again in the direction of Roulotte, our haven of peace where we will spend a second night in the "green" (as we say to each other).
An evening in Zaragoza
The next day, early in the morning, languidly, we opened one eye then the other and appreciated the charm and serenity of the place. Bird song accompanies the rising of the sun; “Cétoubiene”, we say to ourselves, referring to the sketch of Les Inconnus Capitol, the retraining of a godfather in the bakery. Together, we have only one idea in mind: to take a night view of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar basilica. Huge projectors are provided for lighting, this should give beautiful contrasts to our photos
We are making a serious departure from our basic principle; always come home before dark! Travel has its share of surprises in store for us: has the solar panel charged? Do we have enough gas for heating tonight? Didn't a prowler get too close to Roulotte, not to mention the bears and wolves... hi, hi, hi!
The morning passes quietly; on the menu for lunch, carrots cooked in white wine flavored with Los Monegros herbs. The afternoon will be devoted to the visitspanoramiques.com site, sorting photos, and calculating the panoramas from the day before. It is already 6:00 p.m., we are heading back to our little part of the world to reach Zaragoza one last time.
Arriving at the historic center, very close to the stone bridge, the scene before us is magical. The beautifully lit basilica projects its reflections onto the Ebro. Jean-Paul applies himself, taking his photos at water level. Until now, we have only taken very few night photos. This panoramic is a first!
The night is total now, the lapping of the water on the banks of the river lulles us. In the distance, brave people practice kayaking while a few Mallard ducks swim peacefully.
Puente de Piedra
On the opposite bank, the town is bustling and invites us to a “tapéo” evening, a cultural institution among the Spanish. We decide to sit in a small restaurant in the lively “del Tubo” district, a famous labyrinth whose long and narrow streets are reminiscent of tubes. With our taste buds awakened by tasty preparations, we see that the good reputation of tapas in Zaragoza is not overrated and that the price is absolutely right. Once “the cuenta” has been settled, we return to the carbr> While Jean-Paul concentrates on night driving, my thoughts wander; where will we be tomorrow?
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As a reminder
Our goal is to bring you the luxury of satisfying your curiosity without moving, while immersing you in this unique space with breathtaking reliefs and colors.
See you soon dear visitors.
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