A Stunning Exterior, A So-So Interior

After our late lunch, we turned down some other tiny streets (no cars could fit on these) and found the Dean’s Arch and House.  We walked under the arch, joining a bunch of kids, as apparently school lets out at 3pm. 

Walking around the Cathedral, we found the famed Gothic-Mudejar wall of the La Seo Cathedral, which has Gothic style windows with beautiful ceramic windows.  More visually arresting, however, is the large sections with geometric designs dating from the Muslim days.

Then we re-entered the Plaza del Pilar, walked past beautiful fountains, a large statue of Goya, and some sculptures that apparently he did.  Goya was born and raised in Zaragoza, and there is a museum to him right on the Pilar.  We did not go, given that the day was moving along and we had to be as well.

Our next stop was the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar.  Number one on TripAdvisor, it is not number one in our hearts.  Much of it is closed off (we presume for repairs), and it is not as visually stunning inside like La Seo.  If we had gone to the Basilica first, perhaps we would have been more impressed.  We spent 15 minutes it, then came back out to the Plaza.

Let me say this, in fairness to the Basilica.  The exterior is far more visually stunning than La Seo.  The basilica is right on the Pilar with many towers, gargoyles for the rain, and other carvings.  The most interesting parts are the multi-colored tiles, giving it a happy, delightful appearance rather than the stern look so many European cathedrals have.

It was also amazing to us how few people we saw out on the streets.  It was well-past siesta, and maybe every one is working, but the plaza and surrounding streets were empty.  After two days here, I’m beginning to wonder if Spain is largely a ghost town.  More on that later.

We walked back over to the market, but alas it was closed for the day – at 3:30!  We needed food for our country farmhouse, and Carol quickly found a nearby grocery store on her phone.  We drove over, I dropped her off, and found nearby on street parking.  The grocery store was empty at 4pm, with more employees working than customers.  It wasn’t quite Wegman’s, but it did the trick.

After returning to our car (no ticket – small victory!), we hit the road for Ainzon (I will give you a minute to google the town).  Quickly leaving Zaragoza, we left the suburbs far behind, entering a near desert with few signs of life (besides other cars on the road).  Villages were few and far between, and we drove quickly up the highway with modest mountain ranges in the distance on either side of the valley.