Sunday, November 17, 2013

Zaragoza, Spain, May 9 and 10, 2013

Basilica–Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish: Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar)  According to ancient local tradition, soon after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Saint James was preaching the Gospel in Spain, but was disheartened because of the failure of his mission. The tradition holds that on 2 January 40 AD, while he was deep in prayer by the banks of the Ebro, the Mary appeared to him and gave him a small wooden statue of herself and a column of jasper and instructed him to build a church in her honor. This is the only reported apparition of Mary to have occurred before her supposed Assumption.


Zaragoza's town square.





The Ebro River in Zaragoza.


Rainy walk back to our hotel (Hotel Rio Arga, seen above) after walking to the cathedral (one block away) and the river (1/2 mile away). I love the narrow streets of old-town Spain. Yeah, tough to navigate in a car, this hotel took an hour of circling until I realized anything drivable is legal. Driving these sidewalks was so un-American, that is, to drive down a pedestrian mall, like driving an Escalade through City Creek Mall, but the pedestrians just part, and mind their own business. No obscene gesturing if you slow them a micro-second. So un-Utah, thank God.   

Café at midnight - churro's and chocolate.


View from our balcony.


On to Valencia. It's Spain - anything drivable is legal.


 

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