Tarragona, Spain, May 12, 13 and 14, 2013

 

Round-a-bout at the head of the Rambla, as seen from our hotel window.

Start of the Rambla, just off the round-a-bout by the green 16-story building. My son lived in that building for about four months in 2011. When I missed him I'd go to street view on Google earth, and pretend I was there. It was great to visit his home knowing he'd be with us on the return.




Statues on the Rambla.

At the end of the Rambla overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Roman Amphitheatre, now in ruin, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, a UNESCO
World Heritage site, as it much of old town Tarragona.

Spanish Pizza. The restaurant was built on the ruins of the Roman city of Tarraco.

Basement of our restaurant, the waiter showing us the Roman walls which now serve as the foundation to his business. As you can see, he uses that basement during the busy times. 

Old town Tarragona at night.

The calle leading to the Cathedral.

Outside the Cathedral of Tarragona.

Details of the cathedral entrance.

Outside the Cathedral. I have no idea what or why, but I still took the picture. A boy thing I guess.



Detail of roman mosaic in the Cathedral.

Fountain in old town Tarragona.



Chance meeting on the Rambla with Elder Marcos (Spain) and Elder Nuc (Chech Republic). Actually, we'd been stalking them for two days, but tried not to disrupt their work. Trevor was companions with Marcos for several months.

 



Air guitar on the Calle de la Guitarea. . .

 

Valencia, Spain, May 10, 11 and 12, 2013



Hotel Ad Hoc Monumental, another great old-town Spanish hotel.

 

Searching for a laundry. Once we found it (a monumental task) I was kind of frustrated and slammed the washer door to start the cycle only to break the lock, thereby locking a weeks worth of clothing for three people into the washing machine. I started yarding on the door and, seeing my supposed destruction on a security camera (piso just upstairs), the owner rushed down and started screaming at me in Spanish. I have no idea what she was screaming at me, but my son Trevor, having lived in Spain for two years, came between us and gently told me to walk away. The owner quickly had the  washer open, giving me dirty looks the whole time. I don't think I smoothed any American-Spanish relations with that episode. The ugly American came out and I still feel bad.

Walking to the Ciutat de les Arts ai les Centas (City of Arts and Sciences). The 2-mile walk was along the former river-bed of the Turia River.

City of Arts and Sciences.

Valencia's aquarium.

Estadi Ciutat de Valencia, Futbol stadium for, Valencia C.F., which won the Spanish League in 2002 and 2004 (the year it also won the UEFA Cup.



Back at our hotel. On the fifth floor.

Metro in Valencia.

Metropolitan Cathedral–Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia (Spanish: Iglesia Catedral-Basílica Metropolitana de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Valencia.

I love Paella, and this was the best we found in Spain, which was tough to beat, it was ALL fantastic.

Even the Fanta tastes better in Spain.

Walking the main drags of Valencia was chaotic . . .

. . . but the side-streets were quiet.

We missed the bull-fight by one day.



Whirlwind! Checking out of the hotel of each city was always tough. We loved each city and wanted to stay. (The river walk is below street level in the trees, seen at the end of the street.)

 

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.