November 9th, 2007 - Zaragoza

Endless Construction and a Few Surprises

The first order of business was to leave the hostel and walk to my new hotel. The hostel was completely booked for the night so alternative accommodations needed to be made. I don’t know what is going on in Zaragoza but every reasonably priced hotel is booked, so it was time to splurge on sleeping in a room that actually comes with its own bathroom.

Looking out the tenth floor window, there is nothing but open dry land to be seen and that is doing precious little to break up the wind currents that keep buffeting the building.



The new train station looks like an architectural winner from many different angles.



So, it was now time to explore the city and find out why people in Bilbao said this was a good city to visit. This would be counter to the German man, whom I had breakfast with in the hostel, who asked with the snidest of tones, “Why did you come to Zaragoza?" The truth is that my College Spanish teacher would say the name perpetually in class so I figured it must have some value.

Zaragoza was actually home to four different cultures over the centuries, Roman, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian. Unfortunately, predisposed to the futility of my day, the first building visited made little impact. It was a Moorish castle, Palacio de la Aljaferia, and was listed as a royal palace.



Next, the Plaza de Europa was centered by a monolith, which barely cleared the height of its lighting towers.



Actually, just kidding, I was playing with perspective and the monument is respectable.



Crossing the river, I looked right to view the city’s cathedral. Trying hard not to be the ultimate skeptic, with “European Cathedral” burnout, I consciously decided to save judgment until after seeing the inside.



Zaragoza is under major reconstruction. Every square food of waterfront is under renovation. If you need a total body exfoliation, simply come to Zaragoza, because with the gusting winds and all the sand in the air everything and everyone is getting a thorough blasting.



The flags along the riverbanks are plastered straight out, with a little lift, straining their flag masts. The wind hasn’t been this consistently strong since Mykonos.



Entering the main square, it is becoming more obvious why Zaragoza could be a host city for a European Exposition.



The size and dominance of the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar (actually not a cathedral) was not so apparent until viewing it from the visual framing of the main square or Plaza del Pilar.



After the shear joy of seeing the Guggenheim, in Bilbao, it would have taken the sudden discovery of ancient pyramids to keep me from riding the post partum slide, but the inside of the Cathedral provided a definite soft landing of interest.



Its massive halls were almost stately, as if a capital building were mixed with a religious context. Behind the flags, under the internal dome, that is as big as a normal church, is the main alter. The works inside the Regina Martirdum dome were created by the painter Francisco de Goya.



Outside, on the plaza, the painter Goya stood watch over the crowds.



Zaragoza is historically significant as a Roman outpost. These lions guard the entrance to the remaining bridge spanning the river, simply known as Puenta de Piedra or stone bridge.



Like everything else in town, the bridge is getting a “stabilization face lift” as well.



To prove the Roman’s were once rulers of this part of Spain, a statue strikes a taxi hailing pose near an aqueduct reproduction.



There is so much construction, throughout the city, that one gets the feeling that if the Roman’s were still around, they would be rebuilding their monuments as well, like the Puerta del Carmen. (Note the sign.)



I have found that the local hardware tells a story of a city’s former life. Cities like Brugge, with their cast dragon benches point to a more prominent time. The same is true of Zaragoza and its street lamps. This ornate lamppost was found in the middle of a run down part of town, on the Conde Aranda, and had the appearances of former prominence.



Another symbol of former greatness is the presence of a large-scale bullfighting ring or in this case the Plaza de Toros de la Misericordia. These rings usually took more than a hundred years to complete, so cities that could build and maintain them must have had stature.



I have been frequenting a local ice cream shop near the university, where for the price of a soda you can use the WIFI internet for hours. The piped-in Spanish music is great and my manager friend is happy enough to share the CD.