12 avril 2011 - Zaragoza

MARDI
The main plaza in Zaragoza, the fifth largest city in Spain located in Aragon.
Aljafería Palace. Zaragoza was the capital of a taifa, an independent Muslim state, in the 11th Century, and the palace is an architecturally beautiful memento of this time period.
Unfortunately someone graffitied by picking away at the plaster.
Went to El árbol, a grocery store, to pick up supplies for lunch. We did not purchase one of these dried hams that can in seen hanging in tapas bars, restaurants, markets, grocery stores etc.. in Spain, but we did purchase a baguette, tomato, cheese, and avocado.
Picnic along the Ebro river. Across the river graffiti reads "here lies street art."
Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. Legend has it that Saint James saw the Virgin Mary on a pillar around which this basilica was built.
Lion pillars. In the plaza in front of the San Salvador Cathedral, I saw a teenager set off the alarm to this emergency exit, then run down the street.
I did not want to pay the four euros to go inside the Cathedral, but the outside was well impressive.
Free museum displaying works by Francisco del Goya. Most of his works had social commentary, which I enjoyed.
Went to El Gran Buffet de las Tapas for dinner.