remains of the Roman wall with the Mercado Central in the background
Zaragoza, capital of the Spanish province of Aragón, was established as a river port by the Romans in 25 BCE. It was named for Caesar Augustus. If you slur his name a bit and truncate the syllables, you can almost get from “Caesar Augustus” to “Zaragoza,” especially if you lisp the z’s like you’re supposed to in Castilian Spanish. While you’re practicing that, take a look at some of the photos Marcus took of the city.
the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar – I just call her Pilar after my favorite character in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
closeup of Pilar’s beautifully tiled domes
lovely fountain in the Plaza del Pilar
recently excavated Roman amphitheater
Puerta del Carmen – site of a key battle in the Napoleonic War in which the Aragonese kicked butt!
El Tubo (The Pipe) – the site of some of the best tapas in Zaragoza
migas – a mix of breadcrumbs sautéed in olive oil with bits & pieces of delicious things added & topped with anything from the kitchen you choose. Our choice was a fried egg. Pure comfort food!